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Wells Fargo & Company

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FY2021 Annual Report · Wells Fargo & Company
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2021 
Annual Report  |  Wells Fargo & Company 

WEL LS   FARGO & COMPANY

420  MONTGOMERY  STREET | S AN  FRAN CI SCO, CA  | 94104

1˜ 866˜87 8˜58 65  | WELLSFA RGO.COM

© 2022 Wells˜Fargo & Company.  All rights reserved.
Deposit products offered through Wells˜Fargo Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.
CCM7565  (Rev 00, 1/each)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Contents 

Letter from CEO 

Our Performance 

Operating Committee 

Board of Directors 

2021 Financial Report 

Stock Performance 

About Wells Fargo 

II 

XV 

XVI 

XVII 

1 

203 

204 

A letter from 

Charles W. Scharf 
CEO and President 
Wells Fargo & Company 

As I write this letter refecting on 2021, it is difcult 
to describe what we have all been through and the 
extent to which COVID-19 has impacted the world. 
Over 400 million people have been infected with the 
virus, almost 6 million people have died, and so many 
others have been impacted in diferent ways. At the 
same time, we are learning to coexist with COVID-19. 
We now have multiple vaccines and a clearer 
understanding of how to protect ourselves 
from infection. 

Wells Fargo has used its strength to provide support 
through this crisis to our employees, customers, and 
communities, and we will continue to do so. We recognize 
that the pandemic has left many people in need, and 
that those needs haven’t gone away. As a company, 
we will continue to provide support to a diverse set 
of stakeholders over the long term. 

Alongside these eforts, the work we have been doing 
to transform Wells Fargo has made us an even stronger 
company than we were a year ago. It has put us in 
a position to support a broad set of stakeholders, 
and it has positively impacted our results. While we still 
have much more to do, our foundation is stronger, our 
business is more focused, we are driving cultural change, 
the talent and management process changes we have 
made are making a positive impact, and our fnancial 
performance is stronger. 

II 

2021 Annual Report 

 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial performance 
The work we have been doing to improve 
our financial profile is beginning to 
impact our results. In 2021, Wells Fargo 
generated $21.5 billion in net income, or 
$4.95 per common share. This included 
a $5.7 billion reduction in the allowance 
for credit losses which improved 
earnings by $1.05 per common share. 

Our revenue increased 6% from the 
previous year, with lower net interest 
income more than ofset by growth in 
noninterest income. We benefted from 
strong gains in our afliated venture 
capital and private equity businesses 
and gains from the sales of our student 
lending, asset management, and 
corporate trust businesses, which 
we do not expect to repeat in 2022. 
But we also had broad-based revenue 
growth across our businesses, including 
in Home Lending, Consumer & Small 
Business Banking, credit cards, Auto 
lending, Commercial Real Estate, 
investment banking, and Wealth 
& Investment Management.   

Expenses declined 7% from a year ago, 
refecting lower operating losses and 
progress on our efciency initiatives – 
and this is while we added to our 
investments to strengthen our risk and 
control infrastructure and made other 
investments to build out new products 
and capabilities for our customers. 

Credit quality improved signifcantly 
as we saw strong economic growth 
and our customers had high levels 
of liquidity. Our net charge-of rate 

declined from 35 basis points in 
2020 to 18 basis points in 2021, 
and, as noted above, our allowance for 
credit losses declined by $5.7 billion. 

Loans outstanding increased 1% 
from a year ago. Loans declined 
in the frst half of the year but grew 
5% in the second half, with growth in 
both our consumer and commercial 
portfolios. Average deposits in 2021 
grew $61.8 billion, or 4%, from a year 
ago as declines in commercial deposits, 
driven by our actions to remain under 
the asset cap, were more than ofset 
by growth in consumer deposits. 

We also returned a significant 
amount of capital to our shareholders, 
$16.9 billion in total. We increased 
our quarterly common stock dividend 
from $0.10 per share to $0.20 per 
share in the third quarter and then 
to $0.25 in the first quarter of 2022. 
In total, we returned $2.4 billion through 
common stock dividends in 2021 and 
repurchased $14.5 billion of common 
stock, predominantly in the second half 
of 2021, after the return to the stress 
capital bufer framework. 

Our return on equity was 12.0% and 
our return on tangible common equity 
(ROTCE) was 14.3%, which is close to 
our stated goal of about 15% over time¹. 
Excluding the reduction in the allowance 
for credit losses in 2021, ROTCE would 
have been 11.2%². In addition, we had 
several other items which benefted our 
results, such as very strong equity gains, 
extremely low charge-of rates, and the 

1. Return on tangible common equity (ROTCE) is a non-GAAP financial measure. For additional information, including a corresponding reconciliation 

to GAAP financial measures, see the “Financial Review—Capital Management—Tangible Common Equity” section in this Report. 

2. ROTCE excluding the reduction in the allowance for credit losses is a non-GAAP financial measure. Excluding the reduction in the allowance for credit 
losses in 2021 results in a $4.3 billion decrease in net income applicable to common stock ($5.7 billion pre-tax) and a 3.1 percentage point decline 
in ROTCE from 14.3% to 11.2%. For additional information, including a corresponding reconciliation of ROTCE to GAAP financial measures, see the 
“Financial Review—Capital Management—Tangible Common Equity” section in this Report. 

III 

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
gains on sales of certain businesses, and 
some which reduced our results, such 
as a fne we received from the Ofce of 
the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) 
in September 2021, which I write more 
about below.  

Overall, our analysis shows that we had 
more benefts than reductions last year, 
and our ROTCE on a run rate basis was 
still below our goal of 10%. We said at 
the beginning of 2021 that we see a 
clear path to achieving a sustainable 
10% ROTCE, and we believe we will 
achieve that, subject to the same 
assumptions we’ve discussed in the 
past, on a run rate basis at some 
point in 2022. We have also said that 
after achieving this, we will target 
approximately 15% sustainable 
ROTCE. We continue to believe that 
our franchise is capable of producing 
signifcantly higher returns, and we 
remain focused on achieving them while 
continuing to invest in our infrastructure 
and in our capabilities to serve our 
customers. 

The strong economy continues 
to positively impact our customers 
and our results  
Consumers’ fnancial position remained 
strong throughout the pandemic. While 
median deposit balances declined during 
the second half of 2021, after Economic 
Impact Payments ended, consumers 
continued to have more liquidity than 
prior to the pandemic, with median 
balances at the end of the year 26% 
higher than pre-pandemic levels.  

Consumer credit card spend continued 
to be strong, with general purpose 
credit card spending up 27% in 2021 
compared with 2020 and up 17% from 
pre-COVID 2019 levels. The spending 

categories most impacted by COVID in 
2020 – travel, fuel, and entertainment – 
all rebounded by more than 50% 
in 2021. Across all sectors, travel 
was the only one that was still down 
from 2019 levels; however, travel 
spending improved throughout 2021 
and nearly doubled from 2020 levels. 

Consumer debit card spend also 
continued to be strong, with spending 
up 20% compared with 2020 and up 
28% from 2019 levels. All spending 
categories increased in 2021, except 
for a modest decline in food and drug. 
Discretionary spending on retail goods 
continued to be strong relative to both 
2020 and 2019 as customer liquidity 
levels remained high. 

While loan demand was weak early 
in the year, loans grew 5% in the second 
half with growth in both our consumer 
and commercial portfolios. We saw 
strong growth in auto and also had 
strong loan growth in Corporate 
& Investment Banking, with loans 
up 16% from a year ago. 

We have made significant progress 
over the past two years 
I’ve been at the company for a little 
over two years and believe we are a 
very different company today than 
when I arrived. Though we have much 
more to do, overall, I feel great about 
what we’ve accomplished in an incredibly 
difcult operating environment. 

I think about our areas of progress along 
several dimensions: 

• Risk, control, and regulatory 
• Talent and leadership 
• Financial and strategic progress 
• ESG and company reputation 
• Customer centricity 

IV 

2021 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
Risk, control, and regulatory 
We began a process two years ago to change the culture and priorities of the company. The most 
signifcant part of this was prioritizing the development and implementation of an appropriate risk 
and control framework across the company. Our approach to managing this is entirely diferent than 
when I arrived, and I believe we are making signifcant progress. We are laser-focused on meeting our 
own expectations and those of our regulators. We work to have clear plans in place and clear owners 
for each regulatory deliverable we have. We have detailed reporting on how we’re progressing on those 
plans. We review this reporting weekly at the Operating Committee. Our executives are expected to be 
actively engaged in the details and are accountable for getting the work done properly and timely.  

Our ability to identify risk and control issues has also improved from two years ago. 

We have reached numerous regulatory milestones over the past year. These include: 

• The OCC’s January 2021 termination of a 2015 consent order related to the company’s 
Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) compliance program 

• The September 2021 expiration of a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) consent 
order issued in 2016 regarding the bank’s retail sales practices 

• The OCC’s January 2022 termination of a consent order issued in June 2015 regarding add-on 
products that the company sold to retail banking customers before 2015  

Despite reaching these milestones, we still have much more work to do. We need to implement 
the many plans we have developed, some of which contain several years’ worth of work, and also 
demonstrate their sustainability. We have multiple checkpoints along the way before we turn the 
completed work over to our regulators for their review. All of this takes time. An additional complexity 
is the number of issues and consent orders we are working through simultaneously, which translates 
into both a high volume of work and a high amount of interdependencies across multiple streams of 
work. We strive to complete the work accurately and timely, and while we continue to improve our 
execution, we don’t always meet all of our goals. 

The reality is that while I feel good about our progress since I joined the company, many of the 
consent orders that remain open have been outstanding for too long. Wells Fargo has been too slow 
in building and implementing appropriate risk and control frameworks, and the company has been too 
slow in addressing legacy issues. As a result, in September 2021, the OCC assessed a fne and imposed 
a new consent order related to loss mitigation activities in our Home Lending business and insufcient 
progress in addressing requirements under a consent order the agency issued to us in 2018. 

Until our broad book of risk, control and regulatory work is complete, we remain at risk for setbacks. 
Having said that, I remain confdent in our ability to continue to close our remaining gaps over the next 
several years. We are committed to completing the work, and I believe that the quality of the talent we 
now have and the processes we now have in place will enable us to get the work done. 

V 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Talent and leadership 
We have a new management team running Wells Fargo. Since I joined Wells Fargo in 2019, 
11 of 16 Operating Committee members are new to the company. Additionally, well over 
half of the senior most people at our company, meaning those who are one level below 
the Operating Committee, are new to their roles, and a signifcant proportion of them 
were hired from outside the company. This is a dramatic change in our leadership and to 
the group of people responsible for driving the cultural and process changes required for 
our transformation. We have recruited highly qualifed people with experience in their 
areas of expertise and have promoted talented leaders within Wells Fargo. 

