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Item 3 — Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Stifel Financial Corp · 10-Q · Q2 FY2026 · Period ended Jun 30, 2026
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Risk Management
Risks are an inherent part of our business and activities. Management of these risks is critical to our soundness and profitability. Risk management at our company is a multi-faceted process that requires communication, judgment, and knowledge of financial products and markets. Our senior management group takes an active role in the risk management process and requires specific administrative and business functions to assist in the identification, assessment, monitoring, and control of various risks. The principal risks involved in our business activities are: market (interest rates and equity prices), credit, capital and liquidity, operational, and regulatory and legal.
We have adopted policies and procedures concerning Enterprise Risk Management. The Risk Management Committee of the Board of Directors, in exercising its oversight of management’s activities, conducts periodic reviews and discussions with management regarding the guidelines and policies governing the processes by which risk assessment and risk management are handled.
Market Risk
The potential for changes in the value of financial instruments owned by our company resulting from changes in interest rates and equity prices is referred to as “market risk.” Market risk is inherent to financial instruments, and accordingly, the scope of our market risk management procedures includes all market risk-sensitive financial instruments.
We trade tax-exempt and taxable debt obligations, including U.S. treasury bills, notes, and bonds; U.S. government agency and municipal notes and bonds; bank certificates of deposit; mortgage-backed securities; and corporate obligations. We are also an active market-maker in over-the-counter equity securities. In connection with these activities, we may maintain inventories in order to ensure availability and to facilitate customer transactions.
Changes in value of our financial instruments may result from fluctuations in interest rates, credit ratings, equity prices, and the correlation among these factors, along with the level of volatility.
We manage our trading businesses by product and have established trading departments that have responsibility for each product. The trading inventories are managed with a view toward facilitating client transactions, considering the risk and profitability of each inventory position. Position limits in trading inventory accounts are established by our Enterprise Risk Management department and monitored on a daily basis within the business units. We monitor inventory levels and results of the trading departments, as well as inventory aging, pricing, concentration, securities ratings, and risk sensitivities.
We are also exposed to market risk based on our other investing activities. These investments consist of investments in private equity partnerships, start-up companies, venture capital investments, and zero coupon U.S. government securities and are included under the caption “Investments” on the consolidated statements of financial condition.
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Interest Rate Risk
We are exposed to interest rate risk as a result of maintaining inventories of interest rate-sensitive financial instruments and from changes in the interest rates on our interest-earning assets (including client loans, stock borrow activities, investments, inventories, and resale agreements) and our funding sources (including client cash balances, Federal Home Loan Bank advances, stock lending activities, bank borrowings, and repurchase agreements), which finance these assets. The collateral underlying financial instruments at the broker-dealer is repriced daily, thus requiring collateral to be delivered as necessary. Interest rates on client balances and stock borrow and lending produce a positive spread to our company, with the rates generally fluctuating in parallel.
We manage our inventory exposure to interest rate risk by setting and monitoring limits and, where feasible, hedging with offsetting positions in securities with similar interest rate risk characteristics. While a significant portion of our securities inventories have contractual maturities in excess of five years, these inventories, on average, turn over several times per year.
Value-at-Risk (“VaR”) is a statistical technique used to estimate the probability of portfolio losses based on the statistical analysis of historical price trends and volatility. It provides a common risk measure across financial instruments, markets and asset classes. We estimate VaR using a model that assumes historical changes in market conditions are representative of future changes, and trading losses on any given day could exceed the reported VaR by significant amounts in unusually volatile markets. Further, the model involves a number of assumptions and inputs. While we believe that the assumptions and inputs we use in our risk model are reasonable, different assumptions and inputs could produce materially different VaR estimates. We monitor, on a daily basis, the VaR in our trading portfolios using a ten-day horizon and a five year look-back period measured at a 99% confidence level.
The following table sets forth the high, low, and daily average VaR for our trading portfolios during the six months ended June 30, 2026, and the daily VaR at June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025 (in thousands):
Six Months Ended June 30, 2026 VaR Calculation at
High Low Daily Average June 30, 2026 December 31, 2025
Daily VaR $ 12,629 $ 6,023 $ 8,618 $ 8,615 $ 6,680
Stifel Bancorp’s interest rate risk is principally associated with changes in market interest rates related to residential, consumer, and commercial lending activities, as well as FDIC-insured deposit accounts to customers of our broker-dealer subsidiaries and to the general public.
