Item 1A. Risk Factors
We face a variety of risks that may affect our operations, financial results, or stock price and many of those risks are driven by factors that we cannot control or predict. The following discussion addresses those risks that management believes are the most significant, although there may be other risks that could arise, or may prove to be more significant than expected, that may affect our operations or financial results. For a discussion of our risk management governance and processes, including operational risk, compliance risk, credit risk, market risk, and liquidity risk, see Risk Management and Capital Management in Part II – Item 7. For additional information regarding cybersecurity risk, see Item 1C. Cybersecurity.
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Economic and Market Risks
Developments in the business, economic, and geopolitical environment could negatively impact our business.
Our business can be adversely affected by the general environment – economic, corporate, securities market, regulatory, and geopolitical developments all play a role in client asset valuations, trading activity, interest rates, and overall investor engagement, and are outside of our control. Deterioration in the housing and credit markets and decreases in securities valuations negatively impact our results of operations and capital resources.
The monetary policies of the Federal Reserve, which regulates the supply of money and credit in the United States, have a significant effect on our operating results. Actions taken by the Federal Reserve, including changes in its target funds rate and its own balance sheet management, are difficult to predict and can affect our financial results, including net interest revenue and bank deposit account fees, and the market value of our investment securities. These policies can have implications for clients’ allocation to cash as we experienced in recent years, and higher or lower client cash balances have an impact on our capital requirements, as well as liquidity implications if such changes in allocation are sudden. Investor sentiment and market and trading dynamics can affect client preferences and security selection, and can impact transactions and asset-based revenues. Market-driven changes, such as declines in equity markets, can also reduce client demand for margin lending, which is a significant source of net interest revenue.
A significant change in client cash allocations could negatively impact our income.
Client cash balances are a significant funding source for the generation of the Company’s revenue. Cash awaiting investment may be used to extend margin loans to clients or be swept to our banking subsidiaries and those bank deposits are then used to extend loans to clients and purchase investment securities. We also sweep a portion of such cash to the TD Depository Institutions pursuant to the 2023 IDA agreement, through which we earn bank deposit account fees. A significant reduction in our clients’ allocation to cash, a change in the allocation of that cash, or a transfer of cash away from the Company, would likely reduce our income. For example, as a result of rapid increases in short-term interest rates in 2022 and 2023, the Company saw a significant decrease in clients’ asset allocation to sweep cash and greater client investment in higher-yielding alternatives at Schwab such as fixed income investments and proprietary purchased money market funds. To help support these changes in client cash allocations, the Company extensively utilized higher-cost funding sources, which negatively impacted the Company’s net income.
Significant interest rate changes could affect our profitability.
The direction and level of interest rates are important factors in our earnings. A decline in interest rates may have a negative impact on our net interest revenue and our bank deposit account fee revenue. The Company’s interest-earning assets include significant holdings of investment securities, which include fixed- and floating-rate debt securities, including substantial holdings of mortgage-backed securities, as well as margin loans, mortgages, and PALs. The Company could be adversely affected by a decline in interest rates if the rates that the Company earns on interest-earning assets decline more than the rates that the Company pays on its funding sources, or if prepayment rates increase on the mortgages and mortgage-backed securities that the Company holds. A low interest rate environment may also have a negative impact on our asset management and administration fee revenues when we have to waive a portion of our management fees, as we experienced in 2020 and 2021, for certain Schwab-sponsored money market mutual funds in order to continue providing a positive return to clients. A decline in interest rates may also negatively impact our bank deposit account fee revenue, pursuant to the 2023 IDA agreement.
Though the Company may benefit from a rising interest rate environment, a rise in interest rates may cause our funding costs to increase. The competitive environment may induce us to raise our interest rates to avoid losing deposits, or we may need to replace deposits with higher-cost funding sources as we experienced in recent years. In such situations, without offsetting increases in yields on interest-earning assets, the benefit of higher market interest rates to our net interest revenue may be reduced. The rapid increases in market interest rates experienced in 2022 and 2023 also contributed to increased unrealized losses on our investment securities portfolios. Increased unrealized losses on investment securities or other assets on our balance sheet can reduce market or client confidence in us, which could limit our ability to attract new client assets and accounts or result in the transfer of client assets and accounts from the Company.
A rise in interest rates may also reduce our bank deposit account fee revenue, as clients may reallocate assets out of bank deposit account balances and into higher-yielding investment alternatives, as we experienced in recent years. The 2023 IDA agreement involves certain commitments, including the maintenance of prescribed minimum and maximum insured deposit account balances (IDA balances), that limit our ability to respond to changes in interest rates and may impact our profitability and bank deposit account fee revenue. The bank deposit account fee revenue that we earn related to the 2023 IDA agreement may be less
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than the net interest revenue that we could have earned if the deposit balances were used to extend margin loans or swept to our banking subsidiaries rather than the TD Depository Institutions.
Problems encountered by other financial institutions and responsive measures to manage such problems could have direct adverse effects on financial markets generally and our financial position or results of operations, as well as indirect adverse effects on us.
Concerns regarding the soundness or creditworthiness of other financial institutions can cause substantial disruption within the financial markets and have negative impacts for us and our industry, including reductions in availability of liquidity, higher borrowing costs, and higher costs of capital. Such concerns regarding one or more financial institutions may also advance public concerns regarding Schwab or the financial services industry more broadly, which could harm our reputation and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition, even if underlying matters impacting other financial institutions are of limited or no direct applicability to us. Financial institutions are interrelated through trading, clearing, custody, or other relationships, and, as a result, concerns about the financial condition of one or more institutions could lead to significant market-wide liquidity and credit problems, losses, or defaults by other institutions. This risk may adversely affect financial intermediaries, such as broker-dealers, banks, clearing houses, securities exchanges, market makers, and others, with which we interact on a daily basis, and therefore, could adversely affect us.
Events affecting the financial services industry may also result in potentially adverse changes to laws or regulations governing banks and savings and loan holding companies or result in the imposition of restrictions through supervisory or enforcement activities, including higher capital or liquidity requirements or increased FDIC premiums and special assessments, which could have a material impact on our business. Following the failure of several U.S. banks in 2023, the U.S. federal banking agencies proposed rules that would significantly impact our regulatory capital requirements, including requiring us to include AOCI in regulatory capital, as well as rules that would require minimum levels of eligible long-term debt at CSC and our banking subsidiaries. As a result of heightened regulatory focus on capital requirements, the Company took measures to increase its capital, including revising its long-term operating objective. In addition, the cost of resolving the 2023 bank failures resulted in increased FDIC costs, and potential future bank failures or other similar events may prompt the FDIC to further increase its premiums or to issue additional special assessments, which could have a material negative impact on our profitability and our business.
Liquidity Risk
A significant decrease in our liquidity could negatively affect our business as well as reduce client confidence in us.
Maintaining adequate liquidity is crucial to our business operations, including transaction settlement, custody requirements, and lending commitments, among other liquidity needs. We meet our liquidity needs primarily from working capital and cash generated by client activity as well as external financing. Fluctuations in client cash or deposit balances, as well as market conditions or changes in regulatory treatment of client deposits, may affect our ability to meet our liquidity needs. While Schwab maintains diversified sources of funding, a reduction in our liquidity position could reduce client confidence in us, which could result in the transfer out of client assets and accounts, or could cause us to fail to satisfy our liquidity requirements, including the LCR. In addition, if our broker-dealer or depository institution subsidiaries fail to meet regulatory capital guidelines, or if a depository institution subsidiary is unable to obtain regulatory approval, when required, to declare a dividend, regulators could limit the subsidiaries’ ability to upstream funds to CSC or limit their operations, which could reduce CSC’s liquidity and adversely affect its ability to repay debt, pay dividends on CSC’s preferred stock and common stock, repurchase its shares, or redeem its preferred stock. In addition, CSC may need to provide additional funding to such subsidiaries.
Factors which may adversely affect our liquidity position include CS&Co having temporary liquidity demands due to timing differences between brokerage transaction settlements and the availability of segregated cash balances, fluctuations in cash held in banking or brokerage client accounts, such as significant client reallocation from sweep cash to higher-yielding investments as we experienced in recent years in response to rapid interest rate increases, a dramatic increase in our lending activities (including margin, mortgage-related, and personal lending), increased capital requirements, changes in regulatory guidance or interpretations, other regulatory changes, or a loss of market or client confidence in us resulting in unanticipated withdrawals of client funds. The Company’s margin lending activity has significantly increased in recent years due to market-driven factors and overall growth of our business.
As a member firm of securities and derivatives clearing houses, we are required to deposit cash, stock and/or government securities for margin requirements and to clearing funds. The margin requirements may fluctuate significantly from time to time based upon the nature and size of clients’ trading activity and market volatility, and member firms like us have been required to
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deposit additional funds. Clearing houses could also require additional funds from member firms if a clearing member defaults on its obligations to the clearing house in an amount larger than its own margin and clearing fund deposits.
As a participant in the financial services industry, Schwab relies on access to external financing in the normal course of business. During periods of disruptions in the credit and capital markets, potential sources of external financing could be reduced, and borrowing costs could increase. CSC, CS&Co, and our banking subsidiaries maintain multiple sources of external financing including repurchase agreements and securities lending, secured lines of credit and unsecured uncommitted bank credit lines, and CSC has a commercial paper issuance program, as well as a universal shelf registration statement filed with the SEC which can be used to sell securities. Financing may not be available on acceptable terms or at all due to market conditions or disruptions in the credit markets. In addition, a downgrade in the Company’s credit ratings could increase its borrowing costs and limit its access to the capital markets.
When short-term interest rates rapidly increase, client movement of certain cash balances out of our sweep features and into higher-yielding alternatives generally increases. When these outflows outpace excess cash on hand and cash generated by maturities and paydowns on our investment and loan portfolios, as we experienced in 2022 and 2023, we may need to rely on increased levels of higher-cost funding, which could be subject to limitations on availability and additional regulatory requirements.
Operational Risk
Security breaches of our systems, or those of our clients or third parties, may subject us to significant liability and damage our reputation.
Our business involves the secure processing, storage, and transmission of confidential information about our clients and us. Information security risks for financial institutions are increasing, in part because of the use of the internet and mobile and cloud technologies to conduct financial transactions, and the increased sophistication and activities, including the use of artificial intelligence technologies, of organized crime, activists, hackers and other external parties, including foreign state actors. Our systems and those of other financial institutions, as well as those of our third-party service providers, have been and will continue to be the frequent target of cyber attacks, malicious code, computer viruses, ransomware,and denial of service attacks that could result in unauthorized access, misuse, loss or destruction of data (including confidential client information), account takeovers, unavailability of service or other events. Despite our efforts to ensure the integrity of our systems, we may not be able to anticipate or implement effective preventive measures against all security breaches of these types, especially because the techniques used change frequently or are not recognized until launched, and because security attacks can originate from a wide variety of sources. Data security breaches may also result from employee misconduct. Data exposure may also result from a failure to adequately destroy data during system or asset decommissioning, which might result in client or Company information being made available to external parties in error.
Given the high volume of transactions that we process, the large number of clients, counterparties, and third-party service providers with which we do business, including cloud service providers, and the increasing sophistication of cyber attacks, a cyber attack could occur and persist for an extended period of time before being detected. The extent of a particular cyber attack and the steps we may need to take to investigate the attack may not be immediately clear, and it may take a significant amount of time before an investigation is completed and full and reliable information about the attack is known. During such time we would not necessarily know the extent of the harm or how best to remediate it, and certain errors or actions could be repeated or compounded before they are discovered and remediated, all or any of which would further increase the costs and consequences of a cyber attack.
Security breaches, including breaches of our security measures or those of our third-party service providers, could result in a violation of applicable privacy and other laws, and could subject us to significant liability or loss that may not be covered by insurance, actions by our regulators, damage to our reputation, or a loss of confidence in our security measures which could harm our business. We may be required to expend significant additional resources to modify our protective measures or to investigate and remediate vulnerabilities or other exposures. We may also be required to pay ransom to threat actors to restore operations or prevent dissemination of sensitive data.
Technology and operational failures or errors and other operational risks could subject us to losses, litigation, regulatory actions, and reputational damage.
We must process, record and monitor a large number of transactions and our operations are highly dependent on the integrity of our technology systems and our ability to make timely enhancements and additions to our systems. System interruptions, errors or downtime can result from a variety of causes, including changes in client use patterns, technological failure, changes to our
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systems, linkages with third-party systems and power failures and can have a significant impact on our business and operations. Our systems are vulnerable to disruptions from human error, execution errors, errors in models such as those used for asset management, capital planning and management, risk management, stress testing and compliance, employee misconduct, unauthorized trading, external fraud, computer viruses, distributed denial of service attacks, cyber attacks, terrorist attacks, natural disaster, extreme weather, power outage, capacity constraints, software flaws, events impacting key business partners and vendors, and similar events. For example, we and other financial institutions have been the target of various denial of service attacks that have, in certain circumstances, made websites, mobile applications and email unavailable for periods of time. Cloud technologies are critical to the operation of our systems and platforms and our reliance on cloud technologies is growing. We have experienced, and could, in the future, experience cloud service disruptions that lead to delays in accessing data that is important to our businesses. Such disruptions, such as the broad-reaching cloud platform outages that impacted multiple industries in recent years, can and have hindered our clients’ access to our platforms. It could take an extended period of time to restore full functionality to our technology or other operating systems in the event of an unforeseen occurrence, which could affect our ability to process and settle client transactions. Despite our efforts to identify areas of risk, oversee operational areas involving risk, and implement policies and procedures designed to manage these risks, there can be no assurance that we will not suffer unexpected losses, reputational damage or regulatory action due to technology or other operational failures or errors, including those of our vendors or other third parties.
