UNITED STATES

SECURITIES  AND  EXCHANGE  COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM  10-K

 

ANNUAL  REPORT  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  13  OR  15(d)

OF  THE  SECURITIES  EXCHANGE  ACT  OF  1934

 

 

THE  CHARLES  SCHWAB  CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA  94105

(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:  (415) 667-7000

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ⌧   No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐   No ⌧

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ⌧   No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ⌧   No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ⌧

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐    No ⌧

 

As of June 30, 2014, the aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $30.7 billion. For purposes of this information, the outstanding shares of Common Stock owned by directors and executive officers of the registrant, and certain investment companies managed by Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc. were deemed to be shares of the voting stock held by affiliates.

 

The number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of January 30,  2015, was 1,311,054,124.

 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

Part III of this Form 10-K incorporates certain information contained in the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for its annual meeting of stockholders, to be held May 13,  2015, by reference to that document.

 

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Annual Report On Form 10-K

For Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2014

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

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PART I

 

 

 

General Corporate Overview

 

The Charles Schwab Corporation (CSC), headquartered in San Francisco, California, was incorporated in 1986 and engages, through its subsidiaries (together referred to as the Company, and located in San Francisco except as indicated), in wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, money management, and financial advisory services. At December 31, 2014, the Company had $2.46 trillion in client assets, 9.4 million active brokerage accounts(a),  1.4 million corporate retirement plan participants, and 985,000 banking accounts.

 

Significant business subsidiaries of CSC include:

 

The Company provides financial services to individuals and institutional clients through two segments – Investor Services and Advisor Services. The Investor Services segment provides retail brokerage and banking services to individual investors, retirement plan services, and corporate brokerage services. The Advisor Services segment provides custodial, trading, and support services to independent investment advisors (IAs), and retirement business services to independent retirement plan advisors and recordkeepers whose plan assets are held at Schwab Bank. These services are further described in the segment discussion below. For financial information by segment for the three years ended December 31, 2014, see “Item 8 – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements – 23. Segment Information.”

 

As of December 31, 2014, the Company had full-time, part-time and temporary employees, and persons employed on a contract basis that represented the equivalent of about 14,600 full-time employees.

 

Business Acquisitions

 

In December 2012, the Company acquired ThomasPartners, Inc., a growth and dividend income-focused asset management firm. For additional information pertaining to the Company’s acquisition of ThomasPartners, Inc., see “Item 8 – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements – 24. Business Acquisition.”

 

In September 2011, the Company acquired optionsXpress Holdings, Inc. (optionsXpress), an online brokerage firm primarily focused on equity options and futures. The optionsXpress® brokerage platform provides active investors and traders trading tools, analytics and education to execute a variety of investment strategies. optionsXpress, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of optionsXpress, is a securities broker-dealer.

 

In November 2010, the Company acquired substantially all of the assets of Windward Investment Management, Inc., an investment advisory firm that managed diversified investment portfolios comprised primarily of exchange-traded fund securities. As a result of the acquisition, Windhaven Investment Management, Inc. (Windhaven®) was formed as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Schwab Holdings, Inc.

 

(a) Accounts with balances or activity within the preceding eight months.

 

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Business Strategy and Competitive Environment

 

The Company’s stated purpose is to champion every client’s goals with passion and integrity, believing the best long-term strategy is one that puts clients first. Because investing plays a fundamental role in building financial security, the Company strives to deliver a better investing experience for its clients – individual investors and the people and institutions who serve them – by disrupting longstanding industry practices on their behalf and providing superior service. The Company aims to offer a broad range of products and solutions to choose from, including relevant and actionable advice, with a focus on transparency and convenience. In addition, management works to leverage Company scale and resources, as well as expense discipline, to help keep costs low and ensure that client solutions are both affordable and responsive to needs.

 

The Company’s competition in serving individual investors includes a wide range of brokerage, wealth management, and asset management firms, as well as banks and trust companies. In serving these investors and competing for a growing percentage of the investable wealth in the U.S., the Company offers a multi-channel service delivery model, which includes online, mobile, telephonic, and branch capabilities. Under this model, the Company can offer personalized service at competitive prices while giving clients the choice of where, when, and how they do business with the Company. Schwab’s branches and regional telephone service centers are staffed with trained and experienced financial consultants (FCs) focused on building and sustaining client relationships. The Company offers the ability to meet client investing needs through a single ongoing point of contact, even as those needs change over time. In particular, management believes that the Company’s ability to provide those clients seeking help, guidance, or advice with an integrated, individually tailored solution – ranging from occasional consultations to an ongoing relationship with a Schwab FC or an IA – is a competitive strength compared to the more fragmented or limited offerings of other firms.

 

The Company’s online, mobile, and telephonic channels provide quick and efficient access to an extensive array of information, research, tools, trade execution, and administrative services, which clients can access according to their needs. For example, clients that trade more actively can use these channels to access highly competitive pricing, expert tools, and extensive service capabilities – including experienced, knowledgeable teams of trading specialists and integrated product offerings. Individuals investing for retirement through 401(k) plans can take advantage of the Company’s bundled offering of multiple investment choices, education, and third-party advice. Management also believes the Company is able to compete with the wide variety of financial services firms striving to attract individual client relationships by complementing these capabilities with the extensive array of investment, banking, and lending products and services described in the following section.

