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LPL Financial Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Results

Fourth Quarter 2020 Key Financial Results

  • Earnings per share ("EPS") was $1.38, and Net Income was $112 million.
    °  Gross Profit** was $534 million.
    °  Core G&A** was $252 million.
    °  EBITDA** was $217 million and EBITDA** as a percentage of Gross Profit** was 41%.
  • EPS Prior to Amortization of Intangible Assets** was $1.53.

Fourth Quarter 2020 Key Business Results

  • Total Advisory and Brokerage Assets increased 18% year-over-year to $903 billion.
    °  Advisory assets increased by 26% year-over-year to $461 billion.
    °  Advisory assets as a percentage of total assets increased to 51.1%, up from 47.8% a year ago.
  • Total organic net new assets(1) were an inflow of $17.8 billion, translating to an 8.8% annualized growth rate.
    °  Total organic net new asset annualized growth rate was 7.4% in October, 7.3% in November and 10.8% in December.
    °  Organic net new advisory assets were an inflow of $15.9 billion, translating to a 15.6% annualized growth rate.
    °  Organic net new brokerage assets were an inflow of $1.9 billion, translating to a 1.9% annualized growth rate.
  • Acquired net new assets were $4.0 billion, of which $2.5 billion was advisory and $1.5 billion was brokerage.
    °  Acquired net new assets were from Lucia Securities and E.K. Riley as we completed the onboarding of these two acquisitions during the quarter.
  • Recruited Assets(2) were $10.8 billion, contributing to a trailing twelve-month total of $40.9 billion, up 17% year-over-year.
    °  Advisor count(3) was 17,287, up 119 from Q3 2020 and 823 year-over-year.
  • Total client cash balances were $48.9 billion, up $2.3 billion, or 5% sequentially.
    °  Client cash balances as a percentage of total assets were 5.4%.

Fourth Quarter 2020 Key Capital Results

  • Dividends were $20 million.
  • Cash available for corporate use was $280 million.
  • Credit Agreement Net Leverage Ratio(4) was 2.16x.

Full Year 2020 Key Performance Indicators

  • EPS was $5.86, and Net Income was $473 million.
    °  Gross Profit** was $2,103 million.
    °  Core G&A** was $925 million.
    °  EBITDA** was $909 million and EBITDA** as a percentage of Gross Profit** was 43%.
  • EPS Prior to Amortization of Intangible Assets** was $6.46.
  • Total organic net new assets were $56.2 billion, translating to a 7.4% growth rate, up from 5.3% in 2019.
    °  Full-year production retention rate was 97.7%, up from 96.5% a year ago.
  • Dividends were $79 million.

Key Updates

  • 2020 Core G&A** was $925 million, which translates to a 6.5% growth rate year-over-year and within our outlook range of $915 to $940 million.
  • Established 2021 Core G&A** outlook range of ~5.5% to 8% prior to expenses from Waddell & Reed, or $975 to $1,000 million.
  • Signed an agreement to acquire Waddell & Reed’s wealth management business for $300 million, a firm with over 900 advisors and ~$70 billion of client assets as of December 31, 2020.
    °  To date, Waddell & Reed advisors serving ~80% of client assets have already committed to join LPL following the close of the transaction, and we are encouraged by our ongoing progress.

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPLA) (the “Company”) today announced results for its fourth quarter ended December 31, 2020, reporting net income of $112 million, or $1.38 per share. This compares with $127 million, or $1.53 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2019 and $104 million, or $1.29 per share, in the prior quarter.

"Throughout 2020, we remained focused on our mission of taking care of our advisors, so they can take care of their clients,” said Dan Arnold, President and CEO. "This focus led us to enhance our capabilities, service, and technology, which increased the appeal of our model and contributed to new highs for total assets and organic growth. As we look ahead, we aim to continue investing in our model and increasing our market share within the advisor-centered marketplace."

“Looking at 2020, we are proud of what we accomplished within our framework to drive shareholder value,” said Matt Audette, CFO. “We continued to invest through a volatile environment while staying disciplined on expenses, closed on three M&A transactions, reached an agreement to acquire Waddell & Reed's wealth management business, and delivered the highest organic net new assets in our history. Going forward, our business momentum and financial strength position us well to continue creating long-term shareholder value.”

Dividend Declaration

The Company's Board of Directors declared a $0.25 per share dividend to be paid on March 30, 2021 to all stockholders of record as of March 16, 2021.

Conference Call and Additional Information

The Company will hold a conference call to discuss its results at 5:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, February 4. To listen, call 877-677-9122 (domestic) or 708-290-1401 (international); passcode 9671648, or visit investor.lpl.com (webcast). Replays will be available by phone and on investor.lpl.com beginning two hours after the call and until February 11 and February 25, respectively. For telephonic replay, call 855-859-2056 (domestic) or 404-537-3406 (international); passcode 9671648.

About LPL Financial

LPL Financial is a leader in the retail financial advice market, the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer+ and a leading custodian (or provider of custodial services) to RIAs. We serve independent financial advisors and financial institutions, providing them with the technology, research, clearing and compliance services, and practice management programs they need to create and grow their practices. LPL enables them to provide objective guidance to millions of American families seeking wealth management, retirement planning, financial planning and asset management solutions. LPL.com

+Based on total revenues, Financial Planning magazine June 1996-2020.

Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial LLC, a registered investment advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. Throughout this communication, the terms “financial advisors” and “advisors” are used to refer to registered representatives and/or investment advisor representatives affiliated with LPL Financial LLC. We routinely disclose information that may be important to shareholders in the “Investor Relations” or “Press Releases” section of our website.

**Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Management believes that presenting certain non-GAAP financial measures by excluding or including certain items can be helpful to investors and analysts who may wish to use this information to analyze the Company’s current performance, prospects and valuation. Management uses this non-GAAP information internally to evaluate operating performance and in formulating the budget for future periods. Management believes that the non-GAAP financial measures and metrics discussed below are appropriate for evaluating the performance of the Company.