While we devote substantial attention and resources to the reliability, capacity and scalability of our systems, we occasionally experience extraordinary trading volumes, which have caused and could cause our computer systems to operate at unacceptably slow speeds or even fail, affecting our ability to process client transactions and potentially resulting in some clients’ orders being executed at prices they did not anticipate. Disruptions in service and slower system response times could result in substantial losses, decreased client satisfaction, reputational damage, and regulatory inquiries. We are also dependent on the integrity and performance of securities exchanges, clearing houses, market makers, dealers, custodians, and other intermediaries to which client orders are routed for execution and settlement. System failures and constraints and transaction errors at such intermediaries could result in delays and erroneous or unanticipated execution prices and cancelled orders, cause substantial losses for us and for our clients, and subject us to claims from our clients for damages, and cause reputational harm. We have experienced in recent years technology outages of client websites, mobile applications, and certain corporate technology as a result of technological issues with third-party service providers that we use to support websites and mobile applications used by us and our clients. An internal issue or issues with vendor or industry systems and connectivity could materially impact our operations and ability to service clients, subject us to material losses, and cause reputational harm.
Certain events could increase our client service and processing times due to staffing shortages, remote work or the temporary loss of services from outsourced service providers, such as occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. We consider service quality to be an important part of the client experience and our failure to meet client expectations could result in decreased client satisfaction.
Our investment management operations may subject us to fiduciary or other legal liability for client losses.
Fund and trust management and administration are complex activities and include functions such as recordkeeping and accounting, security pricing, corporate actions, compliance with investment restrictions, daily net asset value computations, account reconciliations, and required distributions to fund shareholders. Failure to properly perform operational tasks, or the misrepresentation of our services and products could subject us to regulatory sanctions, penalties, or litigation, and result in reputational damage, liability to clients, and the termination of investment management or administration agreements, and the withdrawal of assets under our management.
In the management and administration of funds and client accounts, we use quantitative models and other tools and resources to support investment decisions and processes, including those related to risk assessment, portfolio management, trading and hedging activities and product valuations. Errors in the design, function, or underlying assumptions used in these models and tools, particularly if we fail to detect the errors over an extended period, could subject us to claims of a breach of fiduciary duty and potentially large liabilities for make-whole payments, litigation, and/or regulatory fines.
We rely on outsourced service providers and financial intermediaries to perform key functions, and failure of these entities to perform as expected could result in financial or reputational harm to us or financial harm to our clients.
We rely on external service providers to perform certain key technology, cloud infrastructure, processing, servicing, support, and custody functions. These service providers face technology, operating, business, and economic risks, and any significant failures by them, including the improper use or disclosure of our confidential client, employee, or company information, could cause us to incur losses and could harm our reputation. An interruption in or the cessation of service by any external service provider as a result of systems failures, capacity constraints, financial difficulties, natural disasters, extreme weather, power outage, public
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health crises, political developments, war, international disputes, or for any other reason, and our inability to make alternative arrangements in a timely manner could disrupt our operations, impact our ability to offer certain products and services, and result in financial losses to us. As a result of both broad-reaching and company-specific technology impacts from our third-party service providers, we have experienced in recent years outages of client websites, mobile applications, and certain corporate technology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we temporarily lost the services from some of our outsourced service providers which contributed to increased client service response and processing times. Switching to an alternative service provider may require a transition period and result in increased costs and less efficient operations. In addition, if custodians holding Schwab’s or our clients’ collateral were to fail to return such collateral when required due to insolvency, operational deficiencies, legal proceedings, or other events, we could incur financial loss.
We rely on market makers, dealers, securities exchanges, clearing houses, custodians, and other financial intermediaries to execute and settle our clients’ orders. In addition, payments received from market makers and exchanges in connection with the execution of client equity and options trades, and from dealers and other counterparties in connection with securities lending, account for significant revenue. The unwillingness or inability of any of these parties to perform their usual functions coupled with the unavailability of alternative arrangements could result in our clients’ orders not getting executed or settled. This may be due to market volatility, uneconomic trading conditions, capacity constraints, financial constraints, system failures, unanticipated trading halts invoked by securities exchanges, market closures, or other reasons. Our inability to get client orders executed or settled because of the unwillingness or inability of these or similar parties to perform their usual functions could result in client dissatisfaction and reputational harm and expose us to client claims for damages.
We may suffer financial loss from fraud and financial crime.
The risk of fraud for financial institutions has significantly increased in recent years, in part because of the proliferation of new technologies and the increased sophistication and activities of organized crime and hackers, and other parties. Any of these parties may attempt to fraudulently induce employees, clients, vendors, or other third parties to disclose sensitive information that could lead to the misappropriation and use of clients’ user names, passwords or other personal information to gain access to our clients’ financial accounts. Through our clients’ accounts, fraudsters may seek to engage in unauthorized securities transactions or money movement involving, for example, wire transfers, automated clearinghouse (ACH) transactions, debit cards, and checks, as well as fraudulent or unauthorized new account openings. Such fraud may occur from the compromise of clients’ personal electronic devices, social engineering, phishing scams, or as a result of a data security breach at an unrelated company where clients’ personal information is taken and then made available to fraudsters. Any of these strategies can compromise credentials or be used to facilitate fraud. Increasing sophistication in artificial intelligence and broad public availability of such technologies, including to organizations and individuals seeking to commit fraud, has resulted in increased risk of external fraud by enhanced or novel techniques, including those involving impersonation to gain access to client accounts or convince clients to initiate fraudulent transactions.
We also face risks arising from clients who intentionally engage in fraudulent or deceptive conduct. In some instances, clients may knowingly authorize or initiate transactions under false pretenses, misuse payment channels, submit fraudulent checks or ACH items, or provide misleading information to facilitate fraudulent transfers or trading activity. Schwab also faces risk of fraud by employees who misuse authorized access to critical information or systems. Such insider misconduct may involve misappropriation of Company or client assets, misuse or theft of Company or client information, insider trading, operational sabotage, circumvention of internal controls, or other actions that could harm the Company or our clients.
We continue to take steps to implement new controls, strengthen capabilities in how we authenticate our clients, and enhance monitoring protocols to help prevent and detect fraud and ultimately protect our clients, but the ways that fraudulent activity is attempted are continuously evolving. Although we monitor for new types of fraud, there may be a delay in recognizing such activity. Losses reimbursed to clients under our guarantee against unauthorized account activity could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Instances of fraud might negatively impact our reputation and client confidence in the Company, in addition to any direct losses that might result from such instances.
Credit Risk
We may suffer significant losses from our credit exposures.
Our businesses are subject to the risk that a client, counterparty or issuer will fail to perform its contractual obligations, or that the value of collateral held to secure obligations will prove to be inadequate. While we have policies and procedures designed to manage this risk, the policies and procedures may not be fully effective. Our exposure mainly results from margin lending, clients’ options and futures trading, securities lending, mortgage lending, pledged asset lending, our role as a counterparty in
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financial contracts and investing activities, and indirectly from the investing activities of certain of the proprietary funds that the Company sponsors.
When clients purchase securities on margin, borrow on lines of credit collateralized by securities, or trade options or futures, we are subject to the risk that clients may default on their obligations when the value of the securities and cash in their accounts falls below the amount of clients’ indebtedness. Our margin, options and futures business has materially increased in recent years as a result of market-driven factors and overall growth of our business including growth in our trader client base, and market liquidity represents an increased risk. Abrupt changes in securities valuations and the failure of clients to meet margin calls could result in substantial losses, especially if there is a lack of liquidity.
We have exposure to credit risk associated with our investments, which are subject to price fluctuations. Loss of value of securities can negatively affect earnings if management determines that such loss of value has resulted from a credit loss. The evaluation of whether a credit loss exists is a matter of judgment, which includes the assessment of multiple factors. If management determines that a security’s decline in fair value is the result of a credit loss, an allowance for credit losses on the security will be recorded and a corresponding loss will be recognized in current earnings. Even if a decline in fair value of a security is not determined to have resulted from a credit loss, if we were ever forced to sell the security sooner than intended prior to maturity due to liquidity needs, we would have to recognize any unrealized losses at that time.
Our bank loans primarily consist of First Mortgages, PALs, and HELOCs. Increases in delinquency and default rates, housing and stock price declines, increases in the unemployment rate, and other economic factors, can result in increases in allowances for credit losses and related credit loss expense, as well as write-downs on such loans.
Heightened credit exposures to specific counterparties or instruments can increase our risk of loss. Examples include:
•Large positions in financial instruments collateralized by assets with similar economic characteristics or in securities of a single issuer or industry;
•Mortgage loans and HELOCs to banking clients which are secured by properties in the same geographic region; and
•Client margins, options or futures, pledged assets, and securities lending activities collateralized by or linked to securities of a single issuer, index, or industry.
The Company sponsors a number of proprietary money market mutual funds and other proprietary funds. Although the Company has no obligation to do so, the Company may decide for competitive or other reasons to provide credit, liquidity or other support to our funds in the event of significant declines in valuation of fund holdings or significant redemption activity that exceeds available liquidity. Such support could cause the Company to take significant charges, could reduce the Company’s liquidity, and, in certain situations, could, with respect to proprietary funds other than money market mutual funds, result in the Company having to consolidate one or more funds in its financial statements. If the Company were to choose not to provide credit, liquidity or other support in such a situation, the Company could suffer reputational damage and its business could be adversely affected.
Compliance Risks
Extensive regulatory supervision of our businesses may subject us to significant penaltiesor limitations on business activities.
As a participant in the securities, banking, and financial services industries, we are subject to extensive regulation under federal, state, and foreign laws by governmental agencies, supervisory authorities and SROs. The costs and uncertainty related to complying with such regulations continue to increase. These regulations affect our business operations and impose capital, client protection, and market conduct requirements on us as well as restrictions on the activities that we are allowed to conduct. We become subject to increasing regulatory scrutiny as we grow and expand client offerings.
Regulators have broad discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement activities and examination policies, and could prevent us from pursuing our business strategy. Regulators could also limit our ability to grow, including adding assets, launching new products, making acquisitions, and undertaking strategic investments. Our banking regulators could require CSC and/or our banking subsidiaries to hold more capital, increase liquidity, or limit their ability to pay dividends or CSC’s ability to repurchase or redeem shares. Despite our efforts to comply with applicable legal requirements, there are a number of risks, particularly in areas where applicable laws or regulations may be unclear or where regulators could revise their previous guidance. Any enforcement actions or other proceedings brought by our regulators against us or our affiliates, officers or employees could result in fines, penalties, cease and desist orders, enforcement actions, suspension, disqualification or expulsion,
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or other disciplinary sanctions, including limitations on our business activities, any of which could harm our reputation and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
While we maintain systems and procedures designed to ensure that we comply with applicable laws and regulations, violations could occur. In addition, some legal/regulatory frameworks provide for the imposition of fines or penalties for noncompliance even though the noncompliance was inadvertent or unintentional and even though systems and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations were in place at the time. There may be other negative consequences resulting from a finding of noncompliance, including restrictions on certain activities. Such a finding may also damage our reputation and our relationships with our regulators and could restrict the ability of institutional investment managers to invest in our securities.
Legislation or changes in rules and regulations could negatively affect our business and financial results.
New legislation, rules, regulations and guidance, or changes in the interpretation or enforcement of existing federal, state, foreign and SRO rules, regulations and guidance, including changes relating to mutual funds, money market funds, standards of conduct with clients, conflicts of interest, regulatory treatment of deposit accounts, CRA, changes in required minimum capital and capital structure, changes in equity market structure, including rules relating to order routing and order-related revenues, and digital assets may directly affect our operations and profitability or our specific business lines. The Company anticipates it will begin providing increased access for clients to trade in digital assets including select cryptocurrencies. While some legislative and regulatory details have emerged, laws and regulations related to transactions in these asset types are still pending further development, which could negatively impact our ability to launch these products or services or limit the profitability of transacting with these assets. Our profitability could also be affected by rules and regulations that impact the business and financial communities generally, including changes to the laws governing taxation, electronic commerce, client privacy and security of client data. In addition, the rules and regulations could result in limitations on the lines of business we conduct, modifications to our business practices, more stringent capital and liquidity requirements, increased deposit insurance assessments or additional costs and could limit our ability to return capital to stockholders. These changes may also require us to invest significant management attention and resources to evaluate and make necessary changes to our compliance, risk management, treasury, and operations functions.
Failure to meet capital adequacy and liquidity guidelines could affect our financial condition.
CSC, together with its banking, broker-dealer, and FCM/FDM subsidiaries, must meet certain capital and liquidity standards, subject to qualitative judgments by regulators about the adequacy of our capital and our internal assessment of our capital needs. The Uniform Net Capital Rule limits the ability of our broker-dealer subsidiary to transfer capital to CSC and other affiliates. New regulatory capital, liquidity, capital planning, and stress testing requirements may limit or otherwise restrict how we utilize our capital, including paying dividends, stock repurchases and redemptions, and may require us to increase our capital and/or liquidity or to limit our growth. Failure by either CSC or its banking subsidiaries to meet minimum capital requirements could result in certain mandatory and additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a negative impact on us. In addition, failure by CSC or our banking subsidiaries to maintain a sufficient amount of capital to satisfy their stress capital buffer (CSC) or capital conservation buffer (banking subsidiaries) and countercyclical capital buffer requirements would result in restrictions on our ability to make capital distributions and discretionary cash bonus payments to executive officers. Any requirement that we increase our regulatory capital, replace certain capital instruments which presently qualify as Tier 1 Capital, or increase regulatory capital ratios or liquidity, could require us to liquidate assets, deleverage or otherwise change our business and/or investment plans, which may adversely affect our financial results. Issuing additional common stock would dilute the ownership of existing stockholders.