 

In the IA arena, the Company competes with institutional custodians, traditional and discount brokers, banks, investment advisory firms, and trust companies. Management believes that its Advisor Services segment can maintain its market leadership position primarily through the efforts of its expanded sales and support teams, which are dedicated to helping IAs grow, compete, and succeed in serving their clients. In addition to focusing on superior service, Advisor Services competes by utilizing technology to provide IAs with a highly-developed, scalable platform for administering their clients’ assets easily and efficiently. Advisor Services sponsors a variety of national, regional, and local events designed to help IAs identify and implement better ways to grow and manage their practices efficiently.

 

Another important aspect of the Company’s ability to compete is its ongoing focus on efficiency and productivity, as lower costs give the Company greater flexibility in its approach to pricing and investing for growth. Management believes that this flexibility remains important in light of the competitive environment, in which a number of competitors offer reduced online trading commission rates and low expense ratios on certain classes of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. Additionally, the Company’s nationwide marketing effort is an important competitive tool because it reinforces the attributes of the Schwab® brand.

 

Products and Services

 

The Company offers a broad range of products to address individuals’ varying investment and financial needs. Examples of these product offerings include:

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These products, and the Company’s full array of investing services, are made available through its two segments – Investor Services and Advisor Services. The Company’s major sources of revenues are generated by both of the Company’s reportable segments. Revenue is attributable to a reportable segment based on which segment has the primary responsibility for serving the client. The accounting policies of the Company’s reportable segments are the same as those described in “Item 8 – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements – 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.” For financial information related to the Company’s reportable segments, see “Item 7 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Results of Operations – Segment Information,” and “Item 8 – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements – 23. Segment Information.”

 

Investor Services

 

Through the Investor Services segment, the Company provides retail brokerage and banking services to individual investors. The Company offers research, analysis tools, performance reports, market analysis, and educational material to all clients. Clients looking for more guidance have access to online portfolio planning tools, professional advice from Schwab’s portfolio consultants who can help develop an investment strategy and carry out investment and portfolio management decisions, as well as a range of fully delegated managed solutions that provide ongoing portfolio management.

 

Schwab strives to educate and assist clients in the development of investment plans. Educational tools include workshops, interactive courses, and online information about investing, from which Schwab does not earn revenue. Additionally, Schwab provides various internet-based research and analysis tools that are designed to help clients achieve better investment outcomes. As an example of such tools, Schwab Equity Ratings® is a quantitative model-based stock rating system that provides all clients with ratings on approximately 3,000 stocks, assigning each equity a single grade: A, B, C, D, or F. Schwab Equity Ratings International®, an international ranking methodology, covers approximately 4,000 stocks in 27 foreign equity markets.

 

Clients may need specific investment recommendations, either from time to time or on an ongoing basis. The Company provides clients seeking advice with customized solutions. The Company’s approach to advice is based on long-term investment strategies and guidance on portfolio diversification and asset allocation. This approach is designed to be offered consistently across all of Schwab’s delivery channels.

 

Schwab Private ClientTM features a personal advice relationship with a designated portfolio consultant, supported by a team of investment professionals who provide individualized service, a customized investment strategy developed in collaboration with the client, and ongoing guidance and execution.

 

For clients seeking a relationship in which investment decisions are fully delegated to a financial professional, the Company offers several alternatives. The Company provides investors access to professional investment management in a diversified account that is invested exclusively in either mutual funds or ETFs through the Schwab Managed PortfoliosTM and Windhaven, or equity securities through ThomasPartners® programs. The Company also refers investors who want to utilize a specific third-party money manager to direct a portion of their investment assets to the Schwab Managed Account program. In addition, clients who want the assistance of an independent professional in managing their financial affairs may be referred to IAs in the Schwab Advisor Network®. These IAs provide personalized portfolio management, financial planning, and wealth management solutions.

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To meet the specific needs of clients who trade actively, Schwab and optionsXpress, Inc. both offer integrated Web- and software-based trading platforms, which incorporate intelligent order routing technology, real-time market data, options trading, premium stock or futures research, and multi-channel access, as well as sophisticated account and trade management features, risk management tools, decision support tools, and dedicated personal support.

 

For clients wishing to invest in foreign equities, the Company offers a suite of global investing capabilities, including online access to certain foreign equity markets with the ability to trade in their local currencies. In addition, the Company serves both foreign investors and non-English-speaking U.S. clients who wish to trade or invest in U.S. dollar-based securities. In the U.S., the Company serves Chinese-, Spanish-, and Vietnamese-speaking clients through a combination of its branch offices and Web-based and telephonic services.

 

The Investor Services segment also includes the Retirement Plan Services, Corporate Brokerage Services, Stock Plan Services, and Compliance Solutions business units. Retirement Plan Services offers a bundled 401(k) retirement plan product that provides plan sponsors a wide array of investment options, trustee or custodial services, and participant-level recordkeeping. Plan design features, which increase plan efficiency and achieve employer goals, are also offered, such as automatic enrollment, automatic fund mapping at conversion, and automatic contribution increases. In 2012, the Company launched Schwab Index Advantage®, a unique 401(k) plan offer designed to lower costs, simplify investing and help workers better prepare for retirement. Services also include support for Roth 401(k) accounts and profit sharing and defined benefit plans. The Company provides a robust suite of tools to plan sponsors to manage their plans, including plan-specific reports, studies and research, access to legislative updates and benchmarking reports that provide perspective on their plan’s features compared with overall industry and segment-specific plans. Participants in bundled plans serviced by the Company receive targeted education materials, have access to electronic tools and resources, may attend onsite and virtual seminars, and can receive third-party advice delivered by Schwab. This third-party advice service is delivered online, by phone, or in person, including recommendations based on the core investment fund choices in their retirement plan and specific recommended savings rates.

