Company Description
Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP) is a finance and insurance company in the investment advice industry. The firm describes itself as having helped people feel confident about their financial future for more than 130 years. According to company disclosures, Ameriprise offers extensive investment advice, global asset management capabilities and insurance solutions, supported by a nationwide network of approximately 10,000 financial advisors.
Ameriprise Financial states that it serves the full range of individual and institutional investors' financial needs. The company highlights advice and wealth management, asset management and retirement and protection solutions as key areas of activity. In its public communications, Ameriprise emphasizes the combination of high-quality advice, a broad set of financial solutions and technology capabilities that support its advisors and clients.
Business segments and activities
Ameriprise Financial reports results across several segments, including an Advice & Wealth Management segment, an Asset Management segment and a Retirement & Protection Solutions segment, along with a Corporate & Other category. The firm has indicated that advice and wealth management is a major contributor to its operating earnings, reflecting the importance of financial planning and advisory relationships to its business model.
Within Advice & Wealth Management, Ameriprise reports total client assets and wrap assets, and it tracks measures such as adjusted operating net revenue per advisor and total client net flows. These disclosures underscore the firm’s focus on advisor productivity, client asset growth and the overall Ameriprise client experience.
The Asset Management segment operates under the Columbia Threadneedle brand. Ameriprise reports assets under management and advisement for this segment and discusses retail and institutional net flows, model delivery assets under advisement and related metrics. The firm notes that Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, serves as investment manager to certain investment vehicles, such as Tri-Continental Corporation.
In Retirement & Protection Solutions, Ameriprise reports sales and earnings related to retirement and insurance-oriented products. Company disclosures reference client demand for structured variable annuities and describe these books of business as important contributors to its diversified business model.
Advisor network and distribution
Ameriprise Financial repeatedly highlights its advisor network as a core strength. The company references a nationwide network of more than 10,000 financial advisors and notes that experienced, productive advisors have joined the firm in recent years. Public announcements describe advisors joining Ameriprise through its branch channel, independent channel and the Ameriprise Financial Institutions Group, as well as through established practices such as Kuttin Wealth Management and Community Wealth Services.
Ameriprise positions its Ultimate Advisor Partnership as a differentiated experience for advisors. According to company materials, this framework is intended to help advisors accelerate growth, scale their businesses, deepen client relationships and drive referrals, supported by the firm’s culture of support and independence, technology capabilities, planning tools and practice management resources.
Asset management and Columbia Threadneedle
Through Columbia Threadneedle Investments, Ameriprise participates in global asset management. The company reports assets under management and advisement in this segment and discusses retail and institutional flows, including model delivery assets under advisement. Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC, a wholly owned Ameriprise subsidiary, serves as investment manager to certain funds, and Columbia Threadneedle is described as the global brand name of the Columbia and Threadneedle group of companies.
Ameriprise’s role as parent to Columbia Threadneedle links its advice and wealth management activities with asset management capabilities, allowing the firm to offer investment products and strategies managed within its corporate family. Company disclosures note that certain closed-end funds and other vehicles have long dividend histories and are managed by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC.
Retirement and protection solutions
Ameriprise’s Retirement & Protection Solutions segment focuses on retirement and insurance-related offerings. The company reports sales in this segment and highlights client demand for structured variable annuities. It describes these businesses as generating strong free cash flow with risk-adjusted returns and as important contributors to its overall business mix.
In addition, Ameriprise reports on closed blocks of long-term care and fixed annuities within its Corporate & Other segment, providing transparency into legacy books of business and their contribution to overall results.
Regulatory status and listing
Ameriprise Financial, Inc. is incorporated in Delaware and its common stock, with a par value of $0.01 per share, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AMP. The company files periodic and current reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. Recent Form 8-K filings have covered quarterly financial results and the appointment of a new director to the board.
The company notes that Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC is a registered investment adviser and a member of FINRA and SIPC. Disclosures emphasize that investment products involve risks, including possible loss of principal and fluctuations in value, and that such products are not insured by the FDIC, NCUA or any federal agency and are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by, any financial institution.
Corporate history and scale
Ameriprise Financial states that it was founded on June 29, 1894, giving it a history of more than 130 years in financial services. Over time, the firm has developed capabilities in investment advice, asset management and insurance solutions, and it now reports assets under management, administration and advisement in the trillions of dollars across its segments.
The company has also emphasized its track record as an independent, public company, noting its long-term total shareholder return relative to peers in the S&P 500 Financials Index. Ameriprise highlights its capital return to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, as well as its focus on free cash flow generation and expense discipline.
Board and governance
Ameriprise Financial’s board of directors oversees the company’s strategy and governance. In a recent 8-K filing, the company reported the appointment of Liane J. Pelletier as a director and a member of the Audit and Risk Committee. Company communications note that Ms. Pelletier brings experience in corporate strategy, governance, technology and business transformation, and that she participates in the company’s outside director compensation program.
Ameriprise highlights corporate governance and board oversight in its public statements, including committee structures and director qualifications, as part of its broader approach to managing risk and supporting long-term performance.
Risk disclosures and client focus
In its public communications, Ameriprise Financial consistently includes risk disclosures. It notes that investment products carry market risk, credit risk, interest rate risk and other risks, and that there is no guarantee that investment objectives or distribution policies of managed funds will be met. The company also states that it cannot guarantee future financial results for clients or shareholders.
At the same time, Ameriprise emphasizes a client-focused culture. Advisor teams that join the firm frequently cite client experience, planning capabilities, technology and service support as reasons for affiliating with Ameriprise. The company describes its goal as helping people achieve financial confidence through advice, planning and access to investment and insurance solutions.