CSC is subject to the CCAR process, which requires submission of an annual capital plan, and determination of CSC’s stress capital buffer. The plan must include a description of all planned capital actions, including dividends or stock repurchases, over a nine-quarter planning horizon beginning with the first quarter of the calendar year the capital plan is submitted. CSC’s risk-based capital ratios must exceed the regulatory minimum plus the stress capital buffer. The stress capital buffer could make us subject to progressively more stringent constraints on capital actions if we approach our minimum ratios. This could lead to restrictions on our ability to pay or increase dividends or otherwise return capital to stockholders.
If the average of CSC’s total consolidated assets for four consecutive calendar quarters reaches $700 billion, or if the average of cross-jurisdictional activity for four consecutive calendar quarters reaches $75 billion, CSC will become subject to more stringent Category II requirements, including annual stress testing, the advanced approaches framework, and the inability to opt out of including AOCI in regulatory capital calculations. At December 31, 2025, CSC had approximately $491 billion in total assets and cross-jurisdictional activity of approximately $31 billion. See also Part II – Item 7 – Current Regulatory and Other Developments for discussion of regulatory proposals that could, among other things, require the Company to include AOCI in its regulatory capital calculations.
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We are subject to litigation and regulatory investigations and proceedings and may not be successful in defending against claims or proceedings.
The financial services industry faces significant litigation and regulatory risks. We are subject to claims and lawsuits in the ordinary course of business, including arbitrations, class actions and other litigation, some of which include claims for substantial or unspecified damages. We are also the subject of inquiries, investigations, and proceedings by regulatory and other governmental agencies.
Litigation and arbitration claims include those brought by our clients and the clients of third-party advisors whose assets are custodied with us. Claims from clients of third-party advisors may allege losses due to investment decisions made by the third-party advisors or the advisors’ misconduct. Litigation claims also include claims from third parties alleging infringement of their intellectual property rights (e.g., patents). Such litigation can require the expenditure of significant company resources. If we were found to have infringed on a third-party patent, or other intellectual property rights, we could incur substantial damages, and in some circumstances could be enjoined from using certain technology, or providing certain products or services.
Actions brought against us may result in settlements, awards, injunctions, fines, penalties or other results adverse to us, including reputational harm. Even if we are successful in defending against these actions, the defense of such matters may result in us incurring significant expenses. We may also determine that it is in the Company’s best interests to settle a matter, such as to avoid protracted litigation, even though the Company may have strong defenses. A substantial judgment, settlement, fine, or penalty could be material to our operating results or cash flows for a particular future period, depending on our results for that period. In market downturns and periods of heightened volatility, the volume of legal claims and amount of damages sought in litigation and regulatory proceedings against financial services companies have historically increased.
Other Business Risks
Potential strategic transactions could have a negative impact on our financial position.
We evaluate potential strategic transactions, including business combinations, acquisitions, and dispositions. Any such transaction, including our acquisition of Forge, could have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. The process of evaluating, negotiating, effecting, and integrating any such strategic transaction may divert management’s attention from other business concerns, and might cause the loss of key clients, employees, and business partners. Moreover, integrating businesses and systems may result in unforeseen expenditures as well as numerous risks and uncertainties, including the need to integrate operational, financial, and management information systems and management controls, integrate relationships with clients and business partners, and manage facilities and employees in different geographic areas. The integration process could result in the disruption of ongoing businesses or changes to inconsistent standards, controls, procedures and policies that could adversely affect our ability to maintain relationships with clients, employees, outsourced service providers and vendors. In addition, an acquisition may cause us to assume liabilities or become subject to litigation or regulatory proceedings or require the amortization of a large amount of acquired intangible assets. Further, we may not realize the anticipated benefits from an acquisition, including our acquisition of Forge, in a timely manner or at all, and any future acquisition could be dilutive to our current stockholders’ percentage ownership or to earnings per common share (EPS).
Our acquisitions and dispositions are typically subject to closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and the absence of material adverse changes in the business, operations or financial condition of the entity or part of an entity being acquired or sold. To the extent we enter into an agreement to buy or sell an entity or part of an entity, there can be no guarantee that the transaction will close when expected, or at all. If a material transaction does not close, our stock price could decline.
We intend to offer clients direct access to select digital assets, which exposes us to new and uncertain financial, operational, legal, and regulatory risks that could adversely affect our business and financial results.
In 2026, the Company anticipates it will begin offering expanded client access to trading in digital assets including spot trading in select cryptocurrencies. Expansion of digital asset client offerings presents significant new risks to the Company, including risks related to digital asset custody, trading, settlement, and liquidity, and increased risk related to fraud and other illicit activity. Client demand for digital assets is uncertain and may fluctuate significantly due to market volatility, regulatory developments, or changes in investor sentiment. The regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies is evolving and uncertain, and changes in laws, regulations, or regulatory interpretations could prohibit or limit our ability to offer these products, increase compliance costs, or expose us to increased regulatory scrutiny.
Digital assets function as bearer instruments controlled with private keys, and transactions in digital assets are generally irreversible. Due to the unique nature of digital assets, the loss, theft, compromise, or destruction of private keys could result in
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
the permanent loss of digital assets with no practical means of recovery. Because blockchain technology is relatively new, it is difficult to predict how it might be vulnerable to cybersecurity and fraud risks that could affect our business.
We expect to engage with third-party service providers to facilitate certain activities related to digital assets. These relationships present additional risks, including operational, reputational, and compliance risks that could adversely affect our business. Internal and third-party systems needed to effect client activity in digital assets are vulnerable to operational failures, cyberattacks, and fraud, and we may be held responsible for deficiencies in the controls or regulatory compliance of third-party service providers, even where we do not have direct oversight of their operations. Failure or breach of our or third-party service providers’ systems, cybersecurity controls, or operational processes could result in loss of client digital assets, which may not be recoverable in full or at all. Many crypto industry participants are relatively early-stage companies with limited history. There is no guarantee they will perform as reliably or efficiently as anticipated. Regulatory change could also affect the ability of third-party service providers to continue to operate or provide services for Schwab clients. Such events could result in material financial losses, legal or regulatory claims, and reputational harm, even if we are not at fault.
Our industry is highly competitive and characterized by aggressive price competition.
We operate in a highly competitive environment with a broad array of competitors from large integrated banks to venture-capital-backed private companies. We continually monitor our pricing in relation to competitors and periodically adjust interest rates on deposits and loans, fees for advisory services, expense ratios on mutual funds and ETFs, trade commission rates, and other pricing and incentives to sustain our competitive position. Increased price competition from other financial services firms to attract clients, such as reduced commissions, higher deposit rates, reduced mutual fund or ETF expense ratios, or the increased use of incentives, could impact our results of operations and financial condition.
Our stock price has fluctuated historically, and may continue to fluctuate.
Factors that may affect trading and the volatility of our stock price include:
•Financial results;
•Business metrics, such as client cash and net new client assets;
•Projections or the failure to meet projections;
•Securities analyst coverage, estimates and results versus estimates;
•The announcement of new products, services, acquisitions, or dispositions by us or our competitors;
•Declaration of dividends and purchases under the Company’s share repurchase program;
•Sales of a substantial number of shares by large stockholders;
•General stock market activity and industry developments; and
•Other Risk Factors described in this section.
Return of capital to stockholders may depend on our capital position, financial results, market conditions, legal restrictions, and other considerations, and the Company may not complete its full share repurchase authorization. In addition, issuance of additional shares of common or preferred stock or securities convertible or exchangeable into equity securities, including under incentive compensation plans or for acquisitions, could be substantially dilutive to holders of CSC’s common stock.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 1C. Cybersecurity
As a large company in the financial services industry, we do business with a large number of clients, counterparties, and third-party service providers, and the nature of Schwab’s business involves the secure processing, storage, and transmission of confidential information about our clients and us. We process, record, and monitor a high volume of transactions, and our operations are highly dependent on the integrity of our technology systems. As a result, we face extensive cybersecurity risks. It is through a combination of specialized internal and external teams, coupled with security software tools, that Schwab identifies, assesses, and manages material cybersecurity risk, and implements and enhances over time our cybersecurity policies, procedures, and strategies to reduce risk. We also maintain processes and procedures for identifying and investigating cybersecurity threats and remediation should an incident occur. Despite our efforts to protect our systems and data, there can be no assurance that we are able to maintain effective preventive measures against all cybersecurity risks, especially because attacks can originate from a wide variety of sources, and the techniques used change frequently and may not be immediately
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
recognizable. Though the impact of prior cybersecurity events experienced by the Company has not been material to the Company’s strategy, results of operations, or financial condition, we continue to face increasing cybersecurity risks.
CSC’s Board of Directors, supported by the Board Risk Committee, oversees Schwab’s enterprise risk management process and policies, including cybersecurity risks.Integrated within the Company’s overall enterprise risk management program, Schwab has an established information security program that is regularly assessed against formal industry standards and knits together complementary tools, controls, and technologies to protect systems, client accounts, and data. We deploy advanced monitoring systems to identify suspicious activity and deter unauthorized access by internal or external actors, and work collaboratively with government agencies, law enforcement, and other financial institutions to address potential threats. We evaluate and manage risk related to third-party vendors, assessing their cybersecurity programs and practices both prior to onboarding and over the term of service. We also maintain policies, standards, and procedures, which apply to employees, contractors, and third parties, regarding the standard of care expected with all of our data, whether the data is internal company information, employee information, or non-public client information. This includes limiting the number of employees who have access to clients’ personal information and internal authentication measures enforced to protect against the unauthorized use of employee credentials. Employees who handle sensitive information are trained in privacy and security, including training on recognizing social engineering. Schwab also engages with external firms specializing in discrete areas of cybersecurity to assess the Company’s practices, vulnerabilities, and overall cyber risk posture.
Schwab’s corporate cybersecurity program is led by our Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), who reports up to our Chief Technology, Operations and Data Officer.The current CISO was recently appointed after serving in another senior leadership role in technology risk management for more than seven years at the Company. The CISO is responsible for our overall cybersecurity strategy, security engineering, security operations, cyber threat detection and incident response, and technology risk and compliance. Our CISO has extensive experience assessing and managing cybersecurity risk, and is supported by a cybersecurity organization comprised of hundreds of professionals, many of whom hold various certifications, such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Certified Information Security Manager, and Certified in Risk and Information System Control.Our CISO and Chief Technology, Operations and Data Officer regularly review our cybersecurity program and our prevention, detection, mitigation, and remediation efforts with management-level risk committees and the Board Risk Committee, and we maintain a process for timely escalation of significant risk events to senior management and the Board.
See Item 1A. Risk Factors for additional discussion on information security risks. See also Part II – Item 7 – Risk Management for additional information on the Company’s Enterprise Risk Management Framework, including further discussion of the Company’s risk governance and the management of related risks.
Item 2. Properties
As part of our real estate energy management program, Schwab incorporates sustainable practices to guide our facilities’ design, materials, and building technologies. A summary of Schwab’s significant locations is presented in the following table.
December 31, 2025 Square Footage
(amounts in thousands) Leased Owned
Location
Corporate headquarters:
Service and other office space:
Denver, CO — 759
Austin, TX — 561
Southlake, TX — 375
Indianapolis, IN — 161
St. Louis, MO — 158
Richfield, OH — 117
El Paso, TX — 105
Chicago, IL 67 —
Jersey City, NJ 37 —
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
The square footage amounts presented in the table above are net of space that has been subleased to third parties. Our corporate headquarters, data centers, offices, and service centers support both of our segments.
As of December 31, 2025, the Company had more than 380 domestic branch offices in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as locations in Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Substantially all branch offices are located in leased premises.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
For a discussion of legal proceedings, see Part II – Item 8 – Note 15.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters,and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Market Information
CSC’s common stock is listed on The New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol SCHW. The number of common stockholders of record as of January 30, 2026, was 4,132. The closing market price per share on that date was $103.92.
The following graph shows a five-year comparison of cumulative total returns for CSC’s common stock, the Standard & Poor’s® 500 Index (S&P 500®), and the Dow Jones U.S. Investment Services Index, each of which assumes an initial investment of $100 and reinvestment of dividends.
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
For information relating to compensation plans under which our equity securities are authorized for issuance, see Item 8 – Note 21 and Part III – Item 12.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
On July 24, 2025, CSC publicly announced that its Board of Directors terminated its prior share repurchase authorization and replaced it with a new authorization to repurchase up to $20.0 billion of common stock. The new share repurchase authorization does not have an expiration date. See also Item 8 – Note 19.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
The following table summarizes purchases made by or on behalf of CSC of its common stock for each calendar month in the fourth quarter of 2025 (in millions, except number of shares, which are in thousands, and per share amounts):
October:
Employee transactions (1) 13 $ 94.20 N/A N/A
November:
Employee transactions (1) 31 $ 95.13 N/A N/A
December:
Employee transactions (1) 7 $ 95.70 N/A N/A
Total:
Employee transactions (1) 51 $ 94.97 N/A N/A
(1) Includes restricted shares withheld (under the terms of grants under employee stock incentive plans) to offset tax withholding obligations that occur upon vesting and release of restricted shares. CSC may receive shares delivered or attested to pay the exercise price and/or to satisfy tax withholding obligations by employees who exercise stock options granted under employee stock incentive plans, which are commonly referred to as stock swap exercises.
