TD Ameritrade 2018 Annual Report

27 Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations This discussion contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation ReformAct of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words "may," "could," "would," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "estimate," "target," "project," "intend" and similar words or expressions. In particular, forward-looking statements contained in this discussion include our expectations regarding: the effect of client trading activity on our results of operations; the effect of changes in interest rates on our net interest spread; the amount of net revenues; average commissions per trade; the amounts of total operating expenses and advertising expense; our effective income tax rate; our capital and liquidity needs and our plans to finance such needs; and our plans to return capital to stockholders through cash dividends and share repurchases. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Important factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: economic, social and political conditions and other securities industry risks; interest rate risks; liquidity risks; credit risk with clients and counterparties; risk of liability for errors in clearing functions; systemic risk; systems failures, delays and capacity constraints; network security risks; competition; reliance on external service providers; new laws and regulations affecting our business; net capital requirements; extensive regulation, regulatory uncertainties and legal matters; difficulties and delays in integrating the Scottrade Financial Services, Inc. ("Scottrade") business or fully realizing cost savings and other benefits from the acquisition; disruptions from the Scottrade acquisition or other factors making it more difficult to maintain relationships with employees, customers, other business partners or governmental entities; the inability to achieve synergies or to implement integration plans and other consequences associated with other acquisitions; and the other risks and uncertainties set forth under Item 1A — Risk Factors of this Form 10-K. The forward-looking statements contained in this report speak only as of the date on which the statements were made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by the federal securities laws. Glossary of Terms In discussing and analyzing our business, we utilize several metrics and other terms that are defined in the following Glossary of Terms. Italics indicate other defined terms that appear elsewhere in the Glossary. The term "GAAP" refers to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Asset-based revenues — Revenues consisting of (1) bank deposit account fees , (2) net interest revenue and (3) investment product fees . The primary factors driving our asset-based revenues are average balances and average rates. Average balances consist primarily of average client bank deposit account balances, average client margin balances , average segregated cash balances, average client credit balances , average fee-based investment balances and average securities borrowing and securities lending balances. Average rates consist of the average interest rates and fees earned and paid on such balances. Average client trades per day — Total trades divided by the number of trading days in the period. This metric is also known as daily average revenue trades (" DARTs "). Average commissions per trade — Total commissions and transaction fee revenues as reported on our consolidated financial statements, less order routing revenue, divided by total trades for the period. Commissions and transaction fee revenues primarily consist of trading commissions, order routing revenue and markups on riskless principal transactions in fixed-income securities. Basis point —When referring to interest rates, one basis point represents one one-hundredth of one percent. Bank deposit account fees — Revenues generated from a sweep program that is offered to eligible clients of the Company whereby clients' uninvested cash is swept to FDIC-insured (up to specified limits) money market deposit accounts at third-party financial institutions participating in the program. Beneficiary accounts — Brokerage accounts managed by a custodian, guardian, conservator or trustee on behalf of one or more beneficiaries. Examples include accounts maintained under the Uniform Gift to Minors Act (UGMA) or Uniform Transfer to Minors Act (UTMA), guardianship, conservatorship and trust arrangements and pension or profit plan for small business accounts.