By Christiana Sciaudone
Investing.com -- Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW)'s current quarterly sales are running behind second quarter results despite a boom in customer assets.
Shares dropped 3% as the company said in a statement that continued compression of interest rates has been pressuring investment yields, and the sharp reduction in long-term rates has led to an acceleration of prepayment activity in the mortgage-backed securities in its investment portfolio. As a result, third quarter net interest margins are in the upper 130s basis point range, pushing sales rates lower.
In August, the company reported total client assets were $4.49 trillion as of month-end August, up 21% from August 2019 and up 5% compared to July 2020.
“We continue to drive strong business momentum," said Chief Financial Officer Peter Crawford in a statement. "August new accounts and core net new assets were among the highest we’ve seen for a summer month in recent years, and client assets reached a record $4.49 trillion at month-end, up $773 billion, or 21%, year-over-year. Thus far in the third quarter, equity market returns have been quite strong and client trading activity very robust relative to prior years."
Earnings for the second quarter missed estimates, with earnings per share of 48 cents compared to the expected 53 cents on sales of $2.45 billion, versus the estimated $2.48 billion. Shares are down 27% since the start of the year.