N/A Not applicable.
Item 6. Reserved
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysisof Financial Condition and Results of Operations
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
In addition to historical information, this Annual Report on Form 10-K contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “prioritize,” “will,” “may,” “estimate,” “appear,” “could,” “would,” “expand,” “aim,” “maintain,” “continue,” “seek,” and other similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, strategy, objectives, projections, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements.
These forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s expectations and objectives as of the date hereof, are based on the best judgment of Schwab’s senior management. These statements relate to, among other things:
•Maximizing our market valuation and stockholder returns over time; and our belief that developing trusted relationships will translate into more client assets which drives revenue and, along with expense discipline and thoughtful capital management, generates earnings growth and builds stockholder value (see Business Strategy and Competitive Environment, and Products and Services in Part I – Item 1);
•Industry and competitive trends including artificial intelligence, digital assets, private company securities and other alternative investments;
•The Company’s plan to provide increased access for clients to trade in digital assets including select cryptocurrencies (see Products and Services in Part I – Item 1);
•The acquisition and integration of Forge and its private markets capabilities (see Business Acquisition in Part I – Item 1; Overview in Part II – Item 7, and Results of Operations in Part II – Item 7);
•Capital expenditures and expense management (see Results of Operations in Overview and Results of Operations – Total Expenses Excluding Interest in Part II – Item 7);
•Net interest revenue, client cash allocation behavior, and adjustment of rates paid on client-related liabilities (see Results of Operations – Net Interest Revenue in Part II – Item 7);
•Wholesale funding and funding strategy (see Results of Operations in Part II – Item 7, and Liquidity Risk in Part II – Item 7);
•Management of interest rate risk; modeling and assumptions, the impact of changes in interest rates on net interest margin and revenue, bank deposit account fee revenue, economic value of equity (EVE), and liability and asset duration (see Risk Management in Part II – Item 7);
•Sources and uses of liquidity (see Liquidity Risk in Part II – Item 7);
•Capital management; long-term operating objective; and uses of capital and return of excess capital to stockholders (see Capital Management in Part II – Item 7; and Commitments and Contingencies in Part II – Item 8 – Note 15);
•The expected impact of proposed and final rules (see Current Regulatory and Other Developments in Part II – Item 7 and Regulation in Part I – Item 1);
•The expected impact of new accounting standards not yet adopted (see Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in Part II – Item 8 – Note 2);
•The likelihood of indemnification and guarantee payment obligations and clients failing to fulfill contractual obligations (see Commitments and Contingencies in Part II – Item 8 – Note 15, and Financial Instruments Subject to Off-Balance Sheet Credit Risk – Note 17); and
•The outcome and impact of legal proceedings and regulatory matters (see Commitments and Contingencies in Part II – Item 8 – Note 15, and Legal Proceedings in Part I – Item 3).
Achievement of these expectations and objectives is subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K or, in the case of documents incorporated by reference, as of the date of those documents.
Important factors that may cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to:
•General economic and market conditions, including the level of interest rates, equity market valuations and volatility;
•The impact of new and emerging technologies;
•Our ability to attract and retain clients, develop trusted relationships, and grow client assets;
•Client use of our advisory and lending solutions and other products and services;
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
•The level of client assets, including cash balances;
•Client cash allocations and sensitivity to deposit rates;
•Competitive pressure on pricing, including deposit rates;
•The level and mix of client trading activity, including daily average trades, margin balances, and balance sheet cash;
•Regulatory guidance and adverse impacts from new or changed legislation, rulemaking or regulatory expectations;
•Capital and liquidity needs and management;
•Our ability to manage expenses;
•Our ability to attract and retain talent;
•Our ability to develop and launch new and enhanced products, services, and capabilities, as well as enhance our infrastructure, in a timely and successful manner;
•Management’s ability to close the acquisition of Forge on the anticipated terms and timing;
•Our ability to monetize client assets;
•Our ability to support client activity levels;
•Increased compensation and other costs;
•Real estate and workforce decisions;
•The timing and scope of technology projects;
•Balance sheet positioning relative to changes in interest rates;
•Interest-earning asset mix and growth;
•Our ability to access funding sources;
•Prepayment levels for mortgage-backed securities;
•Balance sheet positioning relative to changes in interest rates;
•Regulatory and legislative developments;
•Adverse developments in litigation or regulatory matters and any related charges; and
•Potential breaches of contractual terms for which we have indemnification and guarantee obligations.
Certain of these factors, as well as general risk factors affecting the Company, are discussed in greater detail in Risk Factors in Part I – Item 1A.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Active brokerage accounts: Brokerage accounts with activity within the preceding 270 days.
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI): A component of stockholders’ equity which primarily includes unrealized gains and losses on available for sale (AFS) securities and securities transferred from the AFS category to the held to maturity (HTM) category.
Asset-backed securities: Debt securities backed by financial assets such as loans or receivables.
Assets receiving ongoing advisory services: Market value of all client assets custodied at the Company under the guidance of an independent advisor or enrolled in one of Schwab’s managed investing solutions at the end of the reporting period.
Bank deposit account balances (BDA balances): Clients’ uninvested cash balances held off-balance sheet in deposit accounts at unconsolidated third-party financial institutions, pursuant to the 2023 IDA agreement or agreements with other third-party financial institutions. Average BDA balances represent the daily average balance for the reporting period.
Basel III: Global regulatory standards on bank capital adequacy and liquidity issued by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.
Basis point: One basis point equals 1/100th of 1%, or 0.01%.
Client assets: The market value, as of the end of the reporting period, of all client assets in our custody, BDA balances, and proprietary products, which includes both cash and securities. Average client assets are the daily average client asset balance for the reporting period.
Client cash as a percentage of client assets: Calculated as the value, at the end of the reporting period, of all money market fund balances, bank deposits excluding brokered CDs issued by CSB, Schwab One® balances, BDA balances, and certain cash equivalents divided by client assets.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
Common Equity Tier 1(CET1) Capital: The sum of common stock and related surplus net of treasury stock, retained earnings, AOCI, and qualifying minority interests, less applicable regulatory adjustments and deductions. As a Category III banking organization, CSC has elected to exclude most components of AOCI from CET1 Capital.
Common Equity Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital Ratio: The ratio of CET1 Capital to total risk-weighted assets as of the end of the period.
Core net new client assets: Net new client assets before significant one-time inflows or outflows, such as acquisitions/divestitures or extraordinary flows (generally greater than $25 billion ($10 billion prior to 2025)) relating to a specific client, and activity from off-platform brokered CDs issued by CSB. These flows may span multiple reporting periods.
Customer Protection Rule: Refers to Rule 15c3-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Daily Average Trades (DATs): Includes daily average revenue trades by clients, trades by clients in asset-based pricing relationships, commission-free trades, and allocated trades by investment advisors.
Delinquency roll rates: The rates at which loans transition through delinquency stages, ultimately resulting in a loss. Schwab considers a loan to be delinquent if it is 30 days or more past due.
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act): Regulatory reform legislation containing numerous provisions which expanded prudential regulation of large financial services companies.
Duration: Duration is typically used to measure the expected change in value of a financial instrument for a 1% change in interest rates, expressed in years.
First Mortgages: Refers to first lien residential real estate mortgage loans.
Full-time equivalent employees: Represents the total number of hours worked divided by a 40-hour work week for the following categories: full-time, part-time, and temporary employees and persons employed on a contract basis.
High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA): HQLA is defined by the Federal Reserve, but includes assets that are actively traded and readily convertible to cash in times of stress.
Industry Fees: Includes fees collected from clients for certain securities transactions to offset, as applicable, charges assessed on the Company by SROs and foreign governments. Such charges include Section 31 fees, FINRA trading activity fees, options regulatory fees, proprietary index options fees, and foreign transaction tax on American Depositary Receipts.
Interest-bearing liabilities: Primarily includes bank deposits, payables to brokerage clients, payables to brokers, dealers, and clearing organizations, Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) borrowings, other short-term borrowings, and long-term debt on which Schwab pays interest.
Interest-earning assets: Primarily includes cash and cash equivalents, cash and investments segregated, receivables from brokerage clients, investment securities, and bank loans on which Schwab earns interest.
Investment grade: Defined as a rating equivalent to a Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) rating of “Baa3” or higher, or a Standard & Poor’s Rating Group (Standard & Poor’s) or Fitch Ratings, Inc. (Fitch) rating of “BBB-” or higher.
Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR): The ratio of HQLA to projected net cash outflows during a 30-day stress scenario.
Loan-To-Value(LTV)ratio: Calculated as the principal amount of a loan divided by the value of the collateral securing the loan.
Margin loans: Money borrowed against the value of certain stocks, bonds, and mutual funds in a client portfolio. The borrowed money can be used to purchase additional securities or to meet short-term financial needs.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
Master netting arrangement: An agreement between two counterparties that have multiple contracts with each other that provides for net settlement of all contracts through a single cash payment in the event of default or termination of any one contract.
Mortgage-backed securities: A type of asset-backed security that is secured by a mortgage or group of mortgages.
Net interest margin: Net interest revenue (annualized for interim periods) divided by average interest-earning assets.
Net new client assets: Total inflows of client cash and securities to Schwab less client outflows. Inflows include dividends and interest; outflows include commissions and fees. Capital gains distributions are excluded.
Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR): The ratio of the amount of available stable funding relative to the amount of required stable funding.
New brokerage accounts: All brokerage accounts opened during the period, as well as any accounts added via acquisition.
Nonperforming assets: The total of nonaccrual loans and other real estate owned.
Order flow revenue: Payments received from trade execution venues to which our broker-dealer subsidiary sends equity and option orders.
Pledged Asset Line® (PAL): A non-purpose revolving line of credit from a banking subsidiary secured by eligible assets held in a separate pledged brokerage account maintained at CS&Co.
Return on average common stockholders’ equity: Calculated as net income available to common stockholders (annualized for interim periods) divided by average common stockholders’ equity.
Risk-weighted assets: Computed by assigning specific risk-weightings to assets and off-balance sheet instruments for capital adequacy calculations.
Tier 1 Capital: The sum of CET1 Capital and additional Tier 1 Capital instruments and related surplus, less applicable adjustments and deductions.
Tier 1 Leverage Ratio: End-of-period Tier 1 Capital divided by adjusted average total consolidated assets for the period.
Trading days: Days in which the markets/exchanges are open for the buying and selling of securities. Early market closures are counted as half-days.
U.S. federal banking agencies: Refers to the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the FDIC, and the CFPB.
Uniform Net Capital Rule: Refers to Rule 15c3-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which specifies minimum capital requirements that are intended to ensure the general financial soundness and liquidity of broker-dealers at all times.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
OVERVIEW
Management focuses on several client activity and financial metrics in evaluating Schwab’s financial position and operating performance. We believe that metrics relating to net new and total client assets, as well as client cash levels and utilization of advisory services, offer perspective on our business momentum and client engagement. Data on new and total client brokerage accounts provides additional perspective on our ability to attract and retain new business. Total net revenue growth, pre-tax profit margin, EPS, return on average common stockholders’ equity, and the consolidated Tier 1 Leverage Ratio provide broad indicators of Schwab’s overall financial health, operating efficiency, and ability to generate acceptable returns. Total expenses excluding interest as a percentage of average client assets is a measure of operating efficiency.
Results for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023 are as follows:
Client Metrics
Client cash as a percentage of client assets (at year end) 9.7 % 10.1 % 10.5 %
Company Financial Information and Metrics
Preferred stock dividends and other (6) % 435 464 418
Net income available to common stockholders 54 % $ 8,417 $ 5,478 $ 4,649
Earnings per common share — diluted 56 % $ 4.65 $ 2.99 $ 2.54
Net revenue growth from prior year 22 % 4 % (9) %
Return on average common stockholders’ equity 21 % 15 % 16 %
Consolidated Tier 1 Leverage Ratio (at year end) 9.3 % 9.9 % 8.5 %
Non-GAAP Financial Measures (2)
Return on tangible common equity 38 % 35 % 54 %
Adjusted tier 1 leverage ratio (consolidated) 7.1 % 6.8 % 4.9 %
(1) 2025 includes net outflows of $20.8 billion from off-platform brokered CDs issued by CSB. 2024 includes net outflows of $14.6 billion from off-platform brokered CDs issued by CSB, an inflow of $10.3 billion from a mutual fund clearing services client, and an outflow of $1.0 billion from an international relationship. 2023 includes net inflows of $32.5 billion from off-platform brokered CDs issued by CSB and $12.0 billion from a mutual fund clearing services client and outflows of $13.0 billion from an international relationship.
(2) See Non-GAAP Financial Measures for further details and a reconciliation of such measures to GAAP reported results.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
2025 Compared to 2024
Guided by our “Through Clients’ Eyes” strategy, and with a generally supportive market and engaged clients, Schwab delivered growth in 2025 across multiple client metrics and in our financial results, and we continued to innovate to help our clients achieve their financial goals. Equity markets finished 2025 with significant full-year gains, as the S&P 500® rose 16% in 2025, and the NASDAQ Composite® rose 20% during the year. The Federal Reserve reduced the target federal funds rate by a total of 75 basis points in the third and fourth quarters.
