_________________________________________________

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


FORM 11-K


FOR ANNUAL REPORTS OF EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE, SAVINGS

AND SIMILAR PLANS PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT of 1934


[X] ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009

OR

[  ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from --- to ---


Commission File No. 1-12043


A. Full title of the plan and address of the plan, if different from that of the issuer named below:

OPPENHEIMER & CO., INC. 401(k) PLAN

125 Broad Street
New York  NY 10004
U.S.A.

B. Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and the address of its principal executive office:

OPPENHEIMER HOLDINGS INC.
125 Broad Street

New York NY 10004


_____________________________________________________________________


REQUIRED INFORMATION


Item 1. Not applicable

Item 2. Not applicable

Item 3. Not applicable

Item 4. Financial Statements and Supplemental Information





Item 4. Financial Statements and Supplemental Information


Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. 401(k) Plan

Financial Report

December 31, 2009







Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. 401(k) Plan

Contents

Report Letter

1

Statement of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits

2

Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits

3

Notes to Financial Statements

4–12

Schedule of Assets Held at End of Year

Schedule 1








Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Participants and the Administrator

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

   401(k) Plan


We have audited the accompanying statement of net assets available for plan benefits of Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. 401(k) Plan as of December 31, 2009 and 2008 and the related statement of changes in net assets available for plan benefits for the years then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.


We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement.  The Plan is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Plan’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.  We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets of the Plan as of December 31, 2009 and 2008 and the changes in net assets for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.


Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the financial statements taken as a whole.  The supplemental schedule of assets held at end of year as of December 31, 2009 is presented for the purpose of additional analysis and is not a required part of the basic financial statements but is supplementary information required by the Department of Labor's Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.  The supplemental schedule is the responsibility of the Plan's management.  The supplemental schedule has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the basic financial statements and, in our opinion, is fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole.

/s/ Plante & Moran, PLLC


Auburn Hills, Michigan

June 28, 2010

1




 





Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. 401(k) Plan

Statement of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits


 

December 31

 

2009

 

2008

Assets

   

   Participant-directed investments:

   

      Money market funds

$32,847,744

 

$26,549,741

      Mutual funds

126,616,018

 

96,631,378

      Common collective funds

18,111,933

 

12,342,243

      Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. – Common stock

36,144,124

 

13,891,363

      Cash surrender value life insurance policies

415,113

 

454,965

      Participant loans

4,718,509

 

4,554,093

        Total investments at fair value

218,853,441

 

154,423,783

    

   Contributions receivable:

   

      Employer

2,871,521

 

1,054,564

      Employees

216,135

 

73

         Total contributions receivable

3,087,656

 

1,054,637

    

   Cash

4,833

 

351,326

   Other receivable

24,955

 

226,191

         Total assets

221,970,885

 

156,055,937

    
    

Liabilities

   

   Investment trades payable - Net

-

 

239,912

   Other payable

-

 

44,451

       Total liabilities

-

 

284,363

    

Net Assets at Fair Value

221,970,885

 

155,771,574

    

Adjustment from Fair Value to Contract Value for

   

   Interest in Common Collective Trust Funds

   

   Relating to Fully Benefit-Responsive Investment

   

   Contracts

459,883

 

617,271

Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits

$222,430,768

 

$156,388,845


See Notes to Financial Statements.




2




 




Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. 401(k) Plan

Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits


 

Year Ended December 31

 

2009

 

2008

Additions

   

   Contributions:

   

      Employee

$19,663,664

 

$20,379,969

      Employer

2,726,412

 

1,615,594

      Rollover

2,510,364

 

6,741,400

            Total contributions

24,900,440

 

28,736,963

    

   Investment income (loss):

   

      Interest and dividends

2,912,613

 

6,276,759

      Interest – Participant loans

307,865

 

299,287

      Net realized and unrealized gains (loss):

   

         Mutual funds

26,337,010

 

(54,289,495)

         Common collective funds

1,859,549

 

(3,198,590)

         Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. – Common stock

25,516,926

 

(25,797,562)

            Total investment income (loss)

56,933,963

 

(76,709,601)

    

            Total additions - net

81,834,403

 

(47,972,638)

    

Deductions

   

   Benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries

15,718,238

 

12,434,691

   Administrative expenses

59,178

 

79,938

   Life insurance premiums

15,064

 

19,018

    

            Total deductions

15,792,480

 

12,533,647

    

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits


66,041,923

 


(60,506,285)

    

Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits

   

   Beginning of year

156,388,845

 

216,895,130

    

   End of year

$222,430,768

 

$156,388,845


See Notes to Financial Statements.



