AGE Edwards AG

Cost of living biggest factor in the decline ST. LOUIS, June 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- At 637, the June 2007 Nest Egg Score -- released today by A.G. Edwards (NYSE:AGE) -- decreased eight points since March and remains in the "Fair" range. The biggest negative factor to affect the A.G. Edwards Nest Egg Score was cost of living, with rebounding energy prices reducing the ability of American households to build wealth. In addition, home equity has declined, setting a new five-year low. "When asked about their ability to save or invest money in the next 90 days, Americans appear more pessimistic now than they did when last polled in February," said Gary Thayer, A.G. Edwards' chief economist. "This is not surprising given the increase in cost of living, high energy costs and the decline in home equity. However, while there are always some obstacles in saving and investing, it is still a favorable environment where investors should be focusing on their financial future and taking steps to build their nest eggs." The A.G. Edwards Nest Egg Score is a proprietary analysis of 12 factors that influence the willingness and ability of adults to build wealth, and it includes such government measures as the personal savings rate, wealth-to-income ratio, the cost of living and the home equity rate, along with proprietary research that evaluates Americans' saving and investing behaviors. Quarterly data for each factor is evaluated and scored on the following scale: 450 to 549-poor; 550 to 649-fair; 650 to 749-good; and 750 to 850-excellent. According to data used to calculate the June 2007 A.G. Edwards Nest Egg Score, several factors contributed to the decrease: -- Tax payments relative to income were at their highest level in a five-year period. -- Home ownership rates declined. -- The savings rate improved slightly but remained negative. In addition, according to calculations used to determine the Nest Egg Score, retirement plan participation scored slightly higher, but ownership of investment vehicles scored lower. "Investors need to take a close look at their overall financial picture," said A.G. Edwards Personal Finance Strategist Sophie Beckmann. "With the cost of living increasing and everyday living expenses taking up a bigger portion of our income, it's more important than ever to develop financial goals and a plan to meet those goals. A great way to get started is with a budget, which allows you to identify areas where you can better allocate your money according to what you are trying to achieve." What's Your Score? Visit Nesteggscore.com To help people determine their personal Nest Egg Score, A.G. Edwards offers the Nest Egg Score Estimator. The Nest Egg Score Estimator asks a variety of questions including length of employment at current job, annual household income, investment preferences, risk tolerance, home equity and discretionary spending habits. It also takes into consideration age, marital status and location of residence. To find out how your savings and investing habits rate in relation to the rest of the country, please visit http://www.nesteggscore.com/. About the Nest Egg Score The A.G. Edwards Nest Egg Score is a single, quarterly, three-digit numerical rating that represents a measure of the relative strength or weakness of Americans' wealth-building performance, similar to the scoring systems used to evaluate creditworthiness. A high Nest Egg Score indicates that households are having more success in building their nest eggs or that economic conditions are favorable for saving and investing. Conversely, a low score means that households are not taking advantage of opportunities to build their nest eggs or that economic conditions are not conducive to wealth accumulation. To create the Nest Egg Score, A.G. Edwards takes into account 12 statistical factors gathered from federal government data and proprietary research conducted for A.G. Edwards by Harris Interactive(R) that pertain to building wealth. Quarterly data for each factor is evaluated and scored on the following scale: 450 to 549-poor; 550 to 649-fair; 650 to 749-good; and 750 to 850-excellent. The 12 individual factors are then combined and weighted to determine the A.G. Edwards Nest Egg Score. For further information on the A.G. Edwards Nest Egg Score, go to http://www.nesteggscore.com/. Nest Egg Score Survey Methodology The six quarterly Nest Egg Score surveys were conducted online by Harris Interactive(R) on behalf of A.G. Edwards among adults aged 18 and over within the United States between May 17 and May 21, 2007 among 2,637 adults; between Feb. 13 and Feb. 15, 2007 among 2,405 adults; between Nov. 17 and Nov. 21, 2006 among 2,323 adults; between Aug. 23 and Aug. 25, 2006 among 2,295 adults; between May 23 and May 25, 2006 among 2,197 adults; and between March 14 and March 16, 2006 among 2,182 adults. Figures for region, age within gender, education, household income and race/ethnicity were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online. With a pure probability sample of these sizes one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points. Sampling error for data based on sub-samples may be higher and may vary. However that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated. Harris Interactive(R) is responsible for fielding the online surveys on behalf of A.G. Edwards. A.G. Edwards is responsible for the compilation of data from other sources and for computing the Nest Egg Score and the results reported. About A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. Drawn to the firm's client-first philosophy, individuals and businesses have turned to A.G. Edwards for sound advice and access to a wide array of investment products and services that can help them meet their financial goals and objectives. Founded in 1887, A.G. Edwards and its affiliates employ nearly 6,700 financial consultants in more than 740 offices nationwide and two European locations in London and Geneva. More information can be found on http://www.agedwards.com/. How A.G. Edwards Does Business A.G. Edwards generally acts as a broker-dealer but may act as an investment advisor on designated accounts, and the firm's obligations will vary with the role it plays. When working with clients, the firm generally acts as a broker-dealer unless specifically indicated in writing. To better understand the differences between brokerage and advisory services, please consult "Important Information About Your Relationship With A.G. Edwards" on http://www.agedwards.com/disclosures. About Harris Interactive(R) Harris Interactive is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides innovative research, insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what it believes to be the world's largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiaries Novatris in France and MediaTransfer AG in Germany, and through a global network of independent market research firms. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at http://www.harrisinteractive.com/. DATASOURCE: A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. CONTACT: Pia Reinhold, +1-314-955-4651, , or Byron Goodrich, +1-314-955-3235, , both of A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. Web site: http://www.agedwards.com/

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