Edward Jones Financial Advisors Rate the Firm Highest in Overall Employee Satisfaction, According to J.D. Power and Associates

ST. LOUIS, March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth time in as many studies, Edward Jones financial advisors rate the firm "Highest in Employee Advisor Satisfaction among Financial Investment Firms," according to a newly released study by J.D. Power and Associates.

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The J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Financial Advisor Satisfaction Study(SM) ranked Edward Jones Highest in Employee Advisor Satisfaction among Financial Investment Firms. Eight financial services firms ranked. This is the fourth time J.D. Power has conducted the study since 2007.

"For us, this honor is particularly significant because it is based upon input from our financial advisors and reflects their satisfaction at Edward Jones," said Managing Partner Jim Weddle. "Our 25-point score improvement over our previous ranking is a tremendous vote of confidence in our firm as a great place to work."

Edward Jones financial advisors gave the highest satisfaction ratings in seven of the nine study factors, which placed the firm 203 points ahead of the industry average and 37 points above its nearest competitor. Edward Jones performs particularly well in Firm Performance, Technology and People factors, according to the study.

Edward Jones financial advisors also ranked the firm highest in Firm Performance, the highest-weighted factor in the study. 

"I am extremely gratified that our financial advisors report they have confidence in our mission, our vision and our values," Weddle said. We are always striving for improvement, and these results validate our efforts. This is a wonderful tribute to the strength of our partnership and our culture."

Edward Jones scored 895 in technology – 61 points higher than its closest competitor and 24 points higher than previously.

"This reflects our many recent investments in resources, systems and tools," Weddle said. "Our financial advisors indicated that our technology's integrated functionality supports the work they do to help meet the needs of the individual investor."

Weddle said he would like to thank the Edward Jones financial advisors for their tremendous confidence.

"And congratulations to all our branch office administrators and home-office associates who support our financial advisors," Weddle said. "These results make it clear that everything we do is aligned around one purpose: doing the best possible jobs for our clients as we strive to make a positive difference in their lives."

Edward Jones also ranked highest in the 2007 and 2010 studies and tied for the highest ranking in 2008. The study was not conducted in 2009 or 2011.

Edward Jones provides financial services for individual investors in the United States and, through its affiliate, in Canada. Every aspect of the firm's business, from the types of investment options offered to the location of branch offices, is designed to cater to individual investors in the communities in which they live and work. The firm's 12,000-plus financial advisors work directly with nearly 7 million clients to understand their personal goals -- from college savings to retirement -- and create long-term investment solutions that emphasize a well-balanced portfolio and a buy-and-hold strategy. Edward Jones embraces the importance of building long-term, face-to-face relationships with clients, helping them to understand and make sense of the investment options available today.

Edward Jones, which ranked No. 5 on FORTUNE magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For 2012," is headquartered in St. Louis. The Edward Jones Web site is located at www.edwardjones.com, and its recruiting Web site is www.careers.edwardjones.com. Member SIPC.

SOURCE Edward Jones