Wells Fargo & Company is an American international financial services company with a diversified set of company banking operations. It serves 11 million customers via more than 3,000 bank stores in the United States.
It is one of the “Big Four Banks” in the United States, along with JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and Citigroup. In 2018, Wells Fargo already operates in 35 countries with over 70 million customers globally.
The multinational company is also the nation’s number one mortgage lender serving all 50 states. It also has international operations in other countries, with offices in Toronto, London, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo
Wells Fargo & Company is also one of the leaders in the world of online banking. It was the first company who offered Internet banking in 1995. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Company Information
| HQ | 420 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Traded as | NYSE: WFC |
| ISIN | US9497461015 |
| Industry | Banking, Financial services and Insurance |
| Predecessors | Crocker National Bank, First Interstate Bancorp, Bank of North America, First Security Corporation, Norwest Corporation and Wachovia |
| Founded | 1852 in Des Moines, U.S. |
| Founders | Henry Wells and William Fargo |
| Products | Asset management, Brokerage services, Banking, Commodities, Credit cards, Equities trading, Finance and insurance, Foreign currency exchange, Foreign exchange trading, Futures & options trading, Investment management, Money market trading, Risk management, Treasury & security services, Underwriting and Wealth management |
| Subsidiaries | Wells Fargo Advisors, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Wells Fargo Rail and Wells Fargo Securities |
| Website | wellsfargo.com |
Type
Wells Fargo & Company main is in the banking, financial and insurance services.
Key Executives for Wells Fargo
| Charles H. Noski | Independent Chairman of the Board |
| Charles W. Scharf | President, Chief Executive Officer, Director |
| William M. Daley | Vice Chairman of the Board – Public Affairs |
| John R. Shrewsberry | Chief Financial Officer, Senior Executive Vice President |
| Scott E. Powell | Chief Operating Officer, Senior Executive Vice President |
Company Profile
Wells Fargo & Company is a public bank holding corporation which offers a diversified and dynamic set of financial services. It is world’s fourth largest bank globally by market capitalization and the fourth largest bank in the United States by total assets.
The company has three operating segments: 1) Community Banking 2) Wholesale Banking and 3) Wealth and Investment Management. It offers services under three categories: 1) personal 2) small business and 3) commercial.
Wells Fargo is a result of a 1998 merger between San Francisco-based Wells Fargo & Company and Minneapolis-based Norwest Corporation. It had a subsequent acquisition of the Charlotte-based Wachovia in 2008, which is one of the top “cross-sellers” of financial services in the country. It offers insurance, wealth management services, credit cards, and personal loans,
Other business-oriented services offered by Wells Fargo include investment banking, venture capital, commercial banking services, equipment leasing and lending.
As of June 2018, the company has established 8,050 branches and 13,000 ATMs across the globe.
Products
General Products and Services
Wells Fargo offers corporate banking and commercial services as well as retail services through banking locations and offices, the Internet and other distribution channels to individuals, corporations, businesses and institutions in all 50 states in America.
It also offers its services through its subsidiaries, which include wholesale banking and mortgage banking. It is also involved in securities brokerage, equipment leasing, commercial finance and agricultural finance.
Wells Fargo is also involved in, computer and data processing services, investment banking and investment advisory services.
Comprehensive Products and Services
Here are some of the more comprehensive products and services offered by Wells Fargo:
- Asset Management and Trust which includes Asset Management, Corporate Trust Services, and Shareowner Services
- Employee Benefits which includes Corporate Sponsored Mortgage
- Commercial Financing which includes Capital Finance, Equipment Financing, and Commercial Real Estate
- International Services which includes Financial Institutions, Financing and Credit, Foreign Exchange, and Trade Services
- Corporate and Investment Banking which includes Corporate Banking and Industry Expertise, Capital Markets and Mergers & Acquisitions, Institutional Investor Services, and Market Risk Management and FX
- Treasury Management which includes Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Information Reporting and Payroll Services
Operations
Community Banking includes Regional Banking, Diversified Products, and Consumer Deposits groups, as well as Wells Fargo Customer Connection
Operations on community banking include mini stand-alone mortgage branches located inside of other buildings mostly grocery stores. They usually contain ATMs, basic teller services,
Wells Fargo Student Loans are also available to students for their tuition, books, computers, or housing. Wells Fargo also offers these services to undergraduates, career and community colleges, graduate school, medical school and law school. Finally it is also available for private student loan and consolidation and student loans for parents.