EPS Prior to Amortization of Intangible Assets is defined as GAAP EPS plus the per share impact of amortization of intangible assets. The per share impact is calculated as amortization of intangible assets expense, net of applicable tax benefit, divided by the number of shares outstanding for the applicable period. The Company presents EPS Prior to Amortization of Intangible Assets because management believes that the metric can provide investors with useful insight into the Company’s core operating performance by excluding non-cash items that management does not believe impact the Company’s ongoing operations. EPS Prior to Amortization of Intangible Assets is not a measure of the Company's financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to GAAP EPS or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP. For a reconciliation of EPS Prior to Amortization of Intangible Assets to GAAP EPS, please see footnote 38 on page 19 of this release.

Gross Profit is calculated as total net revenues, which were $1,581 million for the three months ended December 31, 2020, less advisory and commission expenses and brokerage, clearing and exchange fees, which were $1,030 million and $18 million, respectively for the three months ended December 31, 2020. All other expense categories, including depreciation and amortization of fixed assets and amortization of intangible assets, are considered general and administrative in nature. Because the Company’s Gross Profit amounts do not include any depreciation and amortization expense, the Company considers Gross Profit to be a non-GAAP financial measure that may not be comparable to similar measures used by others in its industry. Management believes that Gross Profit can provide investors with useful insight into the Company’s core operating performance before indirect costs that are general and administrative in nature. For a calculation of Gross Profit, please see footnote 6 on page 16 of this release.

Core G&A consists of total operating expenses, which were $1,410 million for the three months ended December 31, 2020, excluding the following expenses: advisory and commission, regulatory charges, promotional, employee share-based compensation, depreciation and amortization, amortization of intangible assets, and brokerage, clearing and exchange. Management presents Core G&A because it believes Core G&A reflects the corporate operating expense categories over which management can generally exercise a measure of control, compared with expense items over which management either cannot exercise control, such as advisory and commission expenses, or which management views as promotional expense necessary to support advisor growth and retention, including conferences and transition assistance. Core G&A is not a measure of the Company’s total operating expenses as calculated in accordance with GAAP. For a reconciliation of Core G&A to the Company’s total operating expenses, please see footnote 10 on page 17 of this release. The Company does not provide an outlook for its total operating expenses because it contains expense components, such as advisory and commission expenses, that are market-driven and over which the Company cannot exercise control. Accordingly a reconciliation of the Company’s outlook for Core G&A to an outlook for total operating expenses cannot be made available without unreasonable effort.

EBITDA is defined as net income plus interest and other expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, and amortization of intangible assets. The Company presents EBITDA because management believes that it can be a useful financial metric in understanding the Company’s earnings from operations. EBITDA is not a measure of the Company's financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP, or as an alternative to cash flows from operating activities as a measure of profitability or liquidity. In addition, the Company’s EBITDA can differ significantly from EBITDA calculated by other companies, depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which companies operate, and capital investments. For a reconciliation of EBITDA to net income, please see footnote 27 on page 18 of this release.

Credit Agreement EBITDA is defined in, and calculated by management in accordance with, the Company's credit agreement (“Credit Agreement”) as “Consolidated EBITDA,” which is Consolidated Net Income (as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus interest expense, tax expense, depreciation and amortization, and amortization of intangible assets, and is further adjusted to exclude certain non-cash charges and other adjustments, including unusual or non-recurring charges and gains, and to include future expected cost savings, operating expense reductions or other synergies from certain transactions. The Company presents Credit Agreement EBITDA because management believes that it can be a useful financial metric in understanding the Company’s debt capacity and covenant compliance under its Credit Agreement. Credit Agreement EBITDA is not a measure of the Company's financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP, or as an alternative to cash flows from operating activities as a measure of profitability or liquidity. In addition, the Company’s calculation of Credit Agreement EBITDA can differ significantly from adjusted EBITDA calculated by other companies, depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which companies operate, capital investments, and types of adjustments made by such companies. For a reconciliation of Credit Agreement EBITDA to net income, please see footnote 27 on page 18 of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release regarding the Company's future financial and operating results, growth, priorities and business strategies, including forecasts and statements relating to future expenses (including 2020 Core G&A** outlook), future capabilities, future advisor service experience, future investments and capital deployment, long-term shareholder value and the planned acquisition of Waddell & Reed's wealth management business, as well as any other statements that are not related to present facts or current conditions or that are not purely historical, constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's historical performance and its plans, estimates and expectations as of February 4, 2021. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees that the future results, plans, intentions or expectations expressed or implied will be achieved. Matters subject to forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including economic, legislative, regulatory, competitive and other factors, which may cause actual financial or operating results, levels of activity or the timing of events to be materially different than those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include: changes in general economic and financial market conditions, including retail investor sentiment; changes in interest rates and fees payable by banks participating in the Company's client cash programs; the Company's strategy and success in managing client cash program fees; changes in the growth and profitability of the Company's fee-based business; fluctuations in the levels of advisory and brokerage assets, including net new assets, and the related impact on revenue; the effects of competition in the financial services industry and the success of the Company in attracting and retaining financial advisors and institutions; whether the retail investors served by newly-recruited advisors choose to move their respective assets to new accounts at the Company; the effect of current, pending and future legislation, regulation and regulatory actions, including disciplinary actions imposed by federal and state regulators and self-regulatory organizations and the implementation of Regulation BI (Best Interest); the costs of settling and remediating issues related to regulatory matters or legal proceedings, including actual costs of reimbursing customers for losses in excess of our reserves; changes made to the Company’s services and pricing, and the effect that such changes may have on the Company’s gross profit streams and costs; the execution of the Company's plans and its success in realizing the synergies, expense savings, service improvements and efficiencies expected to result from its initiatives, acquisitions and programs; the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; the successful onboarding of advisors and client assets in connection with the acquisition of Waddell & Reed's wealth management business; and the other factors set forth in Part I, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in the Company's 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as may be amended or updated in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this earnings release, even if its estimates change, and you should not rely on statements contained herein as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Investor Relations - Chris Koegel, (617) 897-4574
Media Relations - Jeff Mochal, (704) 733-3589
investor.lpl.com/contactus.cfm

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)

