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LPL Financial Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Results

February 3, 2022 4:05 PM

Fourth Quarter 2021 Key Financial Results

Fourth Quarter 2021 Key Business Results

*See the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section and the end notes to this release for further details about these non-GAAP financial measures.**This included the addition of 1,209 advisors from Waddell & Reed.

Fourth Quarter 2021 Key Capital and Liquidity Results

Full Year 2021 Key Financial and Business Results

Key Updates

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPLA) (the “Company”) today announced results for its fourth quarter ended December 31, 2021, reporting net income of $108 million, or $1.32 per share. This compares with $112 million, or $1.38 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2020 and $103 million, or $1.26 per share, in the prior quarter.

"In 2021, we remained focused on our mission of taking care of our advisors, so they can take of their clients,” said Dan Arnold, President and CEO. “This focus drove continued business growth, market share gains, and solid financial results. As we look ahead, we continue to strive to be the best at empowering advisors – to be great advisors to their clients and great business owners."

“Looking at 2021, we are proud of what we accomplished within our framework for driving long-term shareholder value,” said Matt Audette, CFO. “We invested to drive growth while staying disciplined on expenses, successfully onboarded Waddell & Reed, BMO, and M&T, and delivered the highest organic net new assets in our history. Going forward, our business momentum and financial strength position us well to continue creating long-term shareholder value.”

Dividend Declaration

The Company's Board of Directors declared a $0.25 per share dividend to be paid on March 29, 2022 to all stockholders of record as of March 15, 2022.

Conference Call and Additional Information

The Company will hold a conference call to discuss its results at 5:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 3. To listen, call 877-677-9122 (domestic) or 708-290-1401 (international); passcode 1832659, or visit investor.lpl.com (webcast). Replays will be available by phone and on investor.lpl.com beginning two hours after the call and until February 10, and February 24, respectively. For telephonic replay, call 855-859-2056 (domestic) or 404-537-3406 (international); passcode 1832659.

About LPL Financial

LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPLA) was founded on the principle that the firm should work for the advisor, and not the other way around. Today, LPL is a leader* in the markets we serve, supporting nearly 20,000 financial advisors, and approximately 800 institution-based investment programs and 500 independent RIA firms nationwide. We are steadfast in our commitment to the advisor-centered model and the belief that Americans deserve access to personalized guidance from a financial advisor. At LPL, independence means that advisors have the freedom they deserve to choose the business model, services, and technology resources that allow them to run their perfect practice. And they have the freedom to manage their client relationships, because they know their clients best. Simply put, we take care of our advisors, so they can take care of their clients.

* Top RIA custodian (Cerulli Associates, 2020 U.S. RIA Marketplace Report)No. 1 Independent Broker-Dealer in the U.S (Based on total revenues, Financial Planning magazine 1996-2021)No. 1 provider of third-party brokerage services to banks and credit unions (2020-2021 Kehrer Bielan Research & Consulting Annual TPM Report)Fortune 500 as of June 2021

Securities and Advisory services offered through LPL Financial LLC ("LPL Financial"), a registered investment advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. We routinely disclose information that may be important to shareholders in the "Investor Relations" or "Press Releases" section of our website.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release regarding:

These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's historical performance and its plans, estimates and expectations as of February 3, 2022. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees that the future results, plans, intentions or expectations expressed or implied will be achieved. Matters subject to forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including economic, legislative, regulatory, competitive and other factors, which may cause actual financial or operating results, levels of activity or the timing of events to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include:

Except as required by law, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this earnings release, even if its estimates change, and you should not rely on statements contained herein as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Investor Relations - Chris Koegel, (617) 897-4574
Media Relations – Lauren Hoyt-Williams, (813) 351-9203
investor.lpl.com/contactus.cfm

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.Consolidated Statements of Income(5)(In thousands, except per share data)(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended Three Months Ended
December 31, September 30, December 31,
2021 2021 Change 2020 Change
REVENUE
Advisory$997,338 $959,733 4% $638,181 56%
Commission 612,837 610,384 % 503,020 22%
Asset-based 302,040 301,701 % 258,393 17%
Service and fee 110,385 105,079 5% 94,218 17%
Transaction 39,306 35,283 11% 35,532 11%
Interest income 7,780 7,365 6% 6,707 16%
Other 24,506 1,218 n/m 45,232 (46%)
Total revenue 2,094,192 2,020,763 4% 1,581,283 32%
EXPENSE
Advisory and commission 1,431,157 1,366,832 5% 1,029,739 39%
Compensation and benefits 209,630 185,980 13% 167,864 25%
Promotional 87,743 96,012 (9%) 48,342 82%
Occupancy and equipment 47,800 52,695 (9%) 41,903 14%
Depreciation and amortization 40,816 38,409 6% 28,650 42%
Interest expense on borrowings 27,121 27,063 % 24,979 9%
Amortization of other intangibles 20,373 21,531 (5%) 17,270 18%
Brokerage, clearing and exchange 20,372 22,828 (11%) 17,762 15%
Professional services 18,384 16,722 10% 16,541 11%
Communications and data processing 15,549 17,824 (13%) 14,656 6%
Other 38,688 36,888 5% 27,744 39%
Total expense 1,957,633 1,882,784 4% 1,435,450 36%
INCOME BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 136,559 137,979 (1%) 145,833 (6%)
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 28,478 34,915 (18%) 34,285 (17%)
NET INCOME$108,081 $103,064 5% $111,548 (3%)
EARNINGS PER SHARE
Earnings per share, basic$1.35 $1.29 5% $1.41 (4%)
Earnings per share, diluted$1.32 $1.26 5% $1.38 (4%)
Weighted-average shares outstanding, basic 80,064 80,182 % 79,353 1%
Weighted-average shares outstanding, diluted 81,744 81,849 % 80,904 1%

