Citigroup Inc shares have been languishing around $4.00 per share, on worries that the company doesn’t have a well defined enough strategy to execute high profit margins. There is also grave concern that since the company is hoarding so much cash, the folks at C really don’t have a plan for getting a high return on capital.
A report by Calyon Securities analyst Mike Mayo two weeks ago also shook confidence in the firm. He thinks that Citigroup faces possible fourth quarter write-downs of $10 billion.
Despite receiving criticism about his viewpoint, Mayo reiterated his feelings on Thursday.
“Based on the amount of negative evidence that exists, we believe a write-down cannot be ruled out and, because the bank has cumulative losses in recent years, it has to shoulder a particularly heavy burden,” he wrote.
Mayo is basing his analysis on Citigroup’s position with deferred tax assets.
When the report first emerged in October, it was shrugged off by C officials.
“We have no idea how any analyst could have come to this estimate,” said company spokesman Steve Cohen at the time.
Now some investors might be worrying just what problems are right below the surface as Citigroup attempts to repay the government for its huge bailout funds and to return to profitability. There’s no question the company is under more public scrutiny that ever before, so any write downs they make for tax purposes will be closely scrutinized.
C is still facing enormous pressure due to the depressed housing market and increased unemployment. They have amassed a staggering $240 billion in cash as the prepare their loan loss reserves for more stunning losses. Cash hoards help with stability, but do little to increase growth.
If the economy remains stagnant, it’s hard to picture Citigroup stock going much higher in the near term. But for many people holding since $2.80 or so a share, it’s probably worthwhile to continue to hold, unless extremely bad news hits the wires.
In a couple signs that the housing market is still far from fully recovered, Fannie Mae has asked the Fed for $15 billion more in funds to stay alive at the same time they announced plans to allow borrowers in foreclosure to remain in the house by making lease payments.
The recent news comes as Fannie [...]
Internet company Ancestry.com has gone public today with a $7.4 million Initial Public Offering on NASDAQ.
The company will trade with the stock symbol ACOM.
The money will be used by the company to repay debts and to look for potential acquisitions which could strengthen their market position.
As part of their IPO, company officials stood on the [...]
A $6 billion payment made by Intel Corporation to Dell Inc. over a five year period that ended in 2007 has resulted in the chip maker receiving Antitrust charges from the New York Attorney’s General Office.
The payments were made as part of a program called ‘MOAP’ (Mother of all Programs) and later ‘MCP’ [...]
Shares of Citigroup Inc have had an amazing run this year. Depending on when you bought and when you sold, you could have booked gains up to 70% or more. Lately, however, the stock has been languishing as reality over the company’s prospects sinks in. For investors holding C shares, some may [...]
Citigroup Inc shares have reached their lowest point since August. C shares closed trading yesterday at $3.99, a level not seen for several months.
C shares were as high as $5.00 in the last month, but have currently fallen out of favor with investors who fear the company is trading at adequate levels.
Right [...]
Regional bank Marshall & Ilsley Corporation is looking to get out from under the TARP by selling $782 million of shares via a public stock offering.
The Milwaukee-based firm received $1.7 billion earlier this year from TARP.
M&I plans to sell 136 million shares at $5.75 each, which will raise a total of [...]
Investors in Citigroup Inc have had a lot to digest recently. The company has issued a mixed bag of results that would leave anyone shaking their head.
The price of C shares has stayed relatively stable recently, at around $4.50 per share as investors weigh different scenarios for the company’s future.
On the one [...]
Soon they won’t have Kenneth Lewis to kick around any more.
Lewis, who has been CEO of Charlotte-based Bank of America will step down on December 31, 2009. He’ll take $68.8 million with him. That’s money he’s accumulated in 40 years with BAC and its predecessors. Despite the fantastic personal financial [...]
Like a lot of shotgun marriages, the Bank of America Merrill Lynch merger has faced a lot of hurdles. Bank of America CEO Kenneth Lewis has been forced to answer questions about the deal several times, including for the Attorney General of New York on April 23, 2009. He said the public had [...]