National City slashing 4,000 positions after reporting 5th losing quarter

The IBJ

Cleveland-based National City Corp., the second-largest bank in the Indianapolis market, reported more dismal results today and said it plans to cut 4,000 jobs over the next three years in a bid to save more than $500 million.

The bank lost $789 million, or $5.86 per share, in the third quarter, its fifth consecutive quarterly loss. Shares closed at $2.92 yesterday and were down another 7 percent in pre-market trading this morning.

The bank did not say where it will make the cuts. It employs about 1,200 in the Indianapolis area. The 4,000 jobs it plans to eliminate represent 14 percent of its work force.

National City set aside $1.18 billion for loan losses, more than triple the amount reserved for such losses during the same period last year. Most of that figure is connected to businesses the bank has exited, including subprime and residential construction loans, Reuters reported.

The bank remains well capitalized by the standards of regulators, but investors remain concerned about the bank's viability. Depositors pulled $1.3 billion from the bank in the most recent quarter, mostly to ensure accounts are fully covered by Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. insurance limits, leaving National City with $83.3 billion in deposits.