 
  Three Months Ended December 31,       Years Ended December 31,    
  2020   2019   % Change   2020   2019   % Change
REVENUES                      
Advisory $ 638,181     $ 533,259     20 %   $ 2,327,519     $ 1,982,869     17 %
Commission 503,020     476,920     5 %   1,906,560     1,892,407     1 %
Asset-based 258,393     288,925     (11 %)   1,044,517     1,165,979     (10 %)
Transaction and fee 129,750     118,291     10 %   506,071     480,328     5 %
Interest income, net of interest expense 6,707     10,966     (39 %)   29,412     46,508     (37 %)
Other 45,232     19,534     n/m   57,561     56,765     n/m
Total net revenues 1,581,283     1,447,895     9 %   5,871,640     5,624,856     4 %
EXPENSES                      
Advisory and commission 1,029,739     893,831     15 %   3,697,147     3,388,186     9 %
Compensation and benefits 167,864     149,128     13 %   609,257     556,128     10 %
Promotional 48,342     51,050     (5 %)   208,250     205,537     1 %
Depreciation and amortization 28,650     25,663     12 %   109,732     95,779     15 %
Amortization of intangible assets 17,270     16,631     4 %   67,358     65,334     3 %
Occupancy and equipment 41,903     35,320     19 %   166,389     136,163     22 %
Professional services 16,541     17,772     (7 %)   57,067     73,887     (23 %)
Brokerage, clearing and exchange 17,762     15,927     12 %   71,185     64,445     10 %
Communications and data processing 14,656     12,465     18 %   52,399     49,859     5 %
Other 27,744     30,569     (9 %)   101,018     114,546     (12 %)
Total operating expenses 1,410,471     1,248,356     13 %   5,139,802     4,749,864     8 %
Non-operating interest expense and other 24,979     31,384     (20 %)   105,765     130,001     (19 %)
Loss on extinguishment of debt     3,156     n/m       3,156     n/m
INCOME BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 145,833     164,999     (12 %)   626,073     741,835     (16 %)
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 34,285     38,323     (11 %)   153,433     181,955     (16 %)
NET INCOME $ 111,548     $ 126,676     (12 %)   $ 472,640     $ 559,880     (16 %)
EARNINGS PER SHARE                      
Earnings per share, basic $ 1.41     $ 1.57     (10 %)   $ 5.96     $ 6.78     (12 %)
Earnings per share, diluted $ 1.38     $ 1.53     (10 %)   $ 5.86     $ 6.62     (11 %)
Weighted-average shares outstanding, basic 79,353     80,701     (2 %)   79,244     82,552     (4 %)
Weighted-average shares outstanding, diluted 80,904     82,695     (2 %)   80,702     84,624     (5 %)
 

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income Trend
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)

 
  Quarterly Results
  Q4 2020   Q3 2020   Q2 2020
REVENUES          
Advisory $ 638,181     $ 586,941     $ 523,370  
Commission 503,020     472,643     427,453  
Asset-based 258,393     253,551     247,067  
Transaction and fee 129,750     119,747     119,478  
Interest income, net of interest expense 6,707     6,623     6,540  
Other 45,232     20,796     42,751  
Total net revenues 1,581,283     1,460,301     1,366,659  
EXPENSES          
Advisory and commission 1,029,739     936,766     859,847  
Compensation and benefits 167,864     151,271     143,320  
Promotional 48,342     57,970     44,540  
Depreciation and amortization 28,650     27,548     26,890  
Amortization of intangible assets 17,270     16,829     16,689  
Occupancy and equipment 41,903     41,874     43,066  
Professional services 16,541     12,301     13,620  
Brokerage, clearing and exchange expense 17,762     17,834     18,565  
Communications and data processing 14,656     12,547     14,361  
Other 27,744     24,852     22,194  
Total operating expenses 1,410,471     1,299,792     1,203,092  
Non-operating interest expense and other 24,979     25,179     26,289  
INCOME BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 145,833     135,330     137,278  
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 34,285     31,541     35,616  
NET INCOME $ 111,548     $ 103,789     $ 101,662  
EARNINGS PER SHARE          
Earnings per share, basic $ 1.41     $ 1.31     $ 1.29  
Earnings per share, diluted $ 1.38     $ 1.29     $ 1.27  
Weighted-average shares outstanding, basic 79,353     79,176     78,940  
Weighted-average shares outstanding, diluted 80,904     80,550     80,127  
 

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition
(In thousands, except share data)
(Unaudited)

 
  December 31, 2020   September 30, 2020   December 31, 2019
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents $ 808,612     $ 800,799     $ 590,209  
Cash segregated under federal and other regulations 923,158     667,121     822,697  
Restricted cash 67,264     75,295     58,872  
Receivables from:          
Clients, net of allowance 405,106     424,131     433,986  
Product sponsors, broker-dealers and clearing organizations 233,192     205,508     177,654  
Advisor loans, net of allowance 547,372     509,124     441,743  
Others, net of allowance 306,640     306,952     298,790  
Securities owned:          
Trading — at fair value 29,252     28,215     46,447  
Held-to-maturity — at amortized cost 13,235     13,058     11,806  
Securities borrowed 30,130     23,510     17,684  
Fixed assets, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization 582,868     570,592     533,044  
Operating lease assets 101,921     99,565     102,477  
Goodwill 1,513,866     1,503,648     1,503,648  
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization 397,486     409,427     439,838  
Deferred income taxes, net 24,112     744      
Other assets 539,357     453,038     401,343  
Total assets $ 6,523,571     $ 6,090,727     $ 5,880,238  
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
LIABILITIES:          
Drafts payable $ 178,403     $ 176,916     $ 218,636  
Payables to clients 1,356,083     1,153,014     1,058,873  
Payables to broker-dealers and clearing organizations 89,743     84,405     92,002  
Accrued advisory and commission expenses payable 187,040     175,278     174,330  
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 681,554     586,432     557,969  
Income taxes payable 28,145     14,619     20,129  
Unearned revenue 95,328     99,694     82,842  
Securities sold, but not yet purchased — at fair value 206     337     176  
Long-term and other borrowings, net 2,345,414     2,347,517     2,398,818  
Operating lease liabilities 139,377     137,569     141,900  
Finance lease liabilities 107,424     107,498     108,592  
Deferred income taxes, net         2,098  
Total liabilities 5,208,717     4,883,279     4,856,365  
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:          
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 600,000,000 shares authorized; 127,585,764 shares issued at December 31, 2020 and 126,494,028 shares issued at December 31, 2019 127     127     126  
Additional paid-in capital 1,762,770     1,748,310     1,703,973  
Treasury stock, at cost — 48,115,037 shares at December 31, 2020 and 46,259,989 shares at December 31, 2019 (2,391,062 )   (2,391,449 )   (2,234,793 )
Retained earnings 1,943,019     1,850,460     1,554,567  
Total stockholders’ equity 1,314,854     1,207,448     1,023,873  
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 6,523,571     $ 6,090,727     $ 5,880,238  
 

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Management's Statements of Operations(5)
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)

Certain information presented on pages 8-15 of this release is presented as reviewed by the Company’s management and includes information derived from the Company’s Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income, non-GAAP financial measures, and operational and performance metrics. For information on non-GAAP financial measures, please see the section titled "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" that begins on page 3 of this release.

