StanChart Targets $1.8B Of Cost Cuts After 25% Plunge In Profits

SCBLogo_March2013 — A man walking past a foot bridge leading to the Standard Chartered main branch is reflected on a window glass in Hong Kong on March 5, 2013. Reuters/Bobby Yip

(Reuters) - Standard Chartered said it aims to cut $1.8 billion (1.17 billion pounds) in costs the next three years as part of a turnaround plan for the Asia-focused bank after profits fell 25 percent last year due to a big jump in losses from bad loans.

Standard Chartered said on Wednesday its 2014 underlying pretax profit was $5.2 billion, down from $7 billion in 2013. Loan impairments jumped to $2.1 billion from $1.6 billion.

The bank said its target to save $1.8 billion in the period from 2015 to 2017 will include exiting some businesses, but most will come from improving efficiency. It said it was on target to save $600 million in headline costs this year, beyond its target of $400 million in savings.

Problems at the bank have built in the last two years, and last week it said Chief Executive Peter Sands will leave in June after eight years in charge, to be replaced by former JPMorgan investment bank boss Bill Winters. It was part of a major management overhaul that will also see the chairman leave next year.