Griffith & Werner Inc. Purchases Shares of 37,263 Wells Fargo & Company $WFC

Griffith & Werner Inc. acquired a new position in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm acquired 37,263 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $3,208,000. Wells Fargo & Company accounts for 1.7% of Griffith & Werner Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest holding.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of WFC. Brighton Jones LLC raised its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company by 62.3% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 66,233 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $4,652,000 after buying an additional 25,436 shares during the period. Sigma Planning Corp increased its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 6.8% in the second quarter. Sigma Planning Corp now owns 56,835 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $4,554,000 after acquiring an additional 3,623 shares in the last quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 246.7% in the 2nd quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,040 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $84,000 after acquiring an additional 740 shares during the period. Access Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Finally, Bridgewater Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 7.6% during the 2nd quarter. Bridgewater Advisors Inc. now owns 7,464 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $617,000 after acquiring an additional 530 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.90% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have commented on the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $92.00 to $101.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $100.00 target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a report on Thursday, January 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $99.00 to $99.50 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $94.00 to $113.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised shares of Wells Fargo & Company from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $85.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Wells Fargo & Company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $97.03.

More Wells Fargo & Company News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Baird raised WFC to Neutral (Feb. 13) with an $85 price target, saying the recent slump has made valuation more realistic and reduced near-term downside risk — a constructive analyst reset that can stabilize the stock. Baird Sees Reduced Downside Risk for Wells Fargo & Company (WFC), Rating Raised to Neutral
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo strategist Ohsung Kwon recommended “buy the dip” during the global selloff commentary, signaling the bank’s trading desk views current weakness as a buying opportunity — supports short-term demand. Stocks plunge in global selloff but some on Wall Street are looking for assets that respond well to war
• Neutral Sentiment: A Zacks piece reviews Wells Fargo as a potential high-growth dividend stock, which may attract income-oriented investors but does not alter fundamentals immediately. Are You Looking for a High-Growth Dividend Stock?
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo made a $200,000 grant to the Idaho FFA Foundation — a small but positive PR item that’s unlikely to move the stock materially. Idaho FFA Foundation Receives $200,000 From Wells Fargo Supporting Grants for Idaho FFA Members
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo’s research desk remains active (eg. calling Zscaler a buy, adjusting targets on financials), which shows revenue-generating analyst activity but is peripheral to WFC’s bank fundamentals. Wells Fargo Calls Zscaler (ZS) Stock a Buy Near 52-Week Lows
• Negative Sentiment: Credit-risk scrutiny has resurfaced after a UK mortgage lender collapse; investors are re-checking Wells Fargo’s exposure and underwriting controls — a headline risk that can pressure bank stocks on fear of contagion. Wells Fargo Credit Risk Questioned After UK Mortgage Lender Collapse
• Negative Sentiment: A Seeking Alpha piece argues that macro risks leave WFC with limited appeal for long-term investors, highlighting concerns about rates, loan growth and economic headwinds that could weigh on multiples. Wells Fargo: Not Much Appeal For Long-Term Investors Due To Macro Concerns

Wells Fargo & Company Stock Performance

Shares of WFC opened at $82.50 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $254.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.16, a PEG ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a quick ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. The business’s 50 day moving average is $90.25 and its two-hundred day moving average is $86.56. Wells Fargo & Company has a 52-week low of $58.42 and a 52-week high of $97.76.

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 14th. The financial services provider reported $1.76 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.66 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $21.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $21.63 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a net margin of 17.27% and a return on equity of 12.90%. The business’s revenue was up 4.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.43 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wells Fargo & Company Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 6th were paid a $0.45 dividend. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 6th. Wells Fargo & Company’s dividend payout ratio is 28.71%.

Insider Transactions at Wells Fargo & Company

In related news, EVP Bridget E. Engle sold 30,000 shares of Wells Fargo & Company stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.10, for a total value of $2,613,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 83,478 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,270,933.80. This trade represents a 26.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Ellen R. Patterson sold 60,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.40, for a total value of $5,244,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 169,496 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,813,950.40. This represents a 26.14% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 115,000 shares of company stock valued at $10,050,000. Insiders own 0.08% of the company’s stock.

Wells Fargo & Company Company Profile

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.