Shares of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) have been given a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-five research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $97.75.
A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Wells Fargo & Company in a report on Thursday, March 26th. They set a “buy” rating and a $100.00 target price for the company. Barclays reduced their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $113.00 to $108.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $113.00 price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. KGI Securities cut Wells Fargo & Company to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. Finally, HSBC upgraded Wells Fargo & Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $94.00 price target for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st.
Get Our Latest Stock Report on Wells Fargo & Company
Wells Fargo & Company Trading Down 0.1%
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, April 14th. The financial services provider reported $1.60 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.58 by $0.02. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 13.27% and a net margin of 17.26%.The firm had revenue of $11.62 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.85 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.39 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Wells Fargo & Company will post 6.82 EPS for the current year.
Wells Fargo & Company Dividend Announcement
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Investors of record on Friday, May 8th will be given a dividend of $0.45 per share. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 8th. Wells Fargo & Company’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.78%.
Insider Activity at Wells Fargo & Company
In related news, EVP Kleber Santos sold 25,000 shares of Wells Fargo & Company stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.72, for a total transaction of $2,193,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 79,876 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,006,722.72. This trade represents a 23.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Bridget E. Engle sold 30,000 shares of Wells Fargo & Company stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.10, for a total value of $2,613,000.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 83,478 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,270,933.80. This represents a 26.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 115,000 shares of company stock worth $10,050,000. 0.14% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of WFC. Godfrey Financial Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Miller Capital Partners Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Navalign LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Marquette Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 472.4% in the third quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 332 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 274 shares in the last quarter. 75.90% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Wells Fargo & Company News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Wells Fargo & Company this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Board approved a quarterly common stock dividend of $0.45 per share (annualized yield ~2.2%), payable June 1 to holders of record May 8 — supports income investors and signals capital return confidence. Wells Fargo Announces Common Stock Dividend
- Positive Sentiment: Regulatory cap removal is enabling Wells Fargo to expand its Wall Street trading business — management is now investing in trading capabilities, which could boost fee revenue and diversify earnings over time. Wells Fargo’s Long-Anticipated Wall Street Expansion Is Here
- Positive Sentiment: Several bullish analyst notes and a relatively high consensus price target leave implied upside (Street avg. target ~ $96.65), providing an analyst-driven rationale for buy-side interest. Wall Street Sees Big Upside for Wells Fargo
- Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo added Cathay Pacific as a rewards points transfer partner — minor product/consumer benefit that modestly improves card program competitiveness but unlikely to move near-term revenue materially. Wells Fargo Adds Cathay Pacific as New Rewards Points Transfer Partner
- Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo research activity is visible in the market — its analysts raised Arm Holdings’ price target to $220, showing the franchise’s research influence (indirectly supportive of trading/research revenue). Arm Holdings Stock Is Moving Higher Today: What’s Going On?
- Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo’s own card-spending data shows “spending fatigue” — daily credit/debit usage (ex-gas) has flattened year‑over‑year, signaling softer consumer activity that could pressure fee income and loan performance. ‘Spending Fatigue’ Appears in Debit, Credit Card Data
- Negative Sentiment: Analyst checks and valuation pieces flag near-term net interest income (NII) and revenue headwinds after softer quarterly NII and some price-target trims — these concerns are the main reason for downward pressure on WFC shares today. Wells Fargo (WFC) Valuation Check As Card Spending Softens And Net Interest Income Concerns Grow
Wells Fargo & Company Company Profile
Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified, U.S.-based financial services company headquartered in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1852 by Henry Wells and William G. Fargo, the firm has evolved from its origins in express delivery and pioneer-era banking into one of the largest full-service banks in the United States. The company provides a broad range of financial products and services to individual, small business, commercial, and institutional clients. Charles W. Scharf serves as chief executive officer.
Wells Fargo operates across several core business segments, including consumer banking and lending, commercial banking, corporate and investment banking, and wealth and investment management.
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