  Quarterly Results
  Q4 2020   Q3 2020   % Change   Q4 2019   % Change
Gross Profit(6)                  
Advisory $ 638,181     $ 586,941     9 %   $ 533,259     20 %
Sales-based commissions 202,504     180,357     12 %   193,980     4 %
Trailing commissions 300,516     292,286     3 %   282,940     6 %
Advisory and commission fees 1,141,201     1,059,584     8 %   1,010,179     13 %
Production based payout(7) (987,882 )   (917,831 )   8 %   (876,654 )   13 %
Advisory and commission fees, net of payout 153,319     141,753     8 %   133,525     15 %
Client cash 105,019     108,705     (3 %)   155,322     (32 %)
Other asset-based(8) 153,374     144,846     6 %   133,603     15 %
Transaction and fee 129,750     119,747     8 %   118,291     10 %
Interest income and other, net(9) 10,082     8,484     19 %   13,323     (24 %)
Total net advisory and commission fees and attachment revenue 551,544     523,535     5 %   554,064     —  %
Brokerage, clearing and exchange expense (17,762 )   (17,834 )   %   (15,927 )   12 %
Gross Profit(6) 533,782     505,701     6 %   538,137     (1 %)
                   
G&A Expense                  
Core G&A(10) 252,391     227,099     11 %   230,182     10 %
Regulatory charges 8,775     8,326     n/m   7,893     n/m
Promotional 48,342     57,970     (17 %)   51,050     (5 %)
Employee share-based compensation 7,542     7,420     2 %   7,179     5 %
Total G&A 317,050     300,815     5 %   296,304     7 %
EBITDA(5) 216,732     204,886     6 %   241,833     (10 %)
Depreciation and amortization 28,650     27,548     4 %   25,663     12 %
Amortization of intangible assets 17,270     16,829     3 %   16,631     4 %
Non-operating interest expense and other 24,979     25,179     (1 %)   31,384     (20 %)
Loss on extinguishment of debt         n/m   3,156     n/m
INCOME BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 145,833     135,330     8 %   164,999     (12 %)
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 34,285     31,541     9 %   38,323     (11 %)
NET INCOME $ 111,548     $ 103,789     7 %   $ 126,676     (12 %)
Earnings per share, diluted $ 1.38     $ 1.29     7 %   $ 1.53     (10 %)
Weighted-average shares outstanding, diluted 80,904     80,550     %   82,695     (2 %)
EPS Prior to Amortization of Intangible Assets(5)(38) $ 1.53     $ 1.44     6 %   $ 1.68     (9 %)
 

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Management's Statements of Operations Trend(5)
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)

  Quarterly Results
  Q4 2020   Q3 2020   Q2 2020
Gross Profit(6)          
Advisory $ 638,181     $ 586,941     $ 523,370  
Sales-based commissions 202,504     180,357     159,512  
Trailing commissions 300,516     292,286     267,941  
Advisory and commission fees 1,141,201     1,059,584     950,823  
Production based payout(7) (987,882 )   (917,831 )   (819,953 )
Advisory and commission fees, net of payout 153,319     141,753     130,870  
Client cash 105,019     108,705     116,266  
Other asset-based(8) 153,374     144,846     130,801  
Transaction and fee 129,750     119,747     119,478  
Interest income and other, net(9) 10,082     8,484     9,397  
Total net advisory and commission fees and attachment revenue 551,544     523,535     506,812  
Brokerage, clearing and exchange expense (17,762 )   (17,834 )   (18,565 )
Gross Profit(6) 533,782     505,701     488,247  
           
G&A Expense          
Core G&A(10) 252,391     227,099     222,406  
Regulatory charges 8,775     8,326     6,115  
Promotional 48,342     57,970     44,540  
Employee share-based compensation 7,542     7,420     8,040  
Total G&A 317,050     300,815     281,101  
EBITDA(5) 216,732     204,886     207,146  
Depreciation and amortization 28,650     27,548     26,890  
Amortization of intangible assets 17,270     16,829     16,689  
Non-operating interest expense and other 24,979     25,179     26,289  
INCOME BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 145,833     135,330     137,278  
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 34,285     31,541     35,616  
NET INCOME $ 111,548     $ 103,789     $ 101,662  
Earnings per share, diluted $ 1.38     $ 1.29     $ 1.27  
Weighted-average shares outstanding, diluted 80,904     80,550     80,127  
EPS Prior to Amortization of Intangible Assets(5)(38) $ 1.53     $ 1.44     $ 1.42  
 

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Operating Metrics(5)
(Dollars in billions, except where noted)
(Unaudited)

  Q4 2020   Q3 2020   Change   Q4 2019   Change
Market Drivers                  
S&P 500 Index (end of period) 3,756     3,363     12%   3,231     16%
Fed Funds Daily Effective Rate (FFER) (average bps) 9     9     —bps   165     (156bps)
                   
Assets                  
Advisory Assets(11) $ 461.2     $ 405.9     14%   $ 365.8     26%
Brokerage Assets(12) 441.9     404.4     9%   398.6     11%
Total Advisory and Brokerage Assets $ 903.1     $ 810.4     11%   $ 764.4     18%
Advisory % of Total Advisory and Brokerage Assets 51.1 %   50.1 %   100bps   47.8 %   330bps
                   
