Four Stifel Nicolaus Analysts Win Awards in The Wall Street Journal's Best on the Street Survey

ST. LOUIS, MO--(Marketwire - May 16, 2012) - Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated is pleased to announce that four of its equity analysts have won awards in The Wall Street Journal's Best on the Street Survey for 2012, with two Stifel analysts recognized as the #1 stock-pickers in their respective industries.

The Stifel analysts recognized for their stock-picking skill in this year's survey were:

• John Baugh, #1 in Home Construction & Furnishings (six-time winner)
• Ben Mogil, #1 in Broadcasting & Entertainment
• Thomas Carroll, #2 in Health Care (two-time winner)
• Meyer Shields, #2 in Insurance: Non-Life (two-time winner)

With a total of four awards, Stifel ranked tied for fifth overall out of nearly 200 qualifying firms. Ben Mogil is also acknowledged for a "Smart Sell."

"We are proud to be the only firm to rank in the top 10 for the last 6 years in The Wall Street Journal's Best on the Street Survey, which is a testament to the consistency, breadth, and quality of our research product," commented Hugh Warns, Director of Research at Stifel Nicolaus. "According to data from StarMine, as of the end of first quarter 2012, Stifel is the 3^rd largest provider of U.S. research in terms of companies under coverage. The firm is also the 2^nd largest provider of small cap company research, the largest provider of technology stock research, and the third largest provider of financial stock research."

Developed by The Wall Street Journal and FactSet Research Systems Inc., the Best on the Street Survey identifies the top three analysts in each of 44 industries, based on an objective, quantitative evaluation of their stock-picking performance in 2011. More than 2,000 analysts qualified for this year's survey.

Founded in 1890, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated is a full-service retail and institutional brokerage and investment banking firm. Stifel Nicolaus is the principal subsidiary of Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF), a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Stifel clients are served through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated in the U.S., through Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc. in Canada, and through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited in the United Kingdom and Europe. Stifel Bank & Trust offers a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. offers trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the company's web site at www.stifel.com.