Wells Fargo & Company (WFC)

Over the past six months, Wells Fargo & Co.'s stock (WFC) has trended upwards by 22.84%, and by 46.73% over the past year. Key events impacting the stock price include a quarterly dividend increase paid on September 1, 2025, and the Federal Reserve releasing Wells Fargo from a seven-year, $1.95 trillion asset cap in June 2025. The company held its Q1 and Q2 2025 earnings calls, and financial analysts updated their ratings and price targets for WFC. Wells Fargo's CFO indicated that consumer loan growth is likely to remain muted or potentially decline for the rest of the year.

The banking industry, including Wells Fargo, experiences seasonal trends in demand for its products and services. Loan demand is generally lower in late January and February, surging from March through May, and remaining relatively flat or slightly declining through the summer months until around October. Spring is a prime home-buying season, leading to increased mortgage applications during March, April, and May. Demand for investment services typically sees a steady increase from October through early January. Interest rates and external events can significantly impact demand.

Wells Fargo & Co. is a multinational financial services company and one of the Big Four Banks in the United States. It offers a range of banking, investment, and mortgage products and services, including checking and savings accounts, lending options, credit cards, commercial banking services, and wealth and investment management.

Wells Fargo has a significant global presence, operating throughout the United States and in 35 countries worldwide, serving over 70 million customers. Its international offices are located in Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and India and the Philippines. The company's headquarters are in San Francisco, California, with other major U.S. offices in Charlotte, Des Moines, Minneapolis, and Portland.

Wells Fargo's brand reputation continues to be influenced by the lingering effects of the 2016 fake accounts scandal. While satisfaction had returned to positive territory, the bank's overall brand health, reputation, and recommendation scores remained negative as of May 2024. Recent events affecting the company's reputation include allegations of violating the National Labor Relations Act and issues related to alleged racial bias and systemic discrimination.

Wells Fargo & Co. is a publicly owned company, with institutional investors holding the majority of its shares, ranging from approximately 73.86% to 92.84%. The largest institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group Inc., BlackRock, Inc., and Fidelity Investments (FMR). Insiders, such as company officers, own about 0.1% of the outstanding shares, with CEO Charles Scharf being a key individual insider shareholder. Retail investors and other public companies hold the remaining shares.