About Cambridge

Why Cambridge?

Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. (Cambridge) is an independent, privately-controlled broker-dealer with over $80 billion assets under management¹, more than 700 home office associates, and over 3,000 independent registered representatives serving hundreds of thousands of investing clients across the United States. As an industry leader, we strive to create a workplace that reflects our four core values of integrity, commitment, flexibility, and kindness while fostering an atmosphere that allows our associates to thrive and enjoy our mutual success. Cambridge has been honored as ‘Broker Dealer of the Year’ for 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2008, 2007, and 2003 by Investment Advisor magazine;² and was ranked 10^th in the ‘2016 FP50 IBD Revenue Growth’ by Financial Planning magazine.³ Cambridge is also among the top 25 large companies honored as a ‘Top Workplace in Iowa’ for 2017, and is one of only 10 companies consecutively ranked among the Top Workplaces since the ranking began in 2011 by the Des Moines Register.⁴

Our Purpose

Our purpose is to make a difference in the lives of our advisors, their clients, and our associates.

You Control the Journey

At Cambridge, we know advisors need to chart a course that works best for them and their clients. You, the advisor, are the pilot, but we stand ready to offer guidance and choice. We offer advisors common sense compliance, client acquisition support, business solutions, innovative outsourcing resources, quality due diligence, industry leading technology, and customized practice management, as well as advisor-focused marketing and social media solutions. In addition, we are recognized as the industry pioneer who developed the fee-based advisory model while continuing to support traditional commission business.

Our Culture

Cambridge is an independent broker-dealer for financial professionals striving to offer unbiased investment advice to investing clients. We are among the nation’s top independent broker-dealers and are fully devoted to our four core values of integrity, commitment, flexibility, and kindness. We are proud that independent financial professionals who are dedicated to our values choose Cambridge.

We believe a firm's culture influences its reputation. We think you can take a hard look at a firm's stated mission and values and compare that to how the firm's management and staff engage with advisors and manage business activity. Since our earliest days, our management and associates have been committed to our core values that shape everything we do.

Our Stability

Cambridge is financially sound, has been consistently profitable for more than 15 years, and maintains a strong commitment to providing resources and support that help our advisors serve the needs of their investing clients. According to Financial Planning magazine's 2016 FP50 Survey, Cambridge ranked eighth in terms of total revenue³. We have net excess capital and our debt consists mostly of mortgages on our 80,000 square foot corporate headquarters. We are privately owned by our associates, management, and advisors; and our leadership has spent over 20 years consciously building a structure to ensure we can control our future so our advisors can better control their own destinies. In terms of due diligence, we have long mastered offering a broad product footprint based on our view that quality and choice are equally important.

1 AUM reflects commission and fee-based assets
²Investment Advisor magazine, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2008, 2007, Division IV; 2003, Division III. Cambridge received the highest marks from its rep-advisors in the Investment Advisor Broker-Dealer of the Year 2017 Division IV category. A broker-dealer becomes eligible for this honor only after a minimum of 10 percent of its producing rep-advisors cast valid ballots. These ballots also rate the broker-dealer in 15 different categories defined by Investment Advisor as relevant challenges and concerns by rep-advisors. The broker-dealers receiving the highest marks in each of four divisions are declared Broker-Dealer of the Year by Investment Advisor magazine. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of participating rep-advisors surveyed in June of the eight years listed. Your experience may vary. Visit thinkadvisor.com.
³Financial Planning magazine, June "FP50", Top 50 Independent Broker-Dealer Issue, 2016
⁴ Des Moines Register, "Top Workplaces in Iowa," 2011-2017

Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC, and investment advisory services offered through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Adviser. Both are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Cambridge Investment Group, Inc.