 

Corporate Brokerage Services provides specialty brokerage-related services to corporate clients through its Corporate Brokerage Retirement Services business and mutual fund clearing services to banks, brokerage firms and trust companies, and also offers proprietary mutual funds, ETFs, collective trust funds, and investment management outside the Company to institutional channels. Corporate Brokerage Retirement Services serves independent recordkeepers seeking a custodian for retirement plan assets. Schwab provides custody services tailored for retirement plans seeking a low-cost solution. Plans held at Schwab are either self-trusteed or trusteed by a separate, independent trustee. Corporate Brokerage Retirement Services also offers the Schwab Personal Choice Retirement Account®, a self-directed brokerage offering for retirement plans and the Company Retirement Account, a brokerage account designed to hold the assets of an individually designed business retirement plan.

 

Stock Plan Services offers equity compensation plan sponsors full-service recordkeeping for stock plans: stock options, restricted stock, performance shares and stock appreciation rights. Specialized services for executive transactions and reporting, grant acceptance tracking and other services are offered to employers to meet the needs of administering the reporting and compliance aspects of an equity compensation plan.

 

Compliance Solutions provides solutions for compliance departments of regulated companies and firms with special requirements to monitor employee personal trading, including trade surveillance technology.

 

Advisor Services

 

Through the Advisor Services segment, the Company provides custodial, trading, and support services to IAs.

 

To attract and serve IAs, the Company has a dedicated sales force and service teams assigned to meet their needs. IAs who custody client accounts at Schwab may use proprietary software that provides them with up-to-date client account information, as well as trading capabilities. The Advisor Services website is the core platform for IAs to conduct daily business activities online with Schwab, including submitting and retrieving client account information and viewing news and market information. This platform provides IAs with a comprehensive suite of electronic and paper-based reporting capabilities. The Company offers online cashiering services, as well as internet-based eDocuments sites for both IAs and

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their clients that provide multi-year archiving of online statements, trade confirms and tax reports, along with document search capabilities.

 

To help IAs grow and manage their practices, the Company offers a variety of services, including access to insights on practice marketing and business development, business strategy and planning, and transition support. The Company maintains a website that provides interactive tools, educational content, and research reports to assist advisors thinking about establishing and managing their own independent practices.

 

The Company offers an array of services to help advisors establish their own independent practices through the Business Start-up Solutions package. For some IAs this includes access to dedicated service teams and outsourcing of back-office operations, as well as third-party firms who provide assistance with real estate, errors and omissions insurance, and company benefits.

 

The Company offers a variety of educational materials, programs, and events to IAs seeking to expand their knowledge of industry issues and trends, as well as sharpen their individual expertise and practice management skills. The Company updates and shares market research on an ongoing basis, and it holds a series of events and conferences every year to discuss topics of interest to IAs, including business strategies and best practices. The Company sponsors the annual IMPACT® conference, which provides a national forum for the Company, IAs, and other industry participants to gather and share information and insights.

 

IAs and their clients have access to a broad range of the Company’s products and services, including individual securities, mutual funds, ETFs, managed accounts, and cash products.

 

The Advisor Services segment also includes the Retirement Business Services business unit. Retirement Business Services provides trust, custody, and retirement business services to independent retirement plan advisors and independent recordkeepers. Plan assets are held at the Business Trust division of Schwab Bank. The Company and independent retirement plan providers work together to serve plan sponsors, combining the consulting and administrative expertise of the administrator with the Company’s investment, technology, trust, and custodial services. Retirement Business Services also offers the Schwab Personal Choice Retirement Account® for retirement plans.

 

Regulation

 

CSC is a savings and loan holding company and Schwab Bank, CSC’s depository institution subsidiary, is a federal savings bank. CSC is subject to supervision and regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Federal Reserve). Schwab Bank is subject to supervision and regulation by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the OCC), as its primary regulator, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), as its deposit insurer, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).  Collectively, the rules and regulations of these regulators cover safety and soundness and consumer protection. CSC and Schwab Bank are also subject to regulation and to various requirements and restrictions under state and other federal laws. For additional information on the regulations applicable to CSC, Schwab, Schwab Bank, and optionsXpress, Inc., see “Item 8 – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements – 22. Regulatory Requirements.”

 

CSC is required to serve as a source of strength for Schwab Bank. Prior to January 1, 2015, CSC, as a savings and loan holding company, was not subject to specific statutory capital requirements. Beginning on January 1, 2015, CSC is subject to new capital requirements set by the Federal Reserve. For further information, see “Item 7 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Current Market and Regulatory Environment and Other Developments.”

 

The securities industry in the United States is subject to extensive regulation under both federal and state laws. CSC’s principal U.S. broker-dealers are Schwab and optionsXpress, Inc. Schwab is registered as a broker-dealer with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the fifty states, and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. optionsXpress, Inc. is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC, the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Schwab and CSIM are registered as investment advisors with the SEC. Additionally, Schwab and optionsXpress, Inc. are regulated by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) with respect to the commodity

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futures and commodities trading activities they conduct as an introducing broker and futures commission merchant, respectively.

