Related Parties

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Related Parties [Abstract]

Related Parties

8.    Related Parties

The Company generates commissions, technology products and services revenues, information and user access fees, investment income and other income and related accounts receivable balances from the Stockholder Broker-Dealer Clients or their affiliates. In addition, the Stockholder Broker-Dealer Clients act in a custodial and cash management capacity for the Company. The Company also maintained an account with and paid commissions to a Stockholder Broker-Dealer Client in connection with the Company’s share repurchase program. The Company also incurs bank fees in connection with these arrangements. As of the dates and for the periods indicated below, the Company had the following balances and transactions with the Stockholder Broker-Dealer Clients or their affiliates:

	As of December 31,
	2011		2010
	(In thousands)
Cash and cash equivalents	$	156,982	$	110,642
Securities and cash provided as collateral		550		4,049
Accounts receivable		2,255		829
Accounts payable		86		66

	Year Ended December 31,
	2011		2010		2009
	(In thousands)
Commissions	$	7,045	$	5,541	$	14,103
Technology products and services		167		16		35
Information and user access fees		176		132		243
Investment income		90		113		214
Other income		66		63		152
General and administrative		73		27		79

In 2001, the Company awarded 289,581 shares of common stock to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer at $3.60 per share, which vested over a three-year period. The common stock was issued in exchange for four eleven-year promissory notes that bore interest at the applicable federal rate and were collateralized by the subscribed shares. In July 2010, the loan and interest receivable were paid in full.