Assets by Platform                  
Corporate Platform Advisory Assets(13) $ 291.9     $ 253.9     15%   $ 228.3     28%
Hybrid Platform Advisory Assets(14) 169.3     152.0     11%   137.5     23%
Brokerage Assets 441.9     404.4     9%   398.6     11%
Total Advisory and Brokerage Assets $ 903.1     $ 810.4     11%   $ 764.4     18%
                   
Centrally Managed Assets                  
Centrally Managed Assets(15) $ 67.1     $ 59.0     14%   $ 52.4     28%
Centrally Managed % of Total Advisory Assets 14.6 %   14.5 %   10bps   14.3 %   30bps
                         

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Operating Metrics(5)
(Dollars in billions, except where noted)
(Unaudited)

  Q4 2020   Q3 2020   Change   Q4 2019   Change
Net New Assets (NNA)                  
Net New Advisory Assets(16) $ 18.4     $ 10.4     n/m   $ 11.5     n/m
Net New Brokerage Assets(17) 3.4     0.7     n/m   1.0     n/m
Total Net New Assets $ 21.8     $ 11.1     n/m   $ 12.5     n/m
                   
Net New Assets (NNA) Prior to Acquisitions(18)                  
Net New Advisory Assets $ 15.9     $ 10.4     n/m   $ 11.5     n/m
Net New Brokerage Assets 1.9     0.7     n/m   1.0     n/m
Total Net New Assets Prior to Acquisitions $ 17.8     $ 11.1     n/m   $ 12.5     n/m
                   
Net Brokerage to Advisory Conversions(19) $ 2.6     $ 2.0     n/m   $ 1.9     n/m
Advisory NNA Annualized Growth Prior to Acquisitions(20) 15.6 %   11.0 %   n/m   13.7 %   n/m
Total NNA Annualized Growth Prior to Acquisitions(20) 8.8 %   5.8 %   n/m   6.9 %   n/m
                   
Net New Advisory Assets                  
Corporate Platform Net New Advisory Assets(21) $ 15.0     $ 7.8     n/m   $ 8.7     n/m
Hybrid Platform Net New Advisory Assets(22) 3.3     2.6     n/m   2.9     n/m
Total Net New Advisory Assets $ 18.4     $ 10.4     n/m   $ 11.5     n/m
Centrally Managed Net New Advisory Assets(23) $ 2.5     $ 1.9     n/m   $ 2.3     n/m
                   
Client Cash Balances                  
Insured Cash Account Balances $ 37.3     $ 34.7     7%   $ 24.4     53%
Deposit Cash Account Balances 8.2     8.0     2%   5.0     64%
Total Bank Sweep Balances 45.5     42.7     7%   29.4     55%
Money Market Account Cash Balances 1.5     1.5     —%   1.9     (21%)
Purchased Money Market Funds 1.9     2.3     (17%)   2.4     (21%)
Total Money Market Balances 3.3     3.9     (15%)   4.3     (23%)
Total Client Cash Balances $ 48.9     $ 46.6     5%   $ 33.7     45%
Client Cash Balances % of Total Assets 5.4 %   5.7 %   (30bps)   4.4 %   100bps
                   
Client Cash Balance Average Fees(24)                  
Insured Cash Account Average Fee - bps 108     118     (10)   222     (114)
Deposit Cash Account Average Fee - bps 30     38     (8)   184     (154)
Money Market Account Average Fee - bps 5     9     (4)   69     (64)
Purchased Money Market Fund Average Fee - bps 13     20     n/m   29     n/m
Total Client Cash Balance Average Fee - bps 87      95      (8)   193      (106)
                   
Net Buy (Sell) Activity(25) $ 12.2     $ 9.3     n/m   $ 9.8     n/m
                               

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Monthly Metrics(5)
(Dollars in billions, except where noted)
(Unaudited)

  December 2020   November 2020   Nov to December Change   October 2020   September 2020
Assets                  
Advisory Assets(11) $ 461.2     $ 442.0     4.3%   $ 406.0     $ 405.9  
Brokerage Assets(12) 441.9     431.3     2.5%   401.6     404.4  
Total Advisory and Brokerage Assets $ 903.1     $ 873.3     3.4%   $ 807.6     $ 810.4  
                   
Net New Assets (NNA)                  
Net New Advisory Assets(16) $ 6.8     $ 5.8     n/m   $ 5.7     $ 4.4  
Net New Brokerage Assets(17) 1.1     1.6     n/m   0.8     0.7  
Total Net New Assets $ 7.9     $ 7.4     n/m   $ 6.5     $ 5.1  
Net Brokerage to Advisory Conversions(19) $ 1.0     $ 0.7     n/m   $ 0.9     $ 0.7  
                   
Net New Assets (NNA) Prior to Acquisitions(18)                  
Net New Advisory Assets $ 6.8     $ 4.2     n/m   $ 4.8     $ 4.4  
Net New Brokerage Assets 1.1     0.7     n/m   0.2     0.7  
Total Net New Assets Prior to Acquisitions $ 7.9     $ 4.9     n/m   $ 5.0     $ 5.1  
                   
Client Cash Balances                  
Insured Cash Account Balances $ 37.3     $ 36.1     3.3%   $ 36.0     $ 34.7  
Deposit Cash Account Balances 8.2     8.3     (1.2%)   8.6     8.0  
Total Bank Sweep Balances 45.5     44.5     2.2%   44.6     42.7  
Money Market Account Cash Balances 1.5     1.5     —%   1.6     1.5  
Purchased Money Market Funds 1.9     2.1     (9.5%)   2.2     2.3  
Total Money Market Balances 3.3     3.6     (8.3%)   3.8     3.9  
Total Client Cash Balances $ 48.9     $ 48.1     1.7%   $ 48.3     $ 46.6  
                   
Net Buy (Sell) Activity(25) $ 5.6     $ 4.2     n/m   $ 2.5     $ 2.9  
                   
Market Indices                  
S&P 500 Index (end of period) 3,756     3,622     3.7%   3,270     3,363  
Fed Funds Effective Rate (average bps) 9     9     —bps   9     9  
                           

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Financial Measures(5)
(Dollars in thousands, except where noted)
(Unaudited)

