Saturday, February 28, 2009

Participants in Government Investment Plan

28-Oct-08Citigroup Inc***New York$25000Completed
28-Oct-08J.P. Morgan Chase & CoNew York$25000Completed
28-Oct-08Wells Fargo & CoCalifornia$25000Completed
28-Oct-08Bank of America CorpNorth Carolina$15000Completed
09-Jan-09Bank of America Corp**North Carolina$10000Completed
28-Oct-08Goldman Sachs Group IncNew York$10000Completed
28-Oct-08Morgan StanleyNew York$10000Completed
12-Dec-08The PNC Financial Services Group IncPennsylvania$7579Completed
14-Nov-08U.S. BancorpMinnesota$6599Completed
14-Nov-08Capital OneVirginia$3555Completed
14-Nov-08Regions Financial CorpAlabama$3500Completed
14-Nov-08SunTrust Banks IncGeorgia$3500Completed
12-Dec-08Fifth Third BancorpOhio$3408Completed
09-Jan-09American Express CompanyNew York$3389Completed
14-Nov-08BB&TNorth Carolina$3134Completed
28-Oct-08Bank of New York Mellon CorpNew York$3000Completed
14-Nov-08KeyCorpOhio$2500Completed
12-Dec-08CIT Group Inc.New York$2330Completed
14-Nov-08ComericaTexas$2250Completed
28-Oct-08State Street CorpMassachusetts$2000Completed
14-Nov-08Marshall & Ilsley CorpWisconsin$1715Completed
14-Nov-08Northern TrustIllinois$1576Completed
14-Nov-08Zions BancorporationUtah$1400Completed
14-Nov-08Huntington Bancshares IncOhio$1398Completed
12-Dec-08SunTrust Banks IncGeorgia$1350Completed
19-Dec-08Synovus Financial CorpGeorgia$968Completed
05-Dec-08Popular IncPuerto Rico$935Completed
14-Nov-08First Horizon National Corp.Tennessee$867Completed
23-Dec-08M&T Bank CorpNew York$600Completed
21-Nov-08Associated Banc-CorpWisconsin$525Completed
21-Nov-08City National CorpCalifornia$400Completed
21-Nov-08Webster Financial Corp.Connecticut$400Completed
23-Dec-08Fulton Financial Corp.Pennsylvania$377Completed
14-Nov-08TCF FinancialMinnesota$361Completed
05-Dec-08South Financial Group IncSouth Carolina$347Completed
12-Dec-08Wilmington Trust Corp.Delaware$330Completed
05-Dec-08East West Bancorp IncCalifornia$306Completed
05-Dec-08Sterling Financial CorpWashington$303Completed
21-Nov-08Whitney Holding CorpLouisiana$301Completed
12-Dec-08Citizens Republic Bancorp IncMichigan$300Completed
12-Dec-08Susquehanna Bancshares IncPennsylvania$300Completed
14-Nov-08Valley National BancorpNew Jersey$300Completed
14-Nov-08UCBH Holdings IncCalifornia$299Completed
12-Dec-08First Banks, Inc.Missouri$295Completed
09-Jan-09New York Private Bank & Trust CorporationNew York$267Completed
05-Dec-08Cathay General BancorpCalifornia$258Completed
19-Dec-08Wintrust Financial CorpIllinois$250Completed
12-Dec-08SVB Financial GroupCalifornia$235Completed
23-Dec-08International Bancshares CorpTexas$216Completed
21-Nov-08Trustmark CorpMississippi$215Completed
14-Nov-08Umpqua Holdings Corp.Oregon$214Completed
14-Nov-08Washington FederalWashington$200Completed
05-Dec-08MB Financial IncIllinois$196Completed
05-Dec-08First Midwest Bancorp IncIllinois$193Completed
21-Nov-08First NiagaraNew York$184Completed
21-Nov-08Pacific Capital BancorpCalifornia$181Completed
05-Dec-08United Community Banks IncGeorgia$180Completed
21-Nov-08Boston Private Financial HoldingsMassachusetts$154Completed
14-Nov-08Provident Bankshares CorpNew York$152Completed
12-Dec-08National Penn Bancshares IncPennsylvania$150Completed
21-Nov-08Western AllianceNevada$140Completed
09-Jan-09Central Pacific Financial Corp.Hawaii$135Completed
05-Dec-08CVB Financial CorpCalifornia$130Completed
09-Jan-09FirstMerit Corp.Ohio$125Completed
12-Dec-08Sterling Bancshares IncTexas$125Completed
21-Nov-08Banner CorporationWashington$124Completed
12-Dec-08Signature BankNew York$120Completed
21-Nov-08Taylor Capital Group IncIllinois$105Completed
09-Jan-09F.N.B. CorporationPennsylvania$100Completed
12-Dec-08Old National BancorpIndiana$100Completed
25-Nov-08Park National CorpOhio$100Completed
12-Dec-08Pinnacle Financial Partners IncTennessee$95Completed
05-Dec-08Iberiabank CorpLouisiana$90Completed
09-Jan-09Sun Bancorp, IncNew Jersey$89Completed
19-Dec-08Plains Capital Corp.Texas$88Completed
05-Dec-08Midwest Banc Holdings IncIllinois$85Completed
05-Dec-08Sandy Spring Bancorp IncMaryland$83Completed
19-Dec-08Heartland Financial USA Inc.Iowa$82Completed
12-Dec-08Hampton Roads Bankshares, Inc.Virginia$80Completed
05-Dec-08First Financial BancorpCalifornia$80Completed
09-Jan-09Independent Bank Corp.Massachusetts$78Completed
21-Nov-08Columbia Banking System IncWashington$77Completed
12-Dec-08TowneBankVirginia$76Completed
12-Dec-08Bank of the Ozarks IncArkansas$75Completed
05-Dec-08WesBanco, IncWest Virginia$75Completed
12-Dec-08Independent Bank CorpMichigan$72Completed
25-Nov-08Green Bankshares IncTennessee$72Completed
12-Dec-08Virginia Commerce Bancorp IncVirginia$71Completed
19-Dec-08Flushing Financial CorpNew York$70Completed
05-Dec-08Southwest Bancorp IncOklahoma$70Completed
05-Dec-08Superior BancorpAlabama$69Completed
21-Nov-08Nara BancorpCalifornia$67Completed
09-Jan-09First BancorpNorth Carolina$65Completed
05-Dec-08First Financial Holdings IncSouth Carolina$65Completed
12-Dec-08Wilshire Bancorp IncCalifornia$62Completed
19-Dec-08Union Bankshares Corp.Virginia$59Completed
05-Dec-08Great Southern Bancorp IncMissouri$58Completed
12-Dec-08Center Financial CorpCalifornia$55Completed
19-Dec-08CoBiz Financial Inc.Colorado$54Completed
12-Dec-08NewBridge BancorpNorth Carolina$52Completed
21-Nov-08Ameris BancorpGeorgia$52Completed
19-Dec-08BancTrust Financial Group, Inc.Alabama$50Completed
19-Dec-08Seacoast Banking Corp.Florida$50Completed
19-Dec-08Fidelity Southern CorpGeorgia$48Completed
12-Dec-08The BancorpDelaware$45Completed
09-Jan-09Cadence Financial CorporationMississippi$44Completed
19-Dec-08Exchange BankCalifornia$43Completed
12-Dec-08Capital Bank CorpNorth Carolina$43Completed
05-Dec-08Southern Community FinancialNorth Carolina$43Completed
23-Dec-08Sterling BancorpNew York$42Completed
21-Nov-08First Community BanksharesVirginia$42Completed
19-Dec-08Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc.Massachusetts$40Completed
21-Nov-08Heritage Commerce CorpCalifornia$40Completed
21-Nov-08Cascade Financial CorporationWashington$39Completed