With equity market gains and strong client asset gathering, Schwab’s total client assets reached $11.90 trillion at December 31, 2025, up 18% on the year. Core net new assets for 2025 totaled $519.4 billion, increasing 42% from the prior year, and resulting in an annualized organic growth rate of 5.1%. In 2025, clients opened 4.7 million new brokerage accounts, an increase of 13% from the prior year, and active brokerage accounts totaled 38.5 million as of December 31, 2025, up 6% from year-end 2024. Our clients were highly engaged with the markets in 2025; clients’ DATs were 7.7 million for full-year 2025 and 8.3 million in the fourth quarter, increasing 31% over both the prior year-to-date and fourth-quarter periods.
Schwab’s financial performance in 2025 reflected strong asset gathering, sustained client engagement and equity market appreciation, continued demand for Schwab’s lending offerings and managed investing solutions, as well as reduction of higher-cost funding and balanced expense management. Net income reached $8.9 billion in 2025, rising 49% from 2024, and diluted EPS was $4.65, an increase of 56% over the prior year. Adjusted diluted EPS (1) rose to $4.87 in 2025, higher by 50% from 2024.
Total net revenues increased 22% year-over-year to $23.9 billion in 2025. Net interest revenue was $11.8 billion in 2025, up 28% from 2024, due primarily to lower interest expense from reductions in bank supplemental funding and lower rates on funding sources, as well as growth in margin and bank lending and higher segregated cash and investments, which more than offset lower yields on interest-earning assets due to lower market rates. Asset management and administration fees totaled $6.5 billion in 2025, increasing 14% from 2024, due primarily to higher client asset balances, reflecting market appreciation, asset gathering, and growth in managed investing solutions and money market funds. Trading revenue was $3.9 billion in 2025, rising 20% from 2024, due primarily to higher trading volume. Bank deposit account fee revenue increased to $977 million in 2025, up 34% from the prior year, due primarily to higher net yields, partially offset by lower BDA balances.
Total expenses excluding interest were $12.5 billion in 2025, higher by 5% from 2024, and adjusted total expenses (1) were $12.0 billion in 2025, increasing 6% from the prior year. These increases reflect ongoing investments to support growth of the business and enhance client-serving capabilities while driving incremental efficiencies across the Company. The year-over-year changes in expenses were primarily attributable to higher compensation and benefits and higher professional services expense, due largely to growth in the business and volume-related costs, including higher incentive compensation driven by the Company’s financial performance, partially offset by lower regulatory fees and assessments due to lower FDIC assessments.
Return on average common stockholders’ equity was 21% in 2025, rising from 15% in 2024 as a result of higher net income, which more than offset higher average common stockholders’ equity. Return on tangible common equity (1) (ROTCE) was 38% in 2025, up from 35% in 2024, as growth in adjusted net income available to common stockholders (1) more than offset growth in average common stockholders’ equity. Average common stockholders equity increased primarily as a result of growth in retained earnings and improved average AOCI, partially offset by higher treasury stock due to common stock repurchases in 2025. The improvement in average AOCI was due to lower unrealized losses on AFS investment securities and securities previously transferred from AFS to HTM, reflecting decreases in market interest rates and lower investment holdings in 2025.
Schwab supported strong client demand for margin and bank lending in 2025, while significantly reducing bank supplemental funding to within a range generally consistent with our diversified funding strategy. Balance sheet assets totaled $491.0 billion as of December 31, 2025, higher by 2% from year-end 2024. Principal and interest from our AFS and HTM securities portfolios along with normal client cash behavior supported reduction of bank supplemental funding, which has included brokered CDs, FHLB borrowings, and borrowings under repurchase agreements at our banks. The Company reduced bank supplemental funding in 2025 by $44.8 billion, or 90%, to $5.1 billion at year-end 2025. Client sweep cash trends improved in 2025, with bank sweep deposits and payables to brokerage clients increasing by a total of $36.6 billion, or 12%. Client demand for margin loans increased significantly in 2025, with margin loans ending the year at $112.3 billion, up 34% from year-end 2024 and up 16% during the fourth quarter alone, supported by growth in bank and broker-dealer sweep cash, as well as wholesale funding. The growth in margin lending in 2025 reflects strong client demand and engagement amid rising equity markets and long/short strategies implemented by RIA clients. Bank loans totaled $58.0 billion at year-end 2025, increasing 28% during the year due primarily to growth of PALs and First Mortgages, which ended the year at $26.6 billion and $30.5 billion, respectively.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
The Company returned meaningful excess capital in 2025. Total common stock repurchased during the year amounted to $7.3 billion. In addition, the Company increased its common dividend by 8% to $.27 per share in the first quarter of 2025, and redeemed its Series G preferred stock for $2.5 billion in the second quarter. Inclusive of these capital actions and organic capital generation from net income, the Company’s consolidated Tier 1 Leverage Ratio was 9.3% at year-end 2025, down from 9.9% at December 31, 2024. Our consolidated adjusted Tier 1 Leverage Ratio (1) increased to 7.1% at December 31, 2025 from 6.8% at the prior year-end, driven by net income and improvement in AOCI in 2025.
Planned Acquisition of Forge
On November 6, 2025, Schwab announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Forge, operator of a leading private market platform and trading marketplace, in a transaction valued at approximately $660 million. The Company anticipates that incorporating Forge’s private company investment capabilities will enhance Schwab’s ability to meet the evolving needs of investors across our growing client base. The transaction was approved by Forge’s stockholders in January 2026, and is expected to close in March 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
2024 Compared to 2023
Through an evolving macroeconomic landscape in 2024, Schwab continued its “Through Clients’ Eyes” strategy, striving to meet the needs of our diverse client base, while driving growth across multiple fronts and successfully completing the integration of Ameritrade Holding LLC and its consolidated subsidiaries (collectively referred to as Ameritrade). Amid easing inflation, the Federal Reserve began in September to cut interest rates for the first time in over four years, reducing the federal funds overnight rate by a total of 100 basis points in the third and fourth quarters. Equity markets were positive for the year in 2024, with the S&P 500® and the NASDAQ Composite® finishing the year higher by 23% and 29%, respectively.
Reflecting the strength of equity markets and organic asset gathering, total client assets rose to $10.10 trillion as of year-end 2024, up 19% from year-end 2023. Core net new assets totaled $366.9 billion in 2024, up 20% from 2023, and representing an annualized growth rate of 4.3%. Following the successful completion of our final Ameritrade client conversion in May, our organic growth trends strengthened, and core net new assets for the fourth quarter of 2024 were $114.8 billion, up 51% from the fourth quarter of 2023. We saw strong client engagement in the markets throughout 2024, with acceleration in the fourth quarter; clients’ DATs were 5.9 million in full-year 2024 and 6.3 million in the fourth quarter, increasing 9% and 22%, respectively, from the same periods in 2023. Clients opened 4.2 million new brokerage accounts in 2024, a year-over-year increase of 10%, and active brokerage accounts ended 2024 at 36.5 million, up 5% on the year.
The Company’s financial results in 2024 reflected the impact of positive equity markets, solid asset gathering, sustained client engagement, and improvement in client cash trends. Net income totaled $5.9 billion in 2024, up 17% year-over-year, and diluted EPS was $2.99, an increase of 18% over the prior year. Adjusted diluted EPS (1) was $3.25 in 2024, up 4% from $3.13 in 2023.
Total net revenues rose 4% year-over-year to $19.6 billion in 2024. Net interest revenue was $9.1 billion in 2024, down 3% from 2023, which reflected lower average interest-earning assets and higher rates on funding sources, partially offset by growth in margin and bank lending and lower bank supplemental funding. Client cash realignment activity continued to decelerate in 2024, and principal and interest payments on the AFS and HTM investment securities portfolios supported reductions in bank supplemental funding balances. Asset management and administration fees were $5.7 billion in 2024, increasing 20% from the prior year primarily as a result of growth in money market funds, equity market gains, and growth in managed investing solutions. Trading revenue was $3.3 billion in 2024, up 1% from the prior year, reflecting higher volume and changes in mix of client trading activity. Bank deposit account fee revenue totaled $729 million in 2024, up 3% year-over-year, due primarily to $97 million in breakage fees recognized in 2023, partially offset by lower average BDA balances. BDA balances totaled $87.6 billion at December 31, 2024, down 10% from year-end 2023 primarily resulting from lower client cash allocations.
Total expenses excluding interest were $11.9 billion in 2024, down 4% from 2023. This decrease reflected lower restructuring costs, lower acquisition and integration-related costs, and lower regulatory fees and assessments due primarily to a $172 million FDIC special assessment recognized in the fourth quarter of 2023. These lower expenses were partially offset by higher incentive compensation, higher depreciation and amortization due to continued investment to support growth of the business, and higher other expense. Other expense reflected higher industry fees resulting from the SEC’s May 2024 fee rate increase. Adjusted total expenses (1) were $11.3 billion in 2024, up 2% from 2023. Acquisition and integration-related costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets, and restructuring costs totaled $645 million in 2024, down 55% from 2023, as substantially all of the Company’s costs related to its restructuring were incurred in 2023, and spending for the Ameritrade integration decreased in 2024 as we completed the final integration activities.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
Return on average common stockholders’ equity was 15% in 2024, down from 16% in 2023, and ROTCE (1) was 35% in 2024, down from 54% in 2023. These changes reflect the benefit of higher net income in 2024 offset by higher average common stockholders’ equity. Average common stockholders’ equity was higher year-over-year due to higher retained earnings as well as higher average AOCI. The increase in average AOCI was driven by lower unrealized losses on our AFS investment securities portfolio and securities transferred in 2022 from AFS to HTM.
Employing our diligent approach to managing the balance sheet, Schwab supported client-driven growth in margin and bank lending, while reducing our bank supplemental funding in 2024. Total balance sheet assets decreased 3% during the year, though margin lending grew to $83.8 billion at year-end 2024, up 34%, and bank loans increased to $45.2 billion, rising 12% during the year. Principal and interest from our AFS and HTM securities portfolios, along with deceleration of client cash realignment from sweep products to higher-yielding investment solutions, supported a reduction in bank supplemental funding. Total bank supplemental funding ended 2024 at $49.9 billion, down $29.7 billion, or 37%, from year-end 2023, and down 49% from peak levels in May 2023. Supported by strength of net income, our consolidated Tier 1 Leverage Ratio increased to 9.9% as of December 31, 2024, and our consolidated adjusted Tier 1 Leverage Ratio (1) rose to 6.8%, ending the year within our long-term operating objective of 6.75% - 7.00%.
(1) Adjusted diluted EPS, adjusted total expenses, return on tangible common equity, adjusted net income available to common stockholders, and adjusted Tier 1 Leverage Ratio are non-GAAP financial measures. See Non-GAAP Financial Measures for further details and a reconciliation of such measures to GAAP reported results.
Integration of Ameritrade and Other Restructuring
The Company’s integration of Ameritrade was completed as of December 31, 2024. Over the course of five client transition groups in 2023 and 2024, we converted approximately $1.9 trillion in client assets across more than 17 million client accounts, including 7,000 RIAs, from Ameritrade to the Schwab platform. In connection with these transitions, we experienced some expected attrition of client assets from retail accounts and RIAs, though such attrition was below our initial estimates when we announced the acquisition. Throughout the integration, the Company incurred total acquisition and integration-related costs and capital expenditures of approximately $2.5 billion. Acquisition and integration-related costs, which are inclusive of related exit costs, totaled $117 million and $401 million in 2024 and 2023, respectively. Over the course of the integration, we realized annualized run-rate cost synergies of approximately $2.0 billion.
In addition to cost synergies directly related to the integration of Ameritrade, the Company took incremental actions in 2023 and 2024 to streamline its operations to prepare for post-integration, including through position eliminations and decreasing its real estate footprint. Through these actions, the Company has realized approximately $500 million of incremental run-rate cost savings in addition to integration synergies. In order to achieve these cost savings, the Company incurred total exit and related costs, primarily related to employee compensation and benefits and facility exit costs, of approximately $500 million. Substantially all of these costs were recognized in 2023 and actions under the plan were completed as of December 31, 2024.
CURRENT REGULATORY AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
On June 12, 2025, the SEC withdrew certain notices of proposed rulemaking issued between March 2022 and November 2023, which the Company had been evaluating. The withdrawn proposals included the December 2022 equity market structure rule proposals, “Order Competition Rule” and “Regulation Best Execution”.
On March 3, 2025, the FDIC also withdrew certain notices of proposed rulemaking issued in 2023 and 2024 that the Company had been evaluating, including the July 2024 proposal related to the brokered deposits framework.
In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor adopted a final rule to significantly broaden the definition of “fiduciary” under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Among other requirements, the rule, in conjunction with associated prohibited transaction exemptions (PTEs), subjects broker-dealers who provide non-discretionary investment advice to retirement plans and accounts to a “best interest” standard. The rule was scheduled to take effect September 23, 2024, with a one-year transition period for certain PTE provisions. In July 2024, in two separate industry lawsuits seeking to vacate the rule, federal district court judges stayed effectiveness of the rule pending resolution of litigation. The stay was appealed by the Department of Labor in late 2024, and in November 2025 the Department of Labor formally withdrew its appeal and the stay remains in place.
