Morgan Stanley Cuts Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) Price Target to $100.00
by Kim Johansen · The Markets DailyWells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) had its price target lowered by Morgan Stanley from $108.00 to $100.00 in a note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “equal weight” rating on the financial services provider’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s target price points to a potential upside of 25.91% from the stock’s previous close.
Several other analysts have also recently commented on WFC. Wolfe Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $109.00 target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $100.00 target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $113.00 target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $99.00 to $99.50 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $92.00 to $101.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $97.13.
Wells Fargo & Company Trading Up 3.4%
Wells Fargo & Company stock traded up $2.62 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $79.42. The stock had a trading volume of 7,589,538 shares, compared to its average volume of 17,417,949. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $84.34 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $86.27. The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. The stock has a market capitalization of $245.06 billion, a PE ratio of 12.66, a P/E/G ratio of 0.82 and a beta of 1.08. Wells Fargo & Company has a 12 month low of $58.42 and a 12 month high of $97.76.
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 14th. The financial services provider reported $1.76 earnings per share (EPS) 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 the consensus estimate of $21.63 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.43 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 4.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.89 EPS for the current year.
Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, EVP Kleber Santos sold 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.72, for a total transaction of $2,193,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 79,876 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,006,722.72. This represents a 23.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Ellen R. Patterson sold 60,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 transaction, the executive vice president 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 sold 115,000 shares of company stock worth $10,050,000. 0.08% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Godfrey Financial Associates Inc. acquired a new position in Wells Fargo & Company during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Miller Capital Partners Inc. bought a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Navalign LLC bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the third quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Marquette Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 472.4% during the 3rd quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 332 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 274 shares during the last quarter. 75.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Key Headlines Impacting Wells Fargo & Company
Here are the key news stories impacting Wells Fargo & Company this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf highlighted a disconnect between nervous markets and stronger Main Street indicators, a message that supports confidence in the bank’s core consumer and commercial businesses. Markets are nervous, but Main Street isn’t: Wells Fargo CEO flags economic disconnect
- Positive Sentiment: Brokerage coverage on WFC remains constructive — the stock has an aggregate “Moderate Buy” stance from analysts, which supports demand for shares. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) Receives Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages
- Positive Sentiment: Customer research from Wells Fargo (2026 Money Study) and related reporting shows strong stickiness for banking apps and shifting financial behavior trends — evidence that deposit and fee businesses may remain resilient. Wells Fargo 2026 Money Study Reveals Americans Redefining the American Dream
- Positive Sentiment: Income-focused investors have another angle: analysis highlighting potential capital appreciation in Wells Fargo’s preferred shares (WFC.PR.L) can attract yield-seeking demand to the stock complex. Wells Fargo: 5% Capital Appreciation Potential From WFC.PR.L Preferred Shares
- Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary on WFC is balanced: some research notes steady short-term pressure from higher-for-longer rates and inflation, but regulatory relief, AI investments and capital returns support the medium-term case. How to Approach Wells Fargo Stock Now as the Fed Keeps Rates Steady?
- Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo’s research team is active in repricing coverage (examples: price-target cuts on consumer names), which keeps the bank visible in the Street’s research flow but is not directly tied to WFC’s own fundamentals. Wingstop Stock Near 52-Week Low as Wells Fargo Trims Target to $225
- Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo cut its 2026 S&P 500 price target to 7,300, citing “emerging risk” from the U.S.–Iran conflict, valuation pressures and stagflation concerns — a cautious macro view that can weigh on market sentiment, trading revenues and risk-appetite for banks broadly. S&P 500 Price Target Slashed to 7,300 by Wells Fargo on ‘Emerging Risk’
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.