Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund Acquires 214,280 Shares of Wells Fargo & Company $WFC

Key Points

• Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund boosted its Wells Fargo stake by 9.3% in the fourth quarter, buying 214,280 additional shares and bringing its total holding to 2,523,094 shares worth about $235.2 million.
• Institutional ownership in Wells Fargo remains heavy, with several large investors also increasing positions; overall, 75.9% of the stock is owned by institutions.
• Analysts are still broadly positive on the bank, with Wells Fargo carrying a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and an average price target of $97.53, even as some firms trimmed their targets.

Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund lifted its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 9.3% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,523,094 shares of the financial services provider's stock after buying an additional 214,280 shares during the quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund owned about 0.08% of Wells Fargo & Company worth $235,152,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the fourth quarter worth about $4,512,563,000. Capital Research Global Investors increased its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 4.9% in the fourth quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 37,421,387 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $3,487,687,000 after purchasing an additional 1,760,484 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc increased its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 21,197,423 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $1,975,600,000 after purchasing an additional 188,186 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 13.0% in the fourth quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 20,625,070 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $1,922,257,000 after purchasing an additional 2,369,260 shares during the period. Finally, Boston Partners increased its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 5.2% in the fourth quarter. Boston Partners now owns 9,606,215 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $895,466,000 after purchasing an additional 477,745 shares during the period. 75.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently commented on the company. HSBC upgraded Wells Fargo & Company from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $94.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $109.00 to $93.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $91.00 to $86.50 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Truist Financial cut their price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $98.00 to $94.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Thursday, March 26th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $100.00 price target on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Wells Fargo & Company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $97.53.

Wells Fargo & Company News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Wells Fargo & Company this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo highlighted its balance-sheet strategy and said it expects about $50 billion in net interest income for 2026, supported by loan and deposit trends. That reinforces the bank’s earnings outlook and may be helping sentiment on the stock. Wells Fargo’s Long-Dated Funding And NII Outlook Might Change The Case For Investing In WFC
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continue to point to WFC as an attractive dividend stock, which can support demand for the shares among income-focused investors. Why Wells Fargo (WFC) is a Top Dividend Stock for Your Portfolio
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo announced a $1 million donation to support skilled trades training and workforce development in Pennsylvania, a reputationally positive move that underscores its community investment efforts. Wells Fargo Pledges $1 Million Donation Toward Skilled Trades in Pennsylvania
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo is also being mentioned in connection with Tilly’s extending a credit agreement with the bank. This is more of a client-services headline than a direct stock-moving catalyst for WFC. Tilly’s Extends Credit Agreement Maturity with Wells Fargo
• Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo was named in a DOJ subpoena related to Trump-era “debanking” claims, which adds regulatory overhang and could weigh on the stock if the probe broadens or creates legal costs. JPMorgan, BofA, Wells Fargo Subpoenaed By DOJ In Trump's Explosive 'Debanking' Crackdown: Report
• Neutral Sentiment: A video discussing summer food inflation referenced Wells Fargo’s Agri-Food Institute, but it appears more macroeconomic and consumer-focused than directly tied to WFC’s fundamentals. Best ways to barbecue on a budget this summer

Wells Fargo & Company Price Performance

Shares of WFC opened at $83.67 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.12, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a current ratio of 0.90. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $79.56 and a 200 day simple moving average of $84.66. Wells Fargo & Company has a 52-week low of $71.93 and a 52-week high of $97.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $256.05 billion, a PE ratio of 12.91, a P/E/G ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 0.93.

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 14th. The financial services provider reported $1.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.58 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $11.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $21.85 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 13.27% and a net margin of 17.26%.Wells Fargo & Company's quarterly revenue was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.39 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Wells Fargo & Company will post 6.84 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wells Fargo & Company Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 8th were paid a dividend of $0.45 per share. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 8th. Wells Fargo & Company's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.78%.

About Wells Fargo & Company

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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