 

Much of the regulation of broker-dealers has been delegated to self-regulatory organizations (SROs). Schwab is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA), the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB), NYSE Arca, and the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE). optionsXpress, Inc. is also a member of FINRA and the MSRB. The primary regulators of Schwab and optionsXpress, Inc. are FINRA and, for municipal securities, the MSRB. The National Futures Association (NFA) is Schwab and optionsXpress, Inc.’s primary regulator for futures and commodities trading activities. The Company’s business is also subject to oversight by regulatory bodies in other countries in which the Company operates.

 

The principal purpose of regulating broker-dealers and investment advisors is the protection of clients and the securities markets. The regulations, to which broker-dealers and investment advisors are subject, cover all aspects of the securities business, including, among other things, sales and trading practices, publication of research, margin lending, uses and safekeeping of clients’ funds and securities, capital adequacy, recordkeeping and reporting, fee arrangements, disclosure to clients, fiduciary duties owed to advisory clients, and the conduct of directors, officers and employees.

 

Schwab and optionsXpress, Inc. are both subject to Rule 15c3-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Uniform Net Capital Rule) and related SRO requirements. The CFTC and NFA also impose net capital requirements. The Uniform Net Capital Rule specifies minimum capital requirements that are intended to ensure the general financial soundness and liquidity of broker-dealers. Because CSC itself is not a registered broker-dealer, it is not subject to the Uniform Net Capital Rule. However, if Schwab fails to maintain specified levels of net capital, such failure could constitute a default by CSC under debt covenants under CSC’s credit agreement.

 

The Uniform Net Capital Rule limits broker-dealers’ ability to transfer capital to parent companies and other affiliates. Compliance with the Uniform Net Capital Rule could limit Schwab’s operations and its ability to repay subordinated debt to CSC, which in turn could limit CSC’s ability to repay debt, pay cash dividends, and purchase shares of its outstanding stock.

 

In addition to net capital requirements, as self-clearing broker-dealers, Schwab and optionsXpress, Inc. are subject to cash deposit and collateral requirements with clearing houses, such as the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) and Options Clearing Corporation, which may fluctuate significantly from time to time based upon the nature and size of clients’ trading activity.

 

Various activities of the Company are subject to the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), as amended by the USA Patriot Act of 2001, which requires financial institutions to develop programs reasonably designed to prevent money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The BSA includes a variety of record-keeping and reporting requirements (such as cash and suspicious activity reporting), as well as due diligence/ know-your-customer documentation requirements. Various activities of the Company are also subject to U.S. sanctions programs administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

 

Sources of Net Revenues

 

The Company’s major sources of net revenues are asset management and administration fees, net interest revenue, and trading revenue. The Company generates asset management and administration fees through its proprietary and third-party mutual fund offerings, as well as fee-based advisory solutions. Net interest revenue is the difference between interest earned on interest-earning assets and interest paid on funding sources, the majority of which is derived from client cash balances. The Company generates trading revenue through commissions earned for executing trades for clients and principal transaction revenue primarily from trading activity in client fixed income securities.

 

For revenue information by source for the three years ended December 31, 2014, see “Item 7 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Results of Operations – Net Revenues.”

 

Available Information

 

The Company files annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC. The Company’s SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may

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read and copy any document that the Company files with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330.

 

On the Company’s website, http://www.aboutschwab.com, the Company posts the following recent filings as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC: the Company’s annual reports on Form 10-K, the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, the Company’s current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All such filings are available free of charge either on the Company’s website or by request via email (investor.relations@schwab.com), telephone (415-667-1959), or mail (Charles Schwab Investor Relations at 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105).

 

 

 

The Company faces a variety of risks that may affect its operations or financial results, and many of those risks are driven by factors that the Company cannot control or predict. The following discussion addresses those risks that management believes are the most significant, although there may be other risks that could arise, or may prove to be more significant than expected, that may affect the Company’s operations or financial results.

 

For a discussion of the Company’s risk management, including operational risk, credit risk, market risk, liquidity risk, compliance risk, and legal risk, see “Item 7 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Risk Management.”

 

Developments in the business, economic, and geopolitical environment could negatively impact the Company’s business.

 

The Company’s business can be adversely affected by the general environment – economic, corporate, securities market, regulatory, and geopolitical developments all play a role in client asset valuations, trading activity, interest rates and overall investor engagement, and are outside of the Company’s control. Deterioration in the housing and credit markets, reductions in short-term interest rates, and decreases in securities valuations negatively impact the Company’s results of operations and capital resources.

 

Extensive regulation of the Company’s businesses limits the Company’s activities and may subject it to significant penalties.

 

As a participant in the securities, banking and financial services industries, the Company is subject to extensive regulation under both federal and state laws by governmental agencies, supervisory authorities, and SROs. Such regulation continues to grow more extensive and complex, and regulatory proceedings continue to become more frequent and sanctions more severe. The requirements imposed by the Company’s regulators are designed to ensure the integrity of the financial markets, the safety and soundness of financial institutions, and the protection of clients. These regulations often serve to limit the Company’s activities by way of capital, customer protection and market conduct requirements, and restrictions on the business activities that the Company may conduct.

 

In addition to specific banking laws and regulations, the Company’s banking regulators have broad discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement activities and examination policies and could require CSC and/or Schwab Bank to hold more capital, increase liquidity, or limit their ability to pay dividends or CSC’s ability to repurchase shares. The banking regulators could also limit the Company’s ability to grow, including adding assets, launching new products, and undertaking strategic investments.