23-Dec-08Financial Institutions, Inc.New York$38Completed
19-Dec-08Bridgeview Bancorp, Inc.Illinois$38Completed
05-Dec-08Eagle Bancorp IncMaryland$38Completed
05-Dec-08First Defiance Financial CorpOhio$37Completed
05-Dec-08State Bancorp IncNew York$37Completed
05-Dec-08TIB Financial CorpFlorida$37Completed
12-Dec-08West Bancorporation, Inc.Iowa$36Completed
19-Dec-08Fidelity Financial CorpKansas$36Completed
19-Dec-08Marquette National Corp.Illinois$36Completed
19-Dec-08Enterprise Financial Services Corp.Missouri$35Completed
21-Nov-08Porter BancorpKentucky$35Completed
05-Dec-08Encore Bancshares IncTexas$34Completed
09-Jan-09Centrue Financial CorporationMissouri$33Completed
09-Jan-09First Security Group, Inc. Tennessee$33Completed
23-Dec-08MutualFirst FinancialIndiana$32Completed
23-Dec-08Parkvale Financial CorpPennsylvania$32Completed
05-Dec-08Bank of North CarolinaNorth Carolina$31Completed
09-Jan-09Farmers Capital Bank CorporationKentucky$30Completed
19-Dec-08Bancorp Rhode Island, Inc.Rhode Island$30Completed
19-Dec-08Hawthorn Bancshares, Inc.Missouri$30Completed
19-Dec-08StellarOne Corp.Virginia$30Completed
19-Dec-08Tennessee Commerce BancorpTennessee$30Completed
09-Jan-09Peapack-Gladstone Financial CorporationNew Jersey$29Completed
09-Jan-09Colony Bankcorp, Inc.Georgia$28Completed
05-Dec-08Bank of Marin BancorpFlorida$28Completed
21-Nov-08Centerstate Bank of FloridaFlorida$28Completed
19-Dec-08Alliance Financial CorporationNew York$27Completed
19-Dec-08Intermountain Community BancorpIdaho$27Completed
23-Dec-08HMN Financial, Inc.Minnesota$26Completed
19-Dec-08Patriot Bancshares, Inc.Texas$26Completed
09-Jan-09Crescent Financial CorporationNorth Carolina$25Completed
09-Jan-09Shore Bancshares, Inc. Maryland$25Completed
09-Jan-09The First Bancorp, Inc.Maine$25Completed
23-Dec-08Intervest Bancshares CorpNew York$25Completed
23-Dec-08Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina Inc.North Carolina$25Completed
19-Dec-08First California Financial Group, IncCalifornia$25Completed
19-Dec-08Horizon BancorpIndiana$25Completed
19-Dec-08VIST Financial CorpPennsylvania$25Completed
12-Dec-08LNB Bancorp IncOhio$25Completed
21-Nov-08HF FinancialSouth Dakota$25Completed
09-Jan-09Community Trust Financial CorporationLouisiana$24Completed
09-Jan-09Eastern Virginia Bankshares, Inc.Virginia$24Completed
25-Nov-08Bridge Capital HoldingsCalifornia$24Completed
21-Nov-08Heritage Financial CorporationWashington$24Completed
21-Nov-08Severn BancorpMaryland$23Completed
19-Dec-08Wainwright Bank & Trust CoMassachusetts$22Completed
12-Dec-08Indiana Community BancorpIndiana$22Completed
05-Dec-08Blue Valley Ban CorpKansas$22Completed
19-Dec-08AmeriServ Financial, IncPennsylvania$21Completed
12-Dec-08Citizens South Banking CorpNorth Carolina$21Completed
09-Jan-09C&F Financial CorporationVirginia$20Completed
09-Jan-09First Financial Service CorporationKentucky$20Completed
09-Jan-09MidSouth Bancorp, Inc.Louisiana$20Completed
05-Dec-08Unity Bancorp IncNew Jersey$20Completed
21-Nov-08First PacTrust Bancorp IncCalifornia$19Completed
19-Dec-08Community Bankers Trust CorpVirginia$18Completed
19-Dec-08Security Federal CorpSouth Carolina$18Completed
12-Dec-08Hopfed Bancorp IncKentucky$18Completed
09-Jan-09Codorus Valley Bancorp, Inc.Pennsylvania$17Completed
23-Dec-08Timberland Bancorp., Inc.Washington$17Completed
14-Nov-08Bank of Commerce HoldingsCalifornia$17Completed
09-Jan-09Carolina Bank Holdings, Inc.North Carolina$16Completed
19-Dec-08Community West BancsharesCalifornia$16Completed
19-Dec-08Pacific City Finacial Corp.California$16Completed
19-Dec-08Tri-County Financial Corp.Maryland$16Completed
12-Dec-08Valley Financial CorpVirginia$16Completed
14-Nov-081st Financial Services CorpNorth Carolina$16Completed
23-Dec-08Nicolet Bankshares, Inc.Wisconsin$15Completed
19-Dec-08Monarch Financial Holdings, Inc.Virginia$15Completed
12-Dec-08LSB CorpMassachusetts$15Completed
23-Dec-08Magna BankTennessee$14Completed
19-Dec-08Tidelands Bancshares, IncSouth Carolina$14Completed
05-Dec-08Oak Valley BancorpCalifornia$14Completed
09-Jan-09LCNB Corp.Ohio$13Completed
19-Dec-08Community Financial CorpVirginia$13Completed
09-Jan-09The Queensborough CompanyGeorgia$12Completed
23-Dec-081st Constitution BancorpNew Jersey$12Completed
23-Dec-08Cecil Bancorp, Inc.Maryland$12Completed
23-Dec-08Pacific Coast Bankers' BancsharesCalifornia$12Completed
19-Dec-08OneUnited BankMassachusetts$12Completed
23-Dec-08BCSB Bancorp.Maryland$11Completed
23-Dec-08Central Jersey BancorpNew Jersey$11Completed
23-Dec-08First Community Bank Corp of AmericaFlorida$11Completed
21-Nov-08First Community CorpSouth Carolina$11Completed
09-Jan-09Center Bancorp, Inc.New Jersey$10Completed
09-Jan-09North Central Bancshares, Inc.Iowa$10Completed
23-Dec-08Citizens BancorpCalifornia$10Completed
23-Dec-08United Bancorporation of Alabama, Inc.Alabama$10Completed
23-Dec-08Uwharrie Capital Corp.North Carolina$10Completed
19-Dec-08Mid Penn Bancorp IncPennsylvania$10Completed
19-Dec-08NCAL BancorpCalifornia$10Completed
12-Dec-08First Litchfield Financial CorpConnecticut$10Completed
05-Dec-08Central BancorpMassachusetts$10Completed
05-Dec-08Coastal Banking Company IncFlorida$10Completed
05-Dec-08Southern Missouri BancorpMissouri$10Completed
09-Jan-09GrandSouth BancorporationSouth Carolina$9Completed
19-Dec-08Citizens First CorporationKentucky$9Completed
19-Dec-08FCB Bancorp, Inc.Kentucky$9Completed
19-Dec-08The Elmira Savings BankNew York$9Completed
14-Nov-08Broadway Financial Corp.California$9Completed
23-Dec-08Emclaire Financial Corp.Pennsylvania$8Completed
23-Dec-08The Little Bank, IncorporatedNorth Carolina$8Completed
09-Jan-09Security California BancorpCalifornia$7Completed
23-Dec-08First Sound BankWashington$7Completed
23-Dec-08Western Community Bancshares, Inc.California$7Completed
23-Dec-08Western Illinois Bancshares Inc.Illinois$7Completed
19-Dec-08FFW Corp.Indiana$7Completed
12-Dec-08Fidelity BancorpPennsylvania$7Completed
12-Dec-08Pacific International BancorpWashington$7Completed
05-Dec-08Central Federal CorpOhio$7Completed
