Stifel to Acquire London-Based Oriel Securities

ST. LOUIS, MO and LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwired - May 8, 2014) - Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) today announced that it is acquiring Oriel Securities, the London-based stockbroking and investment banking firm, to build out the Company's international platform across all of its institutional businesses.

The combination of Stifel and Oriel will bring together more than 250 professionals to create a significant middle-market investment banking group in London, with broad research coverage across most sectors of the economy, equity and debt sales and trading, and investment banking services. These enhanced capabilities will assist the companies in executing client-driven, cross-border transactions. The combined company will continue to operate KBW as a separate company for financial institutions, which completely complements Oriel's capabilities. The equity sales and trading platforms of both Stifel and Oriel will be augmented by the institutional fixed income sales and trading business Stifel acquired from Knight Capital Group last year.

Ronald J. Kruszewski, Chairman, President & CEO of Stifel, said, "We are extremely pleased to partner with Oriel to grow our business internationally. This acquisition will significantly expand Stifel's depth, expertise, and reach in London, a vital global financial center. We look forward to working with our new colleagues to support our clients and capitalize on the opportunities that this transaction will create."

Simon Bragg, Oriel's founder and Chief Executive, added, "Stifel is the perfect partner for Oriel. Its scale and expertise will enable our firm to expand the breadth of our services to clients and will give our clients access to the U.S. market. We are excited about the opportunities being part of Stifel will bring."

Senior leadership from Oriel has executed continuation agreements in support of the merger. Simon Bragg will be Chairman & CEO of Stifel's European operations. The acquisition is subject to FCA clearance. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Closing is expected to be in the third quarter of 2014.

Stifel Company Information
Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifel's broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC; and Century Securities Associates, Inc. and through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Limited in the United Kingdom and Europe. The Company's broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. 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.

About Oriel
Oriel is an established leading corporate and institutional stockbroking and advisory firm with an excellent reputation and a proven track record across the UK market. It is an employee-owned company with a partnership culture and an equity participation model and is dedicated to delivering the very best to clients by offering superior, independent advice, the very best in ideas, and stability and continuity of service.