As a Retail Investor, Schwab’s User-Friendliness Falls Short
I recently transitioned from TD Ameritrade to the Schwab website as a retail investor. However, I must say that I found the Schwab site to be far less user-friendly compared to TD’s platform. A particular frustration for me is how Schwab breaks down each of my three accounts into four separate lists: fixed income, securities, exchange-traded funds, and mutual funds. As a result, I am left with a portfolio that consists of 16 different lists of holdings, making it much more challenging to manage effectively. In contrast, TD’s website offered a comprehensive list that combined all three of my accounts into one, and this feature was not only convenient but also fully functional. Recognizing the significance of this improvement, I have reached out to 15 customer agents and have received positive feedback and agreement for this suggested change. Their support has encouraged me to escalate this issue further.
Peter Dodge
St. Augustine, Fla.
Schwab’s Dominance: The Secret Behind Its Success
John Reilly
To the Editor:
Impressive Investigation Unravels the Complexity of a Mortgage Giant
-Stephen Johnson
The Case for Spinoffs
To the Editor:
Exploring the Rise of Big-Name Stock Spinoffs
Regarding “Big-Name Stock Spinoffs Are Going Mainstream. Here’s Why.” (The Economy, Oct. 18): In addition to the tax-free nature of these transactions to both the parent corporation and the recipient shareholders, this restructuring permits the spun-off company to make its own managerial decisions without having to go up a corporate ladder for time-delayed approvals. Further, these companies’ managers would probably have their interests closely aligned with shareholders through substantial stock ownership and stock options.
Spinoffs: Outperforming the Market
Spinoffs, on average, have outperformed the market, including several associated with John Malone’s Liberty Media. One outstanding performer has been Chipotle Mexican Grill, which was spun off by McDonald’s in January 2006. Its compounded rate of return has been 28% a year, which has handily outperformed McDonald’s return of 15% a year over the past 17 years.
-David I. Kass
-College Park, Md.
