Citigroup net hit by $2 billion in charges

Even with the charges, though, Citigroup reported higher fourth-quarter profit on Thursday as trading revenue rebounded from a year earlier.

Corbat, who took the reins in mid-October after predecessor Vikram Pandit was ousted, said in a statement that Citi’s various businesses were combating problems including regulatory changes, as well as issues dating to the financial crisis that continue to plague the bank and its peers.

“It will take some time to work through the challenges of the current environment,” he said, adding that the bank’s “critical goals” included improving its return on assets.

Fourth-quarter net income was $1.2 billion, or 38 cents a share, compared with $956 million, or 31 cents a share, in same quarter of 2011.

Results were reduced by new legal costs of $1.29 billion, or 27 cents a share, and a previously announced corporate restructuring charge of $1.03 billion, or 21 cents a share.