Earnings down again at Zions

 (Salt Lake Tribune) The nationwide recession continued to batter Zions Bancorporation, the parent of Utah-based Zions First National Bank, which Monday posted its fourth straight quarterly loss.

The bank-holding company reported that it lost $179.5 million, or $1.41 per share, for the third quarter of its 2009 fiscal year. A year ago, Zions recorded a 2008 third-quarter profit of $33.3 million, or 31 cents per share.

"Results ... were mixed," Zions Chief Executive Officer Harris H. Simmons said in a statement announcing the company's latest quarterly results. "We again augmented our capital, reserves and liquidity positions -- even as we saw some signs of stabilization in some geographies and markets."

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