 

Despite the Company’s efforts to comply with applicable regulations, there are a number of risks, particularly in areas where applicable regulations may be unclear or where regulators revise their previous guidance. Any enforcement actions or other proceedings brought by the Company’s regulators against the Company or its affiliates, officers or employees could result in fines, penalties, cease and desist orders, enforcement actions, suspension or expulsion, or other disciplinary sanctions,

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including limitations on the Company’s business activities, any of which could harm the Company’s reputation and adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and financial condition.

 

While the Company maintains systems and procedures designed to ensure that it complies with applicable laws and regulations, violations could occur. In addition, some legal/regulatory frameworks provide for the imposition of fines or penalties for noncompliance even though the noncompliance was inadvertent or unintentional and even though systems and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations were in place at the time. There may be other negative consequences resulting from a finding of noncompliance, including restrictions on certain activities. Such a finding may also damage the Company’s reputation and could restrict the ability of institutional investment managers to invest in the Company’s securities.

 

Legislation or changes in rules and regulations could negatively impact the Company’s business and financial results.

 

New legislation, rule changes, or changes in the interpretation or enforcement of existing federal, state and SRO rules and regulations, including changes relating to money market mutual funds and broker-dealer fiduciary duties, may directly affect the operation and profitability of the Company or its specific business lines. The profitability of the Company could also be affected by rules and regulations which impact the business and financial communities generally, including changes to the laws governing taxation, electronic commerce, client privacy and security of client data. In addition, the rules and regulations could result in limitations on the lines of business the Company conducts, modifications to the Company’s business practices, increased capital requirements, or additional costs.

 

Financial reforms and related regulations may affect the Company’s business activities, financial position and profitability.

 

There have been extensive changes to the laws regulating financial services firms as a result of the enactment of the “Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act” (the Dodd-Frank Act). Among other changes:

 

Implementation of the legislation is ongoing and significant rule-making and interpretations remain to be completed. For example, rules relating to a minimum net stable funding ratio which will require financial institutions to have a stable funding structure over a one-year horizon have not yet been proposed. In addition, the legislation mandates multiple studies, which could result in additional legislative or regulatory action. CSC will continue to review the impact that proposed rule-making will have on the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations, as such rule-making is issued.

 

The legislation gives the SEC discretion to adopt rules regarding standards of conduct for broker-dealers providing investment advice to retail customers. The various studies required by the legislation could result in additional rulemaking or legislative action, which could impact the Company’s business and financial results.

 

The changes resulting from the legislation may impact the profitability of the Company’s business activities, require changes to certain of its business practices, impose upon the Company more stringent capital, liquidity and leverage ratio

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requirements or otherwise adversely affect the Company’s business. These changes may also require the Company to invest significant management attention and resources to evaluate and make necessary changes.

 

Technology and operational failures or errors could subject the Company to losses, litigation, and regulatory actions.

 

The Company faces operational risk, which is the potential for loss due to inadequate or failed internal processes, systems, and firms or exchanges handling client orders, or from external events and relationships impacting the Company and/or any of its key business partners and vendors. This risk also includes the risk of human error, execution errors, errors in models such as those used for asset management, capital management, risk management and compliance, employee misconduct, unauthorized trading, external fraud, computer viruses, distributed denial of service attacks, terrorist attacks, natural disaster, power outage, capacity constraints, software flaws and similar events.  For example, the Company and other financial institutions have been the target of various denial of service attacks that have, in certain circumstances, made websites, mobile applications and email unavailable for periods of time. It could take several hours or more to restore full functionality to the Company’s technology or other operating systems in the event of an unforeseen event which could affect the Company’s ability to process and settle client transactions. Moreover, instances of fraud or other misconduct, including improper use or disclosure of confidential client, employee, or company information, might also negatively impact the Company’s reputation and client confidence in the Company, in addition to any direct losses that might result from such instances. Despite the Company’s efforts to identify areas of risk, oversee operational areas involving risk, and implement policies and procedures designed to manage these risks, there can be no assurance that the Company will not suffer unexpected losses, reputational damage or regulatory action due to technology or other operational failures or errors, including those of its vendors or other third parties.

 

While the Company devotes substantial attention and resources to the reliability, capacity and scalability of its systems, extraordinary trading volumes could cause the Company’s computer systems to operate at unacceptably slow speeds or even fail, affecting the Company’s ability to process client transactions and potentially resulting in some clients’ orders being executed at prices they did not anticipate. Disruptions in service and slower system response times could result in substantial losses and decreased client satisfaction. The Company is also dependent on the integrity and performance of securities exchanges, clearing houses and other intermediaries to which client orders are routed for execution and settlement. Systems failures and constraints and transaction error at such intermediaries could result in delays and erroneous or unanticipated execution prices, cause substantial losses for the Company and for its clients, and subject the Company to claims from its clients for damages.

 

A significant decrease in the Company’s liquidity could negatively affect the Company’s business and financial management as well as reduce client confidence in the Company.

