Summary
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. reported net earnings of $8.47 billion for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of 19% from $10.46 billion in 2018. This decline was attributed to several factors, including significant net provisions for litigation and regulatory proceedings totaling $1.24 billion, which negatively impacted diluted earnings per share and return on equity. Despite a slight decrease in net revenues to $36.55 billion (largely unchanged from 2018), primarily due to lower performance in Investment Banking (underwriting and financial advisory), the company saw a slight increase in net revenues from Global Markets, driven by higher contributions from Fixed Income, Currency, and Commodities (FICC). The company also experienced a notable 58% increase in its provision for credit losses, primarily linked to corporate loans and credit card portfolios. Operating expenses increased by 6% to $24.90 billion, leading to a higher efficiency ratio of 68.1% compared to 64.1% in the prior year. The company returned substantial capital to shareholders in 2019, with $5.34 billion in common share repurchases and $1.54 billion in dividends, underscoring a commitment to shareholder value.
Financial Highlights
35 data points| Interest Expense | $17.38B |
| Net Income | $8.47B |
| EPS (Basic) | $21.18 |
| EPS (Diluted) | $21.03 |
| Shares Outstanding (Basic) | 371.60M |
| Shares Outstanding (Diluted) | 375.50M |
Key Highlights
- 1Net earnings for 2019 decreased by 19% to $8.47 billion, impacted by $1.24 billion in litigation and regulatory provisions.
- 2Total net revenues remained largely flat at $36.55 billion, with a decline in Investment Banking offset by growth in Global Markets (FICC).
- 3Provision for credit losses increased by 58% to $1.07 billion, mainly due to higher impairments on corporate and credit card loans.
- 4Operating expenses rose by 6% to $24.90 billion, resulting in an increased efficiency ratio of 68.1%.
- 5Goldman Sachs returned $6.88 billion to shareholders through share repurchases ($5.34 billion) and dividends ($1.54 billion).
- 6Book value per common share increased by 5.4% to $218.52.
- 7The company is executing strategic initiatives to achieve $1.3 billion in expense efficiencies and $1.0 billion in interest expense savings over the next three years.