Goldman Sachs earned its biggest quarterly profit in more than three years, beating Wall Street expectations, as its investment bankers brought in more fees from deals and debt sales, while its traders benefited from a surge in market activity.

JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and Citi are kicking off earnings season on Wednesday with their December-quarter results.

Goldman Sachs said its profit more than doubled in the fourth quarter, boosted by companies’ growing appetite for dealmaking. Profit jumped 105% to $4.11 billion. That amounted to $11.95 per share, which was far better than the $8.

Goldman Sachs posted its best profit since the third quarter of 2021, driven by bankers who brought in more fees from dealmaking, debt sales and strength in trading, sending its shares up 3% before the bell.

Goldman attributed the quarter's growth to higher net revenues from all its businesses, but particularly from its Global Banking and Markets unit. In the fourth quarter, that department generated $8.48 billion in net revenues, a 33% rise from the same quarter in 2023.

Goldman Sachs drove $14.28 billion of profit in 2024, up 68% from the year earlier, reflecting gains in investment banking and trading. Fourth-quarter per-share earnings of $11.95 handily topped analysts’ estimates of $8.

Goldman Sachs said its profit more than doubled in the fourth quarter, boosted by companies’ growing appetite for dealmaking. Profit jumped 105% to $4.11 billion. That amounted to $11.95 per share, which was far better than the $8.

Goldman Sachs shares gained in premarket trading Wednesday after the bank reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results.