Here's What Key Metrics Tell Us About Wells Fargo Q3 Earnings

Wells Fargo WFC reported $20.37 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2024, representing a year-over-year decline of 2.4%. EPS of $1.52 for the same period compares to $1.39 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.07% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $20.38 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.27, the EPS surprise was +19.69%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Wells Fargo performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Net loan charge-offs as a % of average total loans (annualized): 0.5% versus 0.6% estimated by six analysts on average.
• Return on assets (ROA) - Financial Ratios: 1.1% compared to the 0.9% average estimate based on six analysts.
• Average Balance - Total interest-earning assets: $1,754.07 billion versus the six-analyst average estimate of $1,757.48 billion.
• Net interest margin on a taxable-equivalent basis: 2.7% versus 2.7% estimated by six analysts on average.
• Return on equity (ROE) - Financial Ratios: 11.7% versus 10.6% estimated by six analysts on average.
• Book value per common share: $49.26 compared to the $48.02 average estimate based on six analysts.
• Total nonperforming assets: $8.38 billion versus $8.84 billion estimated by five analysts on average.
• Net loan charge-offs: $1.11 billion versus $1.33 billion estimated by five analysts on average.
• Efficiency Ratio: 64% versus the five-analyst average estimate of 65.1%.
• Total nonaccrual loans: $8.17 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $8.67 billion.
• Allowance for loan losses as a percentage of total loans: 1.6% compared to the 1.6% average estimate based on four analysts.
• Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) - Standardized Approach: 11.3% compared to the 11.1% average estimate based on three analysts.

Shares of Wells Fargo have returned +12% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +5.4% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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