Survey Polled Financial Consultants at Leading National Brokerage Firms ST. LOUIS, Dec. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A.G. Edwards tied for first place in Registered Rep.'s annual "Broker Report Card" survey of financial consultants at seven of the leading national brokerage firms. In the survey, which appears in the magazine's December issue, financial consultants were asked to rank their company's performance in four areas: work environment, support, products and management. A.G. Edwards finished first in the work environment category, receiving praise from its financial consultants for the camaraderie and sense of teamwork felt throughout the firm. Overall, A.G. Edwards finished first in 10 out of the 20 supporting points within the four main categories. Supporting points in the survey where the firm received high marks included freedom from pressure to sell certain products, realistic sales quotas, hiring and recruiting practices, payout, benefits, ongoing training, the quote and information system, quality of the products offered, overall ethics and public image. In the public-image category, the firm's financial consultants commended the A.G. Edwards' new "nest egg" advertising initiative, which was introduced earlier this year. "We recognize that good client service begins with satisfied employees," said Robert L. Bagby, chairman and chief executive officer. "We are pleased to see that our financial consultants value our ongoing attention to training and Home Office support, as well as their freedom to choose the products that best fit their clients' needs. These qualities enable our financial consultants to offer the tools and services necessary as they work to meet our clients' investment objectives." The survey's methodology included polling more than 70 reps from each firm through online surveys. After that, phone interviews were conducted. Representatives ranked their employers in 20 different areas, based on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 representing the highest score. Other companies in the survey included Merrill Lynch, Wachovia, Smith Barney, Edward Jones, Morgan Stanley and UBS. About A.G. Edwards Drawn to the firm's client-first philosophy, individuals and businesses have turned to A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., for sound advice and access to a wide array of investment products and services that can help them meet their financial goals and objectives. Founded in 1887, A.G. Edwards and its affiliates employ nearly 7,000 financial consultants in more than 700 offices nationwide and two European locations in London and Geneva. More information can be found on agedwards.com. A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. Member SIPC DATASOURCE: A.G. Edwards CONTACT: Mary Pat Sueme of A.G. Edwards, +1-314-955-2096, Web site: http://www.agedwards.com/

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