We’ve also signifcantly changed how we run the company. We have regular detailed 
business reviews, we prioritize resources across the entire company, and we ensure 
that we diferentiate the performance of our people, rewarding strong performers and 
coaching those who need to improve. We expect people to prioritize what’s right for our 
customers, we value execution, and we embrace direct conversations that push us to 
improve. We celebrate our success but focus on what we can do to improve. 

Financial and strategic progress 
After a strategic review in 2020 that resulted in the sale or reductions of several of 
our businesses, we are making progress increasing the earnings power of the company 
and have begun to invest in a more holistic and aggressive way to drive stronger 
organic growth in all of our businesses. We are just now beginning to bring to market 
diferentiated products and services. The number of signifcant opportunities ahead is 
exciting, but we are only at the beginning of building the culture necessary to transform 
how we compete in today’s world. 

I can’t say it enough – job one has been and will continue to be building and implementing 
an appropriate risk and control infrastructure across the company, embedding changes 
in our culture, and doing the work with urgency. But we are also investing in our strategic 
positioning. 

Though our market shares remain strong, we have been slow in improving and 
expanding our capabilities to compete with the best banks and non-banks across 
all of our businesses. This is changing. All of our lines of business have signifcant 
opportunities to meaningfully grow, and we are investing in long-term plans 
to move our franchise forward. There is more competition than ever before, 
but I continue to feel great about our competitive position and energized about 
the opportunities in front of us.  

Consumer digital 
An example is our consumer mobile platform. In the fourth quarter of 2021, 
we announced a rebuilt mobile banking experience for Consumer & Small Business 
customers, and we began rolling it out in the frst quarter of 2022. It has a new, 
modern look and feel and a simpler user experience that will help our customers 
more easily accomplish their banking needs. Though digital adoption has been 

VI 

2021 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
increasing – in the fourth quarter our customers 
logged in 1.6 billion times using a mobile device, 
up 7% year over year, and teller transactions 
remained more than 30% lower than pre-
pandemic levels – we believe that an improved 
platform can drive signifcantly higher digital 
adoption from our customers. 

We also announced that later this year we will 
be adding an all-new virtual assistant – named 
“Fargo” – to our mobile app. Customers will be 
able to get answers to their everyday banking 
questions and ask Fargo to complete a task 
for them. Fargo will also provide personalized 
insights and recommendations to help 
customers better manage their fnances. 

We also introduced the frst phase of the 
redesign of our public website early this year. 

In addition, we are beginning to become more 
active in creating new digital solutions on the 
wholesale side of our business. For example, 
we announced that we are collaborating with 
HSBC to optimize the settlement of foreign 
exchange transactions through a blockchain-
based solution, which will reduce settlement 
risks and associated costs. 

Cards and payments 
We are approaching payments and credit 
cards very diferently. We believe credit cards 
will remain important as both a credit and 
payment vehicle and are investing in our 
capabilities. We are also doing additional 
work around non-card payments and believe 
we must succeed here to be a key fnancial 
services provider. 

Two years ago, our credit card products 
and capabilities were not as competitive 
as necessary. In 2021, we launched two new 
credit card products, including Active CashSM, 
which has been referred to as the best cash 
back card in the marketplace, and ReflectSM, 
which rewards customers for on-time payments. 

We improved the core credit card experience, 
including investing in advertising, simplifying 
our digital application, and enhancing our 
underwriting and customer service. These 
eforts have driven an increase in digital 
card activation and enrollment in paperless 
statements and alerts. We are opening 
approximately twice as many accounts as 
we were before launching these products, 
and importantly, we are not competing on 
credit. In fact, the credit quality of applications 
and accounts we are now booking is consistently 
stronger than what we were booking prior to 
launch. 

Away from card, we are investing in digital 
payments across the platform, enhancing 
our capabilities, increasing limits, and broadly 
reducing the friction in moving money. 
As evidence, Zelle momentum continued 
to accelerate in 2021, with Zelle transactions 
up 56% year over year, and Zelle dollar volume 
up 66%. In the fourth quarter alone, Zelle dollar 
volume increased 12% from the prior quarter. 

Consumer Banking and Lending and 
Wealth & Investment Management 
We have one of the strongest consumer 
franchises in the largest consumer fnancial 
services market in the world. The strength 
of the franchise is still incredible when you 
consider the stresses that the past several 
years have placed on the industry and our 
company. 

Consumer Banking and Lending 
We serve approximately 64 million consumer 
banking and lending customers, and our 
bank branch footprint remains a competitive 
advantage. We have nearly 4,800 retail bank 
branches, with a presence in 25 of the largest 
30 markets in the U.S.³ A Wells Fargo branch 
or ATM is within 2 miles of over half of U.S. 
Census households and small businesses in our 
footprint. In parallel, as consumers increasingly 
shift their banking transactions to digital 

3. Based on Core-Based Statistical Areas 

VII 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
channels, in 2021 we had 33 million 
digital active customers, up 3% from 
2020, and we had 27.3 million mobile 
active users, up 5% from 2020. 

strategy within WIM and are investing 
in our independent and digital channels 
to complement our existing capabilities. 
Those eforts will continue into 2022. 

Full year 2021 average deposits 
in Consumer Banking and Lending 
totaled $834.7 billion, up from 
$722.1 billion a year earlier. For full 
year 2021, we had $471.5 billion 
in debit card purchase volume, 
up 20% from $391.9 billion in 2020, 
and 9.8 billion debit card purchase 
transactions, up 12% from 8.8 billion 
in 2020. 

In our Home Lending businesses, 
we had $205 billion in total originations 
in 2021, down from $222.7 billion 
in 2020, driven by an increase in rates 
and a drop in application volume. 
Credit card point-of-sale volume 
was $102.5 billion in 2021, up 26% 
from $81.6 billion in 2020, in part 
driven by the launch of our new 
credit card products. We originated 
$33.9 billion in auto loans in 2021, 
up 49% from $22.8 billion in 2020. 
While auto loan originations have 
benefted from enhancements we’re 
making to our capabilities, we continue 
to be cautious about the increase in 
vehicle prices over the last year or so 
and have maintained our underwriting 
standards. 

Wealth & Investment 
Management (WIM) 
Our WIM business has over 
12,300 advisors who serve 2.8 million 
clients. At the end of 2021, total client 
assets reached a record $2.2 trillion, 
up 9% from $2.0 trillion in 2020, 
primarily due to higher market 
valuations. We have worked over the 
past year to simplify our go-to-market 

Taking a step back and looking 
broadly across our consumer businesses, 
we have been focused for several years 
in consumer banking and lending on 
remediating sales practices issues. 
This has been a must. But we have been 
slow to develop new products, segment 
our customer base, and develop tailored 
oferings for each. We still have great 
opportunity to drive digital adoption 
to further our eforts to become more 
efcient and target diferent customers. 
And we have signifcant opportunities 
to integrate our consumer businesses 
across our wealth, consumer lending, 
and payments oferings. 

Our belief is that we have the key 
ingredients to compete and be the 
primary provider for fnancial services 
for the consumer. Being the primary 
provider for payments is critical for the 
mass consumer base, and our deposit, 
lending and investment products round 
out our oferings. For the more afuent, 
our wealth and lending capabilities are 
critical, and deposits and payments 
round out those offerings. How we 
deliver these capabilities is critical – 
in our branches, on our mobile app, 
on our native browser, via telephone, 
and in person. Our capabilities have to 
be diferentiated by customer segment. 

We have the resources to take this 
integrated approach, and to build the 
best consumer platform – but to do this 
we need to work across our individual 
consumer businesses, which we have 
not always done historically. 

VIII 

2021 Annual Report 

 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
The boundaries between our lines of business are necessary to bring relevant expertise to bear, 
but these boundaries are artifcial and cannot stand in the way of making us approach the customer 
holistically. Like most banks, we have historically delivered our products and services based on how 
we were organized – not how the customer has wanted to work with us. This is changing and will 
allow us to compete diferently than we have in the past. 

Commercial Banking and Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB) 
We manage Commercial Banking and Corporate & Investment Banking as separate lines of business, 
but they ofer many of the same products and should share capabilities with common platforms. 
Here too we are looking past artifcial boundaries. We are combining Treasury Services platforms, 
and we are working with commercial clients to ofer CIB products such as foreign exchange, interest 
rate swaps, access to public markets, and M&A advisory services.  

We have great market positions in both lines of business and have meaningful opportunities to 
grow. 

In Commercial Banking, we serve three core segments: emerging middle-market, middle market 
and mid-corporate companies. We have over 5,000 bankers and a presence in 49 of the largest 
50 markets in the country⁴. Commercial Banking total loans were $190.3 billion at the end of 
2021. Deposit growth in Commercial Banking was strong, with average deposits of $197.3 billion 
in 2021, up 10% from $178.9 billion in the prior year. 

CIB has been a core part of the company for many years. We have been, and will remain, 
disciplined in where we compete, and we continue to grow our business not by changing our 
risk profle, but by leveraging our core relationships and delivering the entire enterprise to these 
clients. In 2021, this approach led to growth in banking revenue, up 4% year over year (YoY) 
to $5.1 billion, primarily driven by higher advisory and debt origination fees, as well as higher 
loan balances. Broadly speaking, we continue to be focused on leveraging our balance sheet 
commitments to drive relationships, diversifying our business mix in Capital Markets, and 
continuing to grow our Commercial Real Estate (CRE) business. Our CRE business is the 
largest commercial real estate lender in the U.S., and its 2021 revenue was up 10% YoY, 
to nearly $4 billion. 

As we look to grow our business across both Commercial Banking and CIB, we are focused on digital, 
including building out our digital platforms on both the front and back ends. This extends beyond 
combining our two Treasury Services platforms. It includes a payments modernization program for 
fnancial institution clients, as well as Integrated Receivables, which we launched last year to simplify 
payment and remittance data capture, re-association and invoice matching. We are also focused on 
increasing investment banking revenue from Middle Market clients. 

Technology 
At the heart of our ability to compete over the long term will be a diferent approach to technology. 
We think about this along two dimensions. 

4. Based on Core-Based Statistical Areas 

IX 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
First is creating a platform-based, API-driven architecture that enables similar banking 
services to be used across diferent products. Instead of building large applications as we 
have in the past, this API-driven architecture relies on a nimble set of smaller applications 
that provide common features and customer data across products and services. It’s a 
“once built, many times consumed” approach. This won’t happen all at once, but we have 
a clear path ahead. Over time, our presence will evolve to this model, improving customer 
experience and allowing us to get new products and services to market more quickly. 

As a foundation to this, our Digital Infrastructure Strategy, which we announced in 2021, 
articulates our approach to moving toward cloud-enabled applications, initially using both 
public and private cloud solutions and also migrating to a set of modern data centers that 
will host our private cloud platforms. 

