With its stock depressed to multi-year lows, E*Trade Financial (ETFC) announced earlier today its turnaround plan is gaining traction. Shares of the online brokerage firm are up more than 10% in pre-market trading in response.
The company recently sold a combined $6.0 billion worth of asset-backed securities portfolios. The most recent sale included $3.0 billion worth of mortgage-backed securities and municipal bonds, which resulted in a loss of less than $5 million. E*Trade's home equity loan portfolio ended 2007 with less than $12 billion in balances.
Management expects its 2007 year-end tier 1 capital ratio to be equal to or better than 5.9%. A firm is considered well-capitalized if its ratio is at least 6%. The company's efforts to reduce risk and strengthen its relative capital position bode well for investors awaiting a turnaround.
Notably, management has decided to discontinue its institutional trading business as part of an effort to return to its core competencies. The move follows a decision to exit the international institutional business announced last fall.
Focusing on retail business, the company reported total client assets ended the year at $190 billion. Of that amount, approximately $33 billion is cash, or roughly 17%. Those balances remain in-line with November's balances and show little attrition. The company opened 87,000 gross new accounts in December, though net additions were not disclosed.
(Disclosure: Briefing.com has a business relationship with E*Trade Financial.)
The company recently sold a combined $6.0 billion worth of asset-backed securities portfolios. The most recent sale included $3.0 billion worth of mortgage-backed securities and municipal bonds, which resulted in a loss of less than $5 million. E*Trade's home equity loan portfolio ended 2007 with less than $12 billion in balances.
Management expects its 2007 year-end tier 1 capital ratio to be equal to or better than 5.9%. A firm is considered well-capitalized if its ratio is at least 6%. The company's efforts to reduce risk and strengthen its relative capital position bode well for investors awaiting a turnaround.
Notably, management has decided to discontinue its institutional trading business as part of an effort to return to its core competencies. The move follows a decision to exit the international institutional business announced last fall.
Focusing on retail business, the company reported total client assets ended the year at $190 billion. Of that amount, approximately $33 billion is cash, or roughly 17%. Those balances remain in-line with November's balances and show little attrition. The company opened 87,000 gross new accounts in December, though net additions were not disclosed.
(Disclosure: Briefing.com has a business relationship with E*Trade Financial.)
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