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Charles Schwab Can Outshine Its Peers - Barron's

I think the key here is "Asset-Gatherer!" If you look back over the last few months of what has transpired with the finanical industry as a whole, you will see that raising $98 billion in this market environment means that clients have faith in them. I have also read that many of the finanical advisors working for Bear Stearns, Lehman, Merrill, etc. have started on their own and used Schwab to broker their client's trades. This not only brings in large assets but also brings in fees and commissions from trading. Granted trading isn't that popular these days, but if Schwab can keep gaining market share and large assets along the way, lookout when trading starts back up.