Our primary emphasis in interest rate risk management for Stifel Bancorp is the matching of assets and liabilities of similar cash flow and repricing time frames. This matching of assets and liabilities reduces exposure to interest rate movements and aids in stabilizing positive interest spreads. Stifel Bancorp has established limits for acceptable interest rate risk and acceptable portfolio value risk. To ensure that Stifel Bancorp is within the limits established for net interest income, an analysis of net interest income based on various shifts in interest rates is prepared each quarter and presented to Stifel Bancorp’s Board of Directors. Stifel Bancorp utilizes a third-party model to analyze the available data.
The following table illustrates the estimated change in net interest income at June 30, 2026, based on shifts in interest rates of up to positive 200 basis points and negative 200 basis points:
Hypothetical Change in Interest Rates Projected Change in Net Interest Income
+200 3.0 %
+100 1.6
0 —
-100 (2.8 )
-200 (6.7 )
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The following GAP Analysis table indicates Stifel Bancorp’s interest rate sensitivity position at June 30, 2026 (in thousands):
Repricing Opportunities
0-6 Months 7-12 Months 1-5 Years 5+ Years
Interest-earning assets:
Loans $ 15,787,047 $ 851,982 $ 5,650,481 $ 2,766,217
Securities 6,725,553 514,046 751,531 645,816
Interest-bearing cash 1,249,689 — — —
Total interest-earning assets $ 23,762,289 $ 1,366,028 $ 6,402,012 $ 3,412,033
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Transaction accounts and savings $ 31,476,634 $ — $ — $ —
Borrowings 594,941 — — —
Certificates of deposit 290,746 — — —
Total interest-bearing liabilities $ 32,362,321 $ — $ — $ —
GAP (8,600,032 ) 1,366,028 6,402,012 3,412,033
Cumulative GAP $ (8,600,032 ) $ (7,234,004 ) $ (831,992 ) $ 2,580,041
Equity Price Risk
We are exposed to equity price risk as a consequence of making markets in equity securities. We attempt to reduce the risk of loss inherent in our inventory of equity securities by monitoring those security positions constantly throughout each day.
Our equity securities inventories are repriced on a regular basis, and there are no unrecorded gains or losses. Our activities as a dealer are client-driven, with the objective of meeting clients’ needs while earning a positive spread.
Credit Risk
We are engaged in various trading and brokerage activities, with the counterparties primarily being broker-dealers. In the event counterparties do not fulfill their obligations, we may be exposed to risk. The risk of default depends on the creditworthiness of the counterparty or issuer of the instrument. We manage this risk by imposing and monitoring position limits for each counterparty, monitoring trading counterparties, conducting regular credit reviews of financial counterparties, reviewing security concentrations, holding and marking to market collateral on certain transactions, and conducting business through clearing organizations, which guarantee performance.
Our client activities involve the execution, settlement, and financing of various transactions on behalf of our clients. Client activities are transacted on either a cash or margin basis. Credit exposure associated with our private client business consists primarily of customer margin accounts, which are monitored daily and are collateralized. We monitor exposure to industry sectors and individual securities and perform analyses on a regular basis in connection with our margin lending activities. We adjust our margin requirements if we believe our risk exposure is not appropriate based on market conditions.
We have accepted collateral in connection with resale agreements, securities borrowed transactions, and customer margin loans. Under many agreements, we are permitted to sell or repledge these securities held as collateral and use these securities to enter into securities lending arrangements or to deliver to counterparties to cover short positions. At June 30, 2026, the fair value of securities accepted as collateral where we are permitted to sell or repledge the securities was $2.9 billion and the fair value of the collateral that had been sold or repledged was $1.1 billion.
By using derivative instruments, we are exposed to credit and market risk on those derivative positions. Credit risk is equal to the fair value gain in a derivative, if the counterparty fails to perform. When the fair value of a derivative contract is positive, this generally indicates that the counterparty owes our company and, therefore, creates a repayment risk for our company. When the fair value of a derivative contract is negative, we owe the counterparty and, therefore, have no repayment risk. We minimize the credit (or repayment) risk in derivative instruments by entering into transactions with high-quality counterparties that are reviewed periodically by senior management.
