Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE:SF) shares inched up 1% in premarket trading on Wednesday after the company reported third-quarter earnings that topped Wall Street forecasts.
The financial services firm posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.95 for the quarter ended September 30, 2025, beating analyst estimates of $1.89. Revenue climbed 16.7% year over year to a record $1.43 billion, ahead of the $1.33 billion consensus.
Strong investment banking and transactional activity underpinned the performance. Investment banking revenue jumped 33% compared to the same quarter last year, while transactional revenue rose 20%. Asset management also posted record results, with revenue up 13% year over year and total client assets reaching $544 billion, an increase of 10%.
“Our third-quarter results once again highlight the strength of Stifel’s balanced business model and disciplined execution,” said Ronald J. Kruszewski, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We delivered record net revenue of more than $1.4 billion and $1.95 in earnings per share, the third highest in our history, driven by record results in Global Wealth Management and a 34% increase in Institutional revenue.”
The Global Wealth Management segment brought in record net revenue of $907.4 million, up 10% from the prior year, while Institutional Group revenue surged 34% to $500.4 million.
Stifel also returned capital to shareholders during the quarter, repurchasing $31.2 million of common stock and declaring a quarterly dividend of $0.46 per share.
Looking to the future, Kruszewski said: “With record investment banking pipelines, record client assets, and an integrated wealth and banking platform that continues to gain momentum, Stifel is well positioned to build on its success.”