Top independent broker-dealers by revenue and payout
A look at how the top firms fared in 2016.
Top 50 IBDs ranked by 2016 revenue
| Firm | 2016 revenue ($M) | % change vs. 2015 | 2016 commission revenue ($M) | % change vs. 2015 | 2016 fee revenue ($M) | % change vs. 2015 | 2016 other revenue ($M) | % change vs. 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LPL Financial | $3,977.4 | -5.4% | $1,681.8 | -12.4% | $1,285.3 | -4.3% | $1,010.4 | 7.7% |
| 2 | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. | $3,945.0 | 0.7% | $1,331.3 | -4.9% | $1,998.0 | 3.1% | $615.6 | 6.0% |
| 3 | Raymond James Financial Services Inc. | $1,790.2 | 3.4% | $648.4 | -4.2% | $854.7 | 6.5% | $287.0 | 13.6% |
| 4 | Commonwealth Financial Network | $1,068.7 | 6.1% | $276.7 | -3.4% | $644.5 | 7.9% | $147.5 | 19.8% |
| 5 | Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network | $910.8 | 5.4% | $256.6 | -2.1% | $419.8 | 5.5% | $234.5 | 14.9% |
| 6 | Lincoln Financial Network | $826.3 | -3.3% | $591.4 | -6.0% | $191.9 | 4.4% | $43.1 | 3.4% |
| 7 | AXA Advisors | $727.5 | -2.6% | $536.8 | -4.5% | $158.9 | 2.5% | $31.8 | 6.8% |
| 8 | Cambridge Investment Research Inc. | $711.5 | 1.9% | $241.1 | -3.7% | $388.3 | 5.9% | $82.1 | 1.1% |
| 9 | Securities America Inc. | $535.7 | -2.9% | $229.7 | -8.3% | $248.5 | 2.3% | $57.5 | -1.7% |
| 10 | Cetera Advisor Networks | $519.5 | -7.1% | $246.5 | -13.6% | $210.3 | -7.9% | $62.8 | 38.1% |
| 11 | Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors | $487.4 | -7.4% | $196.4 | -13.5% | $224.5 | -0.5% | $66.5 | -9.5% |
| 12 | Royal Alliance Associates Inc. | $466.8 | 1.2% | $185.8 | -12.6% | $231.5 | 9.8% | $49.5 | 31.6% |
| 13 | Kestra Financial | $423.1 | -1.0% | $180.6 | -10.4% | $197.8 | 10.3% | $44.7 | -4.0% |
| 14 | Voya Financial Advisors Inc. | $393.7 | -3.1% | $252.7 | -8.6% | $124.1 | 7.8% | $16.9 | 15.2% |
| 15 | National Planning Corp. (NPC) | $376.8 | -7.6% | $229.1 | -12.4% | $120.6 | 3.8% | $27.1 | -9.7% |
| 16 | MML Investors Services | $367.6 | -5.4% | $240.0 | -9.7% | $96.7 | 6.2% | $30.9 | -3.0% |
| 17 | Signator Investors Inc. | $357.3 | 17.6% | $264.6 | 13.4% | $80.9 | 31.6% | $11.9 | 29.9% |
| 18 | Securian Financial Services Inc. | $325.6 | 3.3% | $188.6 | -0.1% | $101.0 | 8.1% | $36.2 | 10.0% |
| 19 | HD Vest Investment Services | $316.6 | -1.0% | $150.1 | -4.3% | $129.4 | 0.0% | $37.0 | 11.0% |
| 20 | SagePoint Financial Inc. | $307.6 | -1.5% | $170.0 | -7.0% | $102.8 | 4.8% | $34.8 | 10.7% |
| 21 | Cetera Advisors | $283.1 | -4.9% | $122.9 | -15.2% | $125.2 | -0.3% | $35.1 | 29.5% |
| 22 | Principal Securities Inc. (fka Princor Financial Services Corp.) | $279.3 | -11.1% | $223.9 | -14.6% | $55.4 | 6.7% | $0.0 | N/M |
| 23 | FSC Securities Corp. | $274.1 | -3.3% | $135.7 | -10.8% | $109.0 | 1.9% | $29.4 | 20.8% |
| 24 | Cetera Financial Institutions | $263.0 | -12.4% | $185.6 | -16.6% | $25.9 | -29.2% | $51.5 | 25.3% |
| 25 | Woodbury Financial Services | $253.9 | -2.9% | $175.0 | -8.9% | $53.6 | 11.1% | $25.3 | 20.3% |
