Nature Of Operations And Basis Of Presentation

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2014

Nature Of Operations And Basis Of Presentation [Abstract]

Nature Of Operations And Basis Of Presentation

NOTE 1 – Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation

Nature of Operations

Stifel Financial Corp.  (the “Parent”), through its wholly owned subsidiaries, principally Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (“Stifel Nicolaus”), Stifel Bank & Trust (“Stifel Bank”), Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (“SNEL”), Century Securities Associates, Inc. (“CSA”), Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. (“KBW”), Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Limited (“KBW Limited”), and Miller Buckfire & Co. LLC (“Miller Buckfire”), is principally engaged in retail brokerage; securities trading; investment banking; investment advisory; retail, consumer, and commercial banking; and related financial services. We have offices throughout the United States and three European cities. Our major geographic area of concentration is the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, with a growing presence in the Northeast, Southeast and Western United States. Our company’s principal customers are individual investors, corporations, municipalities, and institutions.

Our Canadian subsidiary, Stifel Nicolaus Canada, Inc. (“SN Canada”) ceased business operations as of September 30, 2013. The results of SN Canada, previously reported in the Institutional Group segment, are classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented. See Note 3 to our consolidated financial statements for further discussion of our discontinued operations.

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements include Stifel Financial Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, principally Stifel Nicolaus and Stifel Bank. All material intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. Unless otherwise indicated, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” or “our company” in this report refer to Stifel Financial Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

We have prepared the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Pursuant to these rules and regulations, we have omitted certain information and footnote disclosures we normally include in our annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. In management’s opinion, we have made all adjustments (consisting only of normal, recurring adjustments, except as otherwise noted) necessary to fairly present our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Our interim period operating results do not necessarily indicate the results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full fiscal year. These financial statements and accompanying notes should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 on file with the SEC.

Certain amounts from prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period’s presentation. The effect of these reclassifications on our company’s previously reported consolidated financial statements was not material.

There have been no material changes in our significant accounting policies, as compared to the significant accounting policies described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Consolidation Policies

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Stifel Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries. We also have investments or interests in other entities for which we must evaluate whether to consolidate by determining whether we have a controlling financial interest or are considered to be the primary beneficiary. In determining whether to consolidate these entities, we evaluate whether the entity is a voting interest entity or a variable interest entity (“VIE”).

Voting Interest Entity. Voting interest entities are entities that have (i) total equity investment at risk sufficient to fund expected future operations independently, and (ii) equity holders who have the obligation to absorb losses or receive residual returns and the right to make decisions about the entity’s activities. We consolidate voting interest entities when we determine that there is a controlling financial interest, usually ownership of all, or a majority of, the voting interest.

Variable Interest Entity. VIEs are entities that lack one or more of the characteristics of a voting interest entity. We are required to consolidate certain VIEs in which we have the power to direct the activities of the entity and the obligation to absorb significant losses or receive significant benefits. In other cases, we consolidate VIEs when we are deemed to be the primary beneficiary. The primary beneficiary is defined as the entity that has a variable interest, or a combination of variable interests, that maintains control and receives benefits or will absorb losses that are not pro rata with its ownership interests. See Note 26 for additional information on VIEs.