05-Dec-08Old Line BancsharesMaryland$7Completed
09-Jan-09American State Bancshares, Inc. Kansas$6Completed
09-Jan-09Rising Sun BancorpMaryland$6Completed
09-Jan-09Security Business BancorpCalifornia$6Completed
09-Jan-09Valley Community BankCalifornia$6Completed
23-Dec-08Leader BancorpMassachusetts$6Completed
23-Dec-08Mission Valley BancorpCalifornia$6Completed
19-Dec-08Patapsco Bancorp, Inc.Maryland$6Completed
19-Dec-08Summit State BankCalifornia$6Completed
05-Dec-08FPB BancorpFlorida$6Completed
09-Jan-09Commerce National BankCalifornia$5Completed
09-Jan-09Mission Community BancorpCalifornia$5Completed
23-Dec-08Cache Valley Banking CompanyUtah$5Completed
23-Dec-08Capital Bancorp, Inc.Maryland$5Completed
19-Dec-08Connecticut Bank & TrustConnecticut$5Completed
19-Dec-08The Connecticut Bank and Trust CompanyConnecticut$5Completed
09-Jan-09Texas National BancorporationTexas$4Completed
23-Dec-08Capital Pacific BancorpOregon$4Completed
23-Dec-08Pacific Commerce BankCalifornia$4Completed
19-Dec-08Santa Lucia BancorpCalifornia$4Completed
12-Dec-08Northeast BancorpMaine$4Completed
09-Jan-09Congaree Bancshares, Inc. South Carolina$3Completed
09-Jan-09Redwood Financial Inc. Minnesota$3Completed
09-Jan-09Sound Banking CompanyNorth Carolina$3Completed
23-Dec-08Citizens Community BankVirginia$3Completed
23-Dec-08Community Investors Bancorp, Inc.Ohio$3Completed
23-Dec-08Tennessee Valley Financial Holdings, Inc.Tennessee$3Completed
09-Jan-09Surrey BancorpNorth Carolina$2Completed
23-Dec-08Saigon NationalCalifornia$2Completed
23-Dec-08Seacoast Commerce BankCalifornia$2Completed
23-Dec-08TCNB Financial Corp.Ohio$2Completed
19-Dec-08Monadnock Bancorp, Inc.New Hampshire$2Completed
05-Dec-08Manhattan BancorpCalifornia$2Completed
09-Jan-09Independence BankRhode Island$1Completed
16-Jan-09Yadkin Valley Financial Corporation North Carolina$36Completed
16-Jan-09Washington Banking Company/ Whidbey Island BankWashington$26Completed
16-Jan-09United Financial Banking Companies, Inc. Virginia$6Completed
16-Jan-09United Bancorp, Inc. Mississippi$20Completed
16-Jan-09Treaty Oak Bancorp, Inc. Texas$3Completed
16-Jan-09The Baraboo BanCorporation Wisconsin$21Completed
16-Jan-09Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc. Texas$75Completed
16-Jan-09TCB Holding CompanyTexas$12Completed
16-Jan-09Syringa Bancorp Idaho$8Completed
16-Jan-09State Bankshares, Inc. North Dakota$50Completed
16-Jan-09Southern Bancorp, Inc. Arkansas$11Completed
16-Jan-09Somerset Hills Bancorp New Jersey$7Completed
16-Jan-09SCBT Financial Corporation South Carolina$65Completed
16-Jan-09S&T Bancorp Pennsylvania$109Completed
16-Jan-09Redwood Capital Bancorp California$4Completed
16-Jan-09Pulaski Financial CorpMissouri$33Completed
16-Jan-09Puget Sound Bank BellevueWashington$5Completed
16-Jan-09Pacific Coast National Bancorp California$4Completed
16-Jan-09Old Second Bancorp, Inc. Illinois$73Completed
16-Jan-09OceanFirst Financial Corp.New Jersey$38Completed
16-Jan-09New Hampshire Thrift Bancshares, Inc. New Hampshire$10Completed
16-Jan-09Morrill Bancshares, Inc. Kansas$13Completed
16-Jan-09MetroCorp Bancshares, Inc. Texas$45Completed
16-Jan-09MainSource Financial Group, Inc. Pennsylvania$57Completed
16-Jan-09Idaho Bancorp Idaho$7Completed
16-Jan-09Home Bancshares, Inc. Arkansas$50Completed
16-Jan-09First Manitowoc Bancorp, Inc. Wisconsin$12Completed
16-Jan-09First Bankers Trustshares, Inc. Illinois$10Completed
16-Jan-09First Bancorp Puerto Rico$400Completed
16-Jan-09ECB Bancorp, Inc./East Carolina BankNorth Carolina$18Completed
16-Jan-09Dickinson Financial Corporation Missouri$146Completed
16-Jan-09Community Bank of the BayCalifornia$2Completed
16-Jan-09Community 1st BankCalifornia$3Completed
16-Jan-09Citizens & Northern Corporation Pennsylvania$26Completed
16-Jan-09Centra Financial Holdings, Inc./Centra Bank, Inc. West Virginia$15Completed
16-Jan-09Carver Bancorp, IncNew York$19Completed
16-Jan-09BNCCORP, Inc. North Dakota$20Completed
16-Jan-09Bar Harbor Bankshares/Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Maine$19Completed
16-Jan-09Bank of CommerceNorth Carolina$3Completed
23-Jan-09WSFS Financial Corporation Delaware$53Completed
23-Jan-09Stonebridge Financial Corp.Pennsylvania$11Completed
23-Jan-09Southern Illinois BancorpIllinois$5Completed
23-Jan-09Seaside National Bank & Trust Florida$6Completed
23-Jan-09Princeton National Bancorp, Inc.Illinois$25Completed
23-Jan-09Pierce County BancorpWashington$7Completed
23-Jan-09Moscow Bancshares, Inc.Tennessee$6Completed
23-Jan-09Midland States BancorpIllinois$10Completed
23-Jan-09Liberty Bancshares, Inc.Arkansas$58Completed
23-Jan-09Fresno First BankCalifornia$2Completed
23-Jan-09FPB Financial Corp.Louisiana$3Completed
23-Jan-09First ULB Corp.California$5Completed
23-Jan-09First Citizens Banc Corp tsOhio$23Completed
23-Jan-09Farmers Bank Virginia$9Completed
23-Jan-09Crosstown Holding CompanyMinnesota$11Completed
23-Jan-09Commonwealth Business Bank California$8Completed
23-Jan-09CalWest BancorpCalifornia$5Completed
23-Jan-09Calvert Financial Corporation sMissouri$1Completed
23-Jan-09California Oaks State Bank California$3Completed
23-Jan-09BankFirst Capital Corporation Mississippi$16Completed
23-Jan-09Alarion Financial Services, Inc.Florida$7Completed
23-Jan-09AB&T Financial Corporation North Carolina$4Completed
23-Jan-091st Source Corporation Indiana$111Completed
30-Jan-09Peoples Bancorp Inc. Ohio$39Completed
30-Jan-09Anchor BanCorp Wisconsin Inc. Wisconsin$110Completed
30-Jan-09Parke Bancorp, Inc. New Jersey$16Completed
30-Jan-09Central Virginia Bankshares, Inc. Virginia$11Completed
30-Jan-09Flagstar Bancorp, Inc. Michigan$267Completed
30-Jan-09Middleburg Financial Corporation Virginia$22Completed
30-Jan-09Peninsula Bank Holding Co.California$6Completed
30-Jan-09PrivateBancorp, Inc. Illinois$243Completed
30-Jan-09Central Valley Community BancorpCalifornia$7Completed
30-Jan-09Plumas BancorpCalifornia$12Completed
30-Jan-09Stewardship Financial Corporation New Jersey$10Completed
30-Jan-09Oak Ridge Financial Services, Inc. North Carolina$8Completed
30-Jan-09First United Corporation Maryland$30Completed