In November 2023, the FDIC approved a special assessment to recover losses incurred by the DIF to protect uninsured depositors due to the March 2023 closures of two banks. The Company recognized a charge of $172 million in 2023 for its
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
estimated portion of this special assessment. The FDIC has since provided updates to its estimated losses to recover. The Company has revised its estimates accordingly, resulting in an additional charge of $30 million recognized in 2024 and a subsequent reduction of $32 million recognized in 2025.
In August 2023, the U.S. federal banking agencies issued a proposed rulemaking on long-term debt requirements for certain large banking organizations. Among other things, the proposed rule would require CSC and our banking subsidiaries to maintain outstanding minimum levels of eligible long-term debt. The comment period for the proposed rule ended on January 16, 2024 and the rule proposal is subject to further modification. The proposed rule could have a significant impact on the amount of debt that CSC and our banking subsidiaries are required to maintain.
In July 2023, the U.S. federal banking agencies issued a notice of proposed rulemaking with amendments to the regulatory capital rules. Among other things, the proposed rules would require us to include AOCI in regulatory capital and to calculate our risk-weighted assets using a revised risk-based approach, a component of which is based on operational risk, phased in over a three-year transition period. The comment period for the proposed rules ended on January 16, 2024. The Company’s capital management for consolidated CSC and our banking subsidiaries now incorporates measures that are inclusive of AOCI. See Capital Management for additional information.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Total Net Revenues
The following table presents a comparison of revenue by category:
Net interest revenue
Asset management and administration fees
Trading revenue
Net Interest Revenue
Schwab’s primary interest-earning assets include cash and cash equivalents; cash and investments segregated; margin loans; investment securities; and bank loans. Schwab’s interest-bearing liabilities are comprised of bank deposits and payables to brokerage clients, which together are the Company’s primary funding source; payables to brokers, dealers, and clearing organizations (e.g., securities lending, broker-dealer repurchase agreements); FHLB borrowings; other short-term borrowings (e.g., commercial paper, bank repurchase agreements, other secured borrowings); and long-term debt. Schwab deploys the funds from these sources into the aforementioned interest-earning assets.
Revenue on interest-earning assets is affected by various factors, such as the composition of assets, prevailing interest rates and spreads at the time of origination or purchase, changes in interest rates on cash and cash equivalents, floating-rate securities and
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
loans, and changes in prepayment levels for mortgage-backed and other asset-backed securities and loans. Schwab establishes the rates paid on client-related liabilities, and management expects that it will generally adjust the rates paid on these liabilities at some fraction of any movement in short-term rates. Interest expense on long-term debt, FHLB borrowings, other short-term borrowings, and other funding sources is impacted by market interest rates at the time of borrowing and changes in interest rates on floating-rate liabilities. Schwab’s use and the financial impacts of the Company’s various funding sources are dependent on a number of market and client activity factors. Net interest revenue also reflects the impacts of derivatives used to manage interest rate risk. See also Risk Management – Market Risk and Item 8 – Note 16 for additional information.
The Federal Reserve maintained the upper bound of the target overnight rate at 4.50% for most of the first nine months of 2025 before reducing the rate by 25 basis points in the third quarter and an additional 50 basis points across two cuts in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Schwab’s average interest-earning assets in 2025 were relatively consistent in aggregate with 2024, while the mix of interest-earning assets shifted year-over-year to reflect higher margin and bank lending, higher cash and investments segregated, and lower balances of AFS and HTM securities. Client demand for margin and bank lending was strong during 2025, reflecting positive equity market performance and client engagement, as margin loan balances rebounded following market volatility in late March and early April, increasing in the third quarter and through the end of 2025. Margin loan balances ended the year at $112.3 billion, increasing 34% from year-end 2024. Total bank loans rose to $58.0 billion at year-end 2025, higher by 28% from December 31, 2024, due primarily to growth in PALs and First Mortgages.
Cash activity during 2025 reflected normal client cash behavior, inclusive of organic growth, and engagement in equity markets. Bank sweep deposits and payables to brokerage clients increased by a total of $36.6 billion, or 12% during 2025. Principal and interest payments on AFS and HTM securities, as well as transfers of $6.7 billion of BDA balances to our balance sheet (see Results of Operations – Bank Deposit Account Fees and Item 8 – Note 15), supported paydowns in bank supplemental funding of $44.8 billion, or 90% during 2025.
The Federal Reserve maintained the upper bound of the target overnight rate at 5.50% through most of 2024 before reducing the rate by 50 basis points during the third quarter and another 50 basis points across two cuts during the fourth quarter of 2024.
Average interest-earning assets decreased $45.6 billion in 2024 from 2023; however, Schwab saw strong client demand for margin and bank lending, which grew by 34% and 12%, respectively. Even as higher interest rates continued for much of the year, the pace of clients’ reallocation of cash from sweep products to higher-yielding investment solutions further decelerated in 2024, particularly in the second half of the year. Bank sweep deposits and payables to brokerage clients increased by a total of $9.8 billion, or 4%, during the third quarter, and $30.1 billion, or 11%, in the fourth quarter of 2024, inclusive of typical seasonal cash inflows near year-end. Deceleration of client cash reallocation activity, along with principal and interest payments on the AFS and HTM securities portfolios, supported a reduction in bank supplemental funding of $14.9 billion, or 23%, during the fourth quarter and $29.7 billion, or 37%, for the full year ended December 31, 2024.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
The following table presents net interest revenue information corresponding to interest-earning assets and funding sources on the consolidated balance sheets:
Interest-earning assets
Funding sources
Other interest expense (1) 108 2 3
(1) Beginning in the fourth quarter of 2025, average balances of client margin loans and short credits related to certain client long/short strategies from which the Company earns a fixed net yield are excluded from interest-earning assets and funding sources. Average margin loans and average short credits related to these client strategies totaled $2.8 billion for the year ended December 31, 2025. Interest revenue and expense related to these client strategies are presented in other interest revenue and other interest expense, respectively. The amounts and average yields for 2025 have been reclassified and recalculated to reflect this change. Prior-year amounts were not impacted by this change.
(2) Amounts have been calculated based on amortized cost. Interest revenue on investment securities is presented net of related premium amortization.
(3) Average balance includes $15.0 billion, $37.4 billion, and $36.0 billion of brokered CDs in 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Net interest revenue increased $2.6 billion, or 28%, in 2025 from 2024 primarily due to lower balances of bank supplemental funding, lower average rates paid on funding sources, growth in margin and bank lending, and increases in securities lending revenue, partially offset by lower yields on floating-rate assets due to lower market rates. Average interest-earning assets for 2025 decreased slightly compared to 2024. This decrease was primarily due to lower average balances in AFS and HTM securities, as cash inflows from investment securities were used to pay down bank supplemental funding, largely offset by higher balances of cash and investments segregated, growth in margin lending which was supported by higher payables to brokerage clients and payables to brokers, dealers, and clearing organizations, and increased bank lending.
Net interest margin increased to 2.74% in 2025, from 2.12% in 2024, as reduced balances of bank supplemental funding and lower rates paid on funding sources more than offset lower yields on floating-rate assets due to lower market interest rates.
With the paydowns of bank supplemental funding during 2025, the outstanding balance of $5.1 billion as of December 31, 2025 is within a range generally consistent with our diversified funding strategy. See also Risk Management – Liquidity Risk and Item 8 – Notes 12, 13, and 17 for additional information on these and other funding sources.
Net interest revenue decreased $283 million, or 3%, in 2024 from 2023 primarily due to lower average interest-earning assets, higher average rates paid on most funding sources, and lower net interest revenue contributed from securities lending, partially offset by growth in margin and bank lending and lower bank supplemental funding. Average interest-earning assets for 2024 were lower by 10% compared to 2023. This decrease was primarily due to lower average bank sweep deposits, reflecting client cash reallocation and strong client engagement in the equity markets, as well as reduction in bank supplemental funding. The decreases in average interest-earning assets in 2024 were partially offset by growth in margin lending, which was supported by higher payables to brokerage clients and increased securities lending, and growth in bank loans. Net interest margin increased to
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
2.12% in 2024, from 1.98% in 2023, as improved average yields on interest-earning assets offset higher rates paid across interest-bearing funding sources.
Asset Management and Administration Fees
Asset management and administration fees include mutual fund, ETF, and CTF service fees and fees for other asset-based financial services provided to individual and institutional clients. Schwab earns mutual fund, ETF, and CTF service fees for shareholder services, administration, and investment management provided to its proprietary funds, and recordkeeping and shareholder services provided to third-party funds. Asset management and administration fees are based upon the daily balances of client assets invested in these funds and do not include securities lending revenues earned by proprietary mutual funds, ETFs, and CTFs, as those amounts, net of program fees, are credited to the fund shareholders. Proprietary CTFs may, but generally do not, directly participate in securities lending. The fair values of client assets included in proprietary and third-party mutual funds, ETFs, and CTFs are based on quoted market prices and other observable market data.
We also earn asset management fees for managed investing solutions, which include managed portfolios, specialized strategies, and customized investment advice. Other asset management and administration fees include various asset-based fees, such as trust fees, 401(k) recordkeeping fees, mutual fund clearing fees, and non-balance based service and transaction fees.
Asset management and administration fees vary with changes in the balances of client assets due to market fluctuations and client activity.
The following table presents asset management and administration fees, average client assets, and average fee yields:
Managed investing solutions (2):
Total asset management and administration fees $ 6,506 $ 5,716 $ 4,756
(1) 2025 and 2023 include transfers from other third-party mutual funds and ETFs to Mutual Fund OneSource® and other NTF funds.
(2) Average client assets for managed investing solutions may also include the asset balances contained in the mutual fund and/or ETF categories listed above.
(3) Includes various asset-related fees, such as trust fees, 401(k) recordkeeping fees, and mutual fund clearing fees and other service fees.
(4) Includes miscellaneous service and transaction fees relating to mutual funds and ETFs that are not balance-based.
Asset management and administration fees increased by $790 million, or 14%, in 2025 from 2024, due primarily to growth in Schwab money market funds and fee-based managed investing solutions, as well as growth in Mutual Fund OneSource®, and Schwab equity and bond funds, ETFs, and CTFs. This growth was driven primarily by higher client asset balances, reflecting year-over-year equity market appreciation, the Company’s asset gathering, and net inflows into managed investing solutions.
Asset management and administration fees increased by $960 million, or 20%, in 2024 from 2023, primarily as a result of higher balances in Schwab money market funds as clients shifted their cash allocations to higher-yielding investment solutions. The increase in asset management and administration fees in 2024 was also due to growth in balances in fee-based managed investing solutions and Mutual Fund OneSource, as a result of strong equity markets and, for managed investing solutions, net inflows of client assets.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
The following table presents a roll forward of client assets for the Schwab money market funds, Schwab equity and bond funds, ETFs, and CTFs, and Mutual Fund OneSource® and other NTF funds. The following funds generated 50%, 49%, and 44% of the asset management and administration fees earned during 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively:
Schwab Money Schwab Equity and Mutual Fund OneSource®
Market Funds Bond Funds, ETFs, and CTFs and Other NTF Funds
(1) 2025 and 2023 include $63.3 billion and $39.8 billion, respectively, of transfers from other third-party mutual funds and ETFs to Mutual Fund OneSource® and Other NTF Funds.
Trading Revenue
Trading revenue includes commissions, order flow revenue, and principal transactions revenue. Commission revenue is affected by volume and mix of trades executed. Order flow revenue is comprised of payments received from trade execution venues to which our broker-dealer subsidiary sends equity and option orders. Order flow revenue is affected by volume and mix of client trades, as well as pricing received from trade execution venues. Principal transactions revenue is recognized primarily as a result of accommodating clients’ fixed income trading activity, and includes adjustments to the fair value of securities positions held to facilitate such client trading activity. Principal transactions revenue also includes unrealized gains and losses on cash and investments segregated for regulatory purposes.
The following tables present trading revenue, client trading activity, and related information:
Order flow revenue
Product as a percentage of DATs
Mutual funds 5 % 6 % 6 %
Fixed income 1 % 1 % 2 %
(1) Revenue per trade is calculated as trading revenue divided by the product of DATs multiplied by the number of trading days.
Trading revenue increased $657 million, or 20%, in 2025 compared to 2024, driven by an increase in order flow and commission revenue due primarily to higher client trading volume.
Trading revenue increased $34 million, or 1%, in 2024 compared to 2023, driven by an increase in order flow revenue reflecting higher volume and changes in the mix of client trading activity. This increase was offset by a decrease in principal transactions revenue due to lower volume in fixed income trading and lower market interest rates. Commission revenue was relatively flat due to higher volume offset by changes in the mix of client trading activity.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
Bank Deposit Account Fees
The Company earns bank deposit account fee revenue from the TD Depository Institutions, in accordance with the 2023 IDA agreement. Bank deposit account fee revenue is presented net of interest paid to clients, and other applicable fees, and is affected by changes in interest rates and the composition of balances designated as fixed- and floating-rate obligation amounts. See Item 8 – Note 15 for additional information.
