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Wells Fargo (WFC) Q4 Earnings Beat on High Interest Income

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Have you been eager to see how Wells Fargo & Company (WFC - Free Report) performed in Q4 in comparison with the market expectations? Let’s quickly scan through the key facts from this San Francisco-based money center bank’s earnings release this morning:

An Earnings Beat

Wells Fargo came out with adjusted earnings per share of $1.03, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.00. Higher net interest income was primarily responsible for this earnings beat.

How Was the Estimate Revision Trend?

You should note that the earnings estimate for Wells Fargo depicted pessimism prior to the earnings release. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has decreased around 1% over the last 7 days.    

However, Wells Fargo has a decent earnings surprise history. Before posting earnings beat in Q4, the company delivered positive surprises in three of the prior four quarters. Overall, the company surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by an average of 0.50% in the trailing four quarters.

Revenue Came In Lower Than Expected   
 
Wells Fargo posted revenues of $21.6 billion, lagging the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $22.4 billion. However, it was in line with the year-ago number.

Key Stats to Note:

  • Pre-tax pre-provision profit (PTPP) : $8.4 billion
  • ROA (net income to average assets): 1.08%
  • ROE (net income applicable to common stock to shareholders’ equity): 10.94%

What Zacks Rank Says

The estimate revisions that we discussed earlier have driven a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for Wells Fargo. However, since the latest earnings performance is yet to be reflected in the estimate revisions, the rank is subject to change. While things apparently look favorable, it all depends on what sense the just-released report makes to the analysts.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

How the Market Reacted So Far

Following the earnings release, Wells Fargo shares were down around 1% in the pre-trading session. This is in line to what the stock witnessed in the prior-day’s session. Clearly, the initial reaction shows that the investors have not considered the results in their favor. However, the full-session’s price movement may indicate a different picture.

Check back later for our full write up on this Wells Fargo earnings report later!

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