• News/Talk
  • Music
  • Entertainment

Marketplace

Friday, May 9, 2008

Listen to the show

Citigroup to sell more assets

Citigroup sign

Battered Citigroup has raised money from investors, laid off employees and sold off chunks of the business. It wasn't enough. Today the company announced it would sell off $400 billion in assets. Amy Scott has more.

Citigroup sign (Getty Images)

More on The Economy, Wall Street

TEXT OF STORY

This morning, Citigroup is fending off calls for a breakup. CEO Vikram Pandit is in the midst of a four-hour conference call with investors and Wall Street analysts. He has some reassuring to do. The bank has reported more than $45 billion in credit losses since late last year. Marketplace's Amy Scott reports.


Amy Scott: In the last few months, Citigroup has raised more than $40 billion from investors to cushion its credit losses. It's announced more than 13,000 job cuts and sold off several chunks of the business. But apparently these measures weren't enough. The bank announced today it will sell some $400 billion in assets over the next few years. CEO Vikram Pandit took the helm late last year. In the webcast this morning, he tried to reassure investors.

Vikram Pandit: Let me just say that today, if we were in a normal environment, we'd be generating $20 billion plus of earnings for our common shareholders.

Of course, this is not a normal environment. Those shareholders have watched Citi's stock price fall by more than 50 percent over the last year.

In New York, I'm Amy Scott for Marketplace.

Music From This Show

  • Stars Seem To Weep Beth Orton Buy
  • Radio Silence Elvis Costello Buy
  • Pressure Billy Joel Buy
  • A Forest The Cure Buy

Marketplace Confessional

"We tend to forget that debt is another form of slavery. So, they are selling our debt to others? Hmmm, what happens if we can't pay? Hmmm, our credibility starts to wane. Why the heck, if we are to be seen as leaders in this vast world, would another country listen to us? Get ready people -- the beastly game is in full effect. Remember how back in the day, the mob would extend debt to those who couldn't get it? Remember? What happens if that person couldn't pay up? Good luck, Fannie and Freddie! . . . "

The Specials

INTERACTIVE: PAC Men

Leadership PACs are the main fund-raising tool for most lawmakers. Find out how they raise and spend all that money.

BLOG: Getting Personal

Marketplace Money answers your personal finance questions. Submit yours now.

GAME: Budget Hero

Think you could balance the federal budget? Play the game.

BLOG: The Greenwash Brigade

Environmental professionals scrutinize eco-friendly claims by businesses, governments and groups. Check out their reports.

ELECTION 2008: State your issues

Are the candidates addressing issues that matter to you? Help us report on the campaigns. Share your thoughts.

SPECIAL REPORT: The Middle East @ Work

No region outside the U.S. affects our pocketbooks, politics and portfolios more. See our special coverage from Cairo and Dubai.

Conversations from the Corner Office

Marketplace goes one-on-one with CEOs, company founders, head honchos...

Sit in

Working

Intimate profiles of workers in the global economy.

Meet them

Marketplace on iTunes U

Marketplace is on Apple's online education platform, iTunesU. Get free downloads in subjects like History, Science, Business and more. Study up

 ©2008 American Public Media