 

Maintaining adequate liquidity is crucial to the business operations of the Company, including margin lending, mortgage lending, and transaction settlement, among other liquidity needs. The Company meets its liquidity needs primarily through cash generated by client activity and operating earnings, as well as cash provided by external financing. Fluctuations in client cash or deposit balances, as well as changes in market conditions, may affect the Company’s ability to meet its liquidity needs. A reduction in the Company’s liquidity position could reduce client confidence in the Company, which could result in the loss of client accounts. In addition, if the Company’s broker-dealer or depository institution subsidiaries fail to meet regulatory capital guidelines, regulators could limit the subsidiaries’ operations or their ability to upstream funds to CSC, which could reduce CSC’s liquidity and adversely affect its ability to repay debt and pay cash dividends. In addition, CSC may need to provide additional funding to such subsidiaries.

 

Factors which may adversely affect the Company’s liquidity position include a reduction in cash held in banking or brokerage client accounts, a dramatic increase in the Company’s client lending activities (including margin, mortgage-related, and personal lending), unanticipated outflows of company cash, increased capital requirements, other regulatory changes or a loss of market or customer confidence in the Company. Schwab may also experience temporary liquidity demands due to timing differences between clients’ transaction settlements and the availability of segregated cash balances.

 

When cash generated by client activity and operating earnings is not sufficient for the Company’s liquidity needs, the Company must seek external financing. During periods of disruptions in the credit and capital markets, potential sources of external financing could be reduced, and borrowing costs could increase. Although CSC and Schwab maintain committed and uncommitted, unsecured bank credit lines and CSC has a commercial paper issuance program, as well as a universal

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shelf registration statement filed with the SEC, financing may not be available on acceptable terms or at all due to market conditions or disruptions in the credit markets. In addition, a significant downgrade in the Company’s credit ratings could increase its borrowing costs and limit its access to the capital markets.

 

The Company may suffer significant losses from its credit exposures.

 

The Company’s businesses are subject to the risk that a client, counterparty or issuer will fail to perform its contractual obligations, or that the value of collateral held to secure obligations will prove to be inadequate. While the Company has policies and procedures designed to manage this risk, the policies and procedures may not be fully effective. The Company’s exposure mainly results from margin lending, clients’ options trading, securities lending, mortgage lending, its role as a counterparty in financial contracts and investing activities, and indirectly from the investing activities of certain of the proprietary funds that the Company sponsors.

 

When clients purchase securities on margin or trade options or futures, the Company is subject to the risk that clients may default on their obligations when the value of the securities and cash in their accounts falls below the amount of clients’ indebtedness. Abrupt changes in securities valuations and the failure of clients to meet margin calls could result in substantial losses.

 

The Company has exposure to credit risk associated with its securities available for sale and securities held to maturity portfolios, which include U.S. agency and non-agency mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, corporate debt securities, U.S. agency notes, certificates of deposit, and commercial paper among other investments. These instruments are also subject to price fluctuations as a result of changes in the financial market’s assessment of issuer credit quality, increases in the unemployment rate, delinquency and default rates, housing price declines, changes in prevailing interest rates and other economic factors. A failure to raise the U.S. debt limit and/or a downgrade of the U.S. government’s credit rating could decrease the value of the Company’s securities in both the available for sale and held to maturity portfolios.

 

Loss of value of securities available for sale and securities held to maturity can negatively affect earnings if management determines that such securities are other than temporarily impaired. The evaluation of whether other-than-temporary impairment exists is a matter of judgment, which includes the assessment of several factors. See “Item 7 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Critical Accounting Estimates.” If management determines that a security is other-than-temporarily impaired, the cost basis of the security may be adjusted and a corresponding loss may be recognized in current earnings. Certain securities available for sale experienced continued credit deterioration in 2014, which resulted in impairment charges. Deterioration in the performance of securities available for sale and securities held to maturity could result in the recognition of future impairment charges.

 

The Company’s loans to banking clients primarily consist of First Mortgages and HELOCs. Increases in delinquency and default rates, housing price declines, increases in the unemployment rate, and other economic factors can result in charges for loan loss reserves and write downs on such loans.

 

Heightened credit exposures to specific counterparties or instruments (concentration risk) can increase the Company’s risk of loss. Examples of the Company’s credit concentration risk include:

 

The Company may also be subject to concentration risk when lending to a particular counterparty, borrower or issuer.

 

The Company sponsors a number of proprietary money market mutual funds and other proprietary funds. Although the Company has no obligation to do so, the Company may decide for competitive or other reasons to provide credit, liquidity or other support to its funds in the event of significant declines in valuation of fund holdings or significant redemption activity that exceeds available liquidity. Such support could cause the Company to take significant charges, could reduce the Company’s liquidity and, in certain situations, could, with respect to proprietary funds other than money market mutual funds, result in the Company having to consolidate a supported fund in its financial statements. If the Company chose not to

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provide credit, liquidity or other support in such a situation, the Company could suffer reputational damage and its business could be adversely affected.

 

Significant interest rate changes could affect the Company’s profitability and financial condition.

 

The Company is exposed to interest rate risk primarily from changes in the interest rates on its interest-earning assets (such as cash equivalents, short- and long-term investments, and mortgage and margin loans) relative to changes in the costs of its funding sources (including deposits in banking and uninvested cash in brokerage accounts, short-term borrowings, and long-term debt). Changes in interest rates generally affect the interest earned on interest-earning assets differently than the interest the Company pays on its interest-bearing liabilities. In addition, certain funding sources do not bear interest and their cost therefore does not vary. Overall, the Company is positioned to benefit from a rising interest rate environment; the Company could be adversely affected by a decline in interest rates if the rates that the Company earns on interest-earning assets decline more than the rates that the Company pays on its funding sources, or if prepayment rates increase on the mortgages and mortgage-backed securities that the Company holds. The Company may also be limited in the amount it can reduce interest rates on funding sources, such as deposit accounts, and still offer a competitive return.

