Citigroup Ready to Shrink Itself by a Third

Financial Giant to Shed Units, Curtail Trading to Return to Size Before Its Merger Spree; Deal to Split Off Smith Barney Sealed

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BY DAVID ENRICH

Citigroup Inc. will soon announce a drastic plan to shed a host of businesses and shrink itself by one-third, say people familiar with the bank, which its executives say will essentially dismantle the financial colossus built by legendary deal maker Sanford Weill.

The bank announced Tuesday, as expected, that it will split off its Smith Barney retail brokerage into a joint venture with Morgan Stanley. Citigroup will also announce steps to shed two consumer-finance units and the company's private-label credit-card business, and scale back on the trading the company does on its own behalf.

Citigroup declined to comment.

The moves, ...

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