WF
WELLS FARGO & COMPANY/MN (WFC)·Q2 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q2 2025 delivered solid results: revenue $20.822B (+3% q/q, +1% y/y), diluted EPS $1.60 (+15% q/q, +20% y/y), net income $5.494B; efficiency ratio improved to 64% (from 69% in Q1) .
- Notable items: a $253M gain ($0.06/share) from acquiring the remaining interest in the merchant services JV, and continued fee growth offsetting lower y/y NII; CET1 ratio was 11.1% and LCR 121% .
- Guidance: 2025 NII now expected to be roughly in line with 2024’s $47.7B (lower than prior “+1–3%” outlook), while 2025 noninterest expense is unchanged at ~$54.2B; Board approved raising the Q3 dividend to $0.45 (+12.5%) .
- Stock reaction catalysts: removal of the Fed asset cap (June), expected SCB drop to 2.5%, and stronger capital return (buybacks/dividend), alongside clearer articulation of balance sheet allocation toward Markets (fee revenue) .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Fee momentum and diversification: Noninterest income rose 5% q/q and 4% y/y, driven by advisory/brokerage fees, investment banking, and card/merchant processing after the JV consolidation; “All other” benefited from $253M gain .
- Credit quality remained strong: NCO ratio fell to 0.44% (vs. 0.57% y/y), with consumer NCOs down q/q and CRE office losses easing; nonperforming assets declined 3% q/q .
- Strategic milestones and capital return: Asset cap lift; Q2 buybacks of $3.0B and plan to increase Q3 dividend to $0.45; CEO: “We now have the opportunity to grow in ways we could not while the asset cap was in place…” .
What Went Wrong
- Net interest income still down y/y: NII decreased 2% y/y due to lower rates and deposit mix, despite a sequential +2% recovery; average deposit cost was 1.52% .
- Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB) revenue down: Total revenue fell 3% y/y and 8% q/q; Markets equities revenue declined y/y as the prior-year Visa B gain rolled off; CRE revenue fell q/q with lower servicing income .
- Commercial Banking pressure: CB revenue down 6% y/y on lower NII (rates), with only modest q/q growth; efficiency ratio worsened y/y (52 vs. 48) .
Financial Results
Core financials and profitability
Capital, liquidity, and credit KPIs
Segment revenue and net income
Actuals vs. Wall Street consensus (SPGI, Primary EPS/Revenue)
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Note: Company-reported total revenue for Q2 2025 was $20.822B (vs. SPGI “actual” revenue measure above), and diluted EPS was $1.60 .
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- CEO: “We now have the opportunity to grow in ways we could not while the asset cap was in place… We are a far stronger company today because of the work we’ve done” .
- CFO: “We currently expect net interest income for 2025 to be roughly in line with full-year 2024… largest driver is dedicating more balance sheet to our Markets business… lower NII but offset in noninterest income” .
- Strategy: Continue fee-based growth (advisory, IB, payments), optimize expenses, invest in technology and branches, and allocate balance sheet selectively to drive returns .
Q&A Highlights
- NII path and Markets mix: Management explained the NII reduction vs prior guide as primarily due to more balance sheet allocated to Markets, with fees offsetting NII; sequential NII still expected to grow in Q3/Q4 .
- Capital/buybacks/dividend: With SCB expected lower and asset cap removed, WFC has “more capacity” to repurchase shares and raised the dividend to $0.45; capital buffers will be reassessed after more Fed transparency .
- Deposits and branch growth: Expect more aggressive deposit growth across consumer/corporate; reinstated incentive frameworks, increased marketing, and branch refurbishments to drive primary checking growth .
- Rate sensitivity and tax: Still modestly asset-sensitive; tax rate can have quarter-specific items (e.g., CA attribution change), longer-term “high-teens” view .
- Competition and loan yields: Middle market spreads tight amid bank competition; modest loan growth expected skewed to CIB (fund finance, asset-backed), with cautious posture in consumer .
Estimates Context
- SPGI consensus vs outcomes (Primary EPS/Revenue): WFC beat SPGI Primary EPS in Q2 2025 ($1.54 vs. $1.40*), and SPGI recorded “actual” revenue of $19.82B vs. $20.81B consensus*. Note WFC’s company-reported total revenue was $20.822B and diluted EPS was $1.60 .
- FY context: SPGI FY2025 EPS consensus 6.23*, revenue 84.00B*. With the updated NII guide (roughly flat vs 2024), sell-side models may adjust NII mix, fee forecasts (Markets), and tax/expense assumptions .
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Earnings quality improved: Fee growth (advisory, brokerage, IB, payments) and lower operating losses drove better efficiency (64%) despite NII y/y pressure; credit remains benign with NCOs at 0.44% .
- Narrative shift to fee/Markets: Re-allocation of balance sheet to Markets reduces NII trajectory but grows noninterest income; monitor sustained FX/rates strength and equities recovery .
- Capital optionality: Asset cap removal and SCB reduction expand capacity for deposit/loan growth and buybacks; Q3 dividend to $0.45 signals confidence; watch final SCB and capital framework updates .
- Consumer momentum: Card and merchant processing uplift, Auto originations turning up, and branch/digital investments are supporting primary checking growth; watch delinquency trends and payment rates seasonality .
- CRE office risk moderating: Nonaccruals and ACL coverage trends stabilizing; losses expected but “well within expectations”—remain vigilant on office valuations and migration dynamics .
- Tactical trading implications: Near-term, positive catalysts include dividend raise and asset cap lift; medium-term thesis hinges on executing fee growth, maintaining credit quality, and delivering operating leverage while reallocating balance sheet to higher-return activities .
## Appendix: Additional Data Points
- Company-wide: ROE 12.8%, ROTCE 15.2%; diluted average shares 3,267.0MM **[72971_0000072971-25-000170_ex993-wellsfargo2q25pres.htm:0]** **[72971_0000072971-25-000170_wfc2qer07-15x25ex991xrelea.htm:1]**.
- CBL: Revenue $9,228MM (+4% q/q, +2% y/y); net income $1,863MM; efficiency ratio 63; mobile active customers 32.1MM **[72971_0000072971-25-000170_wfc-20250715.htm:0]**.
- CIB Loans: Period-end $290.6B; Markets trading-related assets $283.0B **[72971_0000072971-25-000170_wfc2qer07-15x25ex992xsuppl.htm:18]**.
- Corporate: “All other” revenue uplift from merchant services JV gain; tax benefit impacted corporate segment **[72971_0000072971-25-000170_wfc2qer07-15x25ex991xrelea.htm:0]** **[72971_0000072971-25-000170_wfc2qer07-15x25ex992xsuppl.htm:20]**.
Citations: All figures above are sourced from Wells Fargo’s Q2 2025 Form 8-K, Q2 2025 Quarterly Supplement, press releases, and Q2/Q1/Q4 earnings call transcripts as cited. Values marked with an asterisk (*) are retrieved from S&P Global.