30-Jan-09Community Partners BancorpNew Jersey$9Completed
30-Jan-09Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc. Missouri$17Completed
30-Jan-09Annapolis Bancorp, Inc. Maryland$8Completed
30-Jan-09DNB Financial Corporation Pennsylvania$12Completed
30-Jan-09Firstbank Corporation Michigan$33Completed
30-Jan-09Valley Commerce BancorpCalifornia$8Completed
30-Jan-09Greer Bancshares IncSouth Carolina$10Completed
30-Jan-09Ojai Community BankCalifornia$2Completed
30-Jan-09Adbanc, IncNebraska$13Completed
30-Jan-09Beach Business BankCalifornia$6Completed
30-Jan-09Legacy Bancorp, Inc. Wisconsin$5Completed
30-Jan-09First Southern Bancorp, Inc. Florida$11Completed
30-Jan-09Country Bank Shares, Inc. Nebraska$8Completed
30-Jan-09Katahdin Bankshares Corp. Maine$10Completed
30-Jan-09Rogers Bancshares, Inc. Arkansas$25Completed
30-Jan-09UBT Bancshares, Inc. Kansas$9Completed
30-Jan-09Bankers' Bank of the West Bancorp, Inc. Colorado$13Completed
30-Jan-09W.T.B. Financial Corporation Washington$110Completed
30-Jan-09AMB Financial Corp. Indiana$4Completed
30-Jan-09Goldwater BankArizona$3Completed
30-Jan-09Equity Bancshares, Inc. Kansas$9Completed
30-Jan-09WashingtonFirst BankVirginia$7Completed
30-Jan-09Central Bancshares, Inc. Texas$6Completed
30-Jan-09Hilltop Community Bancorp, Inc. New Jersey$4Completed
30-Jan-09Northway Financial, Inc. New Hampshire$10Completed
30-Jan-09Monument BankMaryland$5Completed
30-Jan-09Metro City BankGeorgia$8Completed
30-Jan-09F & M Bancshares, Inc. Tennessee$5Completed
30-Jan-09First Resource BankPennsylvania$3Completed
6-Feb-09MidWest One Financial Group, Inc.Iowa$16Completed
6-Feb-09Lakeland Bancorp, Inc.New Jersey$59Completed
6-Feb-09Monarch Community Bancorp, Inc.Michigan$7Completed
6-Feb-09The First Bancshares, Inc.Mississippi$5Completed
6-Feb-09Carolina Trust BankNorth Carolina$4Completed
6-Feb-09Alaska Pacific Bancshares, Inc. Arkansas$5Completed
6-Feb-09PGB Holdings, Inc. Illinois$3Completed
6-Feb-09The Freeport State BankKansas$0.3Completed
6-Feb-09Stockmens Financial CorporationSouth Dakota$16Completed
6-Feb-09US Metro BankCalifornia$3Completed
6-Feb-09First Express of Nebraska, Inc. Nebraska$5Completed
6-Feb-09Mercantile Capital Corp. Massachusetts$4Completed
6-Feb-09Citizens Commerce Bancshares, Inc. Kentucky$6Completed
6-Feb-09Liberty Financial Services, Inc. Louisiana$6Completed
6-Feb-09Lone Star BankTexas$3Completed
6-Feb-09First Market Bank, FSBVirginia$34Completed
6-Feb-09Banner County Bank CorporationNebraska$1Completed
6-Feb-09Centrix Bank & TrustNew Hampshire$8Completed
6-Feb-09Todd Bancshares, Inc.Kentucky$4Completed
6-Feb-09Georgia Commerce Bancshares, Inc.Georgia$9Completed
6-Feb-09First Bank of Charleston, Inc. West Virginia$3Completed
6-Feb-09F & M Financial CorporationNorth Carolina$17Completed
6-Feb-09The Bank of CurrituckNorth Carolina$4Completed
6-Feb-09CedarStone BankTennessee$4Completed
6-Feb-09Community Holding Company of Florida, Inc.Florida$1Completed
6-Feb-09Hyperion BankPennsylvania$2Completed
6-Feb-09Pascack Community BankNew Jersey$4Completed
6-Feb-09First Western Financial, Inc.Colorado$9Completed
13-Feb-09QCR Holdings, Inc. Illinois$38Completed
13-Feb-09Westamerica BanCorporation California$84Completed
13-Feb-09The Bank of Kentucky Financial Corporation Kentucky$34Completed
13-Feb-09PremierWest Bancorp Oregon$41Completed
13-Feb-09Carrollton Bancorp Maryland$9Completed
13-Feb-09FNB United Corp.North Carolina$52Completed
13-Feb-09First Menasha Bancshares, Inc. Wisconsin$5Completed
13-Feb-091st Enterprise BankCalifornia$4Completed
13-Feb-09DeSoto County BankMississippi$1Completed
13-Feb-09Security BancsharesMissouri$2Completed
13-Feb-09State Capital Corporation Mississippi$15Completed
13-Feb-09BankGreenvilleSouth Carolina$1Completed
13-Feb-09Corning Savings and Loan AssociationArkansas$1Completed
13-Feb-09Financial Security Corporation Wyoming$5Completed
13-Feb-09ColoEast Bankshares, Inc. Colorado$10Completed
13-Feb-09Santa Clara Valley BankCalifornia$3Completed
13-Feb-09Reliance Bancshares, Inc. Missouri$40Completed
13-Feb-09Regional Bankshares, Inc. South Carolina$2Completed
13-Feb-09Peoples Bancorp Washington$18Completed
13-Feb-09First Choice BankCalifornia$2Completed
13-Feb-09Gregg Bancshares, Inc. Missouri$1Completed
13-Feb-09Hometown Bancshares, Inc. Kentucky$2Completed
13-Feb-09Midwest Regional Bancorp, Inc. Missouri$1Completed
13-Feb-09Bern Bancshares, Inc. Kentucky$1Completed
13-Feb-09Northwest Bancorporation, Inc. Washington$11Completed
13-Feb-09Liberty Bancshares, Inc. Missouri$22Completed
13-Feb-09F&M Financial Corporation Tennessee$17Completed
13-Feb-09Meridian BankPennsylvania$6Completed
13-Feb-09Northwest Commercial BankWashington$2Completed
20-Feb-09Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc. Pennsylvania$30Completed
20-Feb-09First Merchants Corporation Indiana$116Completed
20-Feb-09Northern States Financial Corporation Illinois$17Completed
20-Feb-09Sonoma Valley BancorpCalifornia$9Completed
20-Feb-09Guaranty Bancorp, Inc. New Hampshire$7Completed
20-Feb-09The Private Bank of California California$5Completed
20-Feb-09Lafayette Bancorp, Inc. Mississippi$2Completed
20-Feb-09Liberty Shares, Inc. Georgia$17Completed
20-Feb-09White River Bancshares Company Arkansas$17Completed
20-Feb-09United American BankCalifornia$9Completed
20-Feb-09Crazy Woman Creek Bancorp, Inc. Wyoming$3Completed
20-Feb-09First Priority Financial Corp.Pennsylvania$5Completed
20-Feb-09Mid-Wisconsin Financial Services, Inc. Wisconsin$10Completed
20-Feb-09Market BanCorporation Minnesota$2Completed
20-Feb-09Hometown Bancorp of Alabama, Inc. Alabama$3Completed
20-Feb-09Security State Bancshares, Inc. Missouri$13Completed
20-Feb-09CBB Bancorp Georgia$3Completed
20-Feb-09BancPlus Corporation Mississippi$48Completed
20-Feb-09Central Community Corporation Texas$22Completed
20-Feb-09First BancTrust Corporation Illinois$7Completed
20-Feb-09Premier Service BankCalifornia$4Completed
20-Feb-09Florida Business BancGroup, Inc. Florida$9Completed
20-Feb-09Hamilton State Bancshares, Inc. Georgia$7Completed