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.Consolidated Statements of Income(5)(In thousands, except per share data)(Unaudited)

Years Ended
December 31,
2021 2020 Change
REVENUE
Advisory$3,525,430 $2,327,519 51%
Commission 2,378,683 1,906,560 25%
Asset-based 1,148,067 1,044,517 10%
Service and fee 411,761 357,722 15%
Transaction 156,336 148,349 5%
Interest income 28,577 29,412 (3%)
Other 71,976 57,561 25%
Total revenue 7,720,830 5,871,640 31%
EXPENSE
Advisory and commission 5,180,090 3,697,147 40%
Compensation and benefits 741,003 609,257 22%
Promotional 302,285 208,250 45%
Occupancy and equipment 185,531 166,389 12%
Depreciation and amortization 151,428 109,732 38%
Interest expense on borrowings 104,414 105,765 (1%)
Brokerage, clearing and exchange 86,023 71,185 21%
Amortization of other intangibles 79,260 67,358 18%
Professional services 73,231 57,067 28%
Communications and data processing 60,296 52,399 15%
Loss on extinguishment of debt 24,400 100%
Other 131,540 101,018 30%
Total expense 7,119,501 5,245,567 36%
INCOME BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 601,329 626,073 (4%)
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 141,463 153,433 (8%)
NET INCOME$459,866 $472,640 (3%)
EARNINGS PER SHARE
Earnings per share, basic$5.75 $5.96 (4%)
Earnings per share, diluted$5.63 $5.86 (4%)
Weighted-average shares outstanding, basic 80,002 79,244 1%
Weighted-average shares outstanding, diluted 81,742 80,702 1%

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition(5)(In thousands, except share data)(Unaudited)

December 31, 2021 September 30, 2021 December 31, 2020
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents $495,246 $977,789 $808,612
Cash segregated under federal or other regulations 1,496,463 811,716 923,158
Restricted cash 80,655 85,381 67,264
Receivables from clients, net of allowance 578,889 592,170 405,106
Receivables from brokers, dealers and clearing organizations 102,503 96,761 97,245
Advisor loans, net 963,869 893,592 587,553
Other receivables, net 581,483 604,201 435,012
Investment securities ($39,274, $32,085, and $29,252 at fair value at December 31, 2021, September 30, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively) 49,192 43,268 42,487
Property and equipment, net 658,841 624,529 582,868
Goodwill 1,642,443 1,641,238 1,513,866
Other intangibles, net 455,028 470,989 397,486
Other assets 886,988 810,629 735,505
Total assets $7,991,600 $7,652,263 $6,596,162
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
LIABILITIES:
Client payables $1,712,224 $1,610,340 $1,534,486
Payables to brokers, dealers and clearing organizations 170,119 148,193 89,743
Accrued advisory and commission expenses payable 222,379 224,438 187,040
Corporate debt and other borrowings, net 2,814,044 2,725,691 2,345,414
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 384,025 356,792 309,159
Other liabilities 1,018,276 970,420 815,466
Total liabilities 6,321,067 6,035,874 5,281,308
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 600,000,000 shares authorized; 128,758,086, 128,602,814, and 127,585,764 shares issued at December 31, 2021, September 30, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively 129 128 127
Additional paid-in capital 1,841,402 1,826,247 1,762,770
Treasury stock, at cost — 48,768,145, 48,475,390, and 48,115,037 shares at December 31, 2021, September 30, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively (2,498,600) (2,447,933) (2,391,062)
Retained earnings 2,327,602 2,237,947 1,943,019
Total stockholders’ equity 1,670,533 1,616,389 1,314,854
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $7,991,600 $7,652,263 $6,596,162

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.Management's Statements of Operations(In thousands, except per share data)(Unaudited)

Certain information in this release is presented as reviewed by the Company’s management and includes information derived from the Company’s unaudited consolidated statements of income, non-GAAP financial measures, and operational and performance metrics. For information on non-GAAP financial measures, please see the section titled "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" in this release.

Quarterly Results
Q4 2021 Q3 2021 Change Q4 2020 Change
Gross Profit(6)
Advisory$997,338 $959,733 4% $638,181 56%
Sales-based commissions 248,382 239,804 4% 202,504 23%
Trailing commissions 364,455 370,580 (2%) 300,516 21%
Advisory fees and commissions 1,610,175 1,570,117 3% 1,141,201 41%
Production-based payout(7) (1,410,458) (1,368,348) 3% (987,882) 43%
Advisory fees and commissions, net of payout 199,717 201,769 (1%) 153,319 30%
Client cash 82,109 91,257 (10%) 105,019 (22%)
Other asset-based(8) 219,931 210,444 5% 153,374 43%
Service and fee 110,385 105,078 5% 94,218 17%
Transaction 39,306 35,284 11% 35,532 11%
Interest income and other, net(9) 11,587 10,099 15% 10,082 15%
Total net advisory fees and commissions and attachment revenue 663,035 653,931 1% 551,544 20%
Brokerage, clearing and exchange expense (20,372) (22,828) (11%) (17,762) 15%
Gross Profit(6) 642,663 631,103 2% 533,782 20%
G&A Expense
Core G&A(10) 299,401 270,865 11% 252,391 19%
Regulatory charges 8,442 5,976 41% 8,775 (4%)
Promotional (ongoing)(11) 86,071 83,630 3% 48,342 78%
Acquisition costs(11) 14,291 35,887 (60%) 100%
Employee share-based compensation 9,589 9,763 (2%) 7,542 27%
Total G&A 417,794 406,121 3% 317,050 32%
EBITDA(12) 224,869 224,982 % 216,732 4%
Depreciation and amortization 40,816 38,409 6% 28,650 42%
Amortization of other intangibles 20,373 21,531 (5%) 17,270 18%
Interest expense on borrowings 27,121 27,063 % 24,979 9%
INCOME BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 136,559 137,979 (1%) 145,833 (6%)
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 28,478 34,915 (18%) 34,285 (17%)
NET INCOME$108,081 $103,064 5% $111,548 (3%)
Earnings per share, diluted$1.32 $1.26 5% $1.38 (4%)
Weighted-average shares outstanding, diluted 81,744 81,849 % 80,904 1%
EPS prior to amortization of intangible assets and acquisition costs(13)$1.63 $1.77 (8%) $1.53 7%

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.Operating Metrics(Dollars in billions, except where noted)(Unaudited)

Q4 2021 Q3 2021 Change Q4 2020 Change
Market Drivers
S&P 500 Index (end of period) 4,766 4,308 11% 3,756 27%
Russell 2000 Index (end of period) 2,245 2,204 2% 1,975 14%
Fed Funds daily effective rate (average bps) 8 9 (1bps) 9 (1bps)
Advisory and Brokerage Assets
Advisory assets(14)$643.2 $594.0 8% $461.2 39%
Brokerage assets(15) 563.2 538.6 5% 441.9 27%
Total Advisory and Brokerage Assets$1,206.4 $1,132.6 7% $903.1 34%
Advisory as a % of Total Advisory and Brokerage Assets 53.3% 52.4% 90bps 51.1% 220bps
Assets by Platform
Corporate platform advisory assets(16)$429.6 $395.6 9% $291.9 47%
Hybrid platform advisory assets(17) 213.6 198.4 8% 169.3 26%
Brokerage assets 563.2 538.6 5% 441.9 27%
Total Advisory and Brokerage Assets$1,206.4 $1,132.6 7% $903.1 34%
Centrally Managed Assets
Centrally managed assets(18)$96.1 $88.6 8% $67.1 43%
Centrally Managed as a % of Total Advisory Assets 14.9% 14.9% —bps 14.6% 30bps

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.Operating Metrics(Dollars in billions, except where noted)(Unaudited)

Q4 2021 Q3 2021 Change Q4 2020 Change
Net New Assets (NNA)
Net new advisory assets(19)$24.2 $21.7 n/m $18.4 n/m
Net new brokerage assets(20) 2.0 7.3 n/m 3.4 n/m
Total Net New Assets$26.2 $29.0 n/m $21.8 n/m
Organic Net New Assets (NNA)(21)
Organic net new advisory assets$24.2 $21.1 n/m $15.9 n/m
Organic net new brokerage assets 2.0 5.6 n/m 1.9 n/m
Total Organic Net New Assets $26.2 $26.7 n/m $17.8 n/m
Net brokerage to advisory conversions(22)$3.4 $3.1 n/m $2.6 n/m
Organic advisory NNA annualized growth(23) 16.3% 15.6% n/m 15.6% n/m
Total organic NNA annualized growth(23) 9.2% 10.2% n/m 8.8% n/m
Net New Advisory Assets
Corporate platform net new advisory assets(24)$17.0 $15.2 n/m $15.0 n/m
Hybrid platform net new advisory assets(25) 7.2 6.5 n/m 3.3 n/m
Total Net New Advisory Assets$24.2 $21.7 n/m $18.4 n/m
Centrally managed net new advisory assets(26)$4.4 $3.9 n/m $2.5 n/m
Client Cash Balances
Insured cash account balances$30.0 $30.5 (2%) $37.3 (20%)
Deposit cash account balances 9.3 8.6 8% 8.2 13%
Total Bank Sweep Balances 39.3 39.0 1% 45.5 (14%)
Money market account cash balances 16.1 9.9 63% 1.5 n/m
Purchased money market funds 1.9 1.8 6% 1.9 —%
Total Money Market Balances 18.0 11.7 54% 3.3 n/m
Total Client Cash Balances$57.3 $50.7 13% $48.9 17%
Client Cash Balances as a % of Total Assets 4.7% 4.5% 20bps 5.4% (70bps)
Client Cash Balance Average Fees(27)
Insured cash account average fee - bps 101 101 108 (7)
Deposit cash account average fee - bps 19 24 (5) 30 (11)
Money market account average fee - bps 3 3 5 (2)
Purchased money market fund average fee - bps 6 7 (1) 13 (7)
Total Client Cash Balance Average Fee - bps 62 74 (12) 87 (25)
Net buy (sell) activity(28)$16.0 $17.6 n/m $12.2 n/m

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.Monthly Metrics(Dollars in billions, except where noted)(Unaudited)

December 2021 November 2021 Nov to December Change October 2021 September 2021
Advisory and Brokerage Assets
Advisory assets(14) $643.2 $620.1 4% $623.3 $594.0
Brokerage assets(15) 563.2 550.7 2% 557.2 538.6
Total Advisory and Brokerage Assets $1,206.4 $1,170.8 3% $1,180.5 $1,132.6
Net New Assets (NNA)
Net new advisory assets(19) $10.5 $7.1 n/m $6.6 $9.6
Net new brokerage assets(20) 1.6 (0.3) n/m 0.7 1.8
Total Net New Assets $12.1 $6.9 n/m $7.2 $11.4
Net brokerage to advisory conversions(22) $1.1 $1.2 n/m $1.1 $1.1
Organic Net New Assets (NNA)(21)
Net new advisory assets(19) $10.5 $7.1 n/m $6.6 $9.0
Net new brokerage assets(20) 1.6 (0.3) n/m 0.7 0.1
Total Organic Net New Assets $12.1 $6.9 n/m $7.2 $9.1
Client Cash Balances
Insured cash account balances $30.0 $29.9 —% $29.3 $30.5
Deposit cash account balances 9.3 8.5 9% 8.5 8.6
Total Bank Sweep Balances 39.3 38.4 2% 37.8 39.0
Money market account cash balances 16.1 11.6 39% 11.3 9.9
Purchased money market funds 1.9 1.9 —% 1.8 1.8
Total Money Market Balances 18.0 13.5 33% 13.1 11.7
Total Client Cash Balances $57.3 $51.9 10% $50.9 $50.7
Net buy (sell) activity(28) $4.7 $5.5 n/m $5.8 $5.5
Market Indices
S&P 500 index (end of period) 4,766 4,567 4% 4,605 4,308
Russell 2000 Index (end of period) 2,245 2,199 2% 2,297 2,204
Fed funds effective rate (average bps) 8 8 —bps 8 8

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.Financial Measures(Dollars in thousands, except where noted)(Unaudited)

Q4 2021 Q3 2021 Change Q4 2020 Change
Commission Revenue by Product
Annuities$310,889 $314,134 (1%) $262,235 19%
Mutual funds 198,210 201,120 (1%) 153,330 29%
Fixed income 29,427 30,092 (2%) 24,395 21%
Equities 33,604 28,943 16% 31,231 8%
Other 40,707 36,095 13% 31,829 28%
Total commission revenue$612,837 $610,384 —% $503,020 22%
Commission Revenue by Sales-based and Trailing
Sales-based commissions
Annuities$108,023 $108,983 (1%) $89,125 21%
Mutual funds 46,986 46,934 —% 36,715 28%
Fixed income 29,427 30,092 (2%) 24,395 21%
Equities 33,604 28,943 16% 31,231 8%
Other 30,342 24,852 22% 21,038 44%
Total sales-based commissions$248,382 $239,804 4% $202,504 23%
Trailing commissions
Annuities$202,866 $205,151 (1%) $173,110 17%
Mutual funds 151,224 154,186 (2%) 116,615 30%
Other 10,365 11,243 (8%) 10,791 (4%)
Total trailing commissions$364,455 $370,580 (2%) $300,516 21%
Total commission revenue$612,837 $610,384 —% $503,020 22%
Payout Rate(7) 87.60% 87.15% 45bps 86.57% 103bps

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.Capital Management Measures(Dollars in thousands, except where noted)(Unaudited)

Q4 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2020
Corporate Cash(3)
Cash at Parent$202,407 $181,061 $201,385
Excess cash at LPL Financial LLC per Credit Agreement 15,903 62,637 67,574
Other available cash 18,677 21,953 10,960
Total Corporate Cash$236,987 $265,651 $279,919
Leverage Ratio
Total debt$2,838,600 $2,751,275 $2,359,300
Total corporate cash 236,987 265,651 279,919
Credit Agreement Net Debt$2,601,613 $2,485,624 $2,079,381
Credit Agreement EBITDA (trailing twelve months)(29)$1,150,691 $1,141,569 $961,225
Leverage Ratio2.26 x 2.18 x 2.16 x

December 31, 2021
Total Debt Balance Current Applicable Margin Yield At Issuance Interest Rate Maturity
Revolving Credit Facility(a)(b) $55,000 ABR+25bps 3.500% 3/15/2026
Broker-Dealer Revolving Credit Facility(c) FFR+125bps % 7/31/2024
Senior Secured Term Loan B 1,048,600 LIBOR+175 bps(d) 1.849% 11/12/2026
Senior Unsecured Notes(e) 400,000 4.625% Fixed 4.625% 4.625% 11/15/2027
Senior Unsecured Notes(f) 900,000 4.000% Fixed 4.000% 4.000% 3/15/2029
Senior Unsecured Notes(g) 400,000 4.375% Fixed 4.375% 4.375% 5/15/2031
Unsecured, Uncommitted Lines of Credit(h)(b) 35,000 Broker Base Rate+75bps 1.000% 9/30/2022
Total / Weighted Average $2,838,600 3.300%

(a) Secured borrowing capacity of $1 billion at LPL Holdings, Inc. (the "Parent").(b) Outstanding balances were repaid during January 2022.(c) Unsecured borrowing capacity of $300 million at LPL Financial LLC ("LPL Financial").(d) The LIBOR rate option is one-month LIBOR rate and subject to an interest rate floor of 0 basis points.(e) The Senior Unsecured Notes were issued in November 2019 at par.(f) The Senior Unsecured Notes were issued in March 2021 at par.(g) The Senior Unsecured Notes were issued in May 2021 at par.(h) This unsecured, uncommitted line of credit has borrowing capacity of $75 million at LPL Financial.

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.Key Business and Financial Metrics(Dollars in thousands, except where noted)(Unaudited)

Q4 2021 Q3 2021 Change Q4 2020 Change
Advisors
Advisors 19,876 19,627 1% 17,287 15%
Net new advisors 249 513 n/m 119 n/m
Annualized advisory fees and commissions per advisor(30)$326 $324 1% $265 23%
Average total assets per advisor ($ in millions)(31)$60.7 $57.7 5% $52.2 16%
Transition assistance loan amortization ($ in millions)(32)$39.6 $38.4 3% $29.7 33%
Total client accounts (in millions) 7.2 7.1 1% 6.0 20%
Employees - period end 5,919 5,457 8% 4,756 24%
Productivity Metrics
Business Solutions subscriptions(33) 3,022 2,598 16% 1,410 114%
Advisory revenues as a % of corporate advisory assets(34) 1.00% 1.00% —bps 1.02% (2bps)
Gross profit ROA(35)22.7 bps 23.5 bps (0.8bps) 26.8 bps (4.1bps)
OPEX as a % of advisory and brokerage assets(36)15.3 bps 15.5 bps (0.2bps) 17.5 bps (2.2bps)
EBIT ROA(37)7.4 bps 8.0 bps (0.6bps) 9.3 bps (1.9bps)
AUM retention rate (quarterly annualized)(38) 98.3% 97.8% 50bps 97.7% 60bps
Recurring gross profit rate(39) 85.2% 84.4% 80bps 84.8% 40bps
EBITDA as a % of gross profit 35.0% 35.6% (60bps) 40.6% (560bps)
Capital expenditure ($ in millions)(40)$76.0 $54.9 38% $43.6 74%
Share repurchases ($ in millions)$50.0 $40.0 25% $ 100%
Dividends ($ in millions) 20.0 20.1 —% 19.8 1%
Total Capital Returned ($ in millions)$70.0 $60.1 16% $19.8 254%
Weighted-average share count, diluted 81.7 81.8 —% 80.9 1%
Total Capital Returned per Share(41)$0.86 $0.73 18% $0.25 244%

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Management believes that presenting certain non-GAAP financial measures by excluding or including certain items can be helpful to investors and analysts who may wish to use this information to analyze the Company’s current performance, prospects and valuation. Management uses this non-GAAP information internally to evaluate operating performance and in formulating the budget for future periods. Management believes that the non-GAAP financial measures and metrics discussed below are appropriate for evaluating the performance of the Company.

EPS prior to amortization of intangible assets and acquisition costs and Adjusted net income

EPS prior to amortization of intangible assets and acquisition costs is defined as adjusted net income, a non-GAAP measure defined as net income plus the after-tax impact of amortization of other intangibles and acquisition costs, divided by the weighted average number of diluted shares outstanding for the applicable period. The Company presents adjusted net income and EPS prior to amortization of intangible assets and acquisition costs because management believes that these metrics can provide investors with useful insight into the Company’s core operating performance by excluding non-cash items and acquisition costs that management does not believe impact the Company’s ongoing operations. Adjusted net income and EPS prior to amortization of intangible assets and acquisition costs are not measures of the Company's financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income, earnings per diluted share or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP. For a reconciliation of net income and earnings per diluted share to adjusted net income and EPS prior to amortization of intangible assets and acquisition costs, please see the endnote disclosures in this release.

Gross profit

Gross profit is calculated as total revenue less advisory and commission expense and brokerage, clearing and exchange expense. All other expense categories, including depreciation and amortization of property and equipment and amortization of other intangibles, are considered general and administrative in nature. Because the Company’s gross profit amounts do not include any depreciation and amortization expense, the Company considers gross profit to be a non-GAAP financial measure that may not be comparable to similar measures used by others in its industry. Management believes that gross profit can provide investors with useful insight into the Company’s core operating performance before indirect costs that are general and administrative in nature. For a calculation of gross profit, please see the endnote disclosures in this release.

Core G&A

Core G&A consists of total expense less the following expenses: advisory and commission; depreciation and amortization; amortization of other intangibles; brokerage, clearing and exchange; interest expense on borrowings; loss on extinguishment of debt; promotional; acquisition costs; employee share-based compensation; and regulatory charges. Management presents core G&A because it believes core G&A reflects the corporate expense categories over which management can generally exercise a measure of control, compared with expense items over which management either cannot exercise control, such as advisory and commission, or which management views as promotional expense necessary to support advisor growth and retention, including conferences and transition assistance. Core G&A is not a measure of the Company’s total expense as calculated in accordance with GAAP. For a reconciliation of core G&A to the Company’s total expense, please see the endnote disclosures of this release. The Company does not provide an outlook for its total expense because it contains expense components, such as advisory and commission, that are market-driven and over which the Company cannot exercise control. Accordingly a reconciliation of the Company’s outlook for core G&A to an outlook for total expenses cannot be made available without unreasonable effort.

EBITDA

EBITDA is defined as net income plus interest expense on borrowings, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and amortization of other intangibles. The Company presents EBITDA because management believes that it can be a useful financial metric in understanding the Company’s earnings from operations. EBITDA is not a measure of the Company's financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP. For a reconciliation of EBITDA to net income, please see the endnote disclosures of this release.

Credit Agreement EBITDA

Credit Agreement EBITDA is defined in, and calculated by management in accordance with, the Company's credit agreement (“Credit Agreement”) as “Consolidated EBITDA,” which is consolidated net income (as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus interest expense on borrowings, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and amortization of other intangibles, and is further adjusted to exclude certain non-cash charges and other adjustments, including unusual or non-recurring charges and gains, and to include future expected cost savings, operating expense reductions or other synergies from certain transactions. The Company presents Credit Agreement EBITDA because management believes that it can be a useful financial metric in understanding the Company’s debt capacity and covenant compliance under its Credit Agreement. Credit Agreement EBITDA is not a measure of the Company's financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP. For a reconciliation of Credit Agreement EBITDA to net income, please see the endnote disclosures of this release.

Endnote Disclosures

(1) Represents the estimated total advisory and brokerage assets expected to transition to the Company's broker-dealer subsidiary, LPL Financial, associated with advisors who transferred their licenses to LPL Financial during the period. The estimate is based on prior business reported by the advisors, which has not been independently and fully verified by LPL Financial. The actual transition of assets to LPL Financial generally occurs over several quarters, including the initial quarter of the transition, and the actual amount transitioned may vary from the estimate.

(2) The terms “Financial Advisors” and “Advisors” refer to registered representatives and/or investment advisor representatives affiliated with LPL Financial, an SEC registered broker-dealer and investment adviser.

(3) We define corporate cash as the sum of cash and equivalents from the following: (1) cash held at the Parent, (2) excess cash at LPL Financial per the Credit Agreement, which is the net capital held at LPL Financial in excess of 10% of its aggregate debits, or five times the net capital required in accordance with Exchange Act Rule 15c3-1, and (3) other available cash, which includes cash and equivalents held at The Private Trust Company, N.A. in excess of Credit Agreement capital requirements, and cash and equivalents held at non-regulated subsidiaries.

(4) Compliance with the Leverage Ratio is only required under our revolving credit facility.

(5) Certain financial statement line items in the consolidated statements of income and the consolidated statements of financial condition have been reclassified to better align with industry practice and the Company's business. Prior periods have been reclassified to conform to current presentation; however, these reclassifications did not impact total assets, total liabilities, or total net income. In addition, during the fourth quarter of 2021, the Company recognized an asset and related liability for fractional shares held in customer accounts and updated the presentation of prior periods to reflect this activity as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. Refer to the Company's 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which will be filed later this month for further details.

(6) Gross profit is a non-GAAP financial measure. Please see a description of gross profit under the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this release for additional information. Below is a calculation of gross profit for the periods presented (in thousands):

Q4 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2020
Total revenue$2,094,192 $2,020,763 $1,581,283
Advisory and commission expense 1,431,157 1,366,832 1,029,739
Brokerage, clearing and exchange expense 20,372 22,828 17,762
Gross profit(+)$642,663 $631,103 $533,782

Below is a calculation of annual gross profit for the years presented (in thousands):

Years Ended December 31,
2021 2020
Total revenue$7,720,830 $5,871,640
Advisory and commission expense 5,180,090 3,697,147
Brokerage, clearing and exchange expense 86,023 71,185
Gross Profit(+)$2,454,717 $2,103,308

____________________

(+) Balances may not foot due to rounding.

(7) Production-based payout is an operating measure calculated as advisory and commission expense less advisor deferred compensation expense. The payout rate is calculated by dividing the production-based payout by total advisory and commission revenue. Below is a reconciliation of production-based payout to the Company’s advisory and commission expense and a calculation of the payout rate for the periods presented (in thousands except payout rate):

Q4 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2020
Production-based payout$1,410,458 $1,368,348 $987,882
Advisor deferred compensation expense 20,699 (1,516) 41,857
Advisory and commission expense$1,431,157 $1,366,832 $1,029,739
Advisory and commission revenue$1,610,175 $1,570,117 $1,141,201
Payout rate 87.60% 87.15% 86.57%

(8) Consists of revenues from the Company's sponsorship programs with financial product manufacturers and omnibus processing and networking services, but does not include fees from client cash programs. Other asset-based revenues are a component of asset-based revenues and are derived from the Company's unaudited consolidated statements of income.