3





 


Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. 401(k) Plan

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2009 and 2008

Note 1 - Description of the Plan

The following description of Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. 401(k) Plan (the “Plan”) provides only general information.  Participants should refer to the plan agreement for a more complete description of the Plan’s provisions.

General - The Plan is a defined contribution plan covering all eligible employees of Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (the "Company").  Employees of the Company who are at least 18 years of age shall be eligible to make elective deferrals into the Plan upon date of hire.  Participants who have completed one year of service and are employed on the last day of the Plan Year shall be eligible to receive a discretionary contribution.  

During the plan years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008, as permitted under the plan agreement, the Plan adopted new formulas used in computing the discretionary contributions from the Company.

Contributions - Employees may make salary deferral contributions up to 50 percent of compensation, subject to tax deferral limitations established by the Internal Revenue Code.

The Company may contribute to the Plan a discretionary amount (the “Employer Discretionary Contribution”).  The Employer Discretionary Contribution is determined by the Company's Board of Directors and is subject to guidelines set forth in the Plan agreement.

Employer Discretionary Contributions, including amounts allocated for rebates received, for the year ended December 31, 2009 were determined as follows:

§

2.00% of the first $40,000 of a participant’s compensation

§

0.90% of the next $25,000 of a participant’s compensation

§

0.80% of the next $35,000 of a participant’s compensation

Employer Discretionary Contributions, including amounts allocated for rebates received, for the year ended December 31, 2008 were determined as follows:

§

1.00% of the first $30,000 of a participant’s compensation

§

1.70% of the next $10,000 of a participant’s compensation

§

0.80% of the next $60,000 of a participant’s compensation

The Plan receives rebates of certain mutual fund shareholder service fees. These rebates are placed in a non-settlor account.  All amounts in the Plan's non-settlor account will be allocated to participants based on the formula outlined above.  

4





 


To the extent that that total amount in the Plan's non-settlor account is less than the amount to be allocated, the Company will make up the shortfall.  For the year ended December 31, 2009, the total employer discretionary contribution was $3,044,507 of which $172,986 was allocated from rebate amounts and the remaining was contributed by the Company.  For the year ended December 31, 2008, the total employer discretionary contribution was $2,036,501 of which $981,937 was allocated from rebate amounts and the remaining was contributed by the Company.  

Vesting - All participants are immediately and fully vested in all Employee Elective Deferrals and the income derived from the investment of such contributions.

Participants will be vested in Employer Discretionary Contributions plus the income thereon upon the completion of service with the Company or an affiliate at the following rate:

Years of Service

Vested Percentage

Less than 2 years

0%

2 years but less than 3

20%

3 years but less than 4

40%

4 years but less than 5

60%

5 years but less than 6

80%

6 years or more

100%

All years of service with the Company or an affiliate are counted to determine a participant’s nonforfeitable percentage except years of service before the Plan was restated in 1991.  Prior to January 1, 2007, participants could receive a supplemental discretionary contribution (“Employer Stock Contribution”).  Effective January 1, 2007, the Plan was amended and no longer allows for supplemental discretionary contributions including the Employer Stock Contribution.  Participants will be 100 percent vested in the Employer Stock Contributions only upon completion of five years of service.

At December 31, 2009 and 2008, forfeited nonvested accounts totaled $350,264 and $318,189 respectively.  These accounts will be used to reduce future employer contributions.

Notwithstanding the vesting schedule specified above, a participant shall be 100 percent vested in his or her Employer Discretionary Contribution and Employer Stock Contribution upon the attainment of normal retirement age, death, or disability if still employed with the Company or an affiliate upon the occurrence of one of these events.



