Charles Schwab Moves to Zero Commissions for Trades: Was Ultimate Goal for Firm
Charles Schwab said the discount broker’s latest move to zero commissions was a longtime goal to deliver to investors.
KEY POINTS
- “It was sort of the final solution for investors,” the chairman and founder of Charles Schwab tells CNBC’s Bob Pisani on Monday.
- As of Monday, the brokerage firm is no longer charging commission fees for U.S. stocks, ETFs and options trades.
- The firm’s founder says consolidation in the retail brokerage industry is a “logical conclusion that will occur.”
“It was sort of the final solution for investors,” the chairman and founder of Charles Schwab told CNBC’s Bob Pisani on the “Halftime Report” on Monday. “We have a great deal for investors. You can buy and sell stocks for no commission.”
As of Monday, the brokerage firm is no longer charging commission fees for U.S. stocks, ETFs and options trades. Last week, Schwab announced it would be slashing its trading commission costs from the previous $4.95 to zero. Brokerage rivals E-Trade, Interactive Brokers and TD Ameritrade all dropped their commission fees in the last two weeks in the latest move in the brokerage fee wars.
“We joined the New York [Stock] Exchange in 1981, many years ago, and so prices then, when we first came on board, we were about half price. We kept coming down every year to now,” Schwab added.
The company, with a market value of about $54.7 billion, is hoping the lost fee revenue will be made up for in other parts of the business, such as fixed income. The stock took a hit after the announcement, though, on fears the change will hit margins.
“We make our money on other relationships — you might want advice, you might want fixed income or things like that — we’ll make a little bit of money there. But commissions on stocks are now free,” said Schwab.
The firm, which holds about $3.72 trillion in client assets, relies on the efficiency of technology for its low fee structure.
“What we try to do is offer things that customers really want, and they definitely want lower prices. So we’ve been a company that’s been involved with that by using technology for many, many years,” Schwab added.
The firm’s founder said consolidation in the retail brokerage industry is a “logical conclusion that will occur.”
Schwab retired as CEO in 2008 but remains chairman and is the largest shareholder.
PUBLISHED MON, OCT 7 201912:43 PM EDT
UPDATED MON, OCT 7 20194:19 PM EDT