 

As a result of the low interest rate environment, the Company has been waiving and may continue to waive a portion of its management fees for certain Schwab-sponsored money market mutual funds. To the extent the overall yield on certain Schwab-sponsored money market mutual funds falls to a level at or below the management fees on those funds, the Company may waive a portion of its fee in order to continue providing some return to clients. Such fee waivers negatively impact the Company’s asset management and administration fees.

 

The Company is subject to litigation and regulatory investigations and proceedings and may not be successful in defending itself against claims or proceedings.

 

The financial services industry faces substantial litigation and regulatory risks. The Company is subject to claims and lawsuits in the ordinary course of business, including arbitrations, class actions and other litigation, some of which include claims for substantial or unspecified damages. The Company is also the subject of inquiries, investigations, and proceedings by regulatory and other governmental agencies.

 

Litigation and arbitration claims include those brought by the Company’s clients and the clients of third party advisors whose assets are custodied at the Company. Claims from clients of third party advisors may allege losses due to investment decisions made by the third party advisors or the advisors’ misconduct. Litigation claims also include claims from third parties alleging infringement of their intellectual property rights (e.g., patents). Such litigation can require the expenditure of significant Company resources. If the Company were found to have infringed a third-party patent, or other intellectual property rights, it could incur substantial damages, and in some circumstances could be enjoined from using certain technology, or providing certain products or services.

 

Actions brought against the Company may result in settlements, awards, injunctions, fines, penalties or other results adverse to the Company including reputational harm. Even if the Company is successful in defending against these actions, the defense of such matters may result in the Company incurring significant expenses. Predicting the outcome of matters is inherently difficult, particularly where claims are brought on behalf of various classes of claimants, claimants seek substantial or unspecified damages, or when investigations or legal proceedings are at an early stage. A substantial judgment, settlement, fine, or penalty could be material to the Company’s operating results or cash flows for a particular future period, depending on the Company’s results for that period. In market downturns, the volume of legal claims and amount of damages sought in litigation and regulatory proceedings against financial services companies have historically increased. See “Item 8 – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements – 14. Commitments and Contingencies.”

 

Security breaches of the Company’s systems, or those of its clients or third parties, may subject the Company to significant liability and damage the Company’s reputation.

 

The Company’s business involves the secure processing, storage and transmission of confidential information about the Company and its clients. Information security risks for financial institutions are increasing, in part because of the use of the internet and mobile technologies to conduct financial transactions, and the increased sophistication and activities of organized

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crime, activists, hackers and other external parties. The Company’s systems and those of other financial institutions have been and are likely to continue to be the target of cyber attacks, malicious code, computer viruses and denial of service attacks that could result in unauthorized access, misuse, loss or destruction of data (including confidential customer information), account takeovers, unavailability of service or other events. Despite the Company’s efforts to ensure the integrity of its systems, the Company may not be able to anticipate or to implement effective preventive measures against all security breaches of these types, especially because the techniques used change frequently or are not recognized until launched, and because security attacks can originate from a wide variety of sources. Data security breaches may also result from non-technical means, for example, actions by a suborned employee.

 

Security breaches, including breaches of the Company’s security measures or those of the Company’s third-party service providers or clients, could result in a violation of applicable privacy and other laws and could subject the Company to significant liability or loss that may not be covered by insurance, actions by the Company’s regulators, damage to the Company’s reputation, or a loss of confidence in the Company’s security measures which could harm the Company’s business. The Company may be required to expend significant additional resources to modify its protective measures or to investigate and remediate vulnerabilities or other exposures.

 

The Company also faces risk related to external fraud involving the compromise of clients’ personal electronic devices that can facilitate the unauthorized access to login and password information for their various online financial accounts, including those at the Company. Such risk has grown in recent years due to the increased sophistication and activities of organized crime and other external parties, including foreign state-sponsored parties. For example, these parties send fraudulent “phishing” emails to the Company’s clients in order to misappropriate user names, passwords or other personal information. Losses reimbursed to clients under the Company’s guarantee against unauthorized account activity could have a negative impact on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

The Company relies on outsourced service providers to perform key functions.

 

The Company relies on external service providers to perform certain key technology, processing, servicing, and support functions. These service providers face technology, operating, business, and economic risks, and any significant failures by them, including the improper use or disclosure of the Company’s confidential client, employee, or company information, could cause the Company to incur losses and could harm the Company’s reputation. An interruption in or the cessation of service by any external service provider as a result of systems failures, capacity constraints, financial difficulties or for any other reason, and the Company’s inability to make alternative arrangements in a timely manner could disrupt the Company’s operations, impact the Company’s ability to offer certain products and services, and result in financial losses to the Company. Switching to an alternative service provider may require a transition period and result in less efficient operations.

 

Potential strategic transactions could have a negative impact on the Company’s financial position.

