Bank of America posts third-quarter profit drop due to $1.2 billion Treasury fine

Bank of America reported third-quarter earnings before the opening bell Wednesday, just one day after the bank was hit with a $1.2 billion penalty by the U.S. Treasury Department.

That charge, which cut net income by 17 cents a share, will inevitably spark questions as to whether CEO Brian Moynihan has a handle on controls at the second-biggest U.S. bank by assets.

Moynihan took the helm in 2010 and spent the early years of his tenure making amends for mortgage-related abuses in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Now, questions arise as to whether there are any more risk-management issues waiting to be found.

The Treasury announcement adds 11th-hour intrigue to what was an otherwise fairly routine bank earnings week. On Tuesday, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and Wells Fargo posted mixed results, with JPMorgan missing EPS and revenue estimates for the first time in years.

Here's what the company reported compared with what Wall Street analysts surveyed by LSEG were expecting:

Earnings per share: 91 cents, may not compare with $1.10 expected

Revenue: $30.0 billion, vs. $30.69 billion expected