Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE: RJF) has reported net revenues of $2.67 billion and net income of $323 million for the fiscal second quarter ended March 31, 2022.
“I am pleased with our results for the fiscal second quarter and the first half of the fiscal year, especially given the challenging market conditions. Financial advisor retention and recruiting in the Private Client Group segment remain strong, contributing to solid domestic net new asset growth of 11% over the prior 12 months, and we successfully closed on the Charles Stanley acquisition during the quarter,” said Chair and CEO Paul Reilly. “While heightened geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties negatively impacted investment banking revenues during the quarter, the M&A pipeline remains robust. Looking forward, we are well positioned for the expected increases in short-term interest rates with healthy loan growth at Raymond James Bank, a high concentration of floating-rate assets, record clients’ domestic cash sweep balances and solid capital ratios providing us ample balance sheet flexibility. The TriState Capital Holdings acquisition, which is currently anticipated to close by the end of the fiscal third quarter, is expected to further increase our floating-rate, interest-earning assets and diversify our funding sources.”
Black MondayOn 19 October 1987, the stock markets experienced a dramatic plunge that prompted many firms to shut down their trading desks and turn off their phones to minimize internal losses. Raymond James refused to do the same. Our desks stayed open to help meet clients’ needs, resulting in our first and only unprofitable quarter since the firm went public in 1983. |
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Who was Raymond James?The Raymond in our name is actually from Edward Raymond, owner of a 15-employee mutual fund sales group, Raymond and Associates, along Florida’s west coast. He sold his company to Bob James on 15 July 1964, on condition that the surviving firm be called Raymond, James & Associates. Three days after the sale, Ed Raymond was involved in a near-fatal automobile accident and never joined the firm. Nonetheless, even after Raymond had passed away, Bob James insisted that his name remain on the door – ahead of James’ own. That was a promise he made to Ed Raymond three days before the accident, and Bob James was a man who kept his promises. |
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Bear Market of 1974The severe bear market of 1974 threatened the existence of Raymond James, which was bleeding capital by the day. Tom James, his father and other leaders took extreme measures to keep the firm afloat, slashing costs, foregoing paychecks and even attempting to sell the firm for just enough capital to protect client assets and retain as many associates as possible. The story could have ended very differently if not for a sharp upturn and continued rebound in the stock markets late in the year. |
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Taking Raymond James PublicWhen consideration was being given to taking Raymond James public, Tom James penned a letter to shareholders (largely employees at the time). ” … the public offering should be considered as a statement of our independence. While this is a psychological rather than an economic rationale, it is nonetheless very important. We have asserted for some time that we are not interested in becoming a small part of a very large corporation. That assertion results mainly from the inclinations of management rather than the economic benefits associated with either alternative. The public stock offering affords us the opportunity to enjoy a little bit of the best of both worlds. While shareholders will be given liquidity at fair market value, we will still have the ability to control our own destiny.” After 40+ years of Tom’s leadership, upon becoming CEO, Paul Reilly was often questioned about whether the company might ultimately surrender its cherished independence and be acquired by some larger entity. His response: “Not while I’m around.” It’s a theme that continues today. |
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