5





 


Participant Accounts - Each participant's account is credited with the participant’s contribution and allocations of the Company's contributions and plan earnings.  The benefit to which a participant is entitled is the benefit that can be provided from the participant's vested account.  Participants may direct the investments of their account balances into various investment options offered by the Plan.

Payment of Benefits - Payment of vested benefits under the Plan will be made in the event of a participant’s termination of employment, death, retirement, or financial hardship and may be paid in either a lump-sum distribution or over a certain period of time as determined by IRS rules or by participant election.

Termination - While it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Company has the right under the Plan to discontinue its contributions at any time and to terminate the Plan subject to the provisions set forth in the plan document and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).  Upon termination, participants become 100 percent vested in their accounts.

Loans to Participants - Loans are made available to all active participants and must be adequately collateralized using not more than 50 percent of the participant’s vested account balance.  Interest is stated at a reasonable rate determined on the loan date. Loan principal and interest repayments are reinvested in accordance with the participant’s current investment selection.

Administrative Expenses - Certain plan expenses may be paid by the Company while other administrative expenses of the Plan are paid by the Plan as provided in the plan document.

Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Investment Valuation - The Plan's investments are stated at fair value, except for a stable value common collective trust fund.  Common collective trust funds that invest in fully benefit-responsive investment contracts (commonly known as stable value funds) are adjusted to contract value in the financial statements.  Contract value represents investments at cost plus accrued interest income less amounts withdrawn to pay benefits.  The fair value of the stable value common collective trust fund is based on discounting the related cash flows of the underlying guaranteed investment contracts based on current yields of similar instruments with comparable durations.  


The fair value of the remaining common collective trust fund is based on the quoted market values of the underlying investments.  Life insurance contracts are stated at cash surrender value as provided in the policies, which approximates fair value.  The money market funds and participant loans are valued at their outstanding balances, which approximate fair value.  All other investments are valued based on quoted market prices.


6





 



The methods described above may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values.  Furthermore, while the Plan believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date.

Benefit Payments - Benefits are recorded when paid.


Use of Estimates - The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and changes therein and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.


Risk and Uncertainties - The Plan invests in various securities including mutual funds, common collective funds, and Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. common stock. Investment securities, in general, are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate, credit, and overall market volatility. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such changes could materially affect the amounts reported in the statement of net assets available for plan benefits.

Note 3 - Concentration of Investments

Significant individual investments of the Plan’s net assets are separately identified as follows:  

 

December 31, 2009

December 31, 2008

Investments - At fair value:

  

Growth Fund of America

 $  24,711,962

 $  18,699,873

Washington Mutual Investors Fund

     21,250,506

     17,645,478

Advantage Primary Liquidity Fund

29,383,717

 25,587,703

Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. - Common stock

36,144,124

     13,891,363

Oppenheimer Global Fund

12,502,028

      8,325,313

Wells Fargo Advantage Small Cap Value Fund

15,052,808

6,862,007    

Vanguard Interim Term Treasury

16,475,082

16,741,683




7





 


 

Note 4 - Tax Status

The Plan obtained its latest determination letter on October 30, 2002, in which the Internal Revenue Service stated that the Plan, as then designed, was in compliance with the applicable requirements of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC).  The Plan has been amended since receiving the determination letter.  The Company has applied for a new determination letter and the plan administrator believes that the Plan is designed and is currently being operated in compliance with the applicable requirements of the IRC.  Therefore, no provision for income taxes has been included in the Plan's financial statements.

