ST. LOUIS, MO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/10/14

Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) today announced that Robert Hagstrom will join its investment advisory subsidiary, EquityCompass Strategies, as Senior Portfolio Manager. Mr. Hagstrom will work from the firm's Baltimore office and will focus on developing equity strategies that will invest globally combining EquityCompass' quantitative approach and his own qualitative approach to investing.

"We're very pleased to add an experienced and highly regarded investment professional like Robert to the firm," said Scott Roberts, President of Stifel's asset management companies. "Stifel's clients will benefit from his extensive portfolio management experience as well as his industry-recognized investment insights."

Mr. Hagstrom has more than 28 years of investment experience, including 14 years as Portfolio Manager for Legg Mason Capital Management's Growth Equity Strategy. He is also the author of nine investment books, including The New York Times Best Seller, "The Warren Buffett Way," which has sold over 1.5 million copies and is now in its third edition.

"Robert's hiring reflects our conviction that the distinction between U.S. and international companies is increasingly blurring, and the ability to invest globally without regional constraints is crucial for generating excess returns for our clients in the coming years. We plan to offer portfolios that will leverage Robert's expertise, experience, and his 'Buffett-esque' approach to investing in a truly global setting," said Richard E. Cripps, EquityCompass' Chief Investment Officer.

Robert Hagstrom Biography
Mr. Hagstrom was most recently Chief Investment Strategist of Legg Mason Investment Counsel. Previously, he was Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager of the Growth Equity Strategy at Legg Mason Capital Management. Prior to that, he served as President and Chief Investment Officer of Legg Mason Focus Capital, General Partner of Focus Capital Advisory, and Principal at Lloyd, Leith and Sawin. Mr. Hagstrom acted as Portfolio Manager with First Fidelity Bank from 1989 to 1991. From 1984 to 1989, he was a Financial Advisor for Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc.

Mr. Hagstrom is the author of nine investment books, including The New York Times Best Seller, "The Warren Buffett Way," "The Warren Buffett Portfolio: Mastering the Power of the Focus Investment Strategy," "The Detective and the Investor: Uncovering the Investment Techniques from the Legendary Sleuths," and "Investing: The Last Liberal Art" (second edition). He earned his Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees from Villanova University and is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Philadelphia.

About EquityCompass Strategies
EquityCompass Strategies is the business name of Choice Financial Partners, Inc., a registered investment adviser and wholly owned subsidiary of Stifel Financial Corp. EquityCompass offers a broad range of portfolio strategies based on its research-driven, rules-based investment process, which merges traditional investment theory with quantitative techniques. As of March 31, 2014, EquityCompass provided portfolio strategies with respect to assets of approximately $1.8 billion.

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.

For further information, contact
Richard Cripps
(443) 224-1231