Schwab (CHARLES) Corp. (The) Stock Price, News & Analysis

Charles Schwab's SDBA Indicators Report for Q4 2021 reveals an average account balance of $352,764, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 6.4%. The report highlights a shift in investment holdings where equities now account for 37% of participant assets, up from 35% in 2020. Notably, advised accounts show higher average balances of $558,470 compared to non-advised accounts, which had $304,164. The data is based on approximately 178,000 retirement plan participants.

Schwab Asset Management has announced forward share splits for five Schwab ETFs, intended to increase the number of shares outstanding while decreasing their Net Asset Value (NAV) per share. This initiative will take effect for shareholders of record as of March 8, 2022, with the trades reflecting the new share prices starting March 11, 2022. The affected ETFs include the Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF (SCHG), Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF (SCHX), Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF (SCHB), Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF (SCHA), and Schwab U.S. REIT ETF (SCHH). Overall, total investment value for shareholders remains unchanged.

Charles Schwab has launched the Financial Planning Action Center, a new digital platform aimed at enhancing financial planning accessibility. Available since February 23, 2022, this tool allows clients to track tasks, communicate with consultants, and manage financial goals effectively. Key features include a digital dashboard for task management, client engagement enhancements, ongoing alerts, and improved planning efficiency. The initiative comes after a significant increase in digital engagement, evidenced by 3.6 billion logins and over 60,000 financial plans created in 2021, underlining the demand for modern financial tools.

The Charles Schwab Corporation has reported its Monthly Activity Report for January 2022, showcasing significant client engagement. Core net new assets amounted to $33.6 billion, with total client assets reaching $7.80 trillion, marking a 15% year-over-year increase but down 4% month-over-month. Additionally, net new assets, excluding mutual fund clearing, totaled $33.9 billion. Client cash as a percentage of assets was 11.3%, down from 12.2% a year earlier and marginally up from 10.9% in December 2021.

The Charles Schwab Corporation announced a 2 cent increase in its quarterly cash dividend, reflecting an 11% rise to $0.20 per share. This dividend will be distributed on February 25, 2022, to stockholders of record as of February 11, 2022. Chairman Charles Schwab expressed confidence in the company’s earnings and cash flow, emphasizing its strategic direction. The press release also details preferred stock dividends payable on March 1, 2022, for various series, with ranges from $14.88 to $23.125000.

According to Schwab Advisor Services' Independent Advisor Outlook Study, 93% of registered investment advisors (RIAs) anticipate growth in the independent advice industry over the next five years, with an expected 17% increase in net new assets annually. Key growth strategies include client acquisition (64%) and enhancing existing client relationships (34%). Additionally, 52% of advisors believe personalization of investment portfolios will rise, particularly among Millennials. However, 37% of firms report talent acquisition as their biggest operational challenge.