Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Citi surged past expectations as Wall Street bankers get busy again
Business Insider·2025-10-14 18:09

Core Insights - Dealmaking on Wall Street is showing signs of recovery after nearly three years of stagnation since the pandemic-era highs [1][2] Group 1: Company Performance - Goldman Sachs reported its third-highest quarterly net revenues ever, exceeding $15 billion [3] - Goldman Sachs' advisory revenues increased by 60% year-over-year to $1.4 billion, with overall investment banking fees reaching almost $2.7 billion, a 42% increase from Q3 2024 [4] - JPMorgan's investment banking fees rose by 16%, with commercial and investment banking net revenues nearing $20 billion for the quarter [13] - Citi's investment bank generated over $1.1 billion in fees, marking a 17% increase from the previous year [15] Group 2: Market Trends - The volume of deals worth $5 billion or more surged by 64% year-over-year, with 100 deals completed so far in 2025 compared to 61 at the same point in 2024 [12] - Goldman Sachs advised on significant public offerings and major mergers, including a proposed $50 billion merger and a $55 billion take-private deal [5] - The dealmaking backlog at Goldman Sachs is at its highest in three years across equity, debt, and advisory [6] Group 3: Executive Insights - Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon expressed optimism about a "constructive M&A environment" through the end of the year into 2026 [6] - JPMorgan's CFO Jeremy Barnum noted that the rebound in lending is reflecting the increase in deal activity, indicating a synchronized recovery in client borrowing and transaction volumes [13][14] - Citi's new investment banking chief is driving a surge of ambition within the investment banking unit, contributing to increased corporate lending revenue [15]