 

The Company evaluates potential strategic transactions, including business combinations, acquisitions, and dispositions. Any such transaction could have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. The process of evaluating, negotiating, and effecting any such strategic transaction may divert management’s attention from other business concerns, and might cause the loss of key clients, employees, and business partners. Moreover, integrating businesses and systems may result in unforeseen expenditures as well as numerous risks and uncertainties, including the need to integrate operational, financial, and management information systems and management controls, integrate relationships with clients and business partners, and manage facilities and employees in different geographic areas. In addition, an acquisition may cause the Company to assume liabilities or become subject to litigation or regulatory proceedings. Further, the Company may not realize the anticipated benefits from an acquisition, and any future acquisition could be dilutive to the Company’s current stockholders’ percentage ownership or to earnings per common share.

 

The Company’s acquisitions and dispositions are typically subject to closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and the absence of material adverse changes in the business, operations or financial condition of the entity being acquired or sold. To the extent the Company enters into an agreement to buy or sell an entity, there can be no guarantee that the transaction will close when expected, or at all. If a material transaction does not close, the Company’s stock price could decline.

 

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The Company’s industry is characterized by aggressive price competition.

 

The Company continually monitors its pricing in relation to competitors and periodically adjusts trade commission rates, interest rates on deposits and loans, fees for advisory services, and other fee structures to enhance its competitive position. Increased price competition from other financial services firms, such as reduced commissions to attract trading volume or higher deposit rates to attract client cash balances, could impact the Company’s results of operations and financial condition. To the extent that any of our competitors acquires or is acquired by another institution, that firm may be able to offer products and services at lower prices and/or promote those products and services more aggressively.

 

The Company faces competition in hiring and retaining qualified employees, especially for employees who are key to the Company’s ability to build and enhance client relationships.

 

The market for quality professionals and other personnel in the Company’s business is highly competitive. Competition is particularly strong for financial consultants who build and sustain the Company’s client relationships. The Company’s ability to continue to compete effectively will depend upon its ability to attract new employees and retain existing employees while managing compensation costs.

 

The Company’s stock price has fluctuated historically, and may continue to fluctuate.

 

The Company’s stock price can be volatile. Among the factors that may affect the volatility of the Company’s stock price are the following:

 

Changes in the stock market generally or as it concerns the Company’s industry, as well as geopolitical, economic, and business factors unrelated to the Company, may also affect the Company’s stock price.

 

Future sales of CSC’s equity securities may adversely affect the market price of CSC’s common stock and result in dilution.

 

CSC’s certificate of incorporation authorizes CSC’s Board of Directors to, among other things, issue additional shares of common or preferred stock or securities convertible or exchangeable into equity securities, without stockholder approval. CSC may issue additional equity or convertible securities to raise additional capital or for other purposes. The issuance of any additional equity or convertible securities could be substantially dilutive to holders of CSC’s common stock and may adversely affect the market price of CSC’s common stock.

 

 

 

None.

 

 

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A summary of the Company’s significant locations at December 31, 2014, is presented in the following table. Locations are leased or owned as noted below. The square footage amounts are presented net of space that has been subleased to third parties.

 

 

 

Substantially all of the Company’s branch offices are located in leased premises. The corporate headquarters, data centers, offices, and service centers support both of the Company’s segments.

 

 

 

 

For a discussion of legal proceedings, see “Item 8 – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements – 14. Commitments and Contingencies.”

 

 

 

Not applicable.

 

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PART II

 

 

 

CSC’s common stock is listed on The New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol SCHW. The number of common stockholders of record as of January 30,  2015, was 6,869. The closing market price per share on that date was $25.98.  

 

The quarterly high and low sales prices for CSC’s common stock and the other information required to be furnished pursuant to this item are included in “Item 8 – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements – 27. Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) and 19. Employee Incentive, Retirement, and Deferred Compensation Plans.”

 

The following graph shows a five-year comparison of cumulative total returns for CSC’s common stock, the Dow Jones U.S. Investment Services Index, and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, each of which assumes an initial investment of $100 and reinvestment of dividends.

 

 

 

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Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

The following table summarizes purchases made by or on behalf of CSC of its common stock for each calendar month in the fourth quarter of 2014:

 

 

N/A Not applicable.

 

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

In addition to historical information, this Annual Report on Form 10-K contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “will,” “may,” “estimate,” “appear,” “aim,” “target,” “could,” and other similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements.

 

These forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s beliefs, objectives, and expectations as of the date hereof, are necessarily estimates based on the best judgment of the Company’s senior management. These statements relate to, among other things:

 

Achievement of the expressed beliefs, objectives and expectations described in these statements is subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expressed beliefs, objectives, and expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K or, in the case of documents incorporated by reference, as of the date of those documents.

 

Important factors that may cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to:

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Certain of these factors, as well as general risk factors affecting the Company, are discussed in greater detail in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including “Item 1A – Risk Factors.”

 

 

 

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OVERVIEW

 

Management of the Company focuses on several key client activity and financial metrics in evaluating the Company’s financial position and operating performance. Management believes that net revenue growth, pre-tax profit margin, earnings per common share, and return on common stockholders’ equity provide broad indicators of the Company’s overall financial health, operating efficiency, and ability to generate acceptable returns within the context of a given operating environment. Expenses excluding interest as a percentage of average client assets is considered by management to be a measure of operating efficiency. Results for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013,  and 2012 are:

 

 

N/M Not meaningful.

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Core net new client assets is defined as net new client assets before significant one-time flows. Management considers this to be a useful metric when comparing period-to-period client asset flows. The following one-time flows were excluded from core net new assets.