Goldman can hit US$13b in new consumer loans in three years: CFO

[NEW YORK] Goldman Sachs Group Inc can hit US$13 billion in new consumer loans in the next three years through its Marcus online lending business, Chief Financial Officer Marty Chavez said on Tuesday.

The bank has already lent out over US$2 billion through Marcus, said Mr Chavez, speaking at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch financials conference in New York.

Marcus can achieve a return on equity of mid- to high teens, Mr Chavez added.

Goldman launched Marcus in October 2016 as a way to court Main Street borrowers saddled with credit card debt. The platform offers loans from US$3,500 to US$30,000 and targets credit card borrowers who can benefit from consolidating debt into a single loan with a lower interest rate.

Goldman's head of digital finance, Harit Talwar, addressed concerns that the bank may be entering the consumer lending business at a time when consumer credit conditions could be weakening.

"We're aware the credit cycle won't remain as benign as it had been," Mr Talwar said. "... We are very vigilant and we are not growing as fast as demand is. ... We are declining a lot more (loans) because we want to build the business in a measured pace." Goldman believes Marcus can contribute US$1 billion in annual revenue in three years, company President Harvey Schwartz said in September.

REUTERS