For the second year in a row, Edward Jones financial advisers rank the firm highest in overall satisfaction, according to a newly released study by J.D. Power and Associates.

Edward Jones has three financial advisors in Moore County.

The second annual J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Financial Advisor Satisfaction Study ranked Edward Jones highest in a tie among the 13 financial services firms ranked. Edward Jones financial advisors gave the highest satisfaction ratings in terms of satisfying work environment and supporting its financial advisors.

The J.D. Power and Associates study found that financial advisor satisfaction is related directly to investor satisfaction.

The three Moore County Edward Jones financial advisors are Craig Stokes, Greg Grimshaw and Miranda Meares.

"We are honored to have received this ranking two years in a row, but the true significance lies in the connection to satisfying our clients," Stokes said. "We get great satisfaction from meeting with our clients face-to-face and building strong relationships in the communities where our clients live and work."

Edward Jones provides financial services for individual investors in the United States and, through its affiliates, in Canada and the United Kingdom. Every aspect of the firm's business, from the types of investment options offered to the location of branch offices, is designed to cater to individual investors in the communities in which they live and work, a news release said.

The firm's 10,000-plus financial advisers work directly with more than 7 million clients to understand their personal goals -- from college savings to retirement -- and create long-term investment solutions that emphasize a well-balanced portfolio and a buy-and-hold strategy.