Equipment Lending is for financing and leasing equipment to different companies such as rail services. Wells Fargo Rail has already purchased GE Capital Rail Services. It bought 3 GE units in 2015 and focused on business loans equipment financing.
Wealth and Investment Management offers investment products through its subsidiaries, namely Wells Fargo Investments, LLC and Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. It also offers private bank and family wealth group services to high-net-worth individuals.
- Wells Fargo Asset Management is the trade name for the mutual fund division of Wells Fargo & Company.
- Wells Fargo Securities is the investment banking division of the multinational company which generates between US$3 and US$4 billion per year in investment banking revenue.
Parent
Wells Fargo & Company is the product of almost 1,500 mergers over its nearly 160-year history. It has three main predecessors.
The first was the 1998 Northwest Corporation merger which acquired the original Wells Fargo & Company. In the 1980s, it acquired the original Wells Fargo and further diversified its portfolio in financial services and reorganized its affiliates. In 1996, Wells Fargo acquired the Los Angeles-based First Interstate Bancorp.
Key Takeaways
- The international banking firm’s primary operating subsidiary is the national bank Wells Fargo Bank N.A., which is headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
- In February 2014, Wells Fargo was named the world’s most valuable bank brand for the second consecutive year in The Banker, as well as in the Brand Finance study of the top 500 banking brands.
Fast Facts
Short History:
On March 18, 1852, Henry Wells and William Fargo founded Fargo & Company to provide express services to California. The company had always been linked with the “image of a six-horse stagecoach thundering across the American West, loaded with gold.”
It has survived the worst of history financially: from the Great Depression and different wars.
Wells Fargo & Company ranked number 26 by the Fortune 500 rankings of the largest US corporations in 2018 by total revenue
Its principal subsidiaries include Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A.; Norwest Limited, L.L.C.; Norwest Venture Partners VI, LP; WFC Holdings Corporation; Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Wells Fargo & Company Careers
The following are some of the current careers available for Wells Fargo & Company:
- Administrative Assistant 4
- Adversarial Cyber Operations Specialist
- Analytic Consultant 4
Wells Fargo Routing Numbers
Wells Fargo Bank Routing Number has a nine-digit code which can be found on the bottom side of the check. The routing number is also known as Transit Number or ABA Numbers, which is used for transferring money or maintaining an account. The routing transit number of Wells Fargo depends on the place or state where you first opened your account.
Wells Fargo Bank ABA Routing Transit Numbers
| State | Routing Number | State | Routing Number |
| Alabama | 062000080 | New Hampshire | 121042882 |
| Alaska | 125200057 | New Jersey | 021200025 |
| Arizona | 122105278 | New Mexico | 107002192 |
| Arkansas | 111900659 | New York | 026012881 |
| California | 121042882 | North Carolina | 053000219 |
| Colorado | 102000076 | North Dakota | 091300010 |
| Connecticut | 021101108 | Ohio | 041215537 |
| Delaware | 031100869 | Oklahoma | 121042882 |
| District of Columbia | 054001220 | Oregon | 123006800 |
| Florida | 063107513 | Pennsylvania | 031000503 |
| Georgia | 061000227 | Rhode Island | 121042882 |
| Hawaii | 121042882 | South Carolina | 053207766 |
| Idaho | 124103799 | South Dakota | 091400046 |
| Illinois | 071101307 | Tennessee | 064003768 |
| Indiana | 074900275 | Texas | 111900659 |
| Iowa | 073000228 | Texas – El Paso | 112000066 |
| Kansas | 101089292 | Utah | 124002971 |
| Kentucky | 121042882 | Vermont | 121042882 |
| Louisiana | 121042882 | Virginia | 051400549 |
| Maine | 121042882 | Washington | 125008547 |
| Maryland | 055003201 | West Virginia | 121042882 |
| Massachusetts | 121042882 | Wisconsin | 075911988 |
| Michigan | 091101455 | Wyoming | 102301092 |
| Minnesota | 091000019 | American Samoa | 121042882 |
| Mississippi | 062203751 | North Mariana Islands | 121042882 |
| Missouri | 121042882 | Puerto Rico | 121042882 |
| Montana | 092905278 | Virgin Islands | 121042882 |
| Nebraska | 104000058 | American Forces Abroad | 121042882 |
| Nevada | 321270742 |
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who owns Wells Fargo & Company?
