CONTRIBUTED

For the sixth year out of the past eight, financial services firm Edward Jones ranks highest in investor satisfaction with full service brokerage firms, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study.

The study measures overall investor satisfaction with full service investment firms based on seven factors: investment adviser, investment performance, account information, account offerings, commissions and fees, website and problem resolution.

Edward Jones places its branch offices in the communities where its clients - long-term individual investors - live and work. This practice, which enables its branch teams to provide personalized service to all clients, has helped the firm attain the highest score in the "investment adviser" category of the study, a news release said.

"We are gratified that our clients find it convenient to work with us on their long-term financial goals," said local Edward Jones financial adviser Greg Grimshaw. "We enjoy working one-on-one with our clients and believe that builds a collaborative relationship."

Edward Jones also received high marks in the "account information" category, an important factor in the study, according to Grimshaw.

"Hearing that we did particularly well in the account information factor is especially meaningful as we strive to help our clients make sense of investing," he said.

Edward Jones' overall score climbed 15 points over last year, highest among the 14 largest firms rated, as well as 28 points above the industry average, according the news release.

Edward Jones ranked highest in investor satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates in 2010 and 2009, from 2005 through 2007, and in a tie in 2002, when the study began.

The 2012 Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 4,378 investors who primarily invest with one of the 14 firms included in the study. The study was fielded in February 2012.

Edward Jones provides financial services for individual investors in the United States and, through its affiliate, in Canada. 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, the news release said.

The firm's 12,000-plus financial advisers work directly with nearly 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.

In January, for the 13th year, Edward Jones was also named one of the best companies to work for by Fortune magazine in its annual listing. The firm ranked No. 5 overall and No. 3 in large size companies. These 13 Fortune rankings include top 10 finishes for nine years, consecutive No. 1 rankings in 2002 and 2003, and consecutive No. 2 rankings in 2009 and 2010.