STIFEL FINANCIAL CORP.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code (314) 342-2000

On September 12, 2005, Stifel issued a press release announcing that it had entered into an Acquistion Agreement with Citigroup Inc. to acquire certain assets and assume specified liabilities associated with the capital markets business which Citigroup recently agreed to acquire from Legg Mason, Inc. (the "Transaction"). A copy of this press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein.

Stifel also prepared a slide show presentation relating to the Transaction which was made available to investors during an online conference on September 12, 2005. A copy of that presentation is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2.

The information in this Item 7.01 and the exhibit attached hereto will not be deemed to be "filed" for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of such section, nor will such information or exhibit be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except as may be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Certain statements in this Form 8-K are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws. Stifel intends that these statements be covered by the safe harbors created under these laws. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about Stifel's expectation regarding the timing of the closing of the Transaction. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the information set forth in these forward-looking statements include the satisfaction of the closing conditions for each of the Transactions, including the satisfactory completion by Stifel of its due diligence investigation and the transactions contemplated by the Agreement, and other factors and events. Many of these factors and events are beyond Stifel's ability to control or predict. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which only speak as of the date of this Form 8-K. Stifel does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this Form 8-K or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.