Stifel Bancorp extends credit to individual and commercial borrowers through a variety of loan products, including residential and commercial mortgage loans, home equity loans, construction loans, and non-real-estate commercial and consumer loans. Bank loans are generally collateralized by real estate, real property, or other assets of the borrower. Stifel Bancorp’s loan policy includes criteria to adequately underwrite, document, monitor, and manage credit risk. Underwriting requires reviewing and documenting the fundamental characteristics of credit, including character, capacity to service the debt, capital, conditions, and collateral. Benchmark capital and coverage ratios are utilized, which include liquidity, debt service coverage, credit, working capital, and capital to asset ratios. Lending limits are established to include individual, collective, committee, and board authority. Monitoring credit risk is accomplished through defined loan review procedures, including frequency and scope.
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We are subject to concentration risk if we hold large positions, extend large loans to, or have large commitments with a single counterparty, borrower, or group of similar counterparties or borrowers (i.e., in the same industry). Securities purchased under agreements to resell consist of securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies. Receivables from and payables to clients and stock borrow and lending activities, both with a large number of clients and counterparties, and any potential concentration are carefully monitored. Stock borrow and lending activities are executed under master netting agreements, which gives our company right of offset in the event of counterparty default. Inventory and investment positions taken and commitments made, including underwritings, may involve exposure to individual issuers and businesses. We seek to limit this risk through careful review of counterparties and borrowers and the use of limits established by our senior management group, taking into consideration factors including the financial strength of the counterparty, the size of the position or commitment, the expected duration of the position or commitment, and other positions or commitments outstanding.
Operational Risk
Operational risk generally refers to the risk of loss resulting from our operations, including, but not limited to, business disruptions, improper or unauthorized execution and processing of transactions, deficiencies in our technology or financial operating systems, and inadequacies or breaches in our control processes including cyber security incidents. We operate different businesses in diverse markets and are reliant on the ability of our associates and systems to process a large number of transactions. These risks are less direct than credit and market risk, but managing them is critical, particularly in a rapidly changing environment with increasing transaction volumes. In the event of a breakdown or improper operation of systems or improper action by associates, we could suffer financial loss, regulatory sanctions, and damage to our reputation. In order to mitigate and control operational risk, we have developed and continue to enhance specific policies and procedures that are designed to identify and manage operational risk at appropriate levels throughout the organization and within such departments as Accounting, Operations, Information Technology, Legal, Compliance, and Internal Audit. These control mechanisms attempt to ensure that operational policies and procedures are being followed and that our various businesses are operating within established corporate policies and limits. Business continuity plans exist for critical systems, and redundancies are built into the systems as deemed appropriate.
Regulatory and Legal Risk
Legal risk includes the risk of private client group customer claims for sales practice violations. While these claims may not be the result of any wrongdoing, we do, at a minimum, incur costs associated with investigating and defending against such claims. See “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” in Item 2, Part I and “Legal Proceedings” in Item 1, Part II of this report for further discussion of our legal proceedings. In addition, we are subject to potentially sizable adverse legal judgments or arbitration awards, and fines, penalties, and other sanctions for non-compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. We are generally subject to extensive regulation by the SEC, FINRA, and state securities regulators in the different jurisdictions in which we conduct business. As a bank holding company, we are subject to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Our bank subsidiaries are subject to regulation by the FDIC. As a result, we are subject to a risk of loss resulting from failure to comply with banking laws. Our international subsidiary, SNEL, is subject to the regulatory supervision and requirements of the FCA in the United Kingdom. Our Canadian subsidiary, SNC, is subject to the regulatory supervision and requirements of the CIRO. We have comprehensive procedures addressing issues such as regulatory capital requirements, sales and trading practices, use of and safekeeping of customer funds, the extension of credit, including margin loans, collection activities, money laundering, and record keeping. We act as an underwriter or selling group member in both equity and fixed income product offerings. When acting as lead or co-lead manager, we have potential legal exposure to claims relating to these securities offerings. To manage this exposure, a committee of senior executives review proposed underwriting commitments to assess the quality of the offering and the adequacy of due diligence investigation.
Our company, as a bank and financial holding company, is subject to regulation, including capital requirements, by the Federal Reserve. Stifel Bancorp is subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the FDIC and state banking authorities. 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 Bancorp's financial statements.