Second is a technology-frst approach to our businesses. This is a material change 
from our approach today. We compete with fntech companies where engineers who 
understand products also design solutions for customers. Wells Fargo, like many other 
banks, often develops a solution and then asks engineers to build it. We are moving 
toward an agile approach to development to bring our teams much closer and speed 
up timelines to get to market. 

All of this is good progress, but it’s not enough. As I’ve said before, we need to move from 
an approach where technology aids our business to where technology drives our business. 
This is a tough journey, but without it, we signifcantly reduce our chances of success. 

ESG and company reputation 
We believe that for us to be successful as a company, we must consider a broad set 
of stakeholders in our decisions and actions, beyond shareholders. This is not in lieu of 
shareholders – in fact we believe it will enhance our returns to shareholders over time. 
Our history has shown this to be true. Consumers and businesses want to do business 
with a company that has a strong reputation. A strong reputation is achieved not just 
from strong fnancial performance, but from actively supporting employees, customers, 
and communities – especially those most in need. 

We have supported our employees consistently through the pandemic, which I wrote 
about at some length in my letter to you last year. In November 2021, we announced 
that as part of our commitment to providing comprehensive benefts and competitive 
pay to our employees, we would provide supplemental pay from October 2021 to the 
end of January 2022 to eligible branch employees in active status, in recognition of their 
contributions during the pandemic. We also announced an increase in U.S. minimum 
hourly pay levels to a range of $18-22, based on role, location, and market conditions. 
Over a five-year time period, from 2017-2021, we increased average wages for 
U.S. hourly employees by nearly 25%. Over the same time period, we increased 
our investment in U.S. employee benefts by over 20%. 

X 

2021 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
  
  
We have also undertaken significant 
eforts to support consumers and small 
businesses since the beginning of the 
pandemic. We supported the Paycheck 
Protection Program (PPP) by funding 
roughly 280,000 loans totaling approximately 
$14 billion, working with clients of all sizes to 
provide fexibility and assistance where needed. 
In addition, we extended forbearance options 
for over 1 million mortgage customers since 
the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

After the CARES Act was signed into law, 
the government paid fees to those who 
administered PPP loans. Our belief was 
that these funds were best used to help small 
businesses stay open and support employment 
during the pandemic – not to support our bank. 
COVID-19 caused a crisis in our communities, 
not a financial crisis, and we were happy 
to use our resources to support PPP without 
fee compensation in 2020. In July 2020, we 
announced Open for Business, a $420 million 
fund we created with the gross processing fees 
we would have earned from processing PPP 
loans we funded in 2020. We created Open 
for Business to give back to communities, 
particularly small businesses, with a focus on 
those in underserved areas. Wells Fargo has 
worked with Community Development Financial 
Institutions (CDFIs) and local nonprofts across 
the nation to distribute funding, and to ensure 
funding occurs at a highly local level. While 
our work on PPP focused on smaller small 
businesses most in need, we needed partners 
to access the broadest set of small businesses 
in need to facilitate our Open for Business 
program. 

We fulflled our Open for Business commitment 
in 2021, donating $420 million to organizations 
that support small businesses during both 2020 
and 2021. Our total philanthropic giving in 2021, 
including both Open for Business dollars and 
Wells Fargo Foundation giving, was $615 million. 

Climate change is one of the most urgent 
environmental and social issues of our time, 
and we have a role to play working with our 
clients to transform their businesses to carbon-
friendly models. Last year we announced our goal 
to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, 
including fnanced emissions, by 2050. We also 
increased our sustainable fnance commitment 
to $500 billion between 2021 and 2030. In May 
2021, we issued our frst sustainability bond, 
raising $1 billion in capital to support housing 
afordability, socioeconomic advancement 
and empowerment, and renewable energy. 
We expect to announce our first interim 
fnanced emissions targets for the oil and 
gas, and power sectors later this year. 

This work is bigger than any one company, 
and we will work across companies and industries 
as we progress. In the fourth quarter of 2021, 
we joined the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, an 
industry-led leadership group designed to foster 
collaboration and support banks in aligning their 
fnancing with the goal of achieving net-zero 
greenhouse gas emissions. 

Finally, we recognize that afordable housing 
continues to be one of the top needs in our 
country. As a company, we use our resources 
to support afordable, multifamily housing 
in the U.S., in addition to acting as an active 
lender for affordable rental housing 
developments. We remain committed to 
supporting our customers with homeownership. 
In 2021, we helped over 585,000 homeowners 
with new low-rate loans to either purchase 
a home or refinance an existing mortgage. 
We also closed $2.2 billion in new commitments 
for afordable housing under the government-
sponsored enterprise (GSE) and Federal Housing 
Administration (FHA) programs. As part of our 
NeighborhoodLIFT program, we committed to 
invest $5 million to help more than 300 low-
and moderate-income residents in Houston 
with home down payment assistance. 

XI 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Customer centricity 
We believe that we must be customer-
centric in how we approach our products 
and services. Our work to advance our 
digital and mobile presence, to take an 
agile approach to product development, 
and to rethink our technology 
infrastructure are examples of 
how we’re working to improve the 
customer experience. 

Being customer-centric is not only 
about customer experience, though. 
It’s more fundamentally about how we 
price and deliver for our customers and 
meet their fnancial needs. 

In January 2022, we announced 
new eforts that will roll out over 
the course of the year to help our 
consumer customers avoid overdraft 
fees and cover short-term cash needs. 
We are eliminating transfer fees for 
customers enrolled in Overdraft 
Protection, eliminating non-sufcient 
funds fees, giving early access to 
direct deposit by providing customers 
access to funds up to two days before 
a customer’s scheduled deposit, and 
adding a 24-hour grace period for 
customers who overdraw their account 
to cover the balance before incurring 
an overdraft fee. In addition, this year 
we will introduce a new short-term 
credit product for customers to meet 
personal fnancial needs. 

These changes build on services that 
Wells Fargo had introduced previously. 
Clear Access Banking, which we 
introduced in September 2020, 
is a consumer bank account that 
charges no overdraft fees. It now has 
over 1.1 million outstanding customer 
accounts. Overdraft Rewind, which was 

introduced in 2017, automatically 
reverses overdraft fees when 
a covering direct deposit is received 
by the next morning. The service will be 
replaced with the 24-hour grace period 
I mentioned above. Wells Fargo also 
sends more than 1.3 million balance 
alerts every day to help customers 
avoid overdrafts. 

Putting all of our changes in perspective, 
these fees are down signifcantly since 
the fnancial crisis. We have alternatives 
for both customers that do not want 
overdraft protection and those that do. 
This is a competitive marketplace, and 
we continue to review our capabilities 
and pricing with the goal of providing 
value to our customers. Our Office 
of Consumer Practices, an internal, 
consumer-focused advisory group that 
we launched in January 2021, is involved 
in this work, and plays an important role 
in helping ensure our products, services, 
and business practices are fair and 
transparent. 

Competition and what it means for us 
Our competition is stronger than ever. 
We compete against some outstanding 
banks of all sizes. We compete with 
younger non-banks that have specialized 
in one part of our business, many 
of which have moved on to compete 
more broadly. We also compete with 
non-banks that have signifcant market 
capitalizations, and big tech continues 
to expand its reach into the fnancial 
services proft pool. 

So why do I feel so excited to be at 
Wells Fargo? Simply put, our capabilities 
allow us to serve consumers and 
companies with better products at 
a better value than most anyone else. 

XII 

2021 Annual Report 

 
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
But we won’t win by running the company as we have for the past few decades. If we don’t change 
how we approach our customers, our company will go through a process of slow and steady decline. 
Others have approached the customer diferently and are competing more efectively. For too long, 
Wells Fargo has: 

1. Allowed others to build their businesses of of years and years of our investments. These include 

companies that have built payments technology and services using bank-developed and supported 
ACH, credit cards, and debit cards. 

2. Developed products that are designed around how we are organized, not how the customer wants 
to be served by us. For instance, our deposit, lending, investment, and payments products have not 
historically been on an integrated platform. 

3. Not created user interfaces that are competitive with the best experiences in the marketplace. 

In addition, there is a perception that banks do not innovate so regulation should allow these smaller 
technology focused companies to compete without being subject to the same oversight as regulated 
banks. 

While others have done well, I still believe that the game is ours to lose. Our customer relationships are 
extremely valuable, and we remain in a great position to continue to be their primary fnancial services 
provider, but we must approach their needs diferently. We’ve begun to do that, and I’ve referenced 
some of these changes earlier in this letter. But there’s more to do. 

As we look forward 
Our game plan remains the same: build a strong risk and control infrastructure appropriate for 
a company of our size and complexity, run a disciplined business with talented people who remain 
excited by what Wells Fargo does for its employees, customers and communities, invest for the long 
term but continue to improve our fnancial performance each year, and realign our business with 
a technology-frst and true customer-centric viewpoint. 

We are unwavering in our commitment to build a strong risk and control foundation. We are committed 
to invest what’s necessary and continue to do this work with the sense of urgency necessary for our 
most important priority. But we also remain cognizant that we still have a multiyear effort to satisfy 
our regulatory requirements – with setbacks likely to continue along the way – and will continue our 
work to put exposures related to our historical practices behind us. 

We will continue to embrace our responsibility to our employees, customers and communities. 

I commented earlier that we believe we will achieve a sustainable 10% ROTCE – subject to the same 
assumptions we’ve discussed in the past – on a run rate basis at some point this year, and that once 
we’ve achieved this goal, we will discuss our plan to continue to increase returns. But at a high level, 
we continue to believe we can further improve our returns through a combination of factors including: 
a modest increase in interest rates or a further steepening of the curve, ongoing progress on 
incremental efficiency initiatives, a small impact from returns on growth-related investments 

XIII 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
in our businesses, continued execution on our risk, regulatory and control priorities, and moderate 
balance-sheet growth once the asset cap is lifted. It’s important to note that we currently have the 
ability to grow loans, even under the asset cap, though our ability to add deposits is limited. 

The changes we’ve made to the company and continued strong economic growth prospects make 
us feel good about how we are positioned entering 2022, and even better about our longer-term 
prospects. Although there remain signifcant geopolitical and economic risks in the short- and mid- 
term, we will continue to move forward with a goal to rebuild Wells Fargo to be amongst the best 
and most respected fnancial institutions in the country. 

I want to conclude by thanking everyone at Wells Fargo who continued to serve our customers, 
each other, and our communities through another challenging year. I appreciate their hard work 
and their resiliency while we made progress on making Wells Fargo better. I look forward to all that 
we will accomplish in the year ahead. 

I remain incredibly optimistic about our future. 

