National City deal gives PNC profits a boost

PITTSBURGH — Profits for PNC Financial Services surged last year, thanks to its acquisition of National City Corp., gains from its investments and a decline in loan losses.

In the Dayton area, PNC says it operates 45 National City branches. Those branches will adopt the PNC nameplate later this year, the bank has said.

PNC said Thursday, Jan. 21, it earned $2.4 billion in 2009, compared with $914 million in the year before that, an increase of 162 percent. PNC’s 2008 results do not include National City.

On a per-share basis, the Pittsburgh-based bank earned $4.36, versus $2.44 in the prior year.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters on average had looked for PNC to earn $2.97 per share.

For the quarter, PNC reported a profit of $1.1 billion, or $2.17, compared with a profit of $559 million, or $1 per share.

Results for the fourth quarter and the year included a $687 million gain related to PNC’s investment in BlackRock after BlackRock purchased Barclays Global Investors.

PNC said it was able last year to cut costs by $800 million last year.

In morning trading session, shares of PNC (NYSE: PNC) were trading at $55.35, down $3.44, or 5.85 percent.