Wealth Manager Stocks Drop After Altruist Launches New Product
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 10 2026
0mins
Should l Buy RJF?
Shares of wealth manager stocks sold off Tuesday after Altruist launched a new tax planning offering called Hazel, an AI platform. "The new capability helps advisors create fully personalized tax strategies for clients by reading and interpreting their 1040s, paystubs, account statements, meeting notes, emails, and custodial and CRM data, and applying deep tax logic to the analysis. All of this is done within minutes," Altruist, a wealth platform for independent advisors, said in a statement. Shares of Raymond James (RJF) closed down 9% to $158.48 while Charles Schwab (SCHW) dropped 7% to $99.25 and LPL Financial (LPLA) 8% to $360.58.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy RJF?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on RJF
Wall Street analysts forecast RJF stock price to rise
9 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
7 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 148.640
Low
176.00
Averages
184.00
High
196.00
Current: 148.640
Low
176.00
Averages
184.00
High
196.00
About RJF
Raymond James Financial, Inc. is a diversified financial services company that provides services to individuals, corporations and municipalities. The Company's segments include Private Client Group (PCG), Capital Markets, Asset Management, Bank and Other. PCG segment provides financial planning, investment advisory, and securities transaction services to clients through financial advisors. Capital Markets segment conducts investment banking, institutional sales, securities trading, equity research, and the syndication and management of investments in low-income housing funds and funds of a similar nature. Asset Management segment provides asset management, portfolio management and related administrative services to retail and institutional clients. Bank segment includes Raymond James Bank, a Florida-chartered state member bank, and TriState Capital Bank, a Pennsylvania-chartered state member bank. Other segment includes corporate cash balances and its private equity investments.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
US Economy Faces Stagflation Threat Amid Oil Surge
- Oil Price Surge: US crude oil prices have surpassed $100 per barrel for the first time since 2022, intensifying market fears of stagflation, particularly as the unemployment rate rose to 4.4% in February, indicating economic fragility amidst stagnant job growth.
- Weak Job Market: The economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, with total job growth for 2025 at only 116,000, which is 5,000 below the previous year's monthly average, reflecting a lack of recovery that could dampen consumer spending.
- Inflationary Pressures: Core inflation stands at 3%, a full percentage point above the Federal Reserve's target, leading to reduced expectations for interest rate cuts as investors worry that rising oil prices will exacerbate food inflation and other costs.
- Delayed Policy Response: The Federal Reserve is likely to postpone interest rate adjustments, with no second cut expected in 2026, despite strong GDP growth signals; however, stagflation risks remain, potentially complicating future monetary policy decisions.
See More
Raymond James Welcomes Financial Advisor Teams Managing $1.5 Billion in Assets
- Recruiting Success: Raymond James announced the recruitment of two investment advisory teams managing over $1.5 billion from their previous firms.
- Geographic Expansion: The new teams will enhance Raymond James' presence in Colorado and upstate New York.
See More
Investors Sell Off Bank and Brokerage Shares Amid Rising Oil Prices and Disappointing Jobs Report
- Financial Sector Decline: Financial stocks, including banks and brokerages, faced significant sell-offs from investors on Friday morning.
- Economic Concerns: The decline was influenced by reports of job losses in the U.S. economy and instability in oil markets due to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
See More
Hightower Acquires $5 Billion RIA, Grows Employee Advisor Division
Acquisition Announcement: Hightower Advisors has agreed to acquire Journey Strategic Wealth, which manages approximately $5 billion in assets.
New Initiative: This acquisition is part of Hightower's new initiative, Hightower Signature Wealth, allowing advisors to work under Hightower's brand as employees.
Leadership: The initiative is led by CEO Larry Restieri, marking Hightower's first external acquisition in this area.
Business Model Shift: The move signifies a shift in Hightower's business model, transitioning from independent practices to a more integrated employee structure.
See More
AeroVironment Faces $1.4 Billion Contract Risk Amid Pentagon Reopening
- Stock Volatility: AeroVironment's stock initially surged by 20.1% in the morning, but after reports from Space News indicated a potential loss of a $1.4 billion contract with the Space Force, the stock fell by 19.5% by 2:00 p.m. ET, reflecting investor concerns about the company's outlook.
- Contract Reopening Impact: The Pentagon's decision to reopen bidding for the Satellite Communications Augmentation Resource (SCAR) program aims to move away from cost-plus contracting, which could adversely affect AeroVironment's subsidiary BlueHalo, which was awarded the contract last year.
- Market Reaction: Raymond James downgraded AeroVironment from strong buy to underperform, highlighting the BADGER program as the company's largest program of record, indicating a decline in market confidence regarding the company's future profitability.
- Increased Uncertainty: While AeroVironment may retain a significant portion of the contract in the end, the reopening of the SCAR program introduces substantial uncertainty, negatively impacting investor confidence and leading to a sharp decline in stock price.
