Other financial firms might find it difficult keeping up with the Joneses. As the principal operating subsidiary of The Jones Financial Companies, retail brokerage Edward D. Jones & Co. (better known by trade name Edward Jones) operates more than 11,000 branch offices located throughout the US and Canada. Edward Jones, which advocates a conservative investment strategy, sells securities and insurance products and distributes mutual funds to nearly seven million retail clients. The company's investment banking practice underwrites corporate and municipal bonds.