From Notable Calls:
Goldman Sachs adds Citigroup (NYSE:C) to their Conviction Buy list today with a $5.50 price target (prev. $4.60) as:
1) the current valuation discounts a significantly lower ROA/ROE than the 120 bp/16% they estimate post the run-off of Citi Holdings;
For Citigroup Goldman expects steady-state earnings of about US$20 bn (equivalent to about $0.70 per share) based on 117 bp ROA and ‘core’ assets of US$1.7 trillion. Given their base case for a 3-4 year projected run-off of Citi Holdings, the firm believes that Citicorp can potentially reach this level by 2014 and along the way asset run-off in Citi Holdings should continue to generate significant capital.
2) its private label MBS exposure is small relative to peers, limiting put-back risk;
3) disposal of the 10% government stake should be completed by early in 2Q11, eliminating the stock overhang;
On the former issue, the government is currently working on its fourth selling program (1.5 bn shares), and once this is complete we anticipate just over 2 bn shares remaining heading into 2011. To put the 2 bn shares into perspective, that is less than 4 days of average daily trading volume for Citigroup, or said otherwise, only 45 trading days would be needed to sell the remaining stake assuming shares are sold at 8% of average daily volume.
4) Goldman estimates C's core earnings power ($20 bn pa) and excess capital from the run-off of Citi Holdings supports their $5.50 12-m price target (35% upside).
Notablecalls: I'm somewhat surprised to see Citi added to the List at Goldman, so I think it sees some buying interest into $4.30.
Higher lows for the last two months and just a tad above the 20 and 40 day EMAs are modestly positive.
From BigCharts:
We have a lot on Citi, use the "SEARCH BLOG" box, keyword Citigroup or see:
From BigCharts:
Rochdale's Dick Bove Calls Citigroup His Best Pick (C; GS)
"Citi: Bove’s Still Bullish; $8.50 in Three Years" (C)
Analyst Audit: Dick Bove of Rochdale Securities on Citigroup (C)
I have Dishonored My Ancestors: "JP Morgan, One of the First Big Banks to Report, Is Setting a Bad Precedent" (BAC; C; JPM; WFC)
"Ackman Confirms Why Citigroup Could Still Double" (C)
"KBW Raises Citigroup Outlook, Prefers J.P. Morgan" and "Moody's raises Citigroup's bank-strength rating" (C)
"Citigroup, Bank of America Up Six Times by 2015 Says Dick Bove" (BAC; C)
"Why Oppenheimer Now Hearts Citi" (C)
"Phil Falcone's Harbinger Capital Shows Massive New Citigroup Position: 13F Filing" (C)
"Citigroup: The Case for Continued Growth" (C)
"Goldman Analysts Upgrade Citi to ‘Buy" (C; GS)
"Raymond James Starts Citi (C) at 'Strong Buy', Sets $5.50 Price Target" (C)
In a gadda da vida: "Citigroup Inc. Iron Butterfly takes Advantage of a Range (C)
