ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Organization and Basis of Presentation

ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Organization

Raymond James Financial, Inc. (“RJF,” the “firm” or the “Company”) is a financial holding company which, together with its subsidiaries, is engaged in various financial services activities, including providing investment management services to retail and institutional clients, the underwriting, distribution, trading and brokerage of equity and debt securities, and the sale of mutual funds and other investment products. The firm also provides corporate and retail banking services, and trust services.  For further information about our business segments, see Note 24 of this Form 10-K.  As used herein, the terms “our,” “we,” or “us” refer to RJF and/or one or more of its subsidiaries.

Basis of presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of RJF and its consolidated subsidiaries that are generally controlled through a majority voting interest. We consolidate all of our 100% owned subsidiaries. In addition, we consolidate any variable interest entity (“VIE”) in which we are the primary beneficiary. Additional information on these VIEs is provided in Note 2 and in Note 8 of this Form 10-K. When we do not have a controlling interest in an entity, but we exert significant influence over the entity, we apply the equity method of accounting. All material intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Effective April 2019, we increased our ownership of ClariVest Asset Management LLC (“ClariVest”) from 45% to 100% making ClariVest a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eagle Asset Management. ClariVest has been included in our consolidated financial statements since our initial investment of the 45% interest as we concluded we were required to consolidate as defined by the accounting guidance. The increase in ownership was accounted for as a shareholders’ equity transaction.

Accounting estimates and assumptions

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with United States (“U.S.”) generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires us to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses for the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and could have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

Reclassifications

Certain prior-period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year’s presentation.