Charles W. Scharf 
CEO and President 
Wells Fargo & Company 

March 1, 2022 

XIV 

2021 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our Performance 

$ and shares outstanding in millions, except per share amounts 

20 21 

20 20 

20 19 

SELECTED INCOME STAT EM ENT   DATA  

Total revenue 

Noninterest expense 
Pre-tax pre-provision profit (PTPP)1 

Provision for credit losses 

Wells Fargo net income 

Wells Fargo net income applicable to common stock 

COM MON  SHARE  DATA  

Diluted earnings per common share 

Dividends declared per common share 

Common shares outstanding 

Average common shares outstanding 

Diluted average common shares outstanding 

Book value per common share2 

Tangible book value per common share2, 3 

SELECTED EQU ITY  DATA  ( PER IO D-E ND)  

Total equity 

Common stockholders’ equity 
Tangible common equity3 

PERFORMANCE RATIO S 

Return on average assets (ROA)4 

Return on average equity (ROE)5 

Return on average tangible common equity (ROTCE)3 
Efficiency ratio6 

SELECTED BALAN C E  SHEET  DATA   ( AV ER AGE )  

Loans 

Assets 
Deposits 

SELECTED BALAN C E  SHEET  DATA   ( P ER I O D-E ND)  

Debt securities 
Loans 

Allowance for loan losses 
Assets 

Deposits 

OTHER METRICS 

Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio7 
Market capitalization 

Headcount (#) (period-end) 

$ 

$ 

78,492 

53,831 

24,661 

(4,155) 

21,548 

20,256 

4.95 

0.60 

3,885.8 

4,061.9 

4,096.2 

43.32 

36.35 

74,264 

57,630 

16,634 

14,129 

3,377 

1,786 

0.43 

1.22 

4,144.0 

4,118.0 

4,134.2 

39.71 

32.99 

86,832 

58,178 

28,654 

2,687 

19,715 

18,103 

4.09 

1.92 

4,134.4 

4,393.1 

4,425.4 

40.24 

33.43 

190,110 

168,331 
141,254 

185,712 

164,570 
136,727 

187,702 

166,387 
138,224 

1.11 % 

12.0 

14.3 
69 

0.17 

1.1 

1.3 
78 

1.03 

10.4 

12.4 
67 

$ 

864,288 

1,941,905 
1,437,812 

941,788 

1,941,709 
1,376,011 

950,956 

1,911,790 
1,286,261 

537,531 
895,394 

12,490 
1,948,068 

501,207 

887,637 

18,516 
1,952,911 

1,482,479 

1,404,381 

497,125 

962,265 

9,551 
1,925,753 

1,322,626 

11.35 % 

$ 

186,441 

249,435 

11.59 

125,066 

268,531 

11.14 

222,432 

271,924 

1  Pre-tax pre-provision profit (PTPP) is total revenue less noninterest expense. Management believes that PTPP is a useful financial measure because it enables investors and others to assess the Company’s ability 

to generate capital to cover credit losses through a credit cycle. 

2  Book value per common share is common stockholders’ equity divided by common shares outstanding. Tangible book value per common share is tangible common equity divided by common shares outstanding. 

3  Tangible common equity, tangible book value per common share, and return on average tangible common equity are non-GAAP financial measures. For additional information, including a corresponding 

reconciliation to GAAP financial measures, see the “Financial Review – Capital Management – Tangible Common Equity” section in this Report. 

4  Represents Wells Fargo net income divided by average assets. 

5  Represents Wells Fargo net income applicable to common stock divided by average common stockholders’ equity. 

6  The efficiency ratio is noninterest expense divided by total revenue (net interest income and noninterest income). 

7  Represents our Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio calculated under the Standardized Approach, which is our binding CET1 ratio. For additional information, see the “Financial Review – Capital Management” 

section and Note 28 (Regulatory Capital Requirements and Other Restrictions) to Financial Statements in this Report. 

XV 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating Committee 

William M. Daley 
Vice Chairman 
of Public Affairs 

Michael P. Santomassimo 
Senior EVP, 
Chief Financial Officer 

Derek A. Flowers 
Senior EVP, 
Chief Risk Officer 

Kleber R. Santos 
Senior EVP, Head of Diverse Segments, 
Representation & Inclusion 

Kyle G. Hranicky 
Senior EVP, CEO of 
Commercial Banking 

Charles W. Scharf 
Chief Executive Officer 
and President 

Bei Ling 
Senior EVP, Head of 
Human Resources 

Barry Sommers 
Senior EVP, CEO of Wealth 
& Investment Management 

Mary T. Mack 
Senior EVP, CEO of Consumer 
& Small Business Banking 

Saul Van Beurden 
Senior EVP, 
Head of Technology 

Lester J. Owens 
Senior EVP, 
Head of Operations 

Michael S. Weinbach 
Senior EVP, 
CEO of Consumer Lending 

Ellen R. Patterson 
Senior EVP, 
General Counsel 

Jonathan G. Weiss 
Senior EVP, CEO of Corporate 
& Investment Banking 

Scott E. Powell 
Senior EVP, 
Chief Operating Officer 

Ather Williams III 
Senior EVP, Head of Strategy, 
Digital Platform, and Innovation 

As of February 25, 2022 

All members of the Operating Committee are executive 
officers according to Securities and Exchange Commission rules. 
Muneera S. Carr, EVP, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller, 
also is an executive officer. 

XVI 

2021 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
Board of Directors 

Steven D. Black 
Chairman, 
Wells Fargo & Company 

Maria R. Morris 
Retired Executive Vice President and Head of 
Global Employee Benefits business, MetLife, Inc. 

Mark A. Chancy 
Retired Vice Chairman and Co-Chief Operating 
Officer, SunTrust Banks, Inc. 

Richard B. Payne, Jr. 
Retired Vice Chairman, Wholesale Banking, 
U.S. Bancorp 

Celeste A. Clark 
Principal, Abraham Clark Consulting, LLC, and Retired Senior 
Vice President, Global Public Policy and External Relations 
and Chief Sustainability Officer, Kellogg Company 

Juan A. Pujadas 
Retired Principal, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 
and former Vice Chairman, Global Advisory Services, 
PwC International 

Theodore F. Craver, Jr. 
Retired Chairman, President and CEO, 
Edison International 

Ronald L. Sargent 
Retired Chairman and CEO, 
Staples, Inc. 

Wayne M. Hewett 
Senior Advisor, Permira, and Chairman, 
DiversiTech Corporation 

Charles W. Scharf 
Chief Executive Officer and President, 
Wells Fargo & Company 

Suzanne M. Vautrinot 
President, Kilovolt Consulting, Inc. 
and Major General and Commander, 
United States Air Force (retired) 

As of February 25, 2022 

XVII 

XVIII 

W E L L S   FA R G O   &   C O M P A N Y   2 0 2 1  F I N A N C I A L   R E P O R T  

Financial Review 

Overview 

Earnings Performance 

Balance Sheet Analysis 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements 

Risk Management 

Capital Management 

Regulatory Matters 

116 

131 

133 

135 

136 

141 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses 

Leasing Activity 

Equity Securities 

Premises, Equipment and Other Assets 

Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities 

Mortgage Banking Activities 

143 

10 

Intangible Assets 

Critical Accounting Policies 

144 

11 

Deposits 

Current Accounting Developments 

145 

12 

Long-Term Debt 

Forward-Looking Statements 

147 

13 

Guarantees and Other Commitments 

Risk Factors 

150 

14 

Pledged Assets and Collateral 

Controls and Procedures 

153 

15 

Legal Actions 

156 

16 

Derivatives 

Disclosure Controls and Procedures 

164 

17 

Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities 

Internal Control Over Financial Reporting 

174 

18 

Preferred Stock 

Management’s Report on Internal Control over 

176 

19 

Common Stock and Stock Plans 

Financial Reporting 

Report of Independent Registered Public 

Accounting Firm (KPMG LLP, Charlotte, NC, 
Auditor Firm ID: 185) 

178 

20 

Revenue from Contracts with Customers 

180 

21 

Employee Benefits and Other Expenses 

Financial Statements 

185 

22 

Restructuring Charges 

Consolidated Statement of Income 

186 

23 

Income Taxes 

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive

188 

24 

Earnings and Dividends Per Common Share 

Income 

Consolidated Balance Sheet 

189 

25 

Other Comprehensive Income 

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity 

191 

26 

Operating Segments 

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows 

193 

27 

Parent-Only Financial Statements 

2 

7 

27 

30 

31 

56 

62 

65 

69 

70 

72 

87 

87 

87 

88 

89 

90 

91 

92 

94 

Notes to Financial Statements 

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies 

Trading Activities 

Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities 

95 

109 

110 

1 

2 

3 

195 

28 

Regulatory Capital Requirements and Other Restrictions 

197 

200 

202 

Report of Independent Registered Public

Accounting Firm 

Quarterly Financial Data 

Glossary of Acronyms 

Wells Fargo & Company 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This Annual Report, including the Financial Review and the Financial Statements and related Notes, contains forward-looking statements, 
which may include forecasts of our financial results and condition, expectations for our operations and business, and our assumptions for those 
forecasts and expectations. Do not unduly rely on forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from our forward-looking 
statements due to several factors. Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements are 
described in this Report, including in the “Forward-Looking Statements” section, and in the “Risk Factors” and “Regulation and Supervision” 
sections of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 (2021 Form 10-K). 

When we refer to “Wells Fargo,” “the Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us” in this Report, we mean Wells Fargo & Company and Subsidiaries 
(consolidated). When we refer to the “Parent,” we mean Wells Fargo & Company. See the Glossary of Acronyms for definitions of terms used 
throughout this Report. 

Financial Review 

Overview 

Wells Fargo & Company is a leading financial services company 
that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets, proudly serves one 
in three U.S. households and more than 10% of small businesses 
in the U.S., and is the leading middle market banking provider in 
the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and 
mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and 
commercial finance, through our four reportable operating 
segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, 
Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth and Investment 
Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 37 on Fortune’s 2021 
rankings of America’s largest corporations. We ranked fourth in 
assets and third in the market value of our common stock among 
all U.S. banks at December 31, 2021. 

Wells Fargo’s top priority remains building a risk and control 

infrastructure appropriate for its size and complexity. The 
Company is subject to a number of consent orders and other 
regulatory actions, which may require the Company, among 
other things, to undertake certain changes to its business, 
operations, products and services, and risk management 
practices. Addressing these regulatory actions is expected to 
take multiple years, and we are likely to experience issues or 
delays along the way in satisfying their requirements. Issues or 
delays with one regulatory action could affect our progress on 
others, and failure to satisfy the requirements of a regulatory 
action on a timely basis could result in additional penalties, 
enforcement actions, and other negative consequences, which 
could be significant. While we still have significant work to do, the 
Company is committed to devoting the resources necessary to 
operate with strong business practices and controls, maintain the 
highest level of integrity, and have an appropriate culture in 
place. 