  Q4 2020   Q3 2020   Change   Q4 2019   Change
Commission Revenue by Product                  
Annuities $ 262,235     $ 250,823     5%   $ 244,249     7%
Mutual funds 153,330     146,788     4%   150,697     2%
Fixed income 24,395     16,731     46%   28,642     (15%)
Equities 31,231     30,283     3%   21,233     47%
Other 31,829     28,018     14%   32,099     (1%)
Total commission revenue $ 503,020     $ 472,643     6%   $ 476,920     5%
                   
Commission Revenue by Sales-based and Trailing Commission            
Sales-based commissions                  
Annuities $ 89,125     $ 81,475     9%   $ 86,141     3%
Mutual funds 36,715     33,871     8%   37,611     (2%)
Fixed income 24,395     16,731     46%   28,642     (15%)
Equities 31,231     30,283     3%   21,233     47%
Other 21,038     17,997     17%   20,353     3%
Total sales-based commissions $ 202,504     $ 180,357     12%   $ 193,980     4%
Trailing commissions                  
Annuities $ 173,110     $ 169,348     2%   $ 158,108     9%
Mutual funds 116,615     112,917     3%   113,086     3%
Other 10,791     10,021     8%   11,746     (8%)
Total trailing commissions $ 300,516     $ 292,286     3%   $ 282,940     6%
Total commission revenue $ 503,020     $ 472,643     6%   $ 476,920     5%
                   
Payout Rate                  
Base Payout Rate 82.57 %   82.97 %   (40bps)   82.82 %   (25bps)
Production Based Bonuses 3.99 %   3.65 %   34bps   3.96 %   3bps
Total Payout Ratio 86.57 %   86.62 %   (5bps)   86.78 %   (21bps)
 

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Capital Management Measures(5)
(Dollars in thousands, except where noted)
(Unaudited)

  Q4 2020   Q3 2020
Cash Available for Corporate Use(26)      
Cash at Parent $ 201,385     $ 162,035  
Excess Cash at Broker-Dealer subsidiary per Credit Agreement 67,574     78,739  
Other Available Cash 10,960     11,337  
Total Cash Available for Corporate Use $ 279,919     $ 252,111  
       
Credit Agreement Net Leverage      
Total Debt (does not include unamortized premium) $ 2,359,300     $ 2,361,975  
Cash Available 279,919     252,111  
Credit Agreement Net Debt $ 2,079,381     $ 2,109,864  
Credit Agreement EBITDA (trailing twelve months)(27) $ 961,225     $ 980,827  
Credit Agreement Net Leverage Ratio 2.16 x   2.15 x


    December 31, 2020    
Total Debt   Balance   Current Applicable
Margin
  Yield At Issuance   Interest Rate   Maturity
Revolving Credit Facility(a)   $   ABR+25bps       %   11/12/2024
Broker-Dealer Revolving Credit Facility(b)     FFR+125bps       %   7/31/2024
Senior Secured Term Loan B   1,059,300   LIBOR+175 bps(c)       1.898 %   11/12/2026
Senior Unsecured Notes(d)   500,000   5.75% Fixed   5.750 %   5.750 %   9/15/2025
Senior Unsecured Notes(d)   400,000 (e) 5.75% Fixed   5.115 %   5.750 %   9/15/2025
Senior Unsecured Notes(f)   400,000   4.625% Fixed   4.625 %   4.625 %   11/15/2027
Total / Weighted Average   $ 2,359,300           3.830 %    

(a)  The Revolving Credit Facility is secured and has a borrowing capacity of $750 million.
(b)  The Broker-Dealer Revolving Credit Facility is unsecured and at LPL Financial LLC, the Company’s broker-dealer subsidiary, and has a borrowing capacity of $300 million.
(c)  The LIBOR rate option is one-month LIBOR rate and subject to an interest rate floor of 0 basis points.
(d)  The Senior Unsecured Notes were issued in two separate transactions; $500 million in notes were issued in March 2017 at par; the remaining $400 million were issued in September 2017 and priced at 103% of the aggregate principal amount.
(e)  Does not include unamortized premium of approximately $7.1 million as of December 31, 2020.
(f)  The Senior Unsecured Notes were issued in November 2019 at par.

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Key Business and Financial Metrics(5)
(Dollars in thousands, except where noted)
(Unaudited)

  Q4 2020   Q3 2020   Change   Q4 2019   Change
Advisors                  
Advisors 17,287     17,168     1 %   16,464     5 %
Net New Advisors 119     195     n/m   115     n/m
Annualized advisory and commission fees per Advisor(28) $ 265     $ 248     7 %   $ 246     8 %
Average Total Assets per Advisor ($ in millions)(29) $ 52.2     $ 47.2     11 %   $ 46.4     13 %
Transition assistance loan amortization ($ in millions)(30) $ 29.7     $ 30.4     (2 %)   $ 26.1     14 %
Total client accounts (in millions) 6.0     5.9     2 %   5.7     5 %
                   
Employees - period end 4,756     4,658     2 %   4,343     10 %
                   
Productivity Metrics                  
Advisory Revenue as a % of Corporate Advisory Assets(31) 1.02 %   1.02 %   bps   1.02 %   bps
Gross Profit ROA(32) 26.8 bps   27.9 bps   (1.1 bps)   30.7 bps   (3.9 bps)
OPEX as a % of Advisory and Brokerage Assets(33) 17.5 bps   17.8 bps   (0.3 bps)   18.3 bps   (0.8 bps)
EBIT ROA(34) 9.3 bps   10.1 bps   (0.8 bps)   12.4 bps   (3.1 bps)
Production Retention Rate (YTD annualized)(35) 97.7 %   98.1 %   (40 bps)   96.5 %   120 bps
Recurring Gross Profit Rate(36) 84.8 %   86.1 %   (130 bps)   85.9 %   (110 bps)
EBITDA as a % of Gross Profit 40.6 %   40.5 %   10 bps   44.9 %   (430 bps)
                   
Capital Expenditure ($ in millions) $ 43.6     $ 40.1     9 %   $ 52.1     (16 %)
                   
Share Repurchases ($ in millions) $     $     %   $ 120.0     (100 %)
Dividends ($ in millions) 19.8     19.8     %   20.2     (2 %)
Total Capital Allocated ($ in millions) $ 19.8     $ 19.8     %   $ 140.2     (86 %)
Weighted-average Share Count, Diluted 80.9     80.6     %   82.7     (2 %)
Total Capital Allocated per Share(37) $ 0.25     $ 0.25     %   $ 1.70     (85 %)
                                   

Endnote Disclosures

(1) In April 2020, the Company updated its definition of net new assets to include Dividends plus Interest, minus Advisory Fees. See FNs 16, 17, 21, 22 and 23.

