Citigroup profit falls on legal and restructuring charges

Citigroup Inc, in the midst of a pullback from consumer banking in a number of international markets, eked out a slim fourth-quarter profit after taking charges of $3.5bn to settle legal claims and overhaul operations. The charges matched the figure foreshadowed by chief executive Mike Corbat in December, but the earnings fell short of the average market estimate. Adjusted net income fell to $346mn, or 6¢ per share, from $2.60bn, or 82¢ per share, a year earlier, the No 3 US bank by assets said. Analysts on average had expected earnings of 9¢ per share, including charges, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Citi’s shares were down 0.9% at $48.63 in premarket trading yesterday. Adjusted revenue fell 0.8%, largely due to the strong US dollar and weaker results from fixed-income trading. Citi is the most international of the big US banks, with about half of its business coming from abroad. Fixed-income markets remained tough, and the bank’s earlier forecast of a 5% decline in markets revenue for the quarter turned into a 16% drop. JPMorgan Chase & Co reported a 14% decline in revenue from its fixed-income business. Bond trading turned volatile in December as the dollar strengthened, discouraging many investors from taking positions. Consumer banking revenue rose 3% on a constant dollar basis, reflecting strength in Citi’s North American business as well as one-time gains from the sale mortgage loans. Citi has taken nearly $3.4bn in repositioning charges since Corbat became CEO in October 2012, including costs for shutting down or selling retail businesses in 16 countries. Adjusted operating expenses increased 21%. Citi has had to plow much of the savings from its cost-cutting back into spending to tighten risk controls and meet stricter capital standards. The bank’s most recent legal woes stem from government probes into alleged manipulation of currency markets and Libor interest rates as well as lax compliance with money laundering rules. The company still faces other possible actions by the US Department of Justice and Federal Reserve. Citigroup made further progress with what is left from the financial crisis of its portfolio of troubled assets. The portfolio, known as Citi Holdings, generated revenue of $1.31bn in the quarter, compared with $1.59bn in the previous quarter, because of smaller gains from asset sales.