Ratings of Women and Minority Owned Brokerage Firms

Ratings of Women and Minority Owned Brokerage Firms

Creative Investment Research, Incorporated (CIR) is a privately owned and operated investment research and economic consulting firm. The company was founded in 1989. Since that time, CIR has published ratings derived from social and financial information relating to women and minority owned financial institutions.

Creative Investment reviews financial and other data for minority and women-owned broker-dealers in the U.S. As of February 2, 2006, Creative Investment Research, Inc. had 106 outstanding ratings on women and minority owned brokerage firms. Data concerning minority ownership was collected from several sources. The firm also conducted an online survey to collect information.

Creative Investment assigns ratings to the firms in the database. These ratings are based on several factors, including length of time in business, composition of ethnic ownership, social impact of business operations, financial performance, and bond or stock underwriting history and volume. Once this information is compiled, a firm is evaluated using our proprietary Fully Adjusted Return� methodology. Rating are then assigned. These range from A+ (highest) to D (lowest).

Rating summary - Sixty two percent of brokers have a rating of C or below ( C, C+, C-, D). Thirty percent are in the B rating categories (B, B-, B+). Only eight percent of firms are in the highest categories (A-, or A.) No firm has received an A+ rating.

The map below shows firm location, by state. As expected, most brokerage firms are located in New York, home to thirty seven firms. Eighteen firms reside in and have their headquarters in the State of California. Illinois has fourteen firms. Eight firms are located in Texas. Florida has five firms.

TOP FIVE MINORITY OWNED BROKERAGE FIRMS

Blaylock & Partners. Black. 212-715-6600. Rating: A. Comments: Strong underwriting record.

Bley Investment Group. Women. 800-959-2444. Rating: B. Comments: Best execution-sensitve.

Cabrera Capital Markets. Hispanic. 312-236-8888. Rating: B-. Comments: Strong trading capabilities.

For more information, contact us at info@creativeinvest.com or call 202-455-0430.