(2) Represents the estimated total advisory and brokerage assets expected to transition to the Company's broker-dealer subsidiary, LPL Financial LLC ("LPL Financial"), associated with advisors who transferred their licenses to LPL Financial during the period. The estimate is based on prior business reported by the advisors, which has not been independently and fully verified by LPL Financial. The actual transition of assets to LPL Financial generally occurs over several quarters, including the initial quarter of the transition, and the actual amount transitioned may vary from the estimate.

(3) The terms “Financial Advisors” and “Advisors” refer to registered representatives and/or investment advisor representatives affiliated with LPL Financial, an SEC registered broker-dealer and investment adviser. Q4 2020 advisor count included 32 advisors from the acquisition of E.K. Riley.

(4) Compliance with the Credit Agreement Net Leverage Ratio is only required under our revolving credit facility.

(5) Certain information presented on pages 8-15 includes non-GAAP financial measures and operational and performance metrics. For more information on non-GAAP financial measures, please see the section titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” that begins on page 3 of this release.

(6) Gross Profit is a non-GAAP financial measure. Please see a description of Gross Profit under "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" on page 3 of this release for additional information. Below is a calculation of Gross Profit for the periods presented (in millions):

  Q4 2020   Q3 2020   Q2 2020   Q4 2019
Total net revenues $ 1,581     $ 1,460     $ 1,367     $ 1,448  
Advisory and commission expense 1,030     937     860     894  
Brokerage, clearing and exchange fees 18     18     19     16  
Gross profit(+) $ 534     $ 506     $ 488     $ 538  

(+)        Balances may not foot due to rounding.

(7) Production based payout is an operating measure calculated as an advisory and commission expense less advisor deferred compensation expense. Below is a reconciliation of production based payout against the Company’s advisory and commission expense for the periods presented (in thousands):         

  Q4 2020   Q3 2020   Q2 2020   Q4 2019
Production based payout $ 987,882     $ 917,831     $ 819,953     $ 876,654  
Advisor deferred compensation expense 41,857     18,935     39,894     17,177  
Advisory and commission expense $ 1,029,739     $ 936,766     $ 859,847     $ 893,831  

(8) Consists of revenues from the Company's sponsorship programs with financial product manufacturers and omnibus processing and networking services, but does not include fees from client cash programs. Other asset-based revenues are a component of asset-based revenues and are derived from the Company's Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.

(9) Interest income and other, net is an operating measure calculated as interest income, net of interest expense plus other revenue, less advisor deferred compensation expense. Below is a reconciliation of interest income and other, net against the Company’s interest income, net of interest expense and other revenue for the periods presented (in thousands):         

  Q4 2020   Q3 2020   Q2 2020   Q4 2019
Interest income, net of interest expense $ 6,707     $ 6,623     $ 6,540     $ 10,966  
Plus: Other revenue 45,232     20,796     42,751     19,534  
Less: Advisor deferred compensation expense (41,857 )   (18,935 )   (39,894 )   (17,177 )
Interest income and other, net $ 10,082     $ 8,484     $ 9,397     $ 13,323  

(10) Core G&A is a non-GAAP financial measure. Please see a description of Core G&A under “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” on page 3 of this release for additional information. Below is a reconciliation of Core G&A against the Company’s total operating expenses for the periods presented:

  Q4 2020   Q3 2020   Q2 2020   Q4 2019
Operating Expense Reconciliation (in thousands)              
Core G&A $ 252,391     $ 227,099     $ 222,406     $ 230,182  
Regulatory charges 8,775     8,326     6,115     7,893  
Promotional 48,342     57,970     44,540     51,050  
Employee share-based compensation 7,542     7,420     8,040     7,179  
Total G&A 317,050     300,815     281,101     296,304  
Advisory and commission 1,029,739     936,766     859,847     893,831  
Depreciation and amortization 28,650     27,548     26,890     25,663  
Amortization of intangible assets 17,270     16,829     16,689     16,631  
Brokerage, clearing and exchange 17,762     17,834     18,565     15,927  
Total operating expenses $ 1,410,471     $ 1,299,792     $ 1,203,092     $ 1,248,356  

(11) Consists of total advisory assets under custody at LPL Financial. Q4 2019 also included advisory assets serviced by investment advisor representatives of Allen & Company of Florida, LLC ("Allen & Company") that were onboarded to LPL Financial's custodial platform in Q4 2019.

(12) Consists of brokerage assets serviced by advisors licensed with LPL Financial. Q4 2019 also included brokerage assets serviced by advisors licensed with Allen & Company that were onboarded to LPL Financial's custodial platform in Q4 2019.

(13) Consists of total assets on LPL Financial's corporate advisory platform serviced by investment advisor representatives of LPL Financial or Allen & Company.

(14) Consists of total assets on LPL Financial's independent advisory platform serviced by investment advisor representatives of separate registered investment advisor firms ("Hybrid RIAs"), rather than of LPL Financial.

(15) Represents those advisory assets in LPL Financial’s Model Wealth Portfolios, Optimum Market Portfolios, Personal Wealth Portfolios and Guided Wealth Portfolios platforms.

(16) Consists of total client deposits into advisory accounts, including advisory assets serviced by Allen & Company advisors, less total client withdrawals from advisory accounts, plus dividends, plus interest, minus advisory fees. The Company considers conversions from and to brokerage accounts as deposits and withdrawals, respectively. Figures for Net New Advisory Assets reported prior to April 2020 did not include dividends and interest or subtract advisory fees. The figure previously reported for Q4 2019 was an inflow of $9.6 billion. See FN 1.

(17) Consists of total client deposits into brokerage accounts, including brokerage assets serviced by Allen & Company advisors, less total client withdrawals from brokerage accounts, plus dividends, plus interest. The Company considers conversions from and to advisory accounts as deposits and withdrawals, respectively. Figures for Net New Brokerage Assets reported prior to April 2020 did not include dividends and interest. The figure previously reported for Q4 2019 was an outflow of $0.8 billion. See FN 1.

