Raymond James ranks highest in full service investor satisfaction study

Raymond James Financial Inc. (NYSE-RJF) ranked highest in investor satisfaction according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study.

The ranking, according to Bill Stevens a wealth adviser at the Raymond James Financial Services Green Valley (Madera Plaza) office, is really a tribute to the firm’s focus on putting client interests first, a longstanding Raymond James principle.

The study measures overall investor satisfaction with full-service investment firms based on six factors (in order of importance): investment performance; financial adviser/broker; commissions and fees; account setup/account offerings; convenience; and account statements.

The study also measures investor satisfaction within three portfolio types: affluent investors (those who have $1 million or more in investable assets); mass affluent investors (between $100,000 and $999,999 in investable assets); and mass market investors (less than $100,000 in investable assets).

Raymond James ranked highest in investor satisfaction with a score of 831 on a 1,000 point scale, receiving the highest ratings from investors in all six factors and performing particularly well in proactively contacting investors.

“We are extremely pleased to have received this recognition from investors,” said Raymond James President and COO Chet Helck. “It’s no secret that this has been a particularly challenging year for the financial markets and our industry. To be so positively rated by investors during such difficult times speaks to the overriding importance every one of our associates puts on meeting clients’ needs, as well as to Raymond James’ conservative management style and commitment to prudent financial planning.”

The study is based on responses from 4,528 investors who primarily invest with one of the 19 firms included in the study. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of investors surveyed in April and May 2008.

“While we are certainly committed to clients at the corporate level and work to provide advisers with diverse products, wide-ranging services, and high-quality technology and back office support, at the end of the day it’s the personal relationships clients have with their adviser and his or her team that are the ultimate test of investor satisfaction,” added Helck. “While all of our associates are responsible for this achievement, I’d like to especially thank the advisers and associates within our 2,200 affiliated locations for the hard work and dedication this award recognizes.”

Raymond James Financial (NYSE-RJF) is a Florida-based diversified holding company providing financial services to individuals, corporations and municipalities through its subsidiary companies.

Its three wholly owned broker/dealers (Raymond James & Associates, Raymond James Financial Services and Raymond James Ltd.) and Raymond James Investment Services Limited, a majority-owned independent contractor subsidiary in the United Kingdom, have a total of more than 4,900 financial advisers serving approximately 1.8 million accounts in more than 2,200 locations throughout the United States, Canada and overseas.

In addition, total client assets are approximately $212 billion, of which $35.8 billion are managed by the firm’s asset management subsidiaries.

The firm’s Web site is www.raymondjames.com