Federal Reserve Board Consent Order Regarding 
Governance Oversight and Compliance and Operational 
Risk Management 
On February 2, 2018, the Company entered into a consent order 
with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System 
(FRB). As required by the consent order, the Company’s Board of 
Directors (Board) submitted to the FRB a plan to further enhance 
the Board’s governance and oversight of the Company, and the 
Company submitted to the FRB a plan to further improve the 
Company’s compliance and operational risk management 
program. The Company continues to engage with the FRB as the 
Company works to address the consent order provisions. The 
consent order also requires the Company, following the FRB’s 
acceptance and approval of the plans and the Company’s 
adoption and implementation of the plans, to complete an initial 
third-party review of the enhancements and improvements 
provided for in the plans. Until this third-party review is complete 

and the plans are approved and implemented to the satisfaction 
of the FRB, the Company’s total consolidated assets as defined 
under the consent order will be limited to the level as of 
December 31, 2017. Compliance with this asset cap is measured 
on a two-quarter daily average basis to allow for management of 
temporary fluctuations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on 
April 8, 2020, the FRB amended the consent order to allow the 
Company to exclude from the asset cap any on-balance sheet 
exposure resulting from loans made by the Company in 
connection with the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck 
Protection Program and the FRB’s Main Street Lending Program. 
As required under the amendment to the consent order, to the 
extent the Company chooses to exclude these exposures from 
the asset cap, certain fees and other economic benefits received 
by the Company from loans made in connection with these 
programs shall be transferred to the U.S. Treasury or to nonprofit 
organizations approved by the FRB that support small 
businesses. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had not 
excluded these exposures from the asset cap. After removal of 
the asset cap, a second third-party review must also be 
conducted to assess the efficacy and sustainability of the 
enhancements and improvements. 

Consent Orders with the Consumer Financial Protection 
Bureau and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency 
Regarding Compliance Risk Management Program, 
Automobile Collateral Protection Insurance Policies, and 
Mortgage Interest Rate Lock Extensions 
On April 20, 2018, the Company entered into consent orders 
with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the 
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to pay an 
aggregate of $1 billion in civil money penalties to resolve matters 
regarding the Company’s compliance risk management program 
and past practices involving certain automobile collateral 
protection insurance (CPI) policies and certain mortgage interest 
rate lock extensions. As required by the consent orders, the 
Company submitted to the CFPB and OCC an enterprise-wide 
compliance risk management plan and a plan to enhance the 
Company’s internal audit program with respect to federal 
consumer financial law and the terms of the consent orders. In 
addition, as required by the consent orders, the Company 
submitted for non-objection plans to remediate customers 
affected by the automobile collateral protection insurance and 
mortgage interest rate lock matters, as well as a plan for the 
management of remediation activities conducted by the 
Company. The Company continues to work to address the 
provisions of the consent orders. The Company has not yet 
satisfied certain aspects of the consent orders, and as a result, we 
believe regulators may impose additional penalties or take other 

2 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
 
enforcement actions. On September 9, 2021, the OCC assessed a 
$250 million civil money penalty against the Company related to 
insufficient progress in addressing requirements under the OCC’s 
April 2018 consent order and loss mitigation activities in the 
Company’s Home Lending business. 

Consent Order with the OCC Regarding Loss Mitigation 
Activities 
On September 9, 2021, the Company entered into a consent 
order with the OCC requiring the Company to improve the 
execution, risk management, and oversight of loss mitigation 
activities in its Home Lending business. In addition, the consent 
order restricts the Company from acquiring certain third-party 
residential mortgage servicing and limits transfers of certain 
mortgage loans requiring customer remediation out of the 
Company’s mortgage servicing portfolio until remediation is 
provided. 

Retail Sales Practices Matters and Other Customer 
Remediation Activities 
In September 2016, we announced settlements with the CFPB, 
the OCC, and the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney, and 
entered into related consent orders with the CFPB and the OCC, 
in connection with allegations that some of our retail customers 
received products and services they did not request. As a result, it 
remains a priority to rebuild trust through a comprehensive 
action plan that includes making things right for our customers, 
employees, and other stakeholders, and building a better 
Company for the future. On September 8, 2021, the CFPB 
consent order regarding retail sales practices expired. 

Our priority of rebuilding trust has also included an effort to 

identify other areas or instances where customers may have 
experienced financial harm, provide remediation as appropriate, 
and implement additional operational and control procedures. 
We are working with our regulatory agencies in this effort. We 
have previously disclosed key areas of focus as part of our 
rebuilding trust efforts and are in the process of providing 
remediation for those matters. We have accrued for the probable 
and estimable remediation costs related to our rebuilding trust 
efforts, which amounts may change based on additional facts and 
information, as well as ongoing reviews and communications with 
our regulators. As our ongoing reviews continue and as we 
continue to strengthen our risk and control infrastructure, we 
have identified and may in the future identify additional items or 
areas of potential concern. To the extent issues are identified, we 
will continue to assess any customer harm and provide 
remediation as appropriate. 

For additional information regarding retail sales practices 
matters and other customer remediation activities, including 
related legal and regulatory risk, see the “Risk Factors” section 
and Note 15 (Legal Actions) to Financial Statements in this 
Report. 

Recent Developments 
COVID-19 Pandemic 
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been working 
diligently to protect employee safety while continuing to carry 
out Wells Fargo’s role as a provider of essential services to the 
public. We have taken comprehensive steps to help customers, 
employees and communities. 

We have strong levels of capital and liquidity, and we remain 
focused on delivering for our customers and communities to get 
through these unprecedented times. 

PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM  The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, 
and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) created funding for the 
Small Business Administration’s (SBA) loan program providing 
forgiveness of up to the full principal amount of qualifying loans 
guaranteed under a program called the Paycheck Protection 
Program (PPP). We funded approximately $14.0 billion in loans 
under the PPP. At December 31, 2021, we had $2.4 billion of PPP 
loans outstanding. We voluntarily committed to donate all of the 
gross processing fees received from PPP loans funded in 2020. In 
2021, we fulfilled this approximately $420 million commitment. 

LIBOR Transition 
The London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) is a widely 
referenced benchmark rate that seeks to estimate the cost at 
which banks can borrow on an unsecured basis from other banks. 
On March 5, 2021, the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct 
Authority and ICE Benchmark Administration, the administrator 
of LIBOR, announced that certain settings of LIBOR would no 
longer be published on a representative basis after December 31, 
2021, and the most commonly used U.S. dollar (USD) LIBOR 
settings would no longer be published on a representative basis 
after June 30, 2023. Central banks in various jurisdictions 
convened committees to identify replacement rates to facilitate 
the transition away from LIBOR. The committee convened by the 
Federal Reserve in the United States, the Alternative Reference 
Rates Committee (ARRC), recommended the Secured Overnight 
Financing Rate (SOFR) as the replacement rate for USD LIBOR. 
Additionally, the Federal Reserve, the OCC and the Federal 
Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) have issued guidance 
strongly encouraging banking organizations to cease using USD 
LIBOR as a reference rate in new contracts. 

In preparation for the cessation of the various LIBOR 

settings, we have undertaken a variety of activities. Among other 
things, we proactively implemented internal “stop-sell” dates to 
discontinue offering products referencing LIBOR except 
pursuant to limited exceptions consistent with regulatory 
guidance. At the same time, we expanded our suite of product 
offerings that are indexed to alternative reference rates. 

We also continue to transition our legacy LIBOR contracts to 

• 

alternative reference rates. We transitioned substantially all of 
our legacy contracts with LIBOR settings impacted by the 
December 31, 2021, cessation date to alternative reference 
rates, and we will continue to address contracts with LIBOR 
settings that are impacted by the June 30, 2023, cessation date. 
For USD LIBOR contracts that mature before June 30, 2023, 
• 
those contracts that are renewed or replaced will be indexed 
to alternative reference rates. 
At December 31, 2021, the notional amount of our 
derivatives indexed to USD LIBOR, including bilateral 
contracts that mature after June 30, 2023, and centrally-
cleared contracts that mature either before or after June 30, 
2023, was over $6 trillion. We expect substantially all of 
these contracts to transition to SOFR either prior to or 
immediately after June 30, 2023, in accordance with existing 
fallback provisions. 
At December 31, 2021, we had over $350 billion of USD 
LIBOR commercial credit facilities that mature after June 30, 
2023. These contracts generally do not contain appropriate 
fallback provisions. We are proactively engaging with our 
clients and contract parties to amend these contracts to 
replace LIBOR with an alternative reference rate or to 
include appropriate fallback provisions, if necessary. 
At December 31, 2021, we had approximately $30 billion of 
USD LIBOR consumer loans and lines secured by residential 
real estate that mature after June 30, 2023. We expect 

• 

• 

Wells Fargo & Company 

3 

Overview (continued) 

• 

these contracts to transition to alternative reference rates in 
accordance with existing fallback provisions. 
At December 31, 2021, we had approximately $45 billion of 
debt securities indexed to USD LIBOR that mature after 
June 30, 2023. Substantially all of these debt securities 
contain fallback provisions and are expected to transition to 
an alternative reference rate immediately after June 30, 
2023. 

• 

• 

Additionally, we continue to monitor legislative 

developments that would provide a statutory framework to 
replace LIBOR with a benchmark rate based on SOFR in contracts 
that do not have fallback provisions or that have fallback 
provisions resulting in a replacement rate based on LIBOR. 

For information regarding the risks and potential impact of 

LIBOR or any other referenced financial metric being significantly 
changed, replaced, or discontinued, see the “Risk Factors” section 
in this Report. 

Capital Matters 
Effective October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2022, the 
Company’s stress capital buffer used to determine our minimum 
risk-based capital requirements under the Standardized 
Approach became 3.10%. Beginning January 1, 2022, our global 
systemically important bank (G-SIB) capital surcharge decreased 
by 50 basis points from 2.00% to 1.50%. 

Effective January 1, 2022, we are required to use the 
Standardized Approach for Counterparty Credit Risk (SA-CCR) 
for calculating exposure amounts for credit risk-weighted assets 
(RWAs) on derivative contracts. The adoption of SA-CCR 
resulted in an increase of less than 1.00% in total RWAs under the 
Standardized Approach (which was our binding approach at 
December 31, 2021) and a decrease of less than 0.50% in total 
leverage exposure at January 1, 2022. 

On January 25, 2022, the Board approved an increase to the 

Company’s first quarter 2022 common stock dividend to 
$0.25 per share. For additional information about capital 
planning, see the “Capital Management – Capital Planning and 
Stress Testing” section in this Report. 

Business Divestitures 
On November 1, 2021, we closed our previously announced 
agreement to sell our Corporate Trust Services business and our 
previously announced agreement to sell Wells Fargo Asset 
Management (WFAM). We recorded net gains of $674 million 
and $269 million, respectively, from these sales, which are 
subject to certain post-closing adjustments and earn-out 
provisions. 