(18) Consists of net new assets excluding the acquisitions of Lucia Securities, LLC and E.K. Riley Investments, LLC. Acquired assets include $2.5 billion of net new assets related to E.K. Riley Investments, LLC in November 2020, and $1.5 billion of net new assets from Lucia Securities, LLC in October 2020.

(19) Consists of existing custodied assets that converted from brokerage to advisory, less existing custodied assets that converted from advisory to brokerage.

(20) Calculated as annualized current period net new assets divided by preceding period assets in their respective categories of advisory assets or total advisory and brokerage assets. (See FN 18)

(21) Consists of total client deposits into advisory accounts on LPL Financial's corporate advisory platform (FN 13) less total client withdrawals from advisory accounts on its corporate advisory platform, plus dividends, plus interest, minus advisory fees. Figures for Corporate Platform Net New Advisory Assets reported prior to April 2020 did not include dividends and interest or subtract advisory fees. The figure previously reported for Q4 2019 was an inflow of $7.5 billion. See FN 1.

(22) Consists of total client deposits into advisory accounts on LPL Financial's independent advisory platform (FN 14) less total client withdrawals from advisory accounts on its independent advisory platform, plus dividends, plus interest, minus advisory fees. Figures for Hybrid Platform Net New Advisory Assets reported prior to April 2020 did not include dividends and interest or subtract advisory fees. The figure previously reported for Q4 2019 was an inflow of $2.1 billion. See FN 1.

(23) Consists of total client deposits into centrally managed assets accounts (FN 15) less total client withdrawals from centrally managed assets accounts, plus dividends, plus interest, minus advisory fees. Figures for Centrally Managed Net New Advisory Assets reported prior to April 2020 did not include dividends and interest or subtract advisory fees. The figure previously reported for Q4 2019 was an inflow of $2.0 billion. See FN 1.

(24) Calculated by dividing revenue for the period by the average balance during the period.

(25) Represents the amount of securities purchased less the amount of securities sold in client accounts custodied with LPL Financial. Reported activity does not include any other cash activity, such as deposits, withdrawals, dividends received or fees paid.

(26) Consists of cash unrestricted by the Credit Agreement and other regulations available for operating, investing and financing uses.

(27) EBITDA and Credit Agreement EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures. Please see a description of EBITDA and Credit Agreement EBITDA under “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” on page 3 of this release for additional information. Under the Credit Agreement, management calculates Credit Agreement EBITDA for a trailing twelve month period at the end of each fiscal quarter, and in doing so may make further adjustments to prior quarters. Below are reconciliations of EBITDA and Credit Agreement EBITDA to net income for the periods presented (dollars in thousands):          

  Q4 2020   Q3 2020
EBITDA and Credit Agreement EBITDA Reconciliations      
Net income $ 472,640     $ 487,768  
Non-operating interest expense and other 105,765     112,170  
Provision for income taxes 153,433     157,471  
Loss on extinguishment of debt     3,156  
Depreciation and amortization 109,732     106,745  
Amortization of intangible assets 67,358     66,719  
EBITDA $ 908,928     $ 934,029  
Credit Agreement Adjustments:      
Employee share-based compensation expense $ 31,650     $ 31,287  
Advisor share-based compensation expense 2,321     2,404  
Other 18,326     13,107  
Credit Agreement EBITDA (trailing twelve months) $ 961,225     $ 980,827  

(28) Calculated based on the average advisor count from the current period and prior period.

(29) Calculated based on the end-of-period total advisory and brokerage assets divided by end-of-period advisor count.

(30) Represents the amortization expense amount of forgivable loans for transition assistance to advisors and financial institutions.

(31) Represents advisory revenue as a percentage of Corporate Platform Advisory Assets (FN 13) for the trailing twelve month period.

(32) Represents Gross Profit (FN 6), a non-GAAP financial measure, for the trailing twelve month period, divided by average month-end total advisory and brokerage assets for the trailing twelve month period.

(33) Represents operating expenses for the trailing twelve month period, excluding production-related expense, divided by average month-end total advisory and brokerage assets for the period. Production-related expense includes commissions and advisory expense and brokerage, clearing and exchange expense. For purposes of this metric, operating expenses includes Core G&A (FN 10), a non-GAAP financial measure, as well as regulatory charges, promotional, employee share-based compensation, depreciation and amortization, and amortization of intangible assets.

(34) EBIT ROA is calculated as Gross Profit ROA (FN 32) less OPEX as a percentage of Total Advisory and Brokerage Assets. (See FN 33)

(35) Reflects retention of advisory and commission revenues, calculated by deducting the prior year production of the annualized year-to-date attrition rate, over the prior year total production.

(36) Recurring Gross Profit Rate refers to the percentage of the Company’s Gross Profit, a non-GAAP financial measure, that was recurring for the trailing twelve month period. Management tracks Recurring Gross Profit, a characterization of Gross Profit and a statistical measure, which is defined to include the Company’s revenues from asset-based fees, advisory fees, trailing commissions, client cash programs and certain other fees that are based upon client accounts and advisors, less the expenses associated with such revenues and certain other recurring expenses not specifically associated with a revenue line. Management allocates such other recurring expenses on a pro-rata basis against specific revenue lines at its discretion.

(37) Capital Allocated per Share equals the amount of capital allocated for share repurchases and cash dividends divided by the diluted weighted-average shares outstanding.

(38) EPS Prior to Amortization of Intangible Assets is a non-GAAP financial measure. Please see a description of EPS Prior to Amortization of Intangible Assets under “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” on page 3 of this release for additional information. Below is a reconciliation of EPS Prior to Amortization of Intangible Assets to the Company’s GAAP EPS for the periods presented:

EPS Reconciliation (in thousands, except per share data) Q4 2020
EPS $ 1.38  
Amortization of Intangible Assets 17,270  
Tax Benefit (4,836 )
Amortization of Intangible Assets Net of Tax Benefit $ 12,434  
Diluted Share Count 80,904  
EPS Impact $ 0.15  
EPS Prior to Amortization of Intangible Assets $ 1.53  


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