After a rough 2011, Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500) has benefited from a housing rebound and a better lending environment.
The bank's revenues and profits got a healthy boost this year from new mortgage originations and an increase in corporate lending.
Bank of America also cleared a few hurdles, including a $2.3 billion settlement with shareholders related to its acquisition of Merrill Lynch.
But the bank isn't completely out of the woods. Those profits were offset by high costs for servicing pre-crisis loans that were delinquent or defaulted.
Bank of America also added another potential litigation landmine in October, when the U.S. government initiated a lawsuit against the bank for allegedly selling defective mortgages to consumers.
The company appears to be on the right path, but the stock still has a ways to go. Shares remain 81% below their 2006 all-time high of $55.08.
Despite a strengthening economy, these ten Fortune 500 companies struggled in the stock market. From Eastman Kodak to JC Penney, here are 2012's worst-performing stocks.
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