Signet restructuring slashes profits 92%; AmSouth gains 16%.

Restructuring charges and acquisition expenses clouded third-quarter earnings at two southeastern regional banks on Tuesday.

Net income at Signet Banking Corp. fell 92% to $3.5 million, or 5 cents a share, from $45.8 million a year ago. The Richmond, Va.-based bank took $82.6 million in restructuring charges, partially to cover the termination of its credit card data processing arrangements. The remainder covers staff reductions and facilities consolidation in the commercial bank.

Without the charges, net income would have been $57.2 million, or 98 cents a share.

Earnings at AmSouth Bancorp., Birmingham, gained 16% to $44.1 million from $38.1 million in last year's third quarter. But per-share earnings of 75 cents came in 3 cents below the consensus as AmSouth faced higher than expected costs from a string of recent acquisitions.

The restructuring charges at Signet had been expected. When the bank announced the spinoff of its credit card unit in July, it also said it would take about $65 million in charges to cover a restructuring of its core bank.

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