Wells Fargo & Company $WFC Shares Sold by Equity Investment Corp

Key Points

• Equity Investment Corp trimmed its Wells Fargo stake by 1.7% in the fourth quarter, selling 32,807 shares and leaving it with 1.93 million shares valued at about $180 million. Wells Fargo remains the fund’s third-largest holding.
• Wells Fargo posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings, reporting $1.60 EPS versus $1.58 expected, while revenue rose 6.4% year over year. Analysts still see full-year earnings of about $6.84 per share.
• The bank paid a quarterly dividend of $0.45 per share, or $1.80 annually, for a yield of 2.2%. Recent headlines also highlight a roughly $50 billion 2026 net interest income target, but regulatory concerns from a DOJ subpoena may weigh on sentiment.

Equity Investment Corp decreased its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC - Free Report) by 1.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,931,501 shares of the financial services provider's stock after selling 32,807 shares during the quarter. Wells Fargo & Company makes up 3.6% of Equity Investment Corp's holdings, making the stock its 3rd biggest position. Equity Investment Corp owned about 0.06% of Wells Fargo & Company worth $180,016,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Godfrey Financial Associates Inc. bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Navalign LLC bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Core Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Finally, Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company during the 3rd quarter worth $27,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.90% of the company's stock.

Wells Fargo & Company Stock Performance

Wells Fargo & Company stock opened at $82.45 on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company has a 12-month low of $71.93 and a 12-month high of $97.76. The company has a quick ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.12. The business's 50-day moving average price is $79.50 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $84.67. The stock has a market cap of $252.32 billion, a PE ratio of 12.72, a P/E/G ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.93.

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 14th. The financial services provider reported $1.60 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $21.85 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.39 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that Wells Fargo & Company will post 6.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wells Fargo & Company Announces Dividend

The company 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 dividend on an annualized basis 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 presently 27.78%.

Trending Headlines about Wells Fargo & Company

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

• Positive Sentiment: Management reiterated a roughly $50 billion 2026 net interest income target and signaled stronger second-quarter NII, which suggests earnings momentum could improve if loan and deposit trends hold. Wells Fargo’s Long-Dated Funding And NII Outlook Might Change The Case For Investing In WFC
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo continues to attract attention as a dividend stock, reinforcing its appeal for income-focused investors and supporting the valuation case. Why Wells Fargo (WFC) is a Top Dividend Stock for Your Portfolio
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo Advisors’ FiNet unit added a $650 million advisory team from Stifel, a modest sign of franchise growth in wealth management. Wells Fargo’s FiNet Recruits $650 Million Team From Stifel
• Neutral Sentiment: The company also received more supportive coverage around a $1.2 million community grant, which highlights capital-allocation and community-impact efforts but is unlikely to materially move the stock. Wells Fargo Grant Highlights Community Focus And Potential Valuation Upside
• Negative Sentiment: Headlines that the DOJ subpoenaed Wells Fargo in a widening debanking probe add regulatory overhang and could pressure sentiment until there is more clarity. JPMorgan, BofA, Wells Fargo Subpoenaed By DOJ In Trump's Explosive 'Debanking' Crackdown: Report

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have weighed in on WFC shares. Barclays lowered their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $113.00 to $108.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Robert W. Baird upgraded Wells Fargo & Company from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $85.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on 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. HSBC upgraded Wells Fargo & Company from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $94.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Wells Fargo & Company from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Saturday, June 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $97.53.

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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