Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) Now Covered by Analysts at Jefferies Financial Group

Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) in a research note published on Thursday morning, Marketbeat reports. The firm issued a buy rating and a $100.00 price objective on the financial services provider’s stock.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $92.00 to $101.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. Barclays boosted their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $94.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $100.00 price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. CICC Research initiated coverage on Wells Fargo & Company in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $96.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Truist Financial cut their price objective on 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. Fourteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $96.98.

Wells Fargo & Company Stock Performance

NYSE WFC opened at $78.90 on Thursday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $84.79 and a 200-day moving average price of $86.23. The firm has a market cap of $243.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.58, a PEG ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.90. Wells Fargo & Company has a 1 year low of $58.42 and a 1 year high of $97.76.

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 14th. The financial services provider reported $1.76 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.66 by $0.10. Wells Fargo & Company had a net margin of 17.27% and a return on equity of 12.90%. The company had revenue of $21.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $21.63 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.43 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 4.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wells Fargo & Company Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, March 1st. Investors of record on Friday, February 6th were paid a $0.45 dividend. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 6th. Wells Fargo & Company’s payout ratio is currently 28.71%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Wells Fargo & Company

In other news, EVP Ellen R. Patterson sold 60,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.40, for a total value of $5,244,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 169,496 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,813,950.40. This trade represents a 26.14% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Kleber Santos sold 25,000 shares of Wells Fargo & Company stock in a transaction on Friday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.72, for a total value of $2,193,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 79,876 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,006,722.72. This trade represents a 23.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 115,000 shares of company stock valued at $10,050,000 in the last 90 days. 0.08% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Wells Fargo & Company

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Private Wealth Group LLC grew its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company by 2.5% during the 4th quarter. Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 4,514 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $421,000 after buying an additional 108 shares in the last quarter. Nixon Peabody Trust Co. increased its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. Nixon Peabody Trust Co. now owns 3,351 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $312,000 after buying an additional 115 shares during the period. Simmons Bank lifted its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 1.9% in the fourth quarter. Simmons Bank now owns 6,359 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $593,000 after buying an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 12,048 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,123,000 after buying an additional 117 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Main Street Group LTD boosted its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 36.9% in the third quarter. Main Street Group LTD now owns 438 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 118 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.90% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Wells Fargo & Company

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo announced major digital milestones — Fargo® (its AI virtual assistant) has handled over 1 billion interactions in under three years and the bank surpassed 33 million mobile active users, signaling stronger customer engagement, potential cost efficiencies and higher digital cross‑sell opportunities. Wells Fargo Reaches Major Digital Milestones
• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies initiated coverage with a Buy and $100 price target, implying meaningful upside vs. current levels — this type of institutional endorsement can lift sentiment and trading flows. Jefferies Initiates Coverage (Benzinga)
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo provided a $2.25M grant to the ICA Fund as part of community/SMB initiatives — positive for reputation and small‑business relationships, but a modest near‑term financial impact. ICA Fund Announces $2.25 Million in New Funding From Wells Fargo
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary and valuation pieces note WFC’s recent pullback and strong longer‑term returns — these show mixed investor views on whether the current price already reflects risks/opportunities. Useful for investors reassessing fair value, not an immediate catalyst. Is Wells Fargo (WFC) Pricing Reflect Its Recent Pullback And Strong Valuation Signals
• Neutral Sentiment: Options‑based trade ideas (selling short‑dated puts) are circulating as income/entry strategies given recent share levels — highlights investor interest in using WFC as an income/entry play but also implies expectations of limited near‑term downside. Wells Fargo Trade Idea: 7% Discount or 30% Annual Income?
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Charlie Scharf warned of potential credit losses ahead as private credit firms restrict withdrawals — an explicit management caution that raises concerns about asset‑quality pressure and loan‑book vulnerability. Wells Fargo CEO warns of credit losses ahead as private credit firms restrict withdrawals
• Negative Sentiment: Goldman Sachs and other outlets have trimmed expectations for WFC, and some analysts (e.g., Truist) have modestly lowered price targets — these cuts contribute to negative sentiment and can weigh on the stock until new earnings or clearer guidance arrive. The Goldman Sachs Group Has Lowered Expectations for Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) Stock Price Wells Fargo (WFC)’s 2026 Outlook: Analyst Revisions and Investor Guidance

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.