Regulatory Capital Requirements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

NOTE 19 – Regulatory Capital Requirements

We operate in a highly regulated environment and are subject to capital requirements, which may limit distributions to our company from its subsidiaries. Distributions from our broker-dealer subsidiaries are subject to net capital rules. A broker-dealer that fails to comply with the SEC's Uniform Net Capital Rule (Rule 15c3-1) may be subject to disciplinary actions by the SEC and self-regulatory organizations, such as FINRA, including censures, fines, suspension, or expulsion. Stifel Nicolaus and TWP have chosen to calculate their net capital under the alternative method, which prescribes that their net capital shall not be less than the greater of $1.0 million or $250,000 (actual), respectively, or two percent of aggregate debit balances (primarily receivables from customers) computed in accordance with the SEC's Customer Protection Rule (Rule 15c3-3). CSA calculates its net capital under the aggregate indebtedness method, whereby its aggregate indebtedness may not be greater than fifteen times its net capital (as defined).

At December 31, 2011, Stifel Nicolaus had net capital of $182.1 million, which was 27.4% of aggregate debit items and $168.8 million in excess of its minimum required net capital. At December 31, 2011, CSA's, TWP's and S&Y's net capital exceeded the minimum net capital required under the SEC rule.

Our international subsidiary, SNEL, is subject to the regulatory supervision and requirements of the Financial Services Authority ("FSA") in the United Kingdom. At December 31, 2011, SNEL's capital and reserves were in excess of the financial resources requirement under the rules of the FSA.

Our Canadian subsidiary, SN Canada, is subject to the regulatory supervision and requirements of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada ("IIROC"). At December 31, 2011, SN Canada's net capital and reserves were in excess of the financial resources requirement under the rules of the IIROC.

Our company, as a bank holding company, and Stifel Bank are subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the Federal and state banking agencies. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory and possibly additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on our company's and Stifel Bank's financial results. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, our company and Stifel Bank must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of our assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance-sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. Our company's and Stifel Bank's capital amounts and classification are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about components, risk weightings, and other factors.

Quantitative measures established by regulation to ensure capital adequacy require our company, as a bank holding company, and Stifel Bank to maintain minimum amounts and ratios of total and Tier 1 capital (as defined in the regulations) to risk-weighted assets (as defined), and Tier 1 capital to average assets (as defined). To be categorized as "well capitalized," our company and Stifel Bank must maintain total risk-based, Tier 1 risk-based, and Tier 1 leverage ratios as set forth in the tables below.



Stifel Financial Corp. – Federal Reserve Capital Amounts
December 31, 2011
	Actual				For Capital Adequacy Purposes				To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions
	Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio

Total capital to risk-weighted assets	$	861,147	27.6	%	$	249,996	8.0	%	$	312,495	10.0	%
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets		855,847	27.4			124,998	4.0			187,497	6.0
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets		855,847	21.4			160,234	4.0			200,293	5.0

Stifel Bank – Federal Reserve Capital Amounts
December 31, 2011
	Actual				For Capital Adequacy Purposes				To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions
	Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio

Total capital to risk-weighted assets	$	172,357	11.3	%	$	122,439	8.0	%	$	153,049	10.0	%
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets		167,057	10.9			61,220	4.0			91,829	6.0
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets		167,057	7.2			92,479	4.0			115,599	5.0

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of computation of net capital under the SEC Regulations which may include a reconciliation (including appropriate explanations) if material differences exist between the computations made by the independent auditor based on the audited financial statements and the broker-dealer's original unaudited Part II or IIA filing, a statement that a reconciliation is not necessary if no material differences exist between the computations made by the independent auditor based on the audited financial statements and the broker-dealer's unaudited Part II or IIA filing, when different, total assets and total liabilities, as reported in the statement of financial condition, are reconciled to the total current assets and total liabilities, respectively, as reported in the statement of computation of minimum net capital. Disclosure may also include stockholder's equity, stockholders' equity not allowable for net capital, stockholders' equity qualified for net capital, subordinated borrowings allowable in computation of net capital, other deductions or allowable credits and total capital and allowable subordinated borrowings.

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