The mission of Stephens Inc. is to become a trusted advisor to
our clients in all aspects of their business and personal
investments. We assist our clients as they interact with the
financial markets, consider capital formation and preservation, and
analyze strategic alternatives.
Our clients come first. It is this philosophy that ultimately
enhances our reputation and profits. On the other side of every
revenue-generating transaction, there is a customer who must be
dealt with fairly and with the highest of ethical standards. On the
other side of every investment are partners, fellow shareholders
and a management team who deserve the most candid reflection of our
thoughts, opinions and advice. In dealing with these varied
interests honestly and fairly, we will build trust in our judgment
and integrity. This will forge relationships, the likes of which
have been, and will continue to be, the cornerstone of our
success.
Extraordinary people create extraordinary companies, and we will
make it our business to maintain relationships with as many
extraordinary business people as is possible all over the world.
From these relationships and from our commitment to the
minimization of missed opportunities will come the future revenue
flow of Stephens Inc. This is our corporate definition of "rain
making" -- extensive relationships and no missed opportunities.
Our long-term relationships, our strong capital position, our
principal mentality, and the level of professionalism with which we
approach decisions set us apart in the financial services
industry.
With full awareness that many firms around us are in the process
of developing massive scale, we define our future in terms of
quality and profitability. This trend toward massive scale will
make Stephens increasingly unique in our industry, and we will meet
our competition with creativity, agility, integrity, intelligence
and a commitment to exceptional execution.
We understand and appreciate that the most innovative and
distinguished financiers in the history of the world have not
always operated from the largest-scale platforms. As Stephens Inc.
continues its tradition of producing some of the most exceptional
financial minds in the country, our vision for ourselves will be
realized.
Our investment banking and principal investing businesses
operate in close organizational proximity. This is by design. We
think and act like owners whether we are acting as principal or
agent. We feel that this gives us a unique perspective in our
business and creates distinctive opportunities for us and for our
clients.
This approach has paid substantial dividends beyond return on
investment. Many of our investments have become clients of our
investment banking services, and many investments started out as
investment banking clients. We will continue this course that
differentiates Stephens Inc. within the securities industry.
We are unique.