CHICAGO, Jan. 24, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This year, optionsXpress Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:OXPS), a pioneer in bringing professional technology for options and futures trading to individual investors, and its customers will celebrate 10 years of success delivering easy-to-use, powerful trading tools and technology to individual investors.
"optionsXpress was built by traders for traders. Our priority when we launched 10 years ago was to give individual investors a superior online trading platform with access to options markets and the tools they needed to manage their own trading," said David Fisher, Chief Executive Officer of optionsXpress. "Through the years, we have partnered with our customers to add innovative features and expand our offerings to include futures, ETFs, and new exchange products like VIX options and weekly options. We are proud of we have accomplished and want to thank our customers, our partners and our employees for helping us reach this milestone."
Over the next year, optionsXpress will host a series of events across the country and online with customers, employees, and partners to recognize their contributions to the company's success.
Ned Bennett, Executive Vice Chairman of optionsXpress and one of optionsXpress' founders, will start the celebration by ringing the NASDAQ opening bell in New York on January 26th with a group of ten-year employees and customers. Later in the week, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Bennett and Jim Gray, Chairman of the Board of optionsXpress and one of its founders, along with a group of customers and employees will ring the opening bell at the CBOE in Chicago on January 28th. Both events will include a trading conference for customers with guest speakers from partners including NASDAQ and CBOE, and industry publications like Barron's.
"Ten years ago we believed that the Internet would let us bring professional quality tools to individual investors who wanted to add options to their investing portfolios. Our vision was right and we continue to see growth in the use of U.S. exchange traded options and futures by investors all across the globe. Our vision remains that we want to be the first to bring innovative, easy-to-use trading technology to the next generation of traders," said Mr. Bennett.
Highlights from the past ten years include:
2000-2003
- Founded in February 2000 as a pioneering online stock, options and futures brokerage service for the self-directed investor
- Ranked No. 1 in Barron's 2003 online broker survey
- Served customers 30 percent more efficiently in first month with LivePerson Service
2004-2005
- Ranked No. 1 in Barron's 2004 and 2005 online broker survey
- Introduced Trading Patterns, the first tool to help investors explore new potential opportunities based on the interests of other like-minded individuals
- Listed among Inc. Magazine's 2005 'Inc. 500' top 10 fastest growing firms
- Announced spread trade price improvement through Xspreads® direct quotes
- Ranked No. 1 in SmartMoney's 2004 online broker survey
- Introduced brokersXpress, a new platform for brokers and advisors
2006-2007
- Ranked No. 1 in Kiplinger's 2006 online broker survey
- David Fisher, previously President, assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer
- Introduced Real-Time Portfolio Margining, offering real-time margin calculations and a suite of new trade entry and position analysis tools designed specifically for portfolio margining
- Began investor education with Chicago Mercantile Exchange focused on futures and options
- Ranked No. 1 in Barron's 2006 online broker survey
2008-2009
- Added Palm and Android mobile apps, becoming only major online brokerage to offer for all smartphone platforms
- Announced a rollout plan for revamped symbols, leading the effort in an industry-wide transition to a new symbology system for identifying options contracts
- Unveiled proprietary XpressRouter™, created to manage customer orders and ensure fast execution at the best available price
- Introduced new interactive features to enhance education, strategy evaluation and execution for customers
2010
- Launched Xtend, downloadable software for active traders
- Launched Target Markers for Streaming Charts, allowing customers to quickly identify desired entry or exit points for their trades.
- Customers designed powerful new streaming charts software for traders
- Launched new futures trading features
- optionsXpress rated by Barron's 4+ stars for options traders and long-term investing
2011
- Releasing several new additional mobile and apps offerings, as well as social media features
About optionsXpress Holdings, Inc.
optionsXpress Holdings, Inc., a pioneer in equity options and futures trading, offers an innovative suite of online brokerage services for investor education, strategy evaluation, and trade execution. optionsXpress Holdings subsidiaries include optionsXpress, Inc., a retail online brokerage specializing in options and futures, brokersXpress, LLC, an online trading and reporting platform for independent investment professionals, Open E Cry, LLC, an innovative futures broker offering direct access futures trading for high volume traders through its proprietary software platform, and Optionetics, Inc., a leading provider of investment education services, including live seminars, proprietary software analytics, online and offline educational products and individual coaching. For more information: .
The optionsXpress Holdings, Inc. logo is available at
Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Please read " Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options " or available by calling 1-888-280-8020.
Futures involve substantial risk and are not appropriate for all investors. Please read " Risk Disclosure Statement for Futures and Options " prior to applying for an account.
Online trading has inherent risk due to system response and access times that may vary due to market conditions, system performance, volume and other factors. An investor should understand these and additional risks before trading. Products and services intended for U.S. customers and may not be available or offered in other jurisdictions.
"Best Online Broker" by Kiplinger's 7/06, based on: Commissions/Fees; Executions; Margin Rates; Interest on Cash; Maximum Fund Transaction Fee; Responsiveness/Broker Knowledge; Research; Web Site; Cost-Basis Data; Conduct. Kiplinger's is a trademark of The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. © 2009.
Barron's, March 15, 2010, 15th annual survey, Rating Online Brokers. optionsXpress awarded 4.0 stars out of 5 in overall ratings. Overall ratings based on Usability, Trade Experience, Trading Technology, Range of Offerings, Research Amenities, Portfolio Analysis & Report, Customer Service & Access, and Costs. optionsXpress rated 4+ stars 2002-2010. Barron's is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. © 2010.
Best Online Broker 3/6/06, 3/7/05, 3/8/04, 3/10/03, and one of Barron's Best Online Brokers 3/3/07, and based on: Trade Experience; Trade Tech; Usability; Offerings; Research; Portfolio Analysis; Customer Service/Access; Costs. Barron's is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company © 2009.
"Best Discount Broker" by SmartMoney 8/1/04, based on Commissions & Fees, Customer Service, Mutual Funds, Trading Tools, Research, and Banking Amenities. Reprinted by permission of SmartMoney. © 2009 SmartMoney. SmartMoney is a joint publishing venture of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and Hearst Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Copyright (C) 2011 optionsXpress, Inc. All rights reserved. Member FINRA, SIPC, CBOE, ISE, NFA, NASDAQ, NASDAQ OMXPHLX, NYSE ARCA, NYSE AMEX, and NYSE ARCA.
brokersXpress, LLC Member FINRA, SIPC NFA and a Registered Investment Adviser
Open E Cry, LLC, Member NFA.
CONTACT: FD Kim O'Halloran +1 312.553.6733 Kim.OHalloran@fd.com optionsXpress Jodi Fronczke +1 312.267.6764 JFronczke@optionsxpress.com