Financial Performance 
In 2021, we generated $21.5 billion of net income and diluted 
earnings per common share (EPS) of $4.95, compared with 
$3.4 billion of net income and EPS of $0.43 in 2020. Financial 
performance for 2021, compared with 2020, included the 
following: 
• 

total revenue increased due to higher net gains from equity 
securities, mortgage banking income, and investment 
advisory and other asset-based fee income, partially offset 
by lower net interest income; 
provision for credit losses decreased reflecting continued 
improvements in the economic environment, which led to 
lower charge-offs and better portfolio credit quality; 
noninterest expense decreased due to lower operating 
losses, restructuring charges, and professional and outside 

• 

• 

4 

services expense, partially offset by higher incentive and 
revenue-related compensation in personnel expense; 
average loans decreased due to paydowns exceeding 
originations in our residential mortgage loan portfolio, weak 
demand for commercial loans, and the reclassification of 
student loans (included in other consumer loans) to loans 
held for sale (LHFS); and 
average deposits increased driven by growth in the 
Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, and 
Wealth and Investment Management (WIM) operating 
segments due to higher levels of liquidity and savings for 
consumer and commercial customers reflecting government 
stimulus programs and continued economic uncertainty 
associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the 
impact of payment deferral programs on consumer 
customers, partially offset by actions taken to manage under 
the asset cap which reduced deposits in the Corporate and 
Investment Banking operating segment and Corporate. 

In second quarter 2021, we retroactively changed the 
accounting for certain tax-advantaged investments. These 
changes had a nominal impact on net income and retained 
earnings on an annual basis and did not impact historical trends 
or business drivers. Prior period financial statement line items 
have been revised to conform with the current period 
presentation. Prior period risk-based capital and certain other 
regulatory related metrics were not revised. For additional 
information, including the financial statement line items 
impacted by these changes, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant 
Accounting Policies) to Financial Statements in this Report. 

Capital and Liquidity 
We maintained a strong capital position in 2021, with total 
equity of $190.1 billion at December 31, 2021, compared with 
$185.7 billion at December 31, 2020. Our liquidity and regulatory 
capital ratios remained strong at December 31, 2021, including: 
our Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio was 11.35% under 
• 
the Standardized Approach (our binding ratio), which 
continued to exceed both the regulatory requirement of 
9.60% and our current internal target; 
our eligible external total loss absorbing capacity (TLAC) as a 
percentage of total risk-weighted assets was 23.03%, 
compared with the regulatory requirement of 21.50%; and 
our liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) was 118%, which 
continued to exceed the regulatory minimum of 100%. 

• 

• 

See the “Capital Management” and the “Risk Management – 

Asset/Liability Management – Liquidity Risk and Funding” 
sections in this Report for additional information regarding our 
capital and liquidity, including the calculation of our regulatory 
capital and liquidity amounts. 

Credit Quality 
Credit quality reflected the improving economic environment. 
• 

The allowance for credit losses (ACL) for loans of 
$13.8 billion at December 31, 2021, decreased $5.9 billion 
from December 31, 2020. 

•  Our provision for credit losses for loans was $(4.2) billion in 
2021, down from $14.0 billion in 2020. The decrease in the 
ACL for loans and the provision for credit losses in 2021, 
compared with 2020, reflected continued improvements in 
the economic environment, which led to lower charge-offs 
and better portfolio credit quality. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
 
 
 
 
 
• 

• 

• 

The allowance coverage for total loans was 1.54% at 
December 31, 2021, compared with 2.22% at December 31, 
2020. 
Commercial portfolio net loan charge-offs were 
$295 million, or 6 basis points of average commercial loans, 
in 2021, compared with net loan charge-offs of $1.6 billion, 
or 31 basis points, in 2020, due to lower losses and higher 
recoveries in our commercial and industrial portfolio 
primarily driven by the oil, gas and pipelines industry, and in 
the real estate mortgage portfolio. 
Consumer portfolio net loan charge-offs were $1.3 billion, or 
33 basis points of average consumer loans, in 2021, 
compared with net loan charge-offs of $1.7 billion, or 
39 basis points, in 2020, predominantly driven by lower 
losses in our credit card portfolio as a result of government 
stimulus programs instituted in response to the COVID-19 
pandemic, improvements in the economic environment and 

better portfolio credit quality, partially offset by 
$152 million of residential mortgage loan charge-offs as a 
result of a change in practice to fully charge-off certain 
delinquent legacy residential mortgage loans. 

•  Nonperforming assets (NPAs) of $7.3 billion at 

December 31, 2021, decreased $1.6 billion, or 18%, from 
December 31, 2020, predominantly driven by decreases in 
our commercial and industrial portfolio as a result of 
paydowns in the oil, gas, and pipelines industry, partially 
offset by increases in our residential mortgage – first lien 
portfolio from certain borrowers exiting COVID-19 related 
accommodation programs. NPAs represented 0.82% of total 
loans at December 31, 2021. 

Table 1 presents a three-year summary of selected financial 

data and Table 2 presents selected ratios and per common 
share data. 

Table 1:  Summary of Selected Financial Data 

(in millions, except per share amounts) 

2021 

2020 

$ Change
2021/
2020 

% Change
2021/
2020 

Year ended December 31, 

$ Change
2020/
2019 

% Change
2020/
2019 

2019 

Income statement 

Net interest income 

Noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Net charge-offs 

Change in the allowance for credit losses 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Net income before noncontrolling interests 

Less: Net income from noncontrolling interests 

Wells Fargo net income 

Earnings per common share 

Diluted earnings per common share 

Dividends declared per common share 

Balance sheet (at year end) 

Debt securities 

Loans 

Allowance for loan losses 

Equity securities 

Assets 

Deposits 

Long-term debt 

Common stockholders’ equity 

Wells Fargo stockholders’ equity 

Total equity 

NM – Not meaningful 

$ 

35,779 

42,713 

78,492 

1,582 

(5,737) 

(4,155) 

53,831 

23,238 

1,690 

21,548 

4.99 

4.95 

0.60 

39,956 

34,308 

74,264 

3,370 

10,759 

14,129 

57,630 

3,662 

285 

3,377 

0.43 

0.43 

1.22 

537,531 

895,394 

12,490 

72,886 

501,207 

887,637 

18,516 

60,008 

1,948,068 

1,952,911 

1,482,479 

1,404,381 

160,689 

168,331 

187,606 

190,110 

212,950 

164,570 

184,680 

185,712 

(4,177) 

(10) % 

$ 

47,303 

8,405 

4,228 

(1,788) 

(16,496) 

(18,284) 

(3,799) 

19,576 

1,405 

18,171 

4.56 

4.52 

(0.62) 

36,324 

7,757 

24 

6 

(53) 

NM 

NM 

(7) 

535 

493 

538 

NM 

NM 

(51) 

7 

1 

(6,026) 

(33) 

12,878 

(4,843) 

78,098 

21 

— 

6 

(52,261) 

(25) 

3,761 

2,926 

4,398 

2 

2 

2 

39,529 

86,832 

2,762 

(75) 

2,687 

58,178 

20,206 

491 

19,715 

4.12 

4.09 

1.92 

497,125 

962,265 

9,551 

66,439 

1,925,753 

1,322,626 

228,191 

166,387 

186,864 

187,702 

(7,347) 

(5,221) 

(12,568) 

608 

10,834 

11,442 

(548) 

(16,544) 

(206) 

(16,338) 

(3.69) 

(3.66) 

(0.70) 

4,082 

(74,628) 

8,965 

(6,431) 

27,158 

81,755 

(15,241) 

(1,817) 

(2,184) 

(1,990) 

(16) % 

(13) 

(14) 

22 

NM 

426 

(1) 

(82) 

(42) 

(83) 

(90) 

(89) 

(36) 

1 

(8) 

94 

(10) 

1 

6 

(7) 

(1) 

(1) 

(1) 

Wells Fargo & Company 

5 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Overview (continued) 

Table 2:  Ratios and Per Common Share Data 

Performance ratios 

Return on average assets (ROA) (1) 

Return on average equity (ROE) (2) 

Return on average tangible common equity (ROTCE) (3) 

Efficiency ratio (4) 

Capital and other metrics (5) 

At year end: 

Wells Fargo common stockholders’ equity to assets 

Total equity to assets 

Risk-based capital ratios and components (6): 

Standardized Approach: 

Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) 

Tier 1 capital 

Total capital 

Risk-weighted assets (RWAs) (in billions) 

Advanced Approach: 

Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) 

Tier 1 capital 

Total capital 

Risk-weighted assets (RWAs) (in billions) 

Tier 1 leverage ratio 

Supplementary Leverage Ratio (SLR) 

Total Loss Absorbing Capacity (TLAC) Ratio (7) 

Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) (8) 

Average balances: 

Average Wells Fargo common stockholders’ equity to average assets 

Average total equity to average assets 

Per common share data 

Dividend payout ratio (9) 

Book value (10) 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

1.11% 

12.0 

14.3 

69 

8.64 

9.76 

11.35 

12.89 

15.84 

0.17 

1.1 

1.3 

78 

8.43 

9.51 

11.59 

13.25 

16.47 

1.03 

10.4 

12.4 

67 

8.64 

9.75 

11.14 

12.76 

15.75 

$ 

1,239.0 

1,193.7 

1,245.9 

12.60% 

14.31 

16.72 

11.94 

13.66 

16.14 

11.91 

13.64 

16.16 

$ 

1,116.1 

1,158.4 

1,165.1 

8.34% 

6.89 

23.03 

118 

8.73 

9.85 

12.1 

43.32 

$ 

8.32 

8.05 

25.74 

133 

8.43 

9.51 

283.7 

39.71 

8.31 

7.07 

23.28 

120 

9.15 

10.31 

46.9 

40.24 

(1) 
(2) 
(3) 

(4) 
(5) 
(6) 

Represents Wells Fargo net income divided by average assets. 
Represents Wells Fargo net income applicable to common stock divided by average common stockholders’ equity. 
Tangible common equity is a non-GAAP financial measure and represents total equity less preferred equity, noncontrolling interests, goodwill, certain identifiable intangible assets (other than 
mortgage servicing rights) and goodwill and other intangibles on nonmarketable equity securities, net of applicable deferred taxes. The methodology of determining tangible common equity may 
differ among companies. Management believes that return on average tangible common equity, which utilizes tangible common equity, is a useful financial measure because it enables management, 
investors, and others to assess the Company’s use of equity. For additional information, including a corresponding reconciliation to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) financial 
measures, see the “Capital Management – Tangible Common Equity” section in this Report. 
The efficiency ratio is noninterest expense divided by total revenue (net interest income and noninterest income). 
See the “Capital Management” section and Note 28 (Regulatory Capital Requirements and Other Restrictions) to Financial Statements in this Report for additional information. 
The information presented reflects fully phased-in CET1, tier 1 capital, and RWAs, but reflects total capital in accordance with transition requirements. For additional information, see the “Capital 
Management” section and Note 28 (Regulatory Capital Requirements and Other Restrictions) to Financial Statements in this Report. 
Represents TLAC divided by the greater of RWAs determined under the Standardized and Advanced Approaches, which is our binding TLAC ratio. 
Represents high-quality liquid assets divided by projected net cash outflows, as each is defined under the LCR rule. 
Dividend payout ratio is dividends declared per common share as a percentage of diluted earnings per common share. 

