Jefferies Financial Group
Jefferies Financial Group (NYSE: JEF) is a publicly traded, full-service global investment bank founded in 1968, serving corporates, sponsors, and institutional clients through Investment Banking, Capital Markets, and Asset Management, with SMBC as a ~10.9% strategic shareholder.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Jefferies Financial Group does
Jefferies Financial Group (NYSE: JEF) is a U.S.-headquartered, full-service investment banking and capital markets firm founded in 1968 as a small equities trading firm and now operating as a publicly listed global franchise. The firm operates through three primary revenue engines: Investment Banking (advisory and underwriting), Capital Markets (equities and fixed income market-making, sales, and trading), and Asset Management. In Q2 2026, Investment Banking generated a record $1.21B (+57% YoY) and Capital Markets produced $799M (+14% YoY), driving total net revenues of $2.21B (+35% YoY) and net earnings of $226M (+157% YoY). The Asset Management segment, however, saw revenues decline 35% YoY due to private credit losses, prompting the announced 50% acquisition of Hildene (expected Q3 2026 close) to bolster that franchise.
Jefferies serves a diversified client base of large corporates, financial sponsors, institutional investors, hedge funds, and high-net-worth individuals, with deal activity spanning Aerospace, Biotech, Telecom, Healthcare, Financial Services, and other sectors. The firm is differentiated from bulge-bracket banks by its independent, employee-partner-oriented culture under long-tenured leadership (CEO Richard Handler, President Brian Friedman, Chairman Joseph Steinberg) and from boutiques by its global scale and balance-sheet capacity, demonstrated by ~$5.1B of cumulative senior notes issuance across 2023–2026. Strategic shareholder SMBC/SMFG holds approximately 10.9% of the company, with Japan Equities merged into SMBC Nikko Securities, and ongoing capital injections (e.g., 6.4M shares for ~$310M in May 2026) reinforcing the cross-border alliance.
The firm is currently navigating several material legal and regulatory matters (First Brands Group, water bond fraud, Western Alliance) that create headline and earnings volatility risks. The combination of record investment banking momentum, an active capital markets franchise, and a strategic Asian partnership positions Jefferies for above-market growth, while the asset management turnaround (via Hildene) and resolution of litigation overhangs represent the principal swing factors for forward valuation.
Jefferies Financial Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Jefferies Financial Group
- Legal name
- Jefferies Financial Group Inc.
- Website
- https://jefferies.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Jefferies Financial Group (NYSE: JEF) is a publicly traded, full-service global investment bank founded in 1968, serving corporates, sponsors, and institutional clients through Investment Banking, Capital Markets, and Asset Management, with SMBC as a ~10.9% strategic shareholder.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Jefferies Financial Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Investment Banking and Capital Markets
- NAICS
- Investment Banking and Securities Intermediation (52315), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)
- SIC
- Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211), Asset-Backed Securities (6189), Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Capital Markets Advisory (IPO Readiness, SPAC, ECM/DCM Advisory) (BPAHAOAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory (BPAHADAB), Corporate Finance Advisory (Strategic Finance, Capital Structure & Recaps) (FSAEAGAE)
Keywords
Where Jefferies Financial Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Jefferies Financial Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Investment Banking: Advisory, underwriting, and capital markets services including M&A advisory, equity underwriting, and debt capital markets. Q2 2026 investment banking net revenues reached a quarterly record of $1.21 billion, up 57% year-over-year, driven by market share gains in advisory and equity underwriting.
- Capital Markets: Equities trading and fixed income trading revenues. Capital markets net revenues of $799 million in Q2 2026, up 14% year-over-year.
- Wealth Management: Wealth management services for high-net-worth individuals and family offices.
- Alternative Asset Management: Asset management through Leucadia Alternatives, managing alternative investment strategies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Investment Banking Services - Transaction-based pricing |
| Subscription | Annual | Wealth Management - AUM-based fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Jefferies Financial Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Jefferies Financial Group is a global full-service investment banking and capital markets firm that delivers advisory, equity and debt underwriting, M&A advisory, equities and fixed income trading and sales, prime brokerage, global research, alternative asset management, and wealth management services to corporate, institutional, government, and high-net-worth clients. The firm complements its core advisory and trading franchises with proprietary technology platforms such as JFIN Prime, JEFCross, and client-facing research and prime brokerage portals.
Product overview
Jefferies Financial Group is a leading pure-play investment banking and capital markets firm offering an integrated platform of products and services. The core offerings include Investment Banking (advisory and capital markets), Global Research & Strategy, Equities (with prime brokerage and algorithmic trading), Fixed Income, Alternative Asset Management, and Wealth Management. The firm also operates proprietary technology platforms including JFIN Prime (a hedge fund data and analytics platform), JEFCross (dark pool trading), and client-facing portals (JEFContent Portal, JPrime, Jefferies Access, and Wealth Management). The architecture is a unified platform-plus-modules model where the core investment banking services are supplemented by technology-enabled trading, research, and wealth management modules accessible through dedicated client portals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Leucadia Asset Management: Alternative asset management division of Jefferies
- JFIN Prime
- Jefferies Global Markets
Products and services
- Investment Banking Full-service investment banking advisory including M&A advisory, equity underwriting, debt capital markets, and restructuring for corporate clients globally.
- Global Research & Strategy Equity research, fixed income research, and strategic analysis across sectors and geographic regions, delivered to clients through the JEFContent Portal.
- Equities Equity trading, sales, distribution, prime brokerage, outsourced trading, and global algorithmic execution services for institutional clients.
- Fixed Income Fixed income trading, sales, and research across government, corporate, and structured credit markets for institutional clients.
- Alternative Asset Management Alternative investment management via Leucadia Asset Management, offering various alternative investment strategies and offerings.
- Wealth Management Wealth management services for high-net-worth individuals and families including portfolio management, wealth planning, and dedicated advisors.
- JFIN Prime Data and analytics platform that helps hedge funds consolidate portfolio visibility, financing details, and risk assessment within a single interface.
- Prime Brokerage Comprehensive prime brokerage services including financing, securities lending, execution, clearance, settlement, and risk management for hedge funds.
- JEFCross Dark pool (Alternative Liquidity Pool) operated by Jefferies Japan Company Limited for electronic trading and execution in Japan.
Quantifiable outcome
- Q2 2026 investment banking revenues of $1.21 billion - quarterly record, up 57% year-over-year
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Jefferies Financial Group
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Jefferies Financial Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Jefferies Financial Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)coreSMBC increased its stake in Jefferies Financial Group to 10.9%, more than doubling its previous holdings. The alliance is focused on M&A, ECM, and financing activities, leveraging SMBC's balance sheet and client network to enhance global deal-making capabilities. SMBC holds a director position on Jefferies' board via Deputy President Mr. Hyakutome.
- SMBC Nikko SecuritiescoreIn preparation for operational merger of Japan Equities business with SMBC Nikko Securities, Jefferies (Japan) Limited Tokyo Branch is transferring its Japan Equities business to Jefferies Japan Company Limited to integrate with SMBC Nikko's operations.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Jefferies Financial Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cantor Fitzgerald: Privately-held global investment bank focused on institutional securities, investment banking, and alternative asset management (including SPAC franchises). Closely comparable mid-market IB and capital markets model.
- Moelis & Company: Global independent investment bank with M&A advisory and capital markets capabilities. Directly comparable pure-play advisory model competing for similar mid-to-large cap mandates.
- Lazard: Pure-play financial advisory and asset management firm; closest direct peer given its mid-to-large cap advisory focus and lean balance sheet model. Both compete head-to-head in M&A advisory and ECM.
- Houlihan Lokey: International investment bank focused on M&A, capital markets, financial restructuring, and valuation. Direct peer in mid-market advisory with overlapping sector coverage.
- Piper Sandler: Middle-market focused investment bank with capital markets, advisory, and equity research franchises. Comparable mid-cap IB and ECM franchise, though with stronger healthcare sector specialization.
- Evercore: Independent investment banking advisory firm focused on M&A, restructuring, and capital markets advisory. Closely comparable pure-play advisory model without a large balance sheet.
Broad incumbents
- Goldman Sachs: Largest bulge-bracket investment bank with full-service IB, capital markets, and asset management. Overlaps with Jefferies across advisory, underwriting, equities, and fixed income, but operates at materially larger scale with a stronger balance sheet.
- Stifel Financial: Diversified brokerage and investment bank with institutional securities, wealth management, and investment banking. Comparable breadth across IB, capital markets, and wealth but with stronger retail brokerage franchise.
- Raymond James Financial: Diversified financial services firm with investment banking, capital markets, asset management, and wealth management. Overlaps with Jefferies across multiple product lines including private client group and IB.
- Morgan Stanley: Global investment bank and wealth manager with strong IB, equities, and wealth franchises. Directly comparable business mix to Jefferies across institutional securities and wealth management.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Jefferies Financial Group social profiles
Digital presenceJefferies Financial Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Jefferies Financial Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Jefferies Financial Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries11 records
Jefferies Financial Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Jefferies Financial Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A5 records
Investments32 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Jefferies Financial Group
What does Jefferies Financial Group do?
Jefferies Financial Group is a global full-service investment banking and capital markets firm that delivers advisory, equity and debt underwriting, M&A advisory, equities and fixed income trading and sales, prime brokerage, global research, alternative asset management, and wealth management services to corporate, institutional, government, and high-net-worth clients. The firm complements its core advisory and trading franchises with proprietary technology platforms such as JFIN Prime, JEFCross, and client-facing research and prime brokerage portals.
Is Jefferies Financial Group a public or private company?
Jefferies Financial Group is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Jefferies Financial Group founded?
Jefferies Financial Group was founded in 1968. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Jefferies Financial Group based?
Jefferies Financial Group is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Jefferies Financial Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Investment Banking is the primary driver. The others are capital Markets, wealth Management and alternative Asset Management.
Who are Jefferies Financial Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cantor Fitzgerald, Moelis & Company, Lazard, Houlihan Lokey, Piper Sandler and Evercore. Broad incumbents are Goldman Sachs, Stifel Financial, Raymond James Financial and Morgan Stanley.
Does Jefferies Financial Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Jefferies Financial Group.
What industry is Jefferies Financial Group in?
Jefferies Financial Group's product category is Investment Banking and Capital Markets. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAOAL, Capital Markets Advisory (IPO Readiness, SPAC, ECM/DCM Advisory), with a secondary code of BPAHADAB, Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory. Its NAICS code is 52315 and its SIC code is 6211.