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Legal Proceedings
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
Loss Contingency, Information about Litigation Matters [Abstract]  
Legal Proceedings

NOTE 15 – Legal Proceedings

Our company and its subsidiaries are named in and subject to various proceedings and claims arising primarily from our securities business activities, including lawsuits, arbitration claims, class actions, and regulatory matters. Some of these claims seek substantial compensatory, punitive, or indeterminate damages. Our company and its subsidiaries are also involved in other reviews, investigations, and proceedings by governmental and self-regulatory organizations regarding our business, which may result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, penalties, injunctions, and other relief. We are contesting allegations in these claims, and we believe that there are meritorious defenses in each of these lawsuits, arbitrations, and regulatory investigations. In view of the number and diversity of claims against our company, the number of jurisdictions in which litigation is pending, and the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of litigation and other claims, we cannot state with certainty what the eventual outcome of pending litigation or other claims will be.

We have established reserves for potential losses that are probable and reasonably estimable that may result from pending and potential legal actions, investigations, and regulatory proceedings. In many cases, however, it is inherently difficult to determine whether any loss is probable or reasonably possible or to estimate the amount or range of any potential loss, particularly where proceedings may be in relatively early stages or where plaintiffs are seeking substantial or indeterminate damages. Matters frequently need to be more developed before a loss or range of loss can reasonably be estimated.

In our opinion, based on currently available information, review with outside legal counsel, and consideration of amounts provided for in our consolidated financial statements with respect to these matters, including the matter described below, the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse impact on our financial position and results of operations. However, resolution of one or more of these matters may have a material effect on the results of operations in any future period, depending upon the ultimate resolution of those matters and depending upon the level of income for such period. For matters where a reserve has not been established and for which we believe a loss is reasonably possible, as well as for matters where a reserve has been recorded but for which an exposure to loss in excess of the amount accrued is reasonably possible, based on currently available information, we believe that such losses will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

SEC Investigation of Communications Recordkeeping

The Company has been contacted by the SEC in connection with an investigation of the Company’s compliance with records preservation requirements for off-channel communications relating to the broker-dealer or investment adviser business activities of the Company using personally owned communications devices and/or messaging platforms that have not been approved by the Company. The SEC has provided the Company with a settlement offer and the Company has established reserves for potential losses that are probable and estimable, but at this time, based upon currently available information and review with outside counsel, the Company is not able to state with certainty that a settlement will be achieved or the ultimate resolution of this matter.

The Company has also been contacted by the CFTC in connection with an investigation of the use of non-Stifel communications platforms for business-related communications by employees who were associated persons of CFTC registrants. At this time, based upon currently available information and review with outside counsel, the Company is not able to estimate the outcome of this matter, including the range of possible ultimate resolutions.