(7) 
(8) 
(9) 
(10)  Book value per common share is common stockholders’ equity divided by common shares outstanding. 

6 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Earnings Performance 

Wells Fargo net income for 2021 was $21.5 billion ($4.95 diluted 
EPS), compared with $3.4 billion ($0.43 diluted EPS) for 2020. 
Net income increased in 2021, compared with 2020, due to a 
$18.3 billion decrease in provision for credit losses, a $8.4 billion 
increase in noninterest income, and a $3.8 billion decrease in 
noninterest expense, partially offset by a $6.7 billion increase in 
income tax expense, a $4.2 billion decrease in net interest 
income, and a $1.4 billion increase in net income from 
noncontrolling interests. 

For a discussion of our 2020 financial results, compared with 

2019, see the “Earnings Performance” section of our Annual 
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. 

Net Interest Income 
Net interest income is the interest earned on debt securities, 
loans (including yield-related loan fees) and other interest-
earning assets minus the interest paid on deposits, short-term 
borrowings and long-term debt. The net interest margin is the 
average yield on earning assets minus the average interest rate 
paid for deposits and our other sources of funding. 

Net interest income and the net interest margin in any one 

period can be significantly affected by a variety of factors 
including the mix and overall size of our earning assets portfolio 
and the cost of funding those assets. In addition, variable sources 
of interest income, such as loan fees, periodic dividends, and 
collection of interest on nonaccrual loans, can fluctuate from 
period to period. 

Net interest income and net interest margin decreased in 

2021, compared with 2020, due to the impact of lower interest 
rates, lower loan balances reflecting soft demand, elevated 
prepayments and refinancing activity, the sale of our student 
loan portfolio in the first half of 2021, unfavorable hedge 
ineffectiveness accounting results, and higher securities 
premium amortization, partially offset by lower costs and 
balances of interest-bearing deposits and long-term debt. Net 
interest income in 2021 included interest income from PPP loans 
of $518 million. Additionally, in 2021, we had interest income 
associated with loans we purchased from Government National 
Mortgage Association (GNMA) loan securitization pools of 
$1.1 billion. For additional information about loans purchased 
from GNMA loan securitization pools, see the “Risk Management 
– Credit Risk Management – Mortgage Banking Activities” 
section in this Report. 

Table 3 presents the individual components of net interest 

income and the net interest margin. Net interest income and net 
interest margin are presented on a taxable-equivalent basis in 
Table 3 to consistently reflect income from taxable and tax-
exempt loans and debt and equity securities based on a 21% 
federal statutory tax rate for the periods ended December 31, 
2021, 2020 and 2019. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Debt securities: 

Trading debt securities 

Available-for-sale debt securities 

Held-to-maturity debt securities 

Total debt securities 

Loans held for sale (2) 

Loans: 

Commercial loans: 

Commercial and industrial – U.S. 

Commercial and industrial – Non-U.S. 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial loans 

Consumer loans: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer loans 

Total loans (2) 

Equity securities 

Other 

Cash and due from banks 

Goodwill 

Other 

Liabilities 

Deposits: 

Earnings Performance (continued) 

Table 3:  Average Balances, Yields and Rates Paid (Taxable-Equivalent Basis) (1) 

(in millions) 

Assets 

2021 

Average 
balance 

Interest 
income/ 
expense 

Interest 
rates 

Average 
balance 

Interest 
income/ 
expense 

2020 

Interest 
rates 

Year ended December 31, 

Average 
balance 

Interest 
income/ 
expense 

2019 

Interest 
rates 

Interest-earning deposits with banks 

$  236,281 

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale agreements 

69,720 

0.13  % 

$  186,386 

0.29  % 

$  135,741 

2,875 

2,164 

2.12  % 

2.18 

314 

14 

2,107 

2,924 

4,589 

9,620 

865 

6,526 

1,448 

3,276 

667 

692 

7,903 

818 

0.02 

2.39 

1.55 

1.87 

1.84 

3.14 

2.59 

2.04 

2.69 

3.09 

4.46 

2.62 

3.16 

4.15 

4,086 

11.52 

2,317 

962 

16,086 

28,695 

608 

6 

4.49 

3.73 

4.21 

3.32 

1.91 

0.06 

88,282 

189,237 

245,304 

522,823 

27,554 

252,025 

71,114 

121,638 

21,589 

15,519 

249,862 

19,710 

35,471 

51,576 

25,784 

382,403 

864,288 

31,946 

10,052 

481,885 

12,609 

82,798 

94,731 

229,077 

173,505 

547 

393 

2,544 

5,248 

3,841 

497,313 

11,633 

27,493 

947 

281,080 

66,915 

122,482 

21,608 

17,801 

7,912 

1,673 

3,842 

760 

877 

509,886 

15,064 

0.47 

2.69 

2.29 

2.21 

2.34 

3.45 

2.82 

2.50 

3.14 

3.52 

4.93 

2.95 

3.35 

4.44 

288,105 

26,700 

37,093 

48,362 

31,642 

431,902 

941,788 

28,950 

7,505 

9,661 

1,185 

4,315 

11.63 

2,379 

1,719 

19,259 

34,323 

557 

14 

4.92 

5.43 

4.46 

3.64 

1.92 

0.18 

99,286 

93,655 

262,694 

149,105 

3,149 

8,493 

3,814 

505,454 

15,456 

21,516 

892 

284,888 

12,107 

64,274 

121,813 

21,183 

19,302 

2,385 

5,356 

1,095 

957 

511,460 

21,900 

288,059 

10,974 

3.36 

3.23 

2.56 

3.06 

4.14 

4.25 

3.71 

4.40 

5.17 

4.96 

4.28 

3.81 

5.63 

31,989 

38,865 

45,901 

34,682 

439,496 

950,956 

35,930 

5,579 

1,800 

4,889 

12.58 

2,362 

2,412 

22,437 

44,337 

966 

90 

5.15 

6.95 

5.11 

4.66 

2.69 

1.62 

Total interest-earning assets 

$  1,762,664 

40,122 

2.28  % 

$  1,772,233 

48,414 

2.73  % 

$  1,754,462 

66,780 

3.81  % 

Total noninterest-earning assets 

Total assets 

$  1,941,905 

40,122 

1,941,709 

48,414 

1,911,790 

66,780 

24,562 

26,087 

128,592 

$  179,241 

— 

— 

— 

— 

21,676 

26,387 

121,413 

169,476 

— 

— 

— 

— 

19,558 

26,409 

111,361 

157,328 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Demand deposits 

Savings deposits 

Time deposits 

Deposits in non-U.S. offices 

Total interest-bearing deposits 

Short-term borrowings: 

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to 

repurchase 

Other short-term borrowings 

Total short-term borrowings 

Long-term debt 

Other liabilities 

Total interest-bearing liabilities 

Noninterest-bearing demand deposits 

Other noninterest-bearing liabilities 

Total noninterest-bearing liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Total equity 

Total liabilities and equity 

0.03  % 

$ 

98,182 

184 

0.19  % 

$ 

59,121 

789 

1.33  % 

$  450,131 

423,221 

36,519 

28,297 

938,168 

35,245 

12,020 

47,265 

178,742 

28,809 

127 

124 

122 

15 

388 

0.03 

0.33 

0.05 

0.04 

744,226 

1,492 

81,674 

39,260 

892 

236 

963,342 

2,804 

0.20 

1.09 

0.60 

0.29 

8 

0.02 

(48) 

(0.41) 

(40) 

(0.09) 

3,173 

395 

1.78 

1.37 

58,971 

11,235 

70,206 

224,587 

28,435 

276 

0.47 

(25) 

(0.22) 

251 

4,471 

438 

0.36 

1.99 

1.54 

705,957 

123,634 

53,438 

942,150 

102,888 

12,449 

115,337 

232,491 

25,771 

4,132 

2,776 

938 

8,635 

2,169 

148 

2,317 

7,350 

551 

0.59 

2.25 

1.75 

0.92 

2.11 

1.20 

2.01 

3.16 

2.13 

$  1,192,984 

3,916 

0.33  % 

$  1,286,570 

7,964 

0.62  % 

$  1,315,749 

18,853 

1.43  % 

499,644 

58,058 

$  557,702 

— 

— 

— 

$  1,750,686 

3,916 

191,219 

— 

$  1,941,905 

3,916 

412,669 

57,781 

470,450 

— 

— 

— 

1,757,020 

7,964 

184,689 

— 

1,941,709 

7,964 

344,111 

54,756 

398,867 

— 

— 

— 

1,714,616 

18,853 

197,174 

— 

1,911,790 

18,853 

Interest rate spread on a taxable-equivalent basis (3) 

1.95  % 

2.11  % 

2.38  % 

Net interest margin and net interest income on a taxable-equivalent 

basis (3) 

$  36,206 

2.05  % 

$  40,450 

2.28  % 

$  47,927 

2.73  % 

(1) 

The average balance amounts represent amortized costs. The interest rates are based on interest income or expense amounts for the period and are annualized. Interest rates and amounts include 
the effects of hedge and risk management activities associated with the respective asset and liability categories. 

(2)  Nonaccrual loans and any related income are included in their respective loan categories. 
(3) 

Includes taxable-equivalent adjustments of $427 million, $494 million and $624 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, predominantly related to tax-exempt 
income on certain loans and securities. 

8 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 4 allocates the changes in net interest income on a 
taxable-equivalent basis to changes in either average balances or 
average rates for both interest-earning assets and interest-
bearing liabilities. Because of the numerous simultaneous volume 
and rate changes during any period, it is not possible to precisely 

allocate such changes between volume and rate. For this table, 
changes that are not solely due to either volume or rate are 
allocated to these categories on a pro-rata basis based on the 
absolute value of the change due to average volume and average 
rate. 

2021 vs. 2020 

Year ended December 31, 

2020 vs. 2019 

Volume 

Rate 

Total 

Volume 

Rate 

Total 

Table 4:  Analysis of Changes in Net Interest Income 

(in millions) 

Increase (decrease) in interest income: 

Interest-earning deposits with banks 

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale agreements 

$ 

Debt securities: 

Trading debt securities 

Available-for-sale debt securities 

Held-to-maturity debt securities 

Total debt securities 

Loans held for sale 

Loans: 

Commercial loans: 

Commercial and industrial – U.S. 

Commercial and industrial – Non-U.S. 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial loans 

Consumer loans: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer loans 

Total loans 

Equity securities 

Other 

119 

(53) 

(165) 

(813) 

1,405 

427 

2 

(775) 

99 

(26) 

(1) 

(106) 

(809) 

(1,232) 

(294) 

(188) 

153 

(281) 

(1,842) 

(2,651) 

54 

4 

(352) 

(326) 

(272) 

(1,511) 

(657) 

(2,440) 

(84) 

(611) 

(324) 

(540) 

(92) 

(79) 

(233) 

(379) 

(437) 

(2,324) 

748 

(2,013) 

(82) 

(1,386) 

(225) 

(566) 

(93) 

(185) 

(1,646) 

(2,455) 

(526) 

(73) 

(41) 

(215) 

(476) 

(1,331) 

(2,977) 

(3) 

(12) 

(1,758) 

(367) 

(229) 

(62) 

(757) 

(3,173) 

(5,628) 

51 

(8) 

Total increase (decrease) in interest income 

(2,098) 

(6,194) 

(8,292) 

Increase (decrease) in interest expense: 

Deposits: 

Demand deposits 

Savings deposits 

Time deposits 

Deposits in non-U.S. offices 

Total interest-bearing deposits 

Short-term borrowings: 

$ 

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase 

Other short-term borrowings 

Total short-term borrowings 

Long-term debt 

Other liabilities 

Total increase (decrease) in interest expense 

Increase (decrease) in net interest income on a taxable-equivalent basis 

$ 

208 

(461) 

(340) 

(52) 

(645) 

(80) 

(2) 

(82) 

(855) 

6 

(1,576) 

(522) 

(265) 

(907) 

(430) 

(169) 

(1,771) 

(188) 

(21) 

(209) 

(443) 

(49) 

(2,472) 

(3,722) 

(57) 

(1,368) 

(770) 

(221) 

(2,416) 

(268) 

(23) 

(291) 

(1,298) 

(43) 

(4,048) 

(4,244) 

797 

(309) 

35 

(991) 

584 

(372) 

219 

(160) 

94 

29 

22 

(74) 

(89) 

2 

(270) 

(216) 

125 

(198) 

(557) 

(646) 

(165) 

23 

(453) 

324 

217 

(748) 

(202) 

(409) 

(671) 

(14) 

(685) 

(242) 

52 

(1,284) 

831 

(3,125) 

(1,462) 

(640) 

(2,254) 

(557) 

(3,451) 

(164) 

(4,035) 

(806) 

(1,543) 

(357) 

(6) 

(6,747) 

(2,328) 

(1,771) 

(605) 

(3,245) 

27 

(3,823) 

55 

(4,195) 

(712) 

(1,514) 

(335) 

(80) 

(6,836) 

(1,315) 

(1,313) 

(345) 

(358) 

(108) 

(495) 

(2,621) 

(9,368) 

(244) 

(99) 

(615) 

(574) 

17 

(693) 

(3,178) 

(10,014) 

(409) 

(76) 

(17,913) 

(18,366) 

(929) 

(2,857) 

(1,136) 

(500) 

(5,422) 

(1,222) 

(159) 

(1,381) 

(2,637) 

(165) 

(9,605) 

(8,308) 

(605) 

(2,640) 

(1,884) 

(702) 

(5,831) 

(1,893) 

(173) 

(2,066) 

(2,879) 

(113) 

(10,889) 

(7,477) 

Wells Fargo & Company 

9 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Earnings Performance (continued) 

Noninterest Income 

Table 5:  Noninterest Income 

(in millions) 

Deposit-related fees 

Lending-related fees 

Investment advisory and other asset-based fees 

Commissions and brokerage services fees 

Investment banking fees 

Card fees 

Net servicing income 

Net gains on mortgage loan originations/sales 

Mortgage banking 

Net gains from trading activities 

Net gains on debt securities 

Net gains from equity securities 

Lease income 

Other 

Total 

NM – Not meaningful 

Full year 2021 vs. full year 2020 

$ 

2021 

5,475 

1,445 

11,011 

2,299 

2,354 

4,175 

194 

4,762 

4,956 

284 

553 

6,427 

996 

2,738 

2020 

5,221 

1,381 

9,863 

2,384 

1,865 

3,544 

(139) 

3,632 

3,493 

1,172 

873 

665 

1,245 

2,602 

$ 

42,713 

34,308 

Deposit-related fees increased driven by: 
• 

higher consumer transaction volumes as 2020 included 
reduced volumes due to the economic slowdown associated 
with the COVID-19 pandemic; 
lower fee waivers and reversals as 2020 included elevated 
fee waivers due to our actions to support customers during 
the COVID-19 pandemic; and 
higher treasury management fees on commercial accounts 
driven by an increase in transaction service volumes and 
repricing, as well as a lower earnings credit rate due to the 
lower interest rate environment. 

• 

• 

In January 2022, we announced enhancements and changes 

to help our consumer customers avoid overdraft-related fees. 
We expect this will lower certain deposit-related fees starting in 
2022. 

Lending-related fees increased reflecting higher loan 
commitment fees. 

Investment advisory and other asset-based fees increased 
reflecting: 
• 
partially offset by: 
• 

higher market valuations on WIM advisory assets; 

lower asset-based fees due to the sale of WFAM on 
November 1, 2021. 

For additional information on certain client investment 
assets, see the “Earnings Performance – Operating Segment 
Results – Wealth and Investment Management – WIM Advisory 
Assets” and “Earnings Performance – Operating Segment 
Results – Corporate – Wells Fargo Asset Management (WFAM) 
Assets Under Management” sections in this Report. 

Commission and brokerage services fees decreased driven by 
lower transactional revenue. 

$ Change
2021/
2020 

% Change
2021/
2020 

5  % 

$ 

254 

64 

1,148 

(85) 

489 

631 

333 

1,130 

1,463 

(888) 

(320) 

5,762 

(249) 

136 

8,405 

5 

12 

(4) 

26 

18 

240 

31 

42 

(76) 

(37) 

866 

(20) 

5 

24 

Year ended December 31, 

$ Change % Change
2020/
2019 

2020/
2019 

(598) 

(10) % 

(93) 

49 

(77) 

68 

(472) 

(661) 

1,439 

778 

179 

733 

(2,178) 

(369) 

(3,241) 

(5,221) 

(6) 

— 

(3) 

4 

(12) 

NM 

66 

29 

18 

524 

(77) 

(23) 

(55) 

(13) 

2019 

5,819 

1,474 

9,814 

2,461 

1,797 

4,016 

522 

2,193 

2,715 

993 

140 

2,843 

1,614 

5,843 

$ 

39,529 

Investment banking fees increased driven by higher debt 
underwriting fees, including loan syndication fees, as well as 
higher advisory fees and equity underwriting fees. 

Card fees increased reflecting: 
• 

higher interchange fees driven by increased purchase and 
transaction volumes; 

partially offset by: 
• 

higher rewards, including promotional offers on our new 
Active CashSM card. 

Net servicing income increased reflecting: 
• 

negative mortgage servicing right (MSR) valuation 
adjustments in 2020 for higher expected servicing costs and 
higher prepayment estimates due to improved economic 
conditions in 2021; 

partially offset by: 
• 

lower servicing fees due to a lower balance of loans serviced 
for others. 

Net gains on mortgage loan originations/sales increased 
driven by: 
• 

higher gains in 2021 related to the resecuritization of loans 
we purchased from GNMA loan securitization pools in 2020; 
losses in 2020 driven by the impact of interest rate volatility 
on hedging activities associated with our residential 
mortgage loans held for sale portfolio and pipeline, as well as 
valuation losses on certain residential and commercial loans 
held for sale due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic 
on market conditions; and 
a shift in production to more retail loans, which have a higher 
production margin compared with correspondent loans. 

• 

• 

For additional information on servicing income and net gains 

on mortgage loan originations/sales, see Note 9 (Mortgage 
Banking Activities) to Financial Statements in this Report. 

10 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net gains from trading activities decreased reflecting: 
• 
• 

lower volumes of interest rate products; 
lower client trading activity for equity products due to 
market volatility in 2020; and 
lower client trading activity for credit products, reflecting 
greater market liquidity in 2020 from government actions 
taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; 

• 

partially offset by: 
• 

higher client trading activity for asset-backed finance 
products. 

Net gains on debt securities decreased due to: 
•

 lower gains on sales of agency mortgage-backed securities 
(MBS) and municipal bonds; 

partially offset by: 
• 

higher gains on sales of corporate and other debt securities. 

Net gains from equity securities increased driven by: 
• 

higher unrealized gains on nonmarketable equity securities 
from our affiliated venture capital and private equity 
businesses; 
higher realized gains on the sales of equity securities; and 
lower impairment of equity securities due to improved 
market conditions in 2021. 

• 
• 

Lease income decreased driven by a $268 million impairment of 
certain rail cars in our rail car leasing business used for the 
transportation of coal products. 

Other income increased due to gains in 2021 of: 
• 

$674 million on the sale of our Corporate Trust Services 
business; 
$355 million on the sale of our student loan portfolio; and 
$269 million on the sale of WFAM; 

• 
• 
partially offset by: 
• 

lower gains on the sales of certain residential mortgage 
loans which were reclassified to held for sale; 
higher valuation losses related to the retained litigation risk, 
including the timing and amount of final settlement, 
associated with shares of Visa Class B common stock that 
we previously sold. For additional information, see the “Risk 
Management – Asset/Liability Management – Market Risk – 
Equity Securities” section in this Report; and 
lower income from our investments accounted for under the 
equity method. 

• 

• 

Wells Fargo & Company 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Earnings Performance (continued) 

Noninterest Expense 

Table 6:  Noninterest Expense 

(in millions) 

Personnel 

Technology, telecommunications and equipment 

Occupancy 

Operating losses 

Professional and outside services 

Leases (1) 

Advertising and promotion 

Restructuring charges 

Other 

Total 

NM – Not meaningful 
(1) 

Represents expenses for assets we lease to customers. 

Full Year 2021 vs. full year 2020 

2021 

2020 

$ 

35,541 

34,811 

3,227 

2,968 

1,568 

5,723 

867 

600 

76 

3,261 

3,099 

3,263 

3,523 

6,706 

1,022 

600 

1,499 

3,107 

$ 

53,831 

57,630 

$ Change
2021/
2020 

% Change
2021/
2020 

Year ended December 31, 

$ Change % Change
2020/
2019 

2020/
2019 

2019 

730 

128 

(295) 

(1,955) 

(983) 

(155) 

— 

(1,423) 

154 

(3,799) 

2  % 

$ 

35,128 

4 

(9) 

(55) 

(15) 

(15) 

— 

(95) 

5 

(7) 

3,276 

2,945 

4,321 

6,745 

1,155 

1,076 

— 

3,532 

$ 

58,178 

(317) 

(177) 

318 

(798) 

(39) 

(133) 

(476) 

1,499 

(425) 

(548) 

(1) % 

(5) 

11 

(18) 

(1) 

(12) 

(44) 

NM 

(12) 

(1) 

higher revenue-related compensation expense; 
higher incