Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PJC), a Minneapolis-based investment banking firm, serves the capital needs of a wide array of corporate and governmental entities.

With operations in corporate finance, municipal finance, institutional equity, bond sales, trading and private placements, Piper serves clients throughout the United States and Europe. Recently, the company made a major investment in China, viewing that country as having high levels of capital needs, as well as a growing institutional investor base.

Piper Jaffray has its roots in the commercial paper business, tracing its history back to the 1880s. For much of its 20th century existence, Piper operated as a regional retail distribution securities company.

Following a stressful period as a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), the remaining principals of the former Piper Jaffray unwound the merger and emerged as an independent securities firm without a retail distribution arm.

Continue reading One investment firm that actually may be a buy

One investment firm that actually may be a buy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.