ST. LOUIS, MO--(Marketwire - May 25, 2011) - Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated is pleased to announce that it received a #2 ranking out of 193 qualifying firms in the tenth annual FT/StarMine World's Top Analysts Survey. Stifel analysts won a total of 15 individual awards in 11 industries, including nine #1 rankings -- more than any other firm. Stifel has now finished in the top ten for five consecutive years and is the only firm to have finished in the top 12 every year since 2004 (includes Legg Mason Capital Markets, which was acquired by Stifel Financial Corp. on December 1, 2005).

Stifel Nicolaus was also cited by the Financial Times as the "best house for stock picking." Stifel led all firms with nine Stock-Picking awards, with five analysts ranked #1. Stifel analysts recognized for their stock-picking skill in this year's survey were:

• Ajit Pai, #1 in the Communications Equipment Industry (Four-time award winner)
• Ajit Pai, #1 in the Electronic Equipment & Instruments Industry (Four-time award winner)
• David Ross, #1 in the Road & Rail Industry (Four-time award winner)
• Hunter Keay, #1 in the Airlines Industry
• Christopher King, #1 in the Wireless Telecommunication Services Industry (Four-time award winner)
• Stephen Levenson, #2 in the Aerospace & Defense Industry
• John Baugh, #3 in the Construction Materials Industry
• Rod Petrik, #3 in the Real Estate Investment Trusts Industry (Four-time award winner)
• Tom Roderick, #3 in the Internet Software & Services Industry

A total of 1,791 stock pickers qualified for this year's survey.

In the earnings Estimate Accuracy Category, Rod Petrik was named the #5 Overall Estimator out of 1,853 analysts. Other award winners for Earnings Estimate Accuracy were:

• Stephen Geyen, #1 in the Commercial Banks Industry
• Rod Petrik, #1 in the Real Estate Investment Trusts Industry (Four-time award winner)
• Jordan Rohan, #1 in the Internet Software & Services Industry
• Mark Swartzberg, #1 in the Beverages Industry (Seven-time award winner)
• Ajit Pai, #2 the Electronic Equipment & Instruments Industry (Four-time award winner)

"We are once again pleased with our strong performance in FT/StarMine World's Top Analysts Survey," commented Hugh Warns, Director of Research at Stifel Nicolaus. "The survey is a testament to the consistency, breadth, and quality of our research product."

"According to data from StarMine, as of the end of the first quarter 2011, Stifel is the largest provider of U.S. research in terms of companies under coverage. The firm is also the largest provider of small cap company research, the largest provider of technology stock research, and the second largest provider of financial stock research."

The survey recognizes analysts who have turned in exemplary performances either as stock pickers or as earnings estimators during calendar year 2010. In determining the winners, StarMine identified the top three stock pickers and earnings estimators in 69 industries. For more information about the awards and methodology used, please go to: http://www.ft.com/intl/reports/top-analysts-2011.

Founded in 1890, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated is the principal subsidiary of Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF), a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis. Stifel Nicolaus is a full-service retail and institutional brokerage and investment banking firm with 312 offices in 44 states and the District of Columbia, and 3 European offices through Stifel Nicolaus Limited. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the company's web site at www.stifel.com.