Total: $196,372***

Firms Participating: 442
Blogged with the Flock Browser

Friday, February 27, 2009

UOB

UOB falls on poor results, rights fears

SINGAPORE - Shares of United Overseas Bank (UOB), Singapore's second-largest lender, fell as much as 2.9 per cent on Friday on concerns the bank may make a rights offer following disappointing fourth quarter results.

UOB's October-December net profit fell a larger-than-expected 34 per cent to $332 million due to higher writedowns for bad debt and lower fees from capital markets.

The bank also cut its dividend to 40 cents from 45 cents a year ago.

A dealer attributed the selling to UOB's poor results, although he added the dividend was 'not too bad'.

JPMorgan, which maintained its 'neutral' rating on UOB, said the shares will remain under pressure due to concerns about a possible rights issue.

'Tier 1 ratio below peers may lead to renewed concerns on capital raising,' the US bank said in a report.

By 0751 GMT, UOB was down 2.9 per cent, underperforming the 1.5 per cent fall in the benchmark Straits Times Index.

UOB shares were up around 1.5 per cent before the midday break when UOB announced its results. -- REUTERS

Blogged with the Flock Browser

UOB Q4 Result

Update: UOB Q4 profit falls 34% as bad debt charges rise

* Worst quarterly results since Q2 2003
* Q4 bad debt charges almost trebled to $381m
* Shares down 1%, reversing earlier gains

SINGAPORE - United Overseas Bank (UOB), Singapore's second-ranked lender, reported a bigger-than-expected 34 per cent drop in fourth-quarter profit as writedowns for bad debts trebled and fees from capital markets fell.

The results, UOB's worst since the second quarter of 2003, reflect the growing risks for Singapore banks' earnings as weakening Asian economies threaten to hurt asset quality, slow loan growth and boost credit costs.

UOB, controlled by chairman Wee Cho Yaw and his family, is considered the leader in Singapore's loan market for small- and medium-sized businesses, which have been hit hardest by a global economic slowdown and a downturn in the property market.

'That was a bit of shocker,' said David Lum, an analyst at Daiwa Institute of Research, referring to the $381 million in writedowns for bad debts. 'Clearly impairments are based on outlook that conditions will continue to deteriorate.'

Related articles:

Click here for UOB's news release

Click here for Group financial report

UOB chief executive Wee Ee Cheong, the son of the chairman, said the bank is not immune from the impact of the global financial crisis and will be prudent in managing its business.

Net profit for October-December fell to $332 million (US$216 million) from $506 million a year ago. Analysts had estimated, on average, a net profit of $468 million, according to six forecasts compiled by Reuters.

UOB wrote down $381 million in the fourth quarter in bad debt, up from $128 million a year earlier, mainly due to loans that turned sour and on losses on investment securities.

