COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES AND GUARANTEES

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES AND GUARANTEES

COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES AND GUARANTEES

Commitments and contingencies

Underwriting commitments

In the normal course of business, we enter into commitments for debt and equity underwritings. As of March 31, 2024, we had two such open underwriting commitments, which were subsequently settled in open market transactions and did not result in any losses.

Lending commitments and other credit-related financial instruments

We have outstanding, at any time, a significant number of commitments to extend credit and other credit-related off-balance-sheet financial instruments, such as standby letters of credit and loan purchases, which extend over varying periods of time. These arrangements are subject to strict underwriting assessments and each client’s credit worthiness is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Fixed-rate commitments are subject to market risk resulting from fluctuations in interest rates and our exposure is limited to the replacement value of those commitments.

The following table presents our commitments to extend credit and other credit-related off-balance sheet financial instruments outstanding at our Bank segment.

$ in millions	March 31, 2024		September 30, 2023
SBL and other consumer lines of credit	$	41,269	$	38,791
Commercial lines of credit	$	4,482	$	4,131
Unfunded lending commitments	$	749	$	936
Standby letters of credit	$	125	$	123

SBL and other consumer lines of credit primarily represent the unfunded amounts of bank loans to consumers that are primarily secured by marketable securities or other liquid collateral at advance rates consistent with industry standards. The proceeds from repayment or, if necessary, the liquidation of collateral, which is monitored daily, are expected to satisfy the amounts drawn against these existing lines of credit. These lines of credit are primarily uncommitted, as we reserve the right to not make any advances or may terminate these lines at any time.

Because many of our lending commitments expire without being funded in whole or in part, the contractual amounts are not estimates of our actual future credit exposure or future liquidity requirements. The allowance for credit losses calculated under the CECL model provides for potential losses related to the unfunded lending commitments. See Note 2 of our 2023 Form 10-K and Note 7 of this Form 10-Q for additional information regarding this allowance for credit losses related to unfunded lending commitments.

RJ&A enters into margin lending arrangements which allow clients to borrow against the value of qualifying securities. Margin loans are collateralized by the securities held in the client’s account at RJ&A. Collateral levels and established credit terms are monitored daily and we require clients to deposit additional collateral or reduce balances as necessary.

We offer loans to prospective financial advisors for recruiting and retention purposes. See Note 2 of our 2023 Form 10-K and Note 8 of this Form 10-Q for additional information regarding our loans to financial advisors. These offers are contingent upon certain events occurring, including the individuals joining us or continuing their affiliation with us and meeting certain other conditions outlined in their offer. We had unfunded commitments of $27 million for loans to financial advisors who have met such conditions as of March 31, 2024.

Investment commitments

We had unfunded commitments to various investments, primarily held by Raymond James Bank and TriState Capital Bank, of $61 million as of March 31, 2024.

Other commitments

Raymond James Affordable Housing Investments, Inc. (“RJAHI”) sells investments in project partnerships to various LIHTC funds, which have third-party investors, and for which RJAHI serves as the managing member or general partner. RJAHI typically sells investments in project partnerships to LIHTC funds within 90 days of their acquisition. Until such investments are sold to LIHTC funds, RJAHI is responsible for funding investment commitments to such partnerships. As of March 31, 2024, RJAHI had committed approximately $199 million to project partnerships that had not yet been sold to LIHTC funds. Because we expect to sell these project partnerships to LIHTC funds and the equity funding events arise over future periods, the contractual commitments are not expected to materially impact our future liquidity requirements. RJAHI may also make short-term loans or advances to project partnerships and LIHTC funds.

For information regarding our lease commitments see Note 12 of this Form 10-Q and for information on the maturities of our lease liabilities see Note 14 of our 2023 Form 10-K.

Guarantees

Our U.S. broker-dealer subsidiaries are required by federal law to be members of the Securities Investors Protection Corporation (“SIPC”). The SIPC fund provides protection up to $500 thousand per client for securities and cash held in client accounts, including a limitation of $250 thousand on claims for cash balances. We have purchased excess SIPC coverage through various syndicates of Lloyd’s of London. For RJ&A, our clearing broker-dealer, the additional protection currently provided has an aggregate firm limit of $750 million for cash and securities, including a sub-limit of $1.9 million per client for cash above basic SIPC. Account protection applies when a SIPC member fails financially and is unable to meet its obligations to clients. This coverage does not protect against market fluctuations. RJF has provided an indemnity to Lloyd’s of London against any and all losses they may incur associated with the excess SIPC policies.

Legal and regulatory matters contingencies

In the normal course of our business, we have been named, from time to time, as a defendant in various legal actions, including arbitrations, class actions and other litigation, arising in connection with our activities as a diversified financial services institution.

RJF and certain of its subsidiaries are subject to regular reviews and inspections by regulatory authorities and self-regulatory organizations. Reviews can result in the imposition of sanctions for regulatory violations, ranging from non-monetary censures to fines and, in serious cases, temporary or permanent suspension from conducting business, or limitations on certain business activities. In addition, regulatory agencies and self-regulatory organizations institute investigations from time to time, among other things, into industry practices, which can also result in the imposition of such sanctions. As previously disclosed, the firm has been cooperating with the SEC in connection with an investigation of the firm’s compliance with records preservation requirements relating to business communications sent over electronic messaging channels that have not been approved by the firm. The SEC has reportedly been conducting similar investigations of record preservation practices at other financial institutions. We have reached a settlement in principle with the SEC’s Division of Enforcement to resolve this investigation, which will include the payment of a $50 million civil monetary penalty. That amount was accrued within “Other payables” on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition as of March 31, 2024. The settlement is subject to the negotiation of definitive documentation and final approval by the SEC. Refer to Note 2 of our 2023 Form 10-K for a discussion of our criteria for recognizing liabilities for contingencies.

We may contest liability and/or the amount of damages, as appropriate, in each pending matter. The level of litigation and investigatory activity (both formal and informal) by government and self-regulatory agencies in the financial services industry continues to be significant. There can be no assurance that material losses will not be incurred from claims that have not yet been asserted or are not yet determined to be material.

For many legal and regulatory matters, we are unable to estimate a range of reasonably possible loss as we cannot predict if, how or when such proceedings or investigations will be resolved or what the eventual settlement, fine, penalty or other relief, if any, may be. A large number of factors may contribute to this inherent unpredictability: the proceeding is in its early stages; the damages sought are unspecified, unsupported or uncertain; it is unclear whether a case brought as a class action will be allowed to proceed on that basis; the other party is seeking relief other than or in addition to compensatory damages (including, in the case of regulatory and governmental proceedings, potential fines and penalties); the matters present significant legal uncertainties; we have not engaged in settlement discussions; discovery is not complete; there are significant facts in dispute; and numerous parties are named as defendants (including where it is uncertain how liability might be shared among defendants). Subject to the foregoing, after consultation with counsel, we believe that the outcome of such litigation and regulatory proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial condition. However, the outcome of such litigation and regulatory proceedings could be material to our operating results and cash flows for a particular future period, depending on, among other things, our revenues or income for such period.

There are certain matters for which we are unable to estimate the upper end of the range of reasonably possible loss. With respect to legal and regulatory matters for which management has been able to estimate a range of reasonably possible loss as of March 31, 2024, we estimated the upper end of the range of reasonably possible aggregate loss to be approximately $30 million in excess of the aggregate accruals for such matters.  Refer to Note 2 of our 2023 Form 10-K for a discussion of our criteria for recognizing liabilities for contingencies.