So it looks like Citigroup executives (NYSE: C) have come to their senses and decided to meet with bank stock analyst Mike Mayo (Mike Mayo news), who had been critical of the firm's treatment of deferred asset taxes.

The analyst had been frozen out, denied meetings with CEO Vikram Pandit, the CFO and others for nearly two years. What the bank wasn't counting on was the analyst's willingness and ability to make this a media issue. Many IR pundits will suggest it's better to work with your analyst critics, maintaining influence with them, rather than inflaming them and pushing them to the media.

At times like this, you want them sitting in your corporate dining room, with their feet up, developing warm feelings for the bank and its executives. You certainly do not want a public confrontation that involves a respected analyst publicly saying the SEC should investigate your firm--which is what exactly happened to Citi.

However, Citigroup has contacted Mayo and promised a meeting with top executives by the end of September, though it's unclear exactly who, reports FOX Business. This is a good move. The damage so far is not debilitating. The coverage has been much more positive lately, at the expense of Bank of America. That covers a lot of IR sins.

For more:
- here's a FOX Business article

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