Wells Fargo (WFC): analysis in plain words
Is Wells Fargo cheap or expensive? How it makes money, whether it grows and its risks, explained in plain words and with its official accounts.
Wells Fargo (WFC) is listed on the NYSE and we classify it in banking. Below are its key dated figures, how it makes money, how it compares with its sector, what works for and against Wells Fargo according to those figures, and the questions people ask most about the stock. No buy or sell tips.
Wells Fargo (WFC) key figures as of November 4, 2026
| Figure | Value | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $87.43 | Last price on November 4, 2026 |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 12.3x | Price over earnings per share |
| Revenue growth | +0.4% | Latest quarter vs the same quarter a year earlier |
| Net margin (TTM) | 27.6% | Profit for every 100 of sales |
| Net debt / EBITDA | Not meaningful (financial company) | Years of operating profit to repay debt |
| Dividend yield | 2.34% | Annual dividend over price |
| Market cap | $262.5 billion | What the stock market values it at |
The Wells Fargo figures come from Yahoo Finance, the same source the Fintols analysis uses, retrieved on November 4, 2026. Any WFC figure that is not available shows as N/A: we do not estimate it.
How Wells Fargo makes money
Wells Fargo is a U.S. bank that earns money from net interest and fees. It reports Consumer Banking and Lending, its largest segment, with branches, credit cards, mortgages and auto loans; Commercial Banking for midsize companies; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management for affluent clients.
Over the last 12 months, Wells Fargo brought in revenue of $83.1 billion. Its operating margin, what Wells Fargo keeps from every 100 of sales after running costs, is 34.2%. With 194,369 full-time employees, that is about $428,000 of revenue per employee.
Wells Fargo against its sector
To know whether a Wells Fargo figure is high or low you have to put it next to similar companies. This table compares Wells Fargo with the median of the 20 banking companies Fintols covers, with data as of November 4, 2026.
| Figure | Wells Fargo | banking median |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 12.3x | 12.2x (20) |
| Revenue growth | +0.4% | +7.3% (20) |
| Net margin | 27.6% | 32.6% (20) |
| Dividend yield | 2.34% | 3.55% (20) |
| ROE | 12.9% | 13.1% (19) |
In short, against the typical banking company, Wells Fargo grows more slowly, earns a thinner margin and pays a lower dividend yield. By size, Wells Fargo ranks number 5 of 8 banking companies quoted in USD on Fintols.
The bull case for Wells Fargo
What works in favour of Wells Fargo, according to its figures as of November 4, 2026:
- Wells Fargo keeps 27.6 of every 100 it sells as net profit, against 32.6 for the median banking company: a margin like that leaves money to invest, buy back shares or pay dividends.
The main risk for Wells Fargo
The Wells Fargo figures as of November 4, 2026 show no clear red flag (no heavy debt, no losses, no falling sales). Its main risk is the one built into its business: falling interest rates (which squeeze what it earns on loans) or rising bad loans if the economy weakens.
Frequently asked questions about Wells Fargo
Is it a good time to buy Wells Fargo stock?
Fintols does not tell you whether to buy or sell Wells Fargo, and nobody knows what the price will do tomorrow. What we can show you is where it stands today. As of November 4, 2026, Wells Fargo stock trades at $87.43, 11% below its 52-week high ($97.76) and 20% above its low ($72.78). Its P/E is 12.3x against a banking median of 12.2x, and 10.9x on the earnings analysts expect over the next 12 months. With Wells Fargo, as with any stock, timing matters less than understanding the business, investing for the long run and not betting everything on a single company.
Does Wells Fargo pay a dividend?
Yes. As of November 4, 2026, Wells Fargo pays $2.00 per share a year, which at today's price is a yield of 2.34%. It uses 26% of its profit to pay it, which leaves room to keep paying it if profit dips. Its average dividend yield over the last five years is 2.14%. The banking median on Fintols is 3.55%.
Is Wells Fargo stock expensive?
It depends on what you compare it with. On P/E, Wells Fargo trades at 12.3x its last 12 months of earnings: in line with the banking median (12.2x). For a financial company you also look at price to book value: 1.7x (banking median: 1.7x). A high P/E alone does not make Wells Fargo expensive: it can be justified if earnings grow fast, and a low one can reflect a business in trouble.
Who are Wells Fargo's competitors?
On Fintols we compare Wells Fargo with Morgan Stanley, BNY and U.S. Bancorp, which are also in banking. As of November 4, 2026, Morgan Stanley is worth $303.6 billion and trades on a P/E of 15.4; U.S. Bancorp is worth $95.1 billion and trades on a P/E of 11.9. Each has a side-by-side comparison with Wells Fargo below.
Wells Fargo competitors
- Morgan Stanley (MS) analysis · Wells Fargo vs Morgan Stanley comparison
- BNY (BK) analysis · Wells Fargo vs BNY comparison
- U.S. Bancorp (USB) analysis · Wells Fargo vs U.S. Bancorp comparison
To understand Wells Fargo better
- How to Read a Balance Sheet: A Beginner's Guide
- P/E Ratio and EPS Explained: How to Read Them Without Traps
More companies like Wells Fargo: banking stocks, S&P 500 companies and S&P 100 companies. Open the full WFC analysis with its valuation and scenarios. Educational content about Wells Fargo, not investment advice.