See More
AeroVironment Stock Plummets After Contract Uncertainty
- Stock Volatility: AeroVironment's stock initially surged by 20.1% following the Iran attack, but subsequently fell by 19.5% due to contract uncertainties, indicating market concerns about its future prospects.
- Contract Risk: The potential loss of a $1.4 billion contract with the Space Force, as the Pentagon reopens bidding for the program, has shaken investor confidence and threatens the company's financial stability.
- Rating Downgrade: Raymond James downgraded AeroVironment from strong buy to underperform, reflecting a pessimistic outlook on its future performance, which has exacerbated the downward pressure on the stock price.
- Uncertain Business Outlook: While the company may retain a portion of the contract, the Pentagon's reopening of bids has introduced uncertainty for investors, with the BADGER project considered its largest program of record, posing challenges for future growth.
See More
US Economy Faces Stagflation Threat Amid Oil Surge
- Oil Price Surge: US crude oil prices have surpassed $100 per barrel for the first time since 2022, intensifying market fears of stagflation, particularly as the unemployment rate rose to 4.4% in February, indicating economic fragility amidst stagnant job growth.
- Weak Job Market: The economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, with total job growth for 2025 at only 116,000, which is 5,000 below the previous year's monthly average, reflecting a lack of recovery that could dampen consumer spending.
- Inflationary Pressures: Core inflation stands at 3%, a full percentage point above the Federal Reserve's target, leading to reduced expectations for interest rate cuts as investors worry that rising oil prices will exacerbate food inflation and other costs.
- Delayed Policy Response: The Federal Reserve is likely to postpone interest rate adjustments, with no second cut expected in 2026, despite strong GDP growth signals; however, stagflation risks remain, potentially complicating future monetary policy decisions.
See More
Raymond James Welcomes Financial Advisor Teams Managing $1.5 Billion in Assets
- Recruiting Success: Raymond James announced the recruitment of two investment advisory teams managing over $1.5 billion from their previous firms.
- Geographic Expansion: The new teams will enhance Raymond James' presence in Colorado and upstate New York.
See More
Investors Sell Off Bank and Brokerage Shares Amid Rising Oil Prices and Disappointing Jobs Report
- Financial Sector Decline: Financial stocks, including banks and brokerages, faced significant sell-offs from investors on Friday morning.
- Economic Concerns: The decline was influenced by reports of job losses in the U.S. economy and instability in oil markets due to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
See More
Hightower Acquires $5 Billion RIA, Grows Employee Advisor Division
Acquisition Announcement: Hightower Advisors has agreed to acquire Journey Strategic Wealth, which manages approximately $5 billion in assets.
New Initiative: This acquisition is part of Hightower's new initiative, Hightower Signature Wealth, allowing advisors to work under Hightower's brand as employees.
Leadership: The initiative is led by CEO Larry Restieri, marking Hightower's first external acquisition in this area.
Business Model Shift: The move signifies a shift in Hightower's business model, transitioning from independent practices to a more integrated employee structure.
See More
AeroVironment Faces $1.4 Billion Contract Risk Amid Pentagon Reopening
- Stock Volatility: AeroVironment's stock initially surged by 20.1% in the morning, but after reports from Space News indicated a potential loss of a $1.4 billion contract with the Space Force, the stock fell by 19.5% by 2:00 p.m. ET, reflecting investor concerns about the company's outlook.
- Contract Reopening Impact: The Pentagon's decision to reopen bidding for the Satellite Communications Augmentation Resource (SCAR) program aims to move away from cost-plus contracting, which could adversely affect AeroVironment's subsidiary BlueHalo, which was awarded the contract last year.
- Market Reaction: Raymond James downgraded AeroVironment from strong buy to underperform, highlighting the BADGER program as the company's largest program of record, indicating a decline in market confidence regarding the company's future profitability.
- Increased Uncertainty: While AeroVironment may retain a significant portion of the contract in the end, the reopening of the SCAR program introduces substantial uncertainty, negatively impacting investor confidence and leading to a sharp decline in stock price.
See More
AeroVironment Stock Plummets After Contract Uncertainty
- Stock Volatility: AeroVironment's stock initially surged by 20.1% following the Iran attack, but subsequently fell by 19.5% due to contract uncertainties, indicating market concerns about its future prospects.
- Contract Risk: The potential loss of a $1.4 billion contract with the Space Force, as the Pentagon reopens bidding for the program, has shaken investor confidence and threatens the company's financial stability.
- Rating Downgrade: Raymond James downgraded AeroVironment from strong buy to underperform, reflecting a pessimistic outlook on its future performance, which has exacerbated the downward pressure on the stock price.
- Uncertain Business Outlook: While the company may retain a portion of the contract, the Pentagon's reopening of bids has introduced uncertainty for investors, with the BADGER project considered its largest program of record, posing challenges for future growth.
See More