Note 5 - Reconciliation of Financial Statements to Form 5500

The following is a reconciliation of net assets available for benefits per the financial statements to Form 5500:

 

2009

2008

Net assets available for plan benefits per the financial statements

 $222,430,768

 $156,388,845

Less:

  

Amounts allocated to withdrawing participants

(1,156)

(6,440)

Adjustment to fair value for stable value fund

       (459,883)

       (617,271)

Net assets available for plan benefits per Form 5500

 $221,969,729

 $155,765,134


The following is a reconciliation of net increase in net assets available for plan benefits to participants per the financial statements to the Form 5500:

 

Year ended December 31

 

2009

2008

Net change in assets available for benefits per the financial statements

$66,041,923

$(60,506,285)

Add:

  

  Amounts allocated to withdrawing

   participants at December 31, 2008 and 2007

6,440

63,099

 Adjustment to fair value for stable value fund

157,388

-

Less:

  

Amounts allocated to withdrawing

participants at December 31, 2009 and 2008

             1,156

             6,440

Adjustment to fair value for stable value fund

-

        413,716

Net income (loss) per Form 5500

 $66,204,595

 $(60,863,342)


8





 



Amounts allocated to withdrawing participants are recorded on the Form 5500 for benefit claims that have been processed and approved for payment prior to December 31, 2009 and 2008 but not yet paid as of that date.

Note 6 – Fair Value

Accounting standards require certain assets and liabilities be reported at fair value in  the financial statements and provides a framework for establishing that fair value.  The framework for determining fair value is based on a hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs and valuation techniques used to measure fair value.  In general, fair values determined by Level 1 inputs use quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Plan has the ability to access.  Fair values determined by Level 2 inputs use other inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly.  These Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and other inputs such as interest rates and yield curves that are observable at commonly quoted intervals.  Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs, including inputs that are available in situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the related asset or liability.  In instances where inputs used to measure fair value fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy, fair value measurements in their entirety are categorized based on the lowest level input that is significant to the valuation. The Plan’s assessment of the significance of particular inputs to these fair value measurements requires judgment and considers factors specific to each asset or liability.

During 2009, the Plan adopted, on a prospective basis, new accounting standards which require disclosure of fair value by major class of investments.











9





 



Disclosures concerning assets measured at fair value are as follows:

Assets at Fair Value as of December 31, 2009

     
 

 Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
(Level 1)

 Significant Other Observable Inputs
(Level 2)

 Significant Unobservable Inputs
(Level 3)  

 Balance at December 31, 2009

     

Mutual funds:

    

   U.S. equities

 $78,360,160

 $                -      

 $              -      

 $78,360,160

   International equities

31,780,776

-

                -    

31,780,776

   Bond and fixed income investments

16,475,082

-

-

16,475,082

Common collective funds:

    

   Equity (1)

                          -    

8,639,794

                -    

8,639,794

   Stable value fund (2)

                   -    

9,472,139    

-

9,472,139    

Common stock–Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.

36,144,124

-

-

36,144,124

Short-term investments

32,847,744

-

-

32,847,744

Cash surrender value life insurance policies

-

415,113

-

415,113

Participant loans

-

-

4,718,509

4,718,509

Total Assets at fair value

 $195,607,886

 $18,527,046

 $4,718,509

 $218,853,441

     

(1)           This category represents investments in an actively managed common collective trust fund that invests primarily in equity securities which may include common stocks, options and futures. Investments are valued at the net asset value per share multiplied by the number of shares held as of the measurement date.

 (2)          This category represents investments in an actively managed common collective trust fund that invests primarily in investment contracts, a variety of fixed income investments which may include corporate bonds, both U.S. and non-U.S. municipal securities and wrapper contracts.  Investments are valued at the net asset value per share multiplied by the number of shares held as of the measurement date.










10





 




Assets at Fair Value as of December 31, 2008

     
 

 Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
(Level 1)

 Significant Other Observable Inputs
(Level 2)

 Significant Unobservable Inputs
(Level 3)  

 Balance at December 31, 2008

     

  Money market funds

 $26,549,741

 $                -      

 $              -      

 $26,549,741

  Mutual funds

            96,631,378

                   -    

                -    

       96,631,378

  Common collective funds

                          -    

      12,342,243

                -    

       12,342,243

  Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.- Common      

    

   stock

  13,891,363

                   -    

                -    

     13,891,363

  Cash surrender value life insurance

    

  policies

                -    

           454,965

        -    

       454,965

  Participant loans

                   -    

                   -    

    4,554,093

         4,554,093

  Total assets at fair value

 $137,072,482

 $12,797,208

 $4,554,093

 $154,423,783

     


The following table sets forth a summary of changes in the fair value of the Plan's level 3 investment assets for the year ended December 31, 2009 and 2008:

    

 Participant Loans

   Balance at January 1, 2009

   

 $   4,554,093

   Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements - net         

   

164,416

   Balance at December 31, 2009

   

 $   4,718,509

     
    

 Participant Loans

   Balance at January 1, 2008

   

 $   3,349,107

   Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements - net         

   

              1,204,986

   Balance at December 31, 2008

   

 $   4,554,093

     


The Plan also holds other assets and liabilities not measured at fair value on a recurring basis, including contributions and other receivables and payables.  The fair value of these assets and liabilities is equal to the carrying amounts in the accompanying financial statements due to the short maturity of such instruments.


11





 




Note 7 – Subsequent Event

Subsequent to December 31, 2009, the Plan changed custodians and record keepers.  All plan assets at December 31, 2009 were transferred to the new custodian effective January 1, 2010.






















12





 


Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. 401(k) Plan

Schedule of Assets Held at End of Year

Form 5500, Schedule H, Item 4i

EIN 13-5657518, Plan Number 001

December 31, 2009

   

 

 

 

(a)(b)
Identity of Issuer, Borrower,
Lessor, or Similar Party

(c)
Description of Investment including Maturity Date, Rate of Interest, Collateral, Par, or Maturity Value

(d)
Cost

(e)
Current value

    

 Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.

Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. - Common stock**

*

 $    36,144,124

 Reich & Tang

Advantage Primary Liquidity Fund - Money market fund

*

29,383,762

 Federated

Governmental Obligations Institutional - Money market fund

*

3,463,982

 SEI Investments

SEI Stable Asset Fund - Common collective fund

*

9,472,139

 State Street

State Street S&P 500 Index Fund - Common collective fund

*

8,639,794

 AIM Investments

AIM Small Cap Growth Fund - Mutual fund

*

6,772,533

 AIM Investments

AIM Real Estate Fund - Mutual fund

*

5,406,986

 Artisan Investments

Artisan Mid Cap Fund - Mutual fund

*

5,165,364

 American Funds

Growth Fund of America - Mutual fund

*

24,711,962

 EuroPacific

EuroPacific Growth Fund - Mutual fund

*

10,487,674

 MFS Investment Management

MFS International New Discovery Fund - Mutual fund

*

8,791,075

 Oppenheimer Funds Inc.

Oppenheimer Global Fund - Mutual fund

*

12,502,028

 Vanguard

Vanguard Interim Term Treasury – Mutual fund

*

16,475,082

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo Advantage Small Cap Value Fund - Mutual

  
 

fund

*

15,052,808

 Washington Mutual

Washington Mutual Investors Fund - Mutual fund

*

21,250,506

 Insurance contracts

Policy Number 4000323

*

                3,088

 

Policy Number 4000364

*

80,359

 

Policy Number 4000305

*

32,836

 

Policy Number 4000306

*

72,062

 

Policy Number 4000338

*

17,585

 

Policy Number 4000335

*

4,599

 

Policy Number 4000370

*

93,413

 

Policy Number 4000371

*

90,913

 

Policy Number 4000353

*

12,311

 

Policy Number 4000347

*

7,947

Participants

Participant loans, with interest rates ranging from

  
 

4.29 percent to 9.25 percent

 -

4,718,509

    
 

Total investments

 

 $  218,853,441

 *Cost information not required

  

 **Party-in-interest, as defined by ERISA

  


Schedule 1





 



SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the trustees (or other persons who administer the employee benefit plan) have duly caused this annual report to be signed on their behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

OPPENHEIMER & CO., INC. 401(k) PLAN


/s/ A.G. Lowenthal

Albert G. Lowenthal, as Chairman and CEO of
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., the Plan Administrator


/s/ Lenore Denys

Lenore Denys, as Managing Director of
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., the Plan Administrator

Date: June 28, 2010























14





 


EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit 23 - Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm