Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, financial holding company Stifel Financial (SF -0.77%) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Stifel and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Stifel facts

Headquarters (founded)

St. Louis, Mo. (1890)

Market Cap

$1.7 billion

Industry

Investment banking and brokerage

Trailing-12-Month Revenue

$1.5 billion

Management

Co-Chairman/CEO Ronald Kruszewski
CFO James Zemlyak

Return on Equity (average, past 3 years)

5.4%

Cash/Debt

$1.5 billion / $716 million

Competitors

Oppenheimer Holdings (OPY -0.56%)
Piper Jaffray (PIPR -2.51%)
Raymond James Financial (RJF -7.06%)

Sources: S&P Capital IQ and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 89% of the 96 members who have rated Stifel believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward. Just yesterday, one of those Fools, Pickle57, succinctly summed up the Stifel bull case for our community:

Very intelligent management. A great regional Investment Bank and poised to win with the ability to expand organically and through acquisition. But mostly ... an ability to play outside the box and to adjust to a changing market/economy.

If you want market-thumping returns, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future. Of course, despite its four-star rating, Stifel may not be your top choice.

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Want to see how well (or not so well) the stocks in this series are performing? Follow the TrackPoisedTo CAPS account.