Goldman Sachs profit surges as investment banking, trading fuel Q4 growth

Goldman Sachs' profit more than doubled in the fourth quarter, driven by bankers who brought in more fees from dealmaking, debt sales and strength in trading, sending shares up 3 per cent before the bell. 

Profit rose to $4.11 billion, or $11.95 per diluted share, for the three months ended Dec. 31, compared with $2.01 billion, or $5.48 per diluted share, a year ago, the Wall Street giant said on Wednesday. 

It was the bank's highest quarterly profit since the third quarter of 2021, according data compiled by LSEG. 

Banking industry executives anticipate stronger dealmaking activity this year as the US Federal Reserve cuts interest rates and President-elect Donald Trump's pro-business comments fuel optimism among investors. 

"We are very pleased with our strong results for the quarter and the year," CEO David Solomon said in a statement. "I'm encouraged that we have met or exceeded almost all of the targets we set in our strategy to grow the firm five years ago."  Goldman's investment banking fees rose 24 per cent to $2.05 billion in the fourth quarter, powered by debt underwriting that benefited from strong leveraged finance and corporate bond sale. 

An industry-wide recovery in mergers and acquisitions along with renewed activity in equity and debt markets lifted results higher in the second half of 2024 for Wall Street's top banks. 

Total investment banking revenue globally increased 26 per cent to $86.8 billion in 2024, with North America surging 33 per cent from a year ago, according to data from Dealogic. Goldman earned the second-highest revenue across banks globally. 

Last month, Solomon said at a Reuters conference that dealmaking in equities and mergers and acquisitions could exceed 10-year averages in 2025. 

Revenue at Goldman's global banking and markets division increased by 33 per cent to $8.48 billion in the fourth quarter. 

Equity traders at the bank continued to ride a broader stock market rally in the final three months of 2024, with revenue surging 32 per cent to $3.45 billion. 

Stocks in the US have blown through record highs, fueled by optimism about the new administration's economic policies, combined with lower interest rates. 

Fixed income, currency and commodities (FICC) trading also shined with a 35 per cent jump in revenue. 

Goldman announced a raft of leadership changes on Monday as it created a new division to focus on financing large deals and providing loans to corporate clients, looking to capitalize on the lucrative private credit market. 

Meanwhile, the Wall Street giant is still slimming down its ill-fated consumer operations after losing billions of dollars. 

Solomon, who once championed the retail push, has drawn criticism for the strategy. 

Goldman's provisions for credit losses stood at $351 million for the fourth quarter, down from $577 million a year ago, mainly due to potential losses in its credit card portfolio. 

Revenue for platform solutions, the unit that houses some of Goldman's consumer operations, climbed 16 per cent to $669 million. 

Goldman shares ended 2024 with a 48.4 per cent surge, the biggest rise among the six biggest US lenders, and handily surpassed the market benchmark. 

Rival JPMorgan Chase posted record annual profit, while Wells Fargo's profit also climbed due to a rebound in dealmaking activity.   

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