| 26 | INVEST Financial Corp. | $249.8 | -4.4% | $160.2 | -7.6% | $68.5 | 5.4% | $21.1 | -8.0% |
| 27 | Lincoln Investment Planning | $232.6 | 3.9% | $109.3 | 2.8% | $115.7 | 3.6% | $7.5 | 33.3% |
| 28 | First Allied Securities Inc. | $227.1 | -17.9% | $124.6 | -28.1% | $67.5 | -8.4% | $34.9 | 18.1% |
| 29 | Triad Advisors Inc. | $173.2 | -5.8% | $70.9 | -16.2% | $88.1 | 14.2% | $14.3 | -36.0% |
| 30 | American Portfolios Financial Services Inc. | $171.5 | -2.7% | $91.7 | -6.9% | $79.8 | 2.5% | $0.0 | N/M |
| 31 | SII Investments Inc. | $169.3 | -4.5% | $93.1 | -11.9% | $64.2 | 11.0% | $12.0 | -13.3% |
| 32 | CUNA Brokerage Services Inc. | $158.0 | 2.4% | $138.7 | 3.1% | $14.8 | -0.7% | $4.5 | -6.3% |
| 33 | Cadaret Grant & Co. Inc. | $149.5 | -6.2% | $104.6 | -9.3% | $41.2 | -2.1% | $3.7 | 85.4% |
| 34 | M Holdings Securities Inc. (M Securities) | $148.0 | -5.4% | $128.7 | -7.3% | $16.1 | 10.9% | $3.2 | 3.0% |
| 35 | Centaurus Financial Inc. | $144.5 | 2.9% | $109.9 | 0.3% | $34.6 | 12.2% | $0.0 | N/M |
| 36 | Summit Brokerage Services Inc. | $144.0 | 29.7% | $90.3 | 24.4% | $35.4 | 28.2% | $18.2 | 68.8% |
| 37 | Transamerica Financial Advisors Inc. | $133.3 | N/A | $90.7 | N/A | $33.0 | N/A | $9.7 | N/A |
| 38 | Ameritas Investment Corp. | $132.1 | -9.8% | $80.0 | -13.6% | $34.5 | -14.6% | $17.6 | 32.0% |
| 39 | Cetera Financial Specialists | $128.8 | -2.6% | $59.0 | -9.2% | $59.7 | -0.6% | $10.2 | 39.1% |
| 40 | Independent Financial Group | $122.9 | -1.2% | $70.9 | -7.2% | $42.0 | 10.3% | $10.0 | 0.1% |
| 41 | Investment Centers of America Inc. | $113.4 | -5.6% | $67.6 | -13.4% | $36.2 | 14.6% | $9.6 | -9.1% |
| 42 | Securities Service Network Inc. | $111.6 | -10.9% | $52.6 | -8.2% | $46.7 | -18.6% | $12.3 | 15.8% |
| 43 | NEXT Financial Group Inc. | $107.8 | -12.7% | $66.2 | -14.7% | $37.0 | -9.7% | $4.6 | -6.5% |
| 44 | Geneos Wealth Management Inc. | $104.5 | -12.0% | $51.7 | -18.2% | $49.1 | -11.7% | $3.7 | N/M |
| 45 | Questar Capital Corp. | $102.6 | -2.9% | $82.0 | -4.4% | $14.8 | -3.5% | $5.8 | 27.2% |
| 46 | ProEquities Inc. | $97.9 | -15.6% | $64.8 | -22.4% | $23.1 | 2.5% | $10.0 | 0.5% |
| 47 | United Planners Financial Services | $97.3 | 2.4% | $52.6 | 0.5% | $44.8 | 17.8% | $0.0 | N/M |
| 48 | KMS Financial Services Inc. | $96.4 | 4.1% | $42.0 | -1.9% | $47.9 | 3.3% | $6.5 | 87.4% |
| 49 | J.W. Cole Financial Inc. | $91.4 | 6.0% | $67.0 | 2.0% | $24.4 | 18.8% | $0.0 | N/M |
| 50 | Investacorp Inc. | $87.8 | -0.6% | $57.4 | -1.2% | $20.7 | -5.3% | $9.7 | 15.9% |
Revenue figures are for firms’ year-end. N/A = not available. N/M = not meaningful. Other revenue could include interest income, and financial planning, consulting, investment banking and other fees. Itemized revenue may not add up to totals due to rounding.
Source: InvestmentNews Research
Total combined revenue of the top 50 IBD firms, 2015-16
Source: InvestmentNews Research
Total combined revenue of the top 25 IBDs, 2004–16
Source: InvestmentNews Research
Top 20 IBDs ranked by average annual payout per rep
Source: InvestmentNews Research
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