The following table presents bank deposit account fee revenue and related information:
Percentage of average BDA balances designated as:
Fixed-rate balances 78 % 86 % 92 %
Floating-rate balances 22 % 14 % 8 %
Bank deposit account fees increased $248 million, or 34%, in 2025 compared to 2024, primarily due to a decrease in the amount paid to clients as a result of lower interest rates. This was partially offset by lower average BDA balances, which reduced the base on which bank deposit account fees are earned. The decrease in average BDA balances in 2025 compared to 2024 was primarily due to the transfer of $6.7 billion of BDA balances to Schwab’s balance sheet after September 10, 2025, as well as client cash allocation decisions in 2024 in response to elevated short-term market interest rates through most of 2024. Pursuant to the 2023 IDA agreement, after September 10, 2025, Schwab has broader discretion to withdraw balances, subject to certain constraints, as described in Item 8 – Note 15. Transfers of BDA balances to Schwab’s balance sheet result in lower balances upon which bank deposit account fee revenue is earned but provide a source of funding to invest in interest-earning assets or reduce reliance on borrowings to increase net interest revenue.
Average net yield increased in 2025 compared to 2024 due to an increase in the average amount of floating-rate BDA balances, which earned higher net yields relative to fixed-rate balances. This was partially offset by a decrease in the average net yields earned on both fixed-rate and floating-rate BDA balances compared to 2024. The percentages of BDA balances designated as fixed-rate and floating-rate obligation amounts as of December 31, 2025 were 78% and 22%, respectively.
Bank deposit account fees increased $24 million, or 3%, in 2024 compared to 2023. This increase reflected the impact of breakage fees of $97 million incurred in 2023 as a result of ending other third-party bank arrangements and a decrease in the amount paid to clients due to interest rates declining in the third and fourth quarters of 2024, partially offset by lower average BDA balances. The decrease in average BDA balances in 2024 compared to 2023 was primarily due to client cash allocation decisions in response to higher short-term market interest rates. Average net yield increased in 2024 compared to 2023 due to the breakage fees incurred in 2023 and an increase in the average amount of and average net yield on floating-rate BDA balances, which was partially offset by a decrease in average net yield on fixed-rate BDA balances. The percentages of BDA balances designated as fixed-rate and floating-rate obligation amounts as of December 31, 2024 were 76% and 24%, respectively.
Other Revenue
Other revenue includes industry fees, certain service fees, other gains and losses from the sale of assets, and the provision for credit losses on bank loans.
Other revenue increased $14 million, or 2%, in 2025 compared to 2024, primarily due to higher other service fees and gains recognized on certain equity investments, partially offset by higher losses recognized on sales of AFS securities, higher provision for credit losses on bank loans, and lower industry fees. Effective May 14, 2025, the SEC decreased the fee rate applicable to most securities transactions to zero from the rate in effect since May 22, 2024. This change resulted in lower industry fees in 2025 compared to 2024.
Other revenue increased $34 million, or 5%, in 2024 compared to 2023 primarily due to higher industry fees and lower losses recognized on sales of AFS securities, partially offset by certain lower service and other fees and a smaller release from the provision for credit losses on bank loans. Industry fees increased in 2024 due to higher average SEC fee rates in effect during 2024 compared to 2023. Effective May 22, 2024, the SEC increased its fee rate applicable to most securities transactions from the rate in effect since late February 2023.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
Total Expenses Excluding Interest
The following table shows a comparison of total expenses excluding interest:
Compensation and benefits
Amortization of acquired intangible assets (1) % 512 519 534
Expenses as a percentage of total net revenues
Compensation and benefits 27 % 31 % 34 %
Advertising and market development 2 % 2 % 2 %
Full-time equivalent employees (in thousands)
Total expenses excluding interest increased $548 million, or 5%, in 2025 from 2024, and decreased $545 million, or 4%, in 2024 from 2023. Adjusted total expenses, which excludes acquisition and integration-related costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets, and restructuring costs, increased $681 million, or 6%, in 2025 from 2024 and $240 million, or 2%, in 2024 from 2023. See Non-GAAP Financial Measures for further details and a reconciliation of such measures to GAAP reported results. We currently anticipate total expenses excluding interest in full-year 2026 will increase approximately 5.5% to 6.5% from 2025. We currently expect the Company’s acquisition of Forge to close in March 2026, and costs related to the operations and integration of Forge would be in addition to the 5.5% to 6.5% expected growth in expenses.
Total compensation and benefits expense increased in 2025 compared to 2024, primarily due to annual merit increases and growth in headcount, higher incentive compensation, and higher other employee-related costs. These increases reflect investments to support growth of the business and enhance client-serving capabilities, as well as higher incentive compensation driven by the Company’s financial performance. Total compensation and benefits decreased in 2024 from 2023 primarily due to restructuring costs recognized in 2023, as well as lower headcount as a result of position eliminations from the restructuring and Ameritrade integration. These decreases were partially offset by higher incentive compensation and annual merit increases. Compensation and benefits included acquisition and integration-related costs of $54 million and $187 million in 2024 and 2023, respectively. Compensation and benefits also included a $34 million benefit in 2024, due to a change in estimated restructuring costs, and included restructuring costs of $292 million in 2023.
Professional services expense increased in 2025 compared to 2024, reflecting overall growth of the business and increased utilization of technology and other professional services. Professional services expense remained consistent in 2024 compared to 2023. Professional services included acquisition and integration-related costs of $36 million and $135 million in 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Occupancy and equipment expense increased in 2025 compared to 2024, primarily driven by higher technology equipment and software costs, as well as building expenses, related to growth of the business, and a benefit related to property taxes reflected in 2024. Occupancy and equipment expense decreased in 2024 from 2023, due to lower technology equipment and software costs, lower property tax expense, and lower occupancy costs as a result of facility closures in 2023 related to restructuring and the Ameritrade integration. Occupancy and equipment included restructuring costs of $5 million and $17 million in 2024 and 2023, respectively, and acquisition and integration-related costs of $28 million in 2023.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
Advertising and market development expense increased in 2025 compared to 2024, primarily due to higher client promotional spending and digital advertising costs. Advertising and market development expense remained consistent in 2024 compared to 2023, as higher client promotional spending was offset by lower spending on digital advertising.
Communications expense increased in 2025 compared to 2024 primarily due to higher exchange quotation services and proxy-related expenses, reflecting growth in the business, partially offset by lower telecommunications expenses. Communications expense decreased in 2024 compared to 2023 due to lower exchange quotation services expenses.
Depreciation and amortization expense decreased in 2025 compared to 2024 primarily due to lower depreciation on equipment due to abandonment of certain data centers in 2024 related to the integration of Ameritrade, lower software amortization and lower finance lease amortization as a result of terminations in 2024. Depreciation and amortization expense increased in 2024 from 2023 primarily as a result of higher amortization of purchased and internally developed software and higher depreciation of hardware, driven by capital expenditures to support growth of the business.
Amortization of acquired intangible assets was largely consistent in 2025 compared to 2024. Amortization of acquired intangible assets decreased in 2024 from 2023, primarily as certain assets from the Ameritrade acquisition were fully amortized during 2023.
Regulatory fees and assessments decreased in 2025 compared to 2024 primarily due to $32 million of reductions in the FDIC special assessment in 2025 and $30 million of incremental FDIC special assessments in 2024, coupled with lower FDIC deposit insurance assessments primarily due to lower assessment rates driven by a decrease in brokered CDs. Regulatory fees and assessments decreased in 2024 from 2023, primarily due to a $172 million FDIC special assessment recorded during the fourth quarter of 2023, partially offset by $30 million of incremental FDIC special assessments in 2024. See Current Regulatory and Other Developments for discussion of the FDIC special assessments.
Other expense increased in 2025 compared to 2024, due to certain higher costs resulting from growth of the business and increased trading volume. The increase was partially offset by a charge recognized in the second quarter of 2024 for the SEC’s industry-wide review of off-channel communications, and lower industry fees in 2025 compared to 2024 due to lower average fee rates stemming from the SEC decreasing the fee rate applicable to most securities transactions to zero effective May 14, 2025. Other expense increased in 2024 from 2023, primarily due to higher industry fees, partially offset by impairment charges recorded in 2023 related to restructuring. Industry fees increased primarily due to higher average SEC fee rates in effect during 2024 compared to 2023. Effective May 22, 2024, the SEC increased its fee rate applicable to most securities transactions from the rate in effect since late February 2023. Other expense included restructuring costs of $37 million and $181 million in 2024 and 2023, respectively, and acquisition and integration-related costs of $27 million in 2023.
Capital expenditures primarily include capitalized software costs, information technology and telecommunications equipment, and buildings. Total capital expenditures were $602 million, $607 million, and $804 million in 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. Capital expenditures decreased 1% in 2025 compared to 2024,primarily due to the completion of certain construction projects in 2024 resulting in a decrease of land and building-related capital expenditures, offset by higher investment in purchased and internally developed software and telecommunications and information technology equipment. Capital expenditures decreased 25% in 2024 compared to 2023, primarily due to lower purchased and internally developed software as we completed Ameritrade client account transitions in the second quarter of 2024 and completed the Ameritrade integration, partially offset by higher investment in buildings.
Capital expenditures were 2.5% of total net revenues in 2025, slightly lower than our previously disclosed expected range of approximately 3-5% of total net revenues. We anticipate capital expenditures for 2026 to be within our longer term expectation of 3-5% of total net revenues.
Taxes on Income
Taxes on income were $2.6 billion, $1.8 billion, and $1.3 billion for 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively, resulting in effective tax rates of 22.8% in 2025 and 2024, and 20.6% in 2023. The effective tax rate in 2025 remained consistent with 2024 primarily due to a decrease in the state tax rate and in non-deductible FDIC deposit insurance assessments, offset by an increase in state tax reserves and a decrease in certain tax credits. The increase in the effective tax rate in 2024 from 2023 was primarily due to an increase in state tax expense and the recognition of certain tax credits during 2023, partially offset by additional tax credits recognized and the reversal of tax reserves due to the resolution of certain state tax matters during 2024.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
Segment Information
Revenues and expenses are attributed to the two segments based on which segment services the client. Management evaluates the performance of the segments on a pre-tax basis. Segment assets and liabilities are not used for evaluating segment performance or in deciding how to allocate resources to segments. Net revenues in both segments are generated from the underlying client assets and trading activity; differences in the composition of net revenues between the segments are based on the composition of client assets, client trading frequency, and pricing unique to each. While both segments leverage the scale and efficiency of our platforms, segment expenses reflect the dynamics of serving millions of clients in Investor Services versus the thousands of RIAs on the Advisor Services platform. See Item 8 – Note 24 for additional segment information.
Financial information for our segments is presented in the following table:
Investor Services Advisor Services Total
Year Ended December 31,
Net Revenues
Expenses Excluding Interest
(1) In 2025, Investor Services includes net outflows of $20.8 billion from off-platform brokered CDs issued by CSB. In 2024, Investor Services includes net outflows of $14.6 billion from off-platform brokered CDs issued by CSB, an inflow of $10.3 billion from a mutual fund clearing services client, and outflows of $0.7 billion from an international relationship. In 2023, Investor Services includes net inflows of $32.5 billion from off-platform brokered CDs issued by CSB, inflows of $12.0 billion from a mutual fund clearing services client, and outflows of $5.8 billion from an international relationship. In 2024 and 2023, Advisor Services includes outflows of $0.3 billion and $7.2 billion, respectively, from an international relationship.
Segment Net Revenues
Total net revenues increased by 22% for both Investor Services and Advisor Services in 2025 compared to 2024. Net interest revenue increased for both segments primarily due to reductions in bank supplemental funding, lower average rates paid on funding sources, and growth of margin and bank lending balances, partially offset by lower yields on interest-earning assets. Asset management and administration fees increased for both segments primarily due to higher balances in money market funds, Schwab equity and bond funds, ETFs, and CTFs, and Mutual Fund OneSource®, and, additionally for Investor Services, managed investing solutions. Trading revenue increased for both segments primarily due to higher order flow revenue and commission revenue reflecting higher trading volume. Bank deposit account fees increased for both segments primarily due to improved net yields partially offset by lower average BDA balances. Other revenue was largely flat for Investor Services and increased for Advisor Services, due to higher other service fees and gains recognized on certain equity investments, partially
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
offset by losses recognized on the sale of AFS securities, higher provision for credit losses on bank loans, and lower industry fees.
Investor Services total net revenues increased by 6% in 2024 compared to 2023. Net interest revenue increased for Investor Services primarily due to growth of margin lending and lower average balances of FHLB borrowings, partially offset by lower average interest-earning assets and higher average rates paid on most funding sources. Trading revenue increased for Investor Services due to higher order flow revenue as a result of increased trading volumes and changes in the mix of trading activity. Other revenue increased for Investor Services primarily due to higher industry fees and lower losses recognized on sales of AFS securities. Advisor Services total net revenues decreased by 3% in 2024 compared to 2023. Net interest revenue decreased for Advisor Services primarily as a result of lower average interest-earning assets and higher average rates paid on most funding sources, partially offset by lower average balances of FHLB borrowings, and trading revenue decreased for Advisor Services, primarily due to lower order flow revenue as a result of changes in the mix of client trading activity. Asset management and administration fees increased for both segments, primarily as a result of higher balances in money market funds and Mutual Fund OneSource®, and, additionally for Investor Services, fee-based managed investing solutions. Additionally, bank deposit account fees increased for both segments, primarily due to breakage fees incurred that resulted in lower bank deposit account fee revenue in 2023, partially offset by lower BDA balances.
Segment Expenses Excluding Interest
Investor Services and Advisor Services total expenses excluding interest increased by 5% and 4%, respectively, in 2025 compared to 2024. Compensation and benefits expense increased in both segments primarily due to annual merit increases, higher incentive compensation, and higher employee-related costs. Professional services expense increased in both segments due to overall growth of the business and increased utilization of technology and other professional services. Occupancy and equipment expense increased in both segments primarily due to higher technology equipment and software costs related to growth of the business, as well as building expenses, and a property tax benefit reflected in 2024. Regulatory fees and assessments decreased in both segments, primarily due to a reduction in FDIC assessments in 2025 and lower FDIC special assessments from 2024 to 2025.
Investor Services and Advisor Services total expenses excluding interest decreased 2% and 11%, respectively, in 2024 compared to 2023. Compensation and benefits expense decreased in both segments, primarily due to restructuring costs recognized in 2023 and lower headcount as a result of position eliminations, partially offset by higher incentive compensation and annual merit increases. Occupancy and equipment expense decreased in both segments, primarily due to lower technology equipment and software costs, lower property tax expense, and facility closures in 2023 related to restructuring and the Ameritrade integration. For Investor Services, depreciation and amortization expense increased, primarily due to higher amortization of purchased and internally developed software, driven by capital expenditures in 2023 and 2024 to enhance our technological infrastructure to support growth of the business. Regulatory fees and assessments decreased in both segments in 2024, primarily due to an FDIC special assessment recorded during the fourth quarter of 2023, partially offset by additional FDIC special assessments in 2024, as described above. Other expense increased for Investor Services primarily due to higher industry fees, partially offset by impairment charges recorded in 2023 related to restructuring. Other expense decreased for Advisor Services primarily due to impairment charges recorded in 2023 related to restructuring and lower clearing charges.
RISK MANAGEMENT
Schwab’s business activities expose it to a variety of risks, including operational, compliance, credit, market, and liquidity risks. The Company has a comprehensive risk management program to identify and manage these risks and their associated potential for financial and reputational impact. Our risk management process is comprised of risk identification and assessment, risk response, risk measurement and monitoring, and risk reporting and escalation. We use periodic risk and control self-assessments, control testing programs, and our internal audit department performs evaluations of our risk management processes and controls.
Culture
A fundamental commitment to strong and effective risk management is core to Schwab’s business strategy. Risk management is an integrated and foundational part of our culture and a duty of every employee. The Board of Directors has approved an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Framework that incorporates our purpose, vision, and values, which form the bedrock of our corporate culture and set the tone for the organization. We designed the ERM Framework to enable a comprehensive approach to managing risks encountered by Schwab in its business activities. The ERM Framework incorporates key concepts commensurate with the size, risk profile, complexity, and continuing growth of the Company. While all personnel are
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
responsible for risk management, the Company’s risk appetite, which is defined as the amount of risk the Company is willing to accept in pursuit of its corporate strategy, is developed by executive management and approved by the Board of Directors.
The Company’s “Through Clients’ Eyes” strategy guides our actions and behaviors at Schwab, and informs our corporate culture, our risk appetite, and approach to risk management. Schwab is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct and compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics outlines the ethical conduct that we must demonstrate to deliver our strategy while retaining the trust of our stakeholders.
Risk Governance
Schwab maintains an integrated risk governance structure that directs Company-wide execution of the risk management process. The risk governance structure includes the Board of Directors, designated committees of the Board, and management risk committees.
CSC’s Board of Directors sets the tone and culture of effective risk management. The Board has a Risk Committee that assists the Board in setting the type and level of risks that the Company is willing to take and supports the independence and stature of independent risk management. The Board Risk Committee also assists the Board in overseeing and holding senior management accountable for implementing the Board’s approved risk appetite, maintaining the Company’s risk management and control processes, and managing the Company’s activities in a safe and sound manner, and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The Board Risk Committee also approves risk appetite statements and related key risk appetite metrics, key risk policies, and reviews information relating to risk issues from functional areas of corporate risk management, legal, and internal audit.
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors assists the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities by reviewing the integrity of the Company’s financial statements and financial reporting processes, the qualifications and independence of the independent auditors and performance of the Company’s internal audit function and independent auditors, compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, processes to assess and manage risk exposures, and other matters as directed by the Board. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors assists the Board in oversight of compensation of the Company’s directors, executive officers, and other senior officers. The Board Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee assists the Board in its oversight responsibilities regarding Board composition, performance, and developing corporate governance principles, policies, and procedures.
Senior management takes an active role in the risk management process and has developed policies and procedures under which specific business and control units are responsible for risk identification and assessment, risk response, risk measurement and monitoring, and risk reporting and escalation. The Global Risk Committee, which is comprised of senior executives from each client enterprise and support function, is responsible for the oversight of risk management. This includes identifying emerging risks, assessing risk management practices and the control environment, reinforcing business accountability for risk management, supervisory controls and regulatory compliance, supporting resource prioritization across the organization, and escalating significant issues to the Board of Directors. The Chief Risk Officer regularly reports activities of the Global Risk Committee to the Risk Committee of the Board of Directors.
We have established risk metrics and reporting that enable measurement of the impact of strategy execution against risk appetite. The risk metrics, with risk limits and tolerance levels, are established for key risk categories by the Global Risk Committee and its functional risk sub-committees. Functional risk sub-committees focusing on specific areas of risk report to the Global Risk Committee. These sub-committees include the:
•Operational Risk Oversight Committee – provides oversight of and approves operational risk management policies, risk tolerance levels, and operational risk governance processes, and includes sub-committees covering Information Security and Cybersecurity, Technology, Fraud, Third-Party Risk, Data Integrity, and Model Governance;
•Compliance Risk Committee – provides oversight of compliance risk management (inclusive of compliance programs for Schwab’s regulated entities, Anti-Money Laundering/Sanctions, Conduct, Fiduciary, Conflicts of Interest, and Privacy), policies, and risk tolerance levels providing an aggregate view of compliance risk exposure and employee conduct, including subcommittees covering Fiduciary and Conflicts of Interest Risk;
•Financial Risk Oversight Committee – provides oversight of and approves credit, market, liquidity, and capital risk policies, limits, and exposures and includes the Liquidity and Capital Subcommittee; and
•New Products and Services Risk Oversight Committee – provides oversight of and approves new products, including the policy, program, and process designed to oversee new products and services risks prior to and post launch.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
Senior management created the Incentive Compensation Risk Oversight Committee to provide oversight of incentive compensation risks and achieve sound incentive compensation risk management practices; it reports directly to the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.
The Company’s finance, internal audit, legal, and corporate risk management departments assist management and the various risk committees in evaluating, testing, and monitoring risk management.
In addition, the Disclosure Committee is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting as of the end of each fiscal quarter. The Disclosure Committee reports on this evaluation to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer prior to their certification required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002.
Operational Risk
Operational risk arises due to potential inadequacies or failures related to internal processes, people, and systems, or from external events or relationships impacting the Company and/or any of its key business partners and vendors. While operational risk is inherent in all business activities, the Company has established a system of internal controls and risk management practices designed to keep operational risk and operational losses within the Company’s risk appetite. We have specific policies and procedures to identify and manage operational risk and perform periodic testing to evaluate the effectiveness of relevant internal controls. Where appropriate, we manage the impact of operational loss and litigation expense through the purchase of insurance. The insurance program is specifically designed to address our key operational risks and to maintain compliance with local laws and regulations.
Schwab’s operations are highly dependent on the integrity and resilience of our critical business functions and technology systems. To the extent Schwab experiences business or system interruptions, errors or downtime (which could result from a variety of causes, including natural disasters, terrorist attacks, technological failure, cyber attacks, changes to systems, linkages with third-party systems, extreme weather, and power failures), our business and operations could be negatively impacted. To minimize business interruptions and ensure the capacity to continue operations during an incident regardless of duration, Schwab maintains a backup and recovery infrastructure which includes facilities for backup and communications, a geographically dispersed workforce, and routine testing of business continuity and disaster recovery plans and a well-established incident management program. See Part I – Item 1C. Cybersecurity for additional information regarding information security risk, including cybersecurity risk management.
Fraud risk arises from attempted or actual theft of financial assets or other property of any client or the Company. Fraud risk includes internal fraud, or the risk arising from personnel attempting or committing theft of financial assets or other property of any client or the Company. Schwab is committed to protecting the Company’s and its clients’ assets from fraud and complying with all applicable laws and regulations to prevent, detect, and report fraudulent activity. Schwab manages fraud risk through policies, procedures, and controls. We also take affirmative steps to prevent and detect fraud and report, to appropriate authorities, any known or suspected acts of fraud in accordance with existing laws and requirements.
Schwab also faces operational risk when we employ the services of various third parties, including domestic and international outsourcing of certain technology, processing, servicing, and support functions. We manage the exposure to third-party risk and promote a culture of resiliency through internal policies, procedures and controls, and contractual provisions, control standards, ongoing monitoring of third-party performance, and appropriate testing with third-party service providers.
Model risk is the potential for adverse consequences from decisions based on incorrect or misused model outputs and reports. Model uses at Schwab include, but are not limited to, calculating capital requirements for hypothetical stressful environments, estimating interest and credit risk for loans and other balance sheet assets, identifying and preventing fraud and other financial crimes, and providing guidance in the management of client portfolios. Schwab manages model risk, including use of artificial intelligence, through use of policies, standards, and controls which evaluate the conceptual and technical soundness of models used by the Company. Prior to the use of any artificial intelligence, we employ procedures which require cross-functional review from applicable oversight functions. We maintain a model inventory that includes a distinct record and risk rating for each model, and we conduct independent validations, annual reviews, and performance monitoring of the Company’s models.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
Compliance Risk
Schwab faces compliance risk which is the potential exposure to legal or regulatory sanctions, fines or penalties, financial loss, or damage to reputation resulting from the failure to comply with laws, regulations, rules, or other regulatory requirements. Among other things, compliance risks relate to the suitability of client investments, consumer protection, conflicts of interest, disclosure obligations and performance expectations for products and services, supervision of employees, the retention of required records, and the adequacy of our controls. The Company and its affiliates are subject to extensive regulation by federal, state, and foreign regulatory authorities, including SROs.
We manage compliance risk through policies, procedures, and controls reasonably designed to achieve and/or monitor compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. These procedures address issues such as conduct and ethics, sales and trading practices, marketing and communications, extension of credit, client funds and securities, books and records, anti-money laundering, privacy, and employment policies.
Privacy risk is the risk of unauthorized collection, use, storage, or sharing of personal information, including data incidents and other mismanagement of personal information. We manage privacy risk through policies, procedures, and controls reasonably designed to achieve and/or monitor compliance with these laws and regulations.
Anti-money laundering/sanctions risk is the risk of legal or regulatory sanctions, fines or penalties, financial loss, or damage to reputation resulting from the failure to comply with the Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)/global sanctions (collectively, “AML”) laws, regulations, rules, or other regulatory requirements. Schwab manages this risk through daily monitoring, a system of internal controls, education and training for appropriate personnel, and developing risk-based procedures for conducting ongoing customer due diligence and complying with beneficial ownership requirements for legal entity customers.
Conduct risk arises from inappropriate, unethical, or unlawful behavior of the Company, its employees or third parties acting on the Company’s behalf that may result in detriment to the Company’s clients, financial markets, the Company, and/or the Company’s employees. We manage this risk through policies, procedures, and a system of internal controls, including personnel monitoring and surveillance. Conduct-related matters are escalated through appropriate channels by the Company’s Corporate Responsibility Officer.
Fiduciary risk is the potential for financial or reputational loss through breach of fiduciary duties to a client. Fiduciary activities include, but are not limited to, individual and institutional trust, investment management, custody, and cash and securities processing. We manage this risk by establishing policy and procedures to ensure that obligations to clients are discharged faithfully and in compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Business units have the primary responsibility for adherence to the policy and procedures applicable to their business. Guidance and control are provided through the creation, approval, and ongoing review of applicable policies by business units and various risk committees.
Incentive Compensation risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from compensation plans that do not balance the execution of our strategy with risk and financial rewards, potentially encouraging imprudent risk-taking by employees. We have implemented risk management processes, including a policy, to identify, evaluate, assess, and manage risks associated with incentive compensation plans and the activities of certain employees, defined as Covered Employees, who have the authority to expose the Company to material amounts of risk.
Credit Risk
Credit risk is the potential for loss due to a borrower, counterparty, or issuer failing to perform its contractual obligations. Our exposure to credit risk mainly results from investing activities in our liquidity and investment portfolios, mortgage lending, margin lending and client option and futures activities, pledged asset lending, securities lending activities, and our role as a counterparty in other financial contracts. To manage the risks of such losses, we have established policies and procedures, which include setting and reviewing credit limits, monitoring credit limits and quality of counterparties, and adjusting margin, PAL, option, and futures requirements for certain securities and instruments.
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THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Ratios, or as Noted)
Liquidity and Investment Portfolios
Schwab has exposure to credit risk associated with its investment portfolios, which include U.S. agency and non-agency mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, corporate debt securities, U.S. agency notes, U.S. Treasury securities, CDs, U.S. state and municipal securities, commercial paper, and foreign government agency securities.
At December 31, 2025, substantially all securities in the investment portfolios were rated investment grade. U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities do not have explicit credit ratings; however, management considers these to be of the highest credit quality and rating given the guarantee of principal and interest by the U.S. government or U.S. government-sponsored enterprises.
Mortgage Lending Portfolio
The bank loan portfolio includes First Mortgages, HELOCs, PALs (discussed below), and other loans. The credit risk exposure related to loans is actively managed through individual loan and portfolio reviews. Management regularly reviews asset quality, including concentrations, delinquencies, nonaccrual loans, charge-offs, and recoveries. All are factors in the determination of an appropriate allowance for credit losses.