The market had begun to pare down their expectations after DBS Group, Southeast Asia's biggest bank, earlier this month reported a bigger-than-expected 40 per cent drop in quarterly profit, its worst result in three years.

Third-ranked Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp (OCBC) last week posted a 30 per cent drop in quarterly net profit.

UOB said net lending grew 7.7 per cent from a year earlier, slowing from an 18 per cent expansion in the third quarter.

Net interest income rose 29 per cent to $957 million from a year earlier, helped by a jump in net interest margins to 2.45 per cent in the fourth quarter as the global credit crisis jacked up borrowing costs. The margin was 2.21 per cent in the third quarter and 1.94 per cent a year ago.

Non-interest earnings, such as commissions and fees on investment products, fell 27 per cent to $391 million as capital markets tumbled.

UOB shares fell 1 per cent to US$10.26 in afternoon trade after the results, erasing gains of 1.5 per cent at the midday break.

The shares have underperformed its Singapore rivals this year, falling around 20 per cent, more than the 8 per cent decline in the benchmark Straits Times Index. -- REUTERS

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Wilmar International 4Q Financial Result

SINGAPORE - Wilmar International Ltd, the world's largest listed palm oil firm, posted on Friday a 60 per cent rise in fourth quarter net profit due to higher palm oil prices and processing margins.

Wilmar, which owns oil palm plantations and runs milling, crushing, refining and processing plants in Indonesia and Malaysia, earned US$374 million in the October-December quarter, up from US$234 million a year ago.

The figure was higher than analysts' forecast that earnings will come in around US$260 million.

Wilmar's net profit for the full year was US$1.53 billion, beating the average estimate of US$1.42 billion by 11 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters.

'We are cautiously optimistic on our group's prospects,' the firm said in a statement.

'The relative resilience in the demand for staple food commodities together with the strengths of our balance sheet and integrated business model will position us to weather the uncertainties ahead.' -- REUTERS

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Wilmar International

SINGAPORE, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Wilmar International <WLIL.SI>, the world's largest listed palm oil firm, is keen on acquiring assets and has about $1 billion available for mergers and acquisitions, its chief executive officer said on Friday.

Wilmar had about $2.5 billion in cash at the end of December and about $1 billion could be used for buying plantations, ships or food companies, CEO Kuok Khoon Hong told Reuters on the sidelines of the firm's results briefing.

"Dry bulk ships are very cheap now," he said.

Wilmar posted a higher-than-expected 60 percent rise in fourth-quarter net profit earlier on Friday and said it was "cautiously optimistic" about prospects.


Blogged with the Flock Browser

HSBC likes High-grade corp debt in HK,Singapore

HONG KONG, Feb 26 (Reuters) - HSBC Global Asset Management investment unit Halbis said it favours investment grade corporate bonds such those from Singapore and Hong Kong because borrowers in these countries have less refinancing needs.

Halbis likes investment-grade corporate bonds issued by non-cyclical telecommunications and utilities sectors, she said.

China has about $2 trillion in foreign exchange reserves, the largest in the world.

Hong Kong, which has long benefited from its close links with the mainland, would also be in better shape than other export-oriented countries in the region, she said.

Even though the region will suffer from further deterioration, Asian countries remain relatively robust on the back of low external debt levels, healthy government fiscal accounts and comfortable foreign exchange coverage ratios, she said.

"These problems faced by Asian countries can be partly offset by the lowering of inflation pressure and stable current account outlook," Chan said.


Blogged with the Flock Browser

Hopes of Quick Rebound in China Strat to Fade

Hopes of Quick Rebound in China Start to Fade

Despite an Increase in Bank Lending, Steel Prices Fall, Demand for Exports Shrinks and Consumers Buy Fewer Foreign Goods

BEIJING -- Hopes for an early recovery in China's economy are starting to unravel, undercutting the optimism that has helped to make the country's stock market the world's best performer this year.

[China economy] Getty Images

A worker carries bottled gas past a ship in China. Despite more credit for industries such as shipbuilding, an early rebound is unlikely.

In recent weeks, some companies and investors had seized on a surge in bank lending and an upturn in steel prices -- a key indicator in China's industry-heavy economy -- as signs that a massive government stimulus program was already taking hold.

But now steel prices are falling again, and closer examination of the recent bank data suggests that many of the loans won't immediately fuel economic growth. Meanwhile, trade has continued to contract, as demand for Chinese exports from the U.S. and Europe wanes, and Chinese companies and consumers, in turn, buy fewer foreign goods.

The upshot is that a real pickup in China's economy could still be several months away, or longer. That's bad news for a global economy in which China is the only major power still growing.

"It would be a mistake to think that China could decouple from the rest of the world, or carry the rest of the world on its shoulders," said Bruce Kasman, chief economist for J.P. Morgan. "A sustained recovery in China is dependent on better news globally."

China's government has put about 230 billion yuan ($34 billion) into stimulus projects so far, with more to come. Many economists think it will take time for that jolt to work its way through the economy, and don't expect major effects to show up until around the second half of this year.

Local companies, more optimistic about the stimulus package, began bidding up steel prices and freight rates in December. Investors did the same with Chinese stocks: The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index at one point this month was up 30% for the year, though it has come down a bit since.

By the beginning of February, steel prices had gained about 15% from November lows. China is the world's largest consumer of the metal, and the run-up in prices got a lot of attention.

But much of that steel was stockpiled, rather than immediately used in factories or construction sites.

Inventories of some steel products rose more than 30% in January from December, the China Iron & Steel Association said in a report last week.

"Recent additions to inventories by dealers and users have led to a rebound in steel market prices ... [but] the steady increase in inventories will affect the stable operation of the steel market later on," it said.

[Reversal chart]

The anticipated demand hasn't yet materialized, and those inventories are weighing on the market.

Average steel prices dropped 6.3% last week, after falling 3.2% the week before, according to Mysteel, a Shanghai-based research firm.

Getting a solid read on the Chinese economy has been particularly difficult in recent weeks because the weeklong Lunar New Year holiday fell earlier this year than in 2007, distorting annual comparisons of key indicators in January.

Other data reinforce the sense that economic activity has yet to revive. Industrial output in the business hub of Shanghai fell 12.7% from a year earlier in January -- even after adjusting for the holiday. Nationwide, industrial statistics haven't yet been published for January.

Also, imports nationwide fell 43.1% in January from a year earlier -- a drop that, allowing for the holiday impact, suggests slowing demand in China.

"Domestic demand for imports is still very weak, as the housing-construction slump continues, and the fiscal stimulus-induced investment demand has yet to come through," said UBS economist Wang Tao.

The huge expansion in lending in January -- banks made 1.62 trillion yuan in new loans, twice as much as last year -- was widely seen as a positive sign.

[China Economy photo] Associated Press

College students wait to enter at a job fair in Wuhan, in central China's Hubei province, Feb. 20, 2009. The once ravenous international appetite for Chinese-made goods is shrinking, leading to increased unemployment in the country.

But other data on deposits suggest companies are hoarding their cash rather than spending it, so those loans may not be immediately fueling economic growth.

Further doubts have been raised by the unusual nature of recent loans. Short-term bills accounted for 42% of new corporate lending in January, or 623.9 billion yuan, three times the already elevated level of November and December, and 10 times October's figure.

Because companies can borrow those bills for a lower interest rate than they earn on deposits, some economists think the surge comes more from financial engineering than actual borrowing.

"Recent monetary and credit data do not reflect real economic demand," said Ha Jiming, chief economist of China International Capital Corp.

Meanwhile, major Chinese port operators are reporting even lower volumes of containers coming through in February than in January, Citigroup analysts Ally Ma and Brian Lam wrote in a report this week.

Based on those data and other indicators, an annual decline of 20% or more in Chinese exports in coming months "seems inevitable," the analysts wrote.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Thursday, February 26, 2009

China Railway (0390.HK)

   STOCKS TO WATCH 
* China Railway Group Ltd <0390.HK><601390.SS>, the country's
biggest railway and highway builder, said on Thursday it had won
contracts worth 22.62 billion yuan ($3.3 billion).
The award is among the biggest since the government unveiled
a 4 trillion yuan ($585 billion) stimulus package, focused on
infrastructure and social welfare, to prevent an abrupt economic
slowdown amid a deepening global recession.
The combined value of the four contracts is equivalent to
12.53 percent of 2007 revenue, China Railway said in a statement
filed with the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
Blogged with the Flock Browser

Citigroup Chafes Under U.S. Overseers

In a recent phone call with a senior government official, Citigroup Inc. Chief Executive Vikram Pandit revealed who's on top in the new world of American finance.

[USA Inc.]

"Don't give up on us," Mr. Pandit said, pleading with the official not to push out top management. "Give us a chance to execute."

Mr. Pandit is on the verge of ceding yet more control to the government. Citigroup is in talks with federal officials about the U.S. taking greater ownership of the bank by converting its 7.8% stake of preferred shares to as much as 40% of Citigroup's common stock. Doing so would give the wobbling bank a desperately needed boost to its capital, but less control of its destiny.

Citigroup's request could also heighten political pressure to break up the financial titan, whose 1998 creation helped to dismantle the Depression-era law separating the banking and brokerage industries. For taxpayers, Citigroup's quest carries peril, because holders of common shares have the last claim to repayment in the event of a corporate liquidation.

Interviews with more than 30 banking-industry executives, regulators, government officials and others show that the U.S.-Citigroup relationship, one of the most important products of the American financial-system bailout, is off to a very rocky start.

Citigroup executives are attempting to strike a seemingly impossible balance: Run the business in a way that will please their new federal masters, but also help the bank rebound from $28 billion in losses over the past five quarters.

Former federal officials have dubbed Citigroup the "Death Star," comparing the bank's threat to the financial system with the planet-destroying super weapon in the "Star Wars" movies. Privately, in the words of one official, they regard the banking giant as "unmanageable."

Complicating the issue is the government's back-and-forth between bouts of micromanaging the banking giant and periods of ignoring it. In trying to be neither an active nor a passive investor, the U.S. is directing the business without a firm strategy or particular expertise.

Government and the Citi

Getty Images

Vikram Pandit, CEO of Citigroup, testifies on the TARP funds before the House Financial Services Committee at the US Capitol in Washington, DC.

Central to the confusion: There's no one individual or entity in charge of the federal oversight of Citigroup.

That's because banks like Citigroup are regulated by a patchwork of agencies including the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The Treasury Department also has oversight because it's the one that is injecting government capital into the banks. And members of Congress, who initially approved all that money, have their own stake in how things play out. All these interested parties have been handing Citigroup a jumble of sometimes conflicting orders, advice and critiques.

Officials with the Fed, for instance, informed Citigroup executives they have "observer rights" that entitle them to participate in the bank's board meetings. Though the government hasn't joined in so far, the fact that it might has led some Citigroup executives to complain privately that the U.S. now has "unlimited power" over the bank. One person close to the company compared the government's role to the sword of Damocles, an ever-present evil hanging over their heads.

A Citigroup spokeswoman said: "It has always been the case that when regulators ask to make a presentation to our board, we accommodate them."

On Tuesday, Mr. Pandit was in Washington for meetings with federal regulators and other officials, as questions loomed about his future and that of the company's board. Citigroup bankers sought to calm nervous clients this week. Some are worried about losing business during the uncertainty.

The federal government's new role in American finance has been staggering. In the past six months, the U.S. has injected nearly $200 billion into 419 banking institutions; guaranteed at least $420 billion in potential losses at multiple banks; directed several financial firms to merge; and has outlined plans to buy hundreds of billions of dollars in bad mortgages and other bad assets from banks. The U.S. also has agreed to prop up the commercial-paper market by buying more than $1 trillion of companies' short-term debt.

Overhaul of Bailout
[Raining Red Ink]

Besides the Citigroup move, the government's latest to-do list includes an overhaul of its $150 billion bailout of American International Group Inc. Starting this week, banking regulators will conduct "stress tests" to gauge the health of the nation's top 20 banks. And in the coming weeks, the government plans to orchestrate a restructuring of the nation's auto industry, after loaning a total of $17.4 billion to General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC, both of which are now seeking billions more.

Citigroup's bid for yet more help is sure to complicate a partnership already strained by miscommunications and missteps. Since the government shored up the embattled bank with fresh capital over the past few months, it has issued some broad directives: ordering Citigroup to sell assets to raise money and curtail risky investments, urging a reshuffle of its board, and warning that if it needs more taxpayer money, management may be booted.

But even as the government has ensured Citigroup's survival for now, bank executives say they have been left to read tea leaves about how to implement federal directives.

U.S. officials say Citigroup's problems are wide-ranging, presenting issues for various governmental agencies -- all of which are also engaged in handling problems involving other banks and the economy. Some officials say they have given Citigroup executives broad outlines of what they'd like the company to do. They say thus far it's not been the government's position to give Citigroup a specific playbook about how to put directives in place. The current talks for federal assistance, however, could result in more direct orders on how Citigroup should proceed.

Regarding the government's relationship with Citigroup, a company spokeswoman said in a statement: "We maintain constant and open communication with all of our regulators."

[Citigroup]

In recent weeks, Citigroup executives have reached out to various government officials for guidance -- with little to show for their effort. Last week, Mr. Pandit met with Lawrence Summers, the government's chief economic adviser, in the White House's West Wing. Mr. Summers made clear that he wouldn't discuss Citigroup specifically, and Mr. Pandit emerged from the meeting with no better idea of where the Obama administration stands in managing ties with the big bank.

Amid the anxiety, Edward Kelly, a senior investment banker and one of Mr. Pandit's closest confidants, used his personal misfortune to ease tension within Citigroup. After a trying visit to Washington to brief regulators, Mr. Kelly returned to his Baltimore home tired -- and soon woke up to a screeching smoke alarm. Finding flames in his home office and working to halt the fire from spreading, Mr. Kelly burned his right hand and arm so badly that doctors kept him home for several days to prevent infection.

In a flurry of phone calls while he was home recuperating, Mr. Kelly joked to colleagues that he was putting out fires at both his home and his company.

Spotty Communications

Communications from government officials, meanwhile, have been spotty. Friday afternoon, after the bank's shares had closed the week at an 18-year low of $1.95, top executives reached out to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the New York Fed. They wanted to discuss Citigroup's proposal to substantially enlarge the government's ownership stake. The conversations were constructive, but they couldn't progress much until they heard from Treasury, the government arm that had invested in Citigroup's preferred stock and therefore would need to bless converting that stake into common shares.

Through the weekend, Citigroup didn't hear from Treasury officials. Then on Sunday evening, Mr. Pandit's phone rang. It was Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, calling with a message: "I think we just need to do something." Mr. Geithner was short on specifics, but said he was ready to entertain Citigroup's idea of converting a big chunk of the government's preferred stock into common shares.

The government's ongoing pressure to slim down the company has forced Citigroup executives to consider a range of unwanted options. They agreed in January to spin off the Smith Barney brokerage unit into a joint venture with Morgan Stanley after insisting for years that they wouldn't part with the business. The bank has also split itself into two parts, with the goal of selling additional assets and businesses.

Baltimore Business Journal

Citigroup investment banker Edward Kelly

Executives are now wrestling with the possibility of shedding the company's lucrative Banamex consumer-banking unit in Mexico, even as Citigroup officially insists that is unlikely to happen. Following his meeting with Mr. Summers last week, Mr. Pandit flew to Mexico City, trying to calm Banamex employees who were convinced that the U.S. government would force Citigroup to sell the business.

Citigroup's every move is now under the public microscope. In late January, as news was about to break about Citigroup's plans to buy a $42 million corporate jet, Mr. Pandit huddled with Citigroup executives in the firm's Manhattan headquarters. Mr. Pandit suggested the company simply cancel the order to minimize the bad publicity.

Lewis Kaden, a Citigroup vice chairman, resisted, arguing that the company needed to carefully word any public statement about the jet in order to avoid a fee from the plane's manufacturer. An internal debate ensued over how best to handle the matter, and the lack of a resolution transformed it into a politically potent multiday news story.

Federal officials were apoplectic. President Barack Obama branded Citigroup's plans to buy the plane "outrageous." Treasury officials phoned Citigroup executives and pressured them to scrap the order, which they did.

The tongue-lashing didn't stop there. Mr. Pandit received an earful from Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D., N.Y.). At a meeting in her Manhattan office, Rep. Velazquez scolded Mr. Pandit for not canceling the jet order sooner and suggested that he fire the Citigroup public-relations team for "bungling" the situation. Rep. Velazquez couldn't be reached for comment.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) also met with Mr. Pandit after the plane debacle. "The dynamics are changing," he told Mr. Pandit. "Brace yourself for more accountability and stricter oversight. No more big executive pay, no more frills."

Bloomberg News

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner

The scrutiny has Citigroup executives second-guessing everything, right down to the fresh-baked cookies offered at a recent corporate retreat in Armonk, N.Y. Seated in plush chairs around a three-story stone fireplace, some attendees wondered aloud if the cookies themselves might be portrayed as a frivolous use of taxpayer money.

In the wake of the airplane flap, federal regulators have begun demanding more detailed information from Citigroup about corporate expenses and individual departments' operating budgets. The government is specifically requesting information about expenses for any lavish parties or other corporate events.

The detailed nature of such requests startled some Citigroup executives, who weren't expecting to fork over such granular information. The company has responded by preemptively canceling several events, including a private-investor conference in Miami slated for April, where hotel rooms for hundreds of people were already reserved. A few groups of Citigroup bankers had planned to take top clients on ski trips in the Rocky Mountains; those plans were shelved. At the Inter-American Development Bank's annual conference, scheduled for March in Colombia, Citigroup won't be hosting its normal after-hours parties.

Citigroup officials are learning the hard way to play politics. Anticipating the political storm he would incite by flying to the nation's capital by private plane, Mr. Pandit now hops on commercial shuttle flights for the frequent trips to Washington. Other executives travel by Amtrak train.

Amid pressure to shake up its board, Citigroup initially suggested it would begin making director changes at the April shareholder meeting. The Fed rejected that, pushing lead director Richard Parsons to act sooner. The Fed has also frowned upon some potential nominees that Citigroup has informally pitched to the agency, saying Washington would prefer "tough-minded independent thinkers."

Though the company has lined up director candidates that it wants the Fed to approve, the candidates haven't agreed to the posts, waiting to see what happens to Citigroup's management, operations and future.

Citigroup's guessing game also extended to congressional hearings held earlier this month. Legislators pounded Mr. Pandit and other bank executives for putting their institutions in jeopardy. As Mr. Pandit prepared for the hearings, some Citigroup executives urged him to make two concessions: apologizing for the corporate-jet fiasco and agreeing not to get paid until Citigroup returns to profitability. Others argued that such conciliatory gestures would validate unfair criticisms of the company. Mr. Pandit ultimately made both concessions at the hearing.

Thawing Markets

Meantime, Citigroup has to stop the financial bleeding. Mr. Pandit last month told senior executives that the first quarter is essentially do-or-die: Citigroup needs to turn a profit to persuade the government and investors that it's viable.

Last week, Citigroup officials privately told regulators it had a profitable January. Credit and stock markets thawed that month, benefiting banks across the industry. "We've got to prove that our core business can make money," Mr. Pandit recently told top aides.

With the economy in a tailspin, some executives privately voiced skepticism that Mr. Pandit's goal of a profitable first quarter would be attainable. The Fed recently barred Citigroup from making acquisitions and reinforced restrictions on the bank's use of capital.

In a recent meeting with investment bankers, Citigroup's investment-banking chief, John Havens, was pushing his deputies to further streamline operations in order to reduce costs. One executive asked whether the changes needed to be made quickly. The question "is typical Citi," Mr. Havens replied, suggesting that decisions at the company take too long, according to a person at the meeting. "That's why Geithner is so intolerant with us these days," Mr. Havens told the bankers.

Now, gallows humor is setting in. This week, some employees noted that they always thought that working for Citigroup -- with its unwieldy bureaucracy and clashing fiefdoms -- was like working for the government anyway.

Write to Monica Langley at monica.langley@wsj.com and David Enrich at david.enrich@wsj.com


Blogged with the Flock Browser