SEC Company Response from CITIGROUP INC (C, C-PN) (CIK 0000831001) (C) — May 18, 2010
CITIGROUP INC (C, C-PN) (CIK 0000831001)
Date: May 18, 2010 · CIK: 0000831001 · Accession: 0001104659-10-029369
AI Filing Summary & Sentiment
File numbers found in text: 001-09924
Referenced dates: April 30, 2010
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CORRESP 1 filename1.htm FOIA Confidential Treatment Requested by Citigroup Inc. John C. Gerspach Chief Financial Officer Citigroup Inc. 399 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022 May 18, 2010 VIA EDGAR CORRESPONDENCE Kevin W. Vaughn Securities and Exchange Commission 100 F Street, NE Mail Stop 4561 Washington, DC 20549-7553 Re: Citigroup Inc. Form 10-K for Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2009 Filed February 26, 2010 File No. 001-09924 Dear Mr. Vaughn: Enhancement of the overall disclosures in filings by Citigroup Inc. (“Citigroup,” the “Company,” or “we”) is an objective that we share with the staff (the “Staff”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and one that we consider in all our filings. This letter sets forth the responses of Citigroup to the comments of the Staff contained in the Staff’s letter dated April 30, 2010. CITI B-1 FOIA Confidential Treatment Requested by Citigroup Inc. For your convenience, the text of the Staff’s comments is set forth in bold below, followed in each case by our response. Form 10-K for Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2009 Repayment of TARP and exit from Loss-Sharing Agreement: Common and Preferred Stock Activities, page 7 1. We note that on December 23, 2009, you prepaid the $20 billion of TARP trust preferred securities held by the U.S. Treasury, and exited the loss-sharing agreement. Please disclose in future filings the extent to which you retain any continuing obligations to the Federal Government due to the fact that the related warrants are still outstanding. For example, disclose the extent to which you continue to provide reports regarding your financial condition or continue to be subject to executive compensation rules, etc. Additionally, please disclose any impact the repayment is expected to have on your liquidity. As set forth below, Citigroup believes that it has provided, and it will continue to provide so long as applicable, appropriate disclosure in its periodic reports and proxy statements (and/or information statements) filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, to the extent applicable, registration statements and prospectus supplements filed under the Securities Act of 1933) regarding the material restrictions or obligations relating to the U.S. government’s continuing ownership of Citigroup’s common stock, trust preferred securities and/or warrants. Citigroup supplementally advises the Staff that the material ongoing restrictions and obligations arising from Citigroup’s participation in TARP and the entering into of the loss-sharing agreement primarily arise as a result of the U.S. Treasury’s continued ownership of Citigroup common stock and/or the remaining trust preferred securities held by the U.S. Treasury and FDIC. While there are certain compliance and/or monitoring of covenants requirements associated with the three warrants remaining outstanding, these same requirements exist for so long as the U.S. government continues to hold Citigroup common stock and/or trust preferred securities. The outstanding warrants by themselves do not subject Citigroup to material ongoing restrictions or obligations. Citigroup is party to several agreements with the U.S. government, all of which are publicly filed. In addition, Citigroup continues to be subject to certain executive compensation restrictions within the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, as amended (“EESA”). Certain of the restrictions and obligations under the agreements with the U.S. government and EESA, such as the requirement to implement internal controls to account for the use of the $20 billion of TARP funds invested in December 2008 to track compliance with requirements for use of such funds and to obtain the approval of the Special Master for TARP Executive Compensation for the compensation arrangements of certain executives and key employees, respectively, have either expired or have terminated with the repayment of such funds. Other of the restrictions and obligations are ongoing, such as (i) restrictions on Citigroup’s ability to pay dividends or CITI B-2 FOIA Confidential Treatment Requested by Citigroup Inc. repurchase certain Citigroup securities, and (ii) certain restrictions relating to executive compensation. The restrictions on Citigroup’s ability to pay dividends as well as to repurchase certain Citigroup securities are disclosed several places throughout the 2009 Annual Report on Form 10-K (“2009 Form 10-K”), including without limitation on pages 43, 46, 259, 267 and 268. Citigroup’s requirement to comply with certain executive compensation restrictions, some of which continue to apply, is referenced in the Risk Factors on page 57 of Citigroup’s 2009 Form 10-K and, more specifically, is disclosed in detail beginning on page 48 of Citigroup’s 2010 proxy statement filed with the SEC on March 12, 2010 (see in particular pages 52, 53, 55, 59, 61, 78 and 80) and such disclosure is