The current CEO is Charles Scharf who was appointed last October 31, 2019.
What was the IPO price for Wells Fargo?
The latest closing stock price for Wells Fargo as of March 23, 2020 is 25.25.
What does Wells Fargo specialize in?
The multinational company specializes in financial management and banking operations.
Why should I bank with Wells Fargo?
The account rates in Wells Fargo & Company are average and affordable, and with its huge network of branches and ATMS in different places and states, it becomes convenient for its customers.
Moreover, its interest rates, fees and bonus offers do not differ from the Big Four Banks such as Chase and Bank of America.
Its newest offer include the $250 additional remuneration given to the customer upon opening an account. They started this so they can recover from the latest sales-practices scandal last 2016, which affected their new account openings by 40%. This offer has become one of the highest sign-up bonuses available.
Another reason to bank with Wells Fargo is that it is good for small business loans and merchant services. It is especially good for merchant services to maximize their chances of getting their funds approved. Moreover, Wells Fargo applies low fees on remittances to foreign countries.
Who was Wells Fargo external auditor?
KPMG LLP has served as Well Fargo & Company’s auditor for the last 85 years. It has consistently made good audit opinions about the company, that’s why when the sales-practice scandal broke out, KPMG LLP also got involved in the process.
In late 2016, there had been revelations that employees had been opening fake accounts illicitly and duplicating them to enrich themselves. However, when asked why did this report did not surface in the audit reports of KPMG, the auditing company insisted the bank “maintained…. effective internal control over financial reporting.”
It also maintained its position that the company continues to review regulatory reports and reporting to executive management and the audit committee regarding such investigations which are related to auditing and whistle-blower claims, among many other matters.
Even as early as 2013, even though KPMG had already spotted “instances of unethical and illegal conduct by Wells Fargo employees, including incidents involving these improper sales practices,” it did not release any dissatisfied opinions or negative statement about the internal operations of Wells Fargo during that time.
This scandal has caused a serious downward spiral for the company since then, until another CEO had been appointed in 2019.
Where Will Wells Fargo Be in 10 Years?
After having no CEO for the past 8 months, Wells Fargo & Company’s future looks promising and brighter under the new management. It had been a hopeless cause until Charles Scharf was named CEO.
He aims to rebuild brand trust and re-establish its resiliency as it had surpassed different financial crises better than other banks. He said that to stay ahead of competition, the company has to focus on several technology initiatives for their Q3 2019 call, which includes their accelerator program, the Wells Fargo Digital Cash, and a data exchange agreement with Plaid, which is a digital banking API that improves customer experience with mobile banking.
The new CEO is up for the challenge and also aims to tap into the Investment Banking Division of the company, which would lead the bank with a “technology-first approach” and offer user-friendly solutions to keep the brand relevant.
Finally, it shall release Greenhouse, a mobile-banking app which aims to target students and the gig economy workers who don’t readily receive steady pay checks. This milestone shall highlight the bank’s commitment to advancing and improving its technology and pushing it out to a younger target market.
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