Asia-focused bank HSBC said Monday that net profit sank 16.5 percent to US$14.03 billion in 2012, hit by US money-laundering fines, mis-selling scandals, rising taxation and a huge accounting charge.

Profit after tax fell to the equivalent of 10.78 billion euros last year, compared with US$16.8 billion in 2011, London-headquartered HSBC said in a results statement. Pre-tax profits meanwhile slid six percent to US$20.65 billion.

HSBC's performance was hit by a US$1.9 billion fine to settle US allegations of money laundering that were said to have helped Mexican drug cartels, terrorists and Iran.

The bank had admitted in December to having "inadequate" controls in place and accepted responsibility for the group's past mistakes, as part of an agreement with several US authorities including the US Department of Justice.

HSBC's annual results were also dented by a vast US$5.2 billion charge against the value of its own debt. And it set aside another US$1.4 billion to cover compensation in Britain for mis-selling scandals.

However, the lender's capital position improved following a string of asset sales, including its stake in Chinese insurance giant Ping An. As a result, the bank pledged to pay out more in shareholder dividends this year.

And bad debts -- or consumer loans that have turned sour -- fell to US$8.31 billion from US$12.13 billion last time around.

Underlying profits, stripping out exceptional items, climbed by 18 percent to US$16.4 billion, with strong growth in Hong Kong and Asia and a sharp turnaround in Europe.

"HSBC made significant progress in 2012. First and foremost, we grew our business. We increased revenues, performed well in most faster-growing markets and enjoyed a record year in commercial banking," said chief executive Stuart Gulliver.

"We've made the business easier to manage and control by disposing of non-core businesses and surpassed our sustainable savings target.

"We also agreed a settlement with the US and UK authorities in respect of our past anti-money laundering and sanctions failings."

HSBC also revealed that its cost-cutting programme had exceeded the group's target.

Two years ago, in 2011, the bank announced a large restructuring programme, including plans to save up to US$3.5 billion by 2013 and to axe 30,000 jobs globally.

However, it added Monday that it generated extra savings of US$2.0 billion, giving an annualised total of US$3.6 billion.

Gulliver will meanwhile receive a deferred annual bonus of just under 2.0 million pounds (US$3.0 million, 2.3 million euros) as part of a total package worth 7.4 million pounds. That compared with an overall figure of 8.0 million pounds in 2011.

HSBC is Europe's biggest bank by assets, was founded in Hong Kong, and sees Asia as its main market despite being headquartered in London.

channelnewsasia.com