incorporated by reference into the 2009 Form 10-K. While there are additional restrictions within the agreements with the U.S. government, including for example Citigroup’s obligation to maintain bank holding company status or to comply with the Employ American Workers Act, Citigroup does not believe these restrictions and obligations are material and, as a result, specific disclosure about them in Citigroup’s future filings would not be meaningful. Of course, as the Staff is likely aware, Citigroup has ongoing discussions and informational exchanges with its regulators and the U.S. Treasury with respect to its financial condition and other aspects of its business. The TARP repayment in December 2009 did not have, and Citigroup does not believe it will have, a material impact on Citigroup’s liquidity due in part to the $20.5 billion raised at the time of the TARP repayment through the issuance in the public markets of common stock and mandatorily convertible equity securities, but also due to Citigroup’s current liquidity position and resources, as described beginning on page 48 of Citigroup’s 2009 Form 10-K. Managing Global Risk Credit Risk, page 63 2. Please tell us and revise your future filings to disclose the extent to which you have performed any commercial or commercial real estate workouts. Please also specifically address whether you have restructured an existing loan into multiple new loans (i.e., A Note/B Note structure). To the extent that you have performed these or other types or commercial or CRE workouts, please provide us with and revise your future filings to disclose the following: For purposes of responding to this question, we have focused on the following populations of commercial and commercial real estate (“CRE”) loans as workout transactions: (1) commercial and CRE loans that were rated “Substandard Non-Performing” (pursuant to the Company’s risk policy, as described below) or worse that have been renegotiated or modified and now have an upgraded risk rating and accrual status, (2) commercial and CRE loans that were renegotiated or CITI B-3 FOIA Confidential Treatment Requested by Citigroup Inc. modified pursuant to a troubled debt restructuring (“TDR”) and now have accrual status, or (3) commercial and CRE loans that were renegotiated or modified pursuant to a TDR and now are non-accrual. Based on the Company’s risk policy governing commercial and CRE loans, a “Substandard facility” is “inadequately protected by the current sound worth and paying capacity of the obligor or of the collateral pledged, if any. Assets so classified must have a well-defined weakness, or weaknesses, that jeopardize the liquidation of the debt. They are characterized by the distinct possibility that the firm will sustain some loss if the deficiencies are not corrected.” Further, a Substandard Non-Performing facility “has all the weaknesses of a Substandard facility with the added uncertainty of full collectability of principal and interest.” We have considered a renegotiated or modified loan workout generally to include the following: · A reduction in the stated interest rate for the remaining term of the debt · An extension of the maturity date or dates · Rescheduling of any of the future cash flows of the loan · A reduction in the face amount or maturity amount of the debt · A reduction of interest accrued at any point in the past · Sale of collateral to reduce the loan’s outstanding balance · A combination of the above. In the normal course of business the Company routinely modifies commercial and CRE loans to work with borrowers and to maximize collections. Generally, modifications are executed only if the Company obtains a benefit (as is typical in the industry) which, among other things, may include receipt of additional collateral, repayment of outstanding principal and/or reduction of unfunded commitments, or an increase in interest rate. The modifications are situation specific to address the particulars of the loan, the borrower and the credit. The modified loan must meet well defined criteria in order to earn a classification category upgrade and to qualify for accrual status. In more limited circumstances, the Company may make concessions in the modification of commercial and CRE loans in an effort to maximize collections. These TDRs include the activities listed above related to renegotiated or modified loan workouts. The modifications in these TDRs are situation specific to address the particulars of the loan, the borrower, and the credit. Loans subject to troubled debt restructuring must meet well defined criteria in order to earn a classification category upgrade and to qualify for accrual status. In future filings, we will disclose the amount of renegotiated commercial and CRE loans by loan type. In this regard, for our proposed revised disclosure, please see our response to Staff comment 5. a. Quantify the amount of commercial or commercial real estate loans that have been renegotiated or modified, and describe the types of modifications or work outs performed; CITI B-4 FOIA Confidential Treatment Requested by Citigroup Inc. Total commercial and CRE loans were approximately [***] and approximately [***], respectively at December 31, 2009. The amount of Citigroup’s renegotiated or modified commercial and CRE loans is immaterial. Pursuant to the scope of workout transactions discussed in the first paragraph of our response above, the carrying amounts of commercial and CRE loans renegotiated or modified during 2009 that were on accrual status at December 31, 2009 are approximately [***] and [***], respectively. At December 31, 2009, the Company had approximately [***] of commercial and CRE loans that were TDRs that carry non-accrual status. The types of modifications performed on these loans include extension of maturity, rescheduled loan payments, added collateral, coupon adjustments, commitment reductions, and assumption of control over cash collateral. b. Quantify the amount of loans that have been restructured using a multiple loan type or workout strategy in each period presented; The Company rarely uses a multiple loan type of workout strategy. Citigroup had only one [***] commercial real estate loan which was restructured during 2009 into multiple loans according to an A Note/B Note structure and we do not currently anticipate increasing the volume of this type of restructured loan in the future. c. Discuss the benefits of each workout strategy, including the impact on interest income and credit classification; The various workout strategies, which are situation specific, are designed to improve the Company’s recovery on the respective loans rather than to improve credit classification or to recognize interest income. Those strategies that result in significant principal pay-downs, collateral enhancements, particularly cash collateral, and or increases in interest collections provide the most direct benefit, while those that stabilize a situation or deleverage the borrower provide less direct benefit. d. Discuss the general terms of the new multiple loans and how the A note and B note differ, particularly whether the A note is underwritten in accordance with your customary underwriting standards and at current market rates; As mentioned above, Citigroup had only one multiple loan restructuring during 2009. In this A Note/B Note restructuring, the loan was restructured into a senior [***] note and a [***] subordinated note. The senior note was underwritten in accordance with our customary underwriting standards at market rates. [***] The following information has been redacted in accordance with Citigroup’s request for confidential treatment. CITI B-5 FOIA Confidential Treatment Requested by Citigroup Inc. e. Clarify whether the B note is immediately charged-off upon restructuring. If not, clarify whether you combine the restructured notes in your evaluation of whether the notes should be returned to accrual status; In the situation described above, the [***] subordinated note was charged off upon being restructured. f. Confirm that the A note is classified as a TDR and explain your policy for removing such loans from TDR classification; and In the situation described above, the senior note has been classified as a TDR. Loans are disclosed as a TDR until their subsequent repayment or charge off. g. Clarify your policy for returning the A note to accrual status, including how you consider the borrower’s payment performance prior to the restructuring. In the situation described above, the senior note is on non-accrual status. Typically, we return a loan to accrual status, post-restructuring, only if collectability of all amounts due under the terms of a restructured loan is not in doubt and there is a period, the length of which depends on the facts and circumstances but is generally six months, of satisfactory performance by the borrower (either immediately before or after the restructuring). 3. We note your disclosure that corporate non-accrual loans increased from the prior year mainly due to Citigroup’s continued policy of actively moving loans into non-accrual at earlier stages of anticipated distress. Please clarify specifically the impact of this policy on the increase in non-accrual loans and clarify what types of loans this policy applies to. Provide any trend or other information you evaluate in connection with the decision to place loans on non-accrual under this policy, for example, sales of properties related to construction loans has slowed or ceased. Please confirm the length of time this policy has been in existence. If this policy is not new, it appears that the increase is due to changes in the credit environment and not due to your policy. However, if your policy or method or extent of policy enforcement was changed, please disclose the impact of this change on the allowance for loan losses and clarify how the current policy differs from your previous policies. It has been a long-standing practice at Citigroup to evaluate corporate loans with respect to accrual or non-accrual status based upon multiple factors, including actual experience with respect to payments of interest and principal, but also a forward-looking assessment of the collectability of the loan in full. These forward-looking assessments analyze the current and [***] The following information has been redacted in accordance with Citigroup’s request for confidential treatment. CITI B-6 FOIA Confidential Treatment Requested by Citigroup Inc. projected financial performance of the borrower, sustainability of the borrower’s ability to service obligations in its capital structure, including upcoming debt matu