(9) Interest income and other, net is an operating measure calculated as interest income plus other revenue, less advisor deferred compensation expense. Below is a reconciliation of interest income and other, net to the Company’s interest income and other revenue for the periods presented (in thousands):

Q4 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2020
Interest income$7,780 $7,365 $6,707
Plus: Other revenue 24,506 1,218 45,232
(Less) Plus: Advisor deferred compensation expense (20,699) 1,516 (41,857)
Interest income and other, net $11,587 $10,099 $10,082

(10) Core G&A is a non-GAAP financial measure. Please see a description of core G&A under the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section of this release for additional information. Below is a reconciliation of core G&A to the Company’s total expense for the periods presented (in thousands):

Q4 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2020
Core G&A Reconciliation
Total expense$1,957,633 $1,882,784 $1,435,450
Advisory and commission 1,431,157 1,366,832 1,029,739
Depreciation and amortization 40,816 38,409 28,650
Amortization of other intangibles 20,373 21,531 17,270
Brokerage, clearing and exchange 20,372 22,828 17,762
Interest expense on borrowings 27,121 27,063 24,979
Total G&A 417,794 406,121 317,050
Promotional (ongoing)(11) 86,071 83,630 48,342
Acquisition costs(11) 14,291 35,887
Employee share-based compensation 9,589 9,763 7,542
Regulatory charges 8,442 5,976 8,775
Core G&A$299,401 $270,865 $252,391

Below is a reconciliation of Core G&A against the Company’s total expense for the years presented (in thousands):

Years Ended December 31,
Core G&A Reconciliation 2021 2020
Total expense$7,119,501 $5,245,567
Advisory and commission 5,180,090 3,697,147
Depreciation and amortization 151,428 109,732
Interest expense on borrowings 104,414 105,765
Brokerage, clearing and exchange 86,023 71,185
Amortization of other intangibles 79,260 67,358
Loss on extinguishment of debt 24,400
Total G&A 1,493,886 1,194,380
Promotional (ongoing)(11) 288,016 208,250
Acquisition costs(11) 76,388
Employee share-based compensation 41,844 31,650
Regulatory charges 29,430 29,373
Core G&A$1,058,208 $925,107

(11) Acquisition costs incurred include the costs to setup, onboard and integrate acquired entities. Acquisition costs incurred during the fourth quarter of 2021 are driven primarily by $6.0 million of compensation and benefits expense, $6.0 million of professional services expense, and $1.7 million of promotional expense. Acquisition costs incurred during 2021 are driven primarily by $36.4 million of compensation and benefits expense, $18.7 million of professional services expense, $14.3 million of promotional expense, and other expenses that are included in the respective line items in the unaudited consolidated statements of income.

(12) EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. Please see a description of EBITDA under the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this release for additional information. Below is a reconciliation of EBITDA to the Company's net income for the periods presented (in thousands):

Q4 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2020
EBITDA Reconciliation
Net income$108,081 $103,064 $111,548
Interest expense on borrowings 27,121 27,063 24,979
Provision for income taxes 28,478 34,915 34,285
Depreciation and amortization 40,816 38,409 28,650
Amortization of other intangibles 20,373 21,531 17,270
EBITDA$224,869 $224,982 $216,732

(13) Adjusted net income and EPS prior to amortization of intangible assets and acquisition costs are non-GAAP financial measures. Please see a description of adjusted net income and EPS prior to amortization of intangible assets and acquisition costs under the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section of this release for additional information. Below is a reconciliation net income and earnings per diluted share to adjusted net income and EPS prior to amortization of intangible assets and acquisition costs (in thousands, except per share data):

Q4 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2020
AmountPer Share AmountPer Share AmountPer Share
Net income / earnings per diluted share$108,081 $1.32 $103,064 $1.26 $111,548 $1.38
Amortization of other intangibles 20,373 0.25 21,531 0.26 17,270 0.21
Acquisition costs 14,291 0.17 35,887 0.44
Tax benefit (9,217) (0.11) (15,399) (0.19) (4,836) (0.06)
Adjusted net income / EPS prior to amortization of intangible assets and acquisition costs$133,528 $1.63 $145,083 1.77 $123,982 $1.53
Diluted share count 81,744 81,849 80,904

Below is a reconciliation of net income and earnings per diluted share to adjusted net income and EPS prior to amortization of intangible assets and acquisition costs for the years presented (in thousands, except per share data):

Years Ended December 31,
2021 2020
AmountPer Share AmountPer Share
Net income / earnings per diluted share$459,866 $5.63 $472,640 $5.86
Amortization of other intangibles 79,260 0.97 67,358 0.83
Acquisition costs 76,388 0.93
Tax benefit (41,387) (0.51) (18,860) (0.23)
Adjusted net income / EPS prior to amortization of intangible assets and acquisition costs$574,127 $7.02 $521,138 $6.46
Diluted share count 81,742 80,702

(14) Consists of total advisory assets under custody at LPL Financial and Waddell & Reed, LLC.

(15) Consists of brokerage assets serviced by advisors licensed with LPL Financial.

(16) Consists of total assets on LPL Financial's corporate advisory platform serviced by investment advisor representatives of LPL Financial or Allen & Company of Florida, LLC.

(17) Consists of total assets on LPL Financial's independent advisory platform serviced by investment advisor representatives of separate registered investment advisor firms rather than of LPL Financial.

(18) Represents those advisory assets in LPL Financial’s Model Wealth Portfolios, Optimum Market Portfolios, Personal Wealth Portfolios and Guided Wealth Portfolios platforms.

(19) Consists of total client deposits into advisory accounts, including advisory assets serviced by former BMO Harris Financial advisors, Lucia Securities, LLC ("Lucia") advisors and E.K. Riley Investments, LLC ("E.K. Riley") advisors, less total client withdrawals from advisory accounts, plus dividends, plus interest, minus advisory fees. The Company considers conversions from and to brokerage accounts as deposits and withdrawals, respectively.

(20) Consists of total client deposits into brokerage accounts, less total client withdrawals from brokerage accounts, plus dividends, plus interest. The Company considers conversions from and to advisory accounts as deposits and withdrawals, respectively.

(21) Consists of net new assets excluding the integration of the Waddell & Reed wealth management business during the third quarter of 2021 and the acquisitions of Lucia and E.K. Riley during the fourth quarter of 2020. The acquisition of Lucia resulted in net new assets of $1.5 billion in October 2020 while the acquisition of E.K. Riley resulted in net new assets of $2.5 billion in November 2020.

(22) Consists of existing custodied assets that converted from brokerage to advisory, less existing custodied assets that converted from advisory to brokerage.

(23) Calculated as annualized current period organic net new assets divided by preceding period assets in their respective categories of advisory assets or total advisory and brokerage assets.

(24) Consists of total client deposits into advisory accounts on LPL Financial's corporate advisory platform less total client withdrawals from advisory accounts on its corporate advisory platform, plus dividends, plus interest, minus advisory fees.

(25) Consists of total client deposits into advisory accounts on LPL Financial's independent advisory platform less total client withdrawals from advisory accounts on its independent advisory platform, plus dividends, plus interest, minus advisory fees.

(26) Consists of total client deposits into centrally managed assets accounts less total client withdrawals from centrally managed assets accounts, plus dividends, plus interest, minus advisory fees.

(27) Calculated by dividing revenue for the period by the average balance during the period.

(28) Represents the amount of securities purchased less the amount of securities sold in client accounts custodied with LPL Financial. Reported activity does not include any other cash activity, such as deposits, withdrawals, dividends received or fees paid.

(29) EBITDA and Credit Agreement EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures. Please see a description of EBITDA and Credit Agreement EBITDA under the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section of this release for additional information. Under the Credit Agreement, management calculates Credit Agreement EBITDA for a trailing twelve month period at the end of each fiscal quarter, and in doing so may make further adjustments to prior quarters. Below are reconciliations of EBITDA and Credit Agreement EBITDA to net income for the periods presented (in thousands):

Q4 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2020
EBITDA and Credit Agreement EBITDA Reconciliations
Net income$459,866 $463,333 $472,640
Interest expense on borrowings 104,414 102,272 105,765
Provision for income taxes 141,463 147,270 153,433
Depreciation and amortization 151,428 139,262 109,732
Amortization of other intangibles 79,260 76,157 67,358
EBITDA$936,431 $928,294 $908,928
Credit Agreement Adjustments:
Employee share-based compensation expense$41,844 $39,797 $31,650
Advisor share-based compensation expense 2,324 2,316 2,321
M&A accretion 53,550 65,379
Loss on extinguishment of debt 24,400 24,400
Acquisition costs and other 92,142 81,383 18,326
Credit Agreement EBITDA (trailing twelve months)$1,150,691 $1,141,569 $961,225

(30) Calculated based on the average advisor count from the current period and prior period.

(31) Calculated based on the end-of-period total advisory and brokerage assets divided by end-of-period advisor count.

(32) Represents amortization expense on forgivable loans for transition assistance to advisors and financial institutions.

(33) Refers to active and contracted subscriptions related to Professional Services (Admin, Marketing and CFO Solutions) and Business Optimizers (Assurance Plan, Remote Office and M&A Solutions).

(34) Represents advisory revenues as a percentage of Corporate Platform Advisory Assets for the trailing twelve-month period.

(35) Represents gross profit, a non-GAAP financial measure, for the trailing twelve month period, divided by average month-end total advisory and brokerage assets for the trailing twelve month period.

(36) Represents operating expenses for the trailing twelve month period, excluding production-related expense, divided by average month-end total advisory and brokerage assets for the trailing twelve month period. Production-related expense includes advisory and commission expense and brokerage, clearing and exchange expense. For purposes of this metric, operating expenses include core G&A, a non-GAAP financial measure, as well as regulatory charges, promotional, employee share-based compensation, depreciation and amortization, and amortization of other intangibles.

(37) EBIT ROA is calculated as gross profit ROA less OPEX as a percentage of advisory and brokerage assets.

(38) Reflects retention of total advisory and brokerage assets, calculated by deducting quarterly annualized attrition from total advisory and brokerage assets, over the prior-quarter total advisory and brokerage assets.

(39) Recurring gross profit rate refers to the percentage of the Company’s gross profit, a non-GAAP financial measure, that was recurring for the trailing twelve month period. Management tracks recurring gross profit, a characterization of gross profit and a statistical measure, which is defined to include the Company’s revenues from asset-based fees, advisory fees, trailing commissions, client cash programs and certain other fees that are based upon client accounts and advisors, less the expenses associated with such revenues and certain other recurring expenses not specifically associated with a revenue line. Management allocates such other recurring expenses on a pro-rata basis against specific revenue lines at its discretion.

(40) Capital expenditures represent cash payments for property and equipment during the period.

(41) Total capital returned per share equals the amount of capital allocated for share repurchases and cash dividends divided by the diluted weighted-average shares outstanding.

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Source: LPL Financial Holdings, Inc.

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