Wells Fargo & Company (WFC)
Wells Fargo is a massive American bank that provides everyday banking, loans, and financial services to millions of individuals and businesses.
Is Wells Fargo & Company a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Wells Fargo is a massive American bank that provides everyday banking, loans, and financial services to millions of individuals and businesses.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Full recovery of reputation leading to market share gains.
Structural decline in traditional banking due to new technology.
What does Wells Fargo & Company do?
Wells Fargo makes its money by taking in deposits and lending that cash out as mortgages, credit cards, and business loans, pocketing the difference in interest. It is one of the 'Big Four' banks in the US, meaning it is deeply woven into the fabric of the American economy. How well the bank manages its regulatory reputation while trying to grow its lending business in a changing interest rate environment is the thing to follow.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on value and income, and weakest on quality.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 2.3% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 10% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 27% of sales into profit
- Value screens high (71/100)
- Income screens high (71/100)
- Massive scale and deep roots in the US economy
- Strong profit margins compared to many other sectors
- Regular dividend payments provide a steady income component
- Potential for further regulatory fines or restrictions
- Economic recession leading to higher loan losses
- Changes in interest rates impacting profit margins
What do Wells Fargo & Company's numbers mean?
How much money does Wells Fargo & Company make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Wells Fargo & Company pay a dividend?
Yes - Wells Fargo & Company currently pays a dividend of about 2.3% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Wells Fargo & Company report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Wells Fargo & Company is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-13 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-14 | $1.72 | $2.00 | Beat +16% |
| 2026-04-14 | $1.60 | $1.56 | Missed -3% |
| 2026-01-14 | $1.67 | $1.62 | Missed -3% |
| 2025-10-14 | $1.54 | $1.73 | Beat +12% |
| 2025-07-15 | $1.40 | $1.54 | Beat +10% |
| 2025-04-11 | $1.22 | $1.28 | Beat +5% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Wells Fargo & Company came in ahead of what analysts expected 4 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
More in Financial Services
What are the scenarios for Wells Fargo & Company?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Wells Fargo & Company?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Massive scale and deep roots in the US economy
- Strong profit margins compared to many other sectors
- Regular dividend payments provide a steady income component
- History of regulatory issues and oversight
- Highly sensitive to the ups and downs of the broader economy
- Competition from agile, tech-focused digital banks
- Potential for further regulatory fines or restrictions
- Economic recession leading to higher loan losses
- Changes in interest rates impacting profit margins
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A permanent removal of regulatory caps on the bank's growth
- A major shift in how the bank generates revenue away from traditional lending
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.