2008-07-22 13:39:09 -

www.stifel.com - Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated is pleased to announce that a transaction on which it served as financial advisor has been recognized as one of the "Deals of the Year" in the private equity sector by The Deal magazine, a leading mergers and acquisitions (M&A) industry trade publication.

Stifel Nicolaus was recognized for

its role as exclusive M&A advisor to private equity firm Bunker Hill Capital L.P. in connection with the recent sale of its portfolio company, Specialty Coating Systems, Inc. The transaction closed just 22 days following the signing of a Letter of Intent and resulted in a highly successful outcome for Bunker Hill Capital.

The Stifel Nicolaus deal team was led by Managing Director Jon Tebol and included Managing Director Steve Higgins and Vice President Bharat Ramprasad.

In its annual "Deal of the Year" feature, The Deal highlights the most noteworthy examples of private equity M&A transactions completed over the past twelve months.

Founded in 1890, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated is the principal subsidiary of Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF), a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis. Stifel Nicolaus is a full-service retail and institutional brokerage and investment banking firm with 181 offices in 32 states and the District of Columbia, and 3 European offices through Stifel Nicolaus Limited. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the company's web site at www.stifel.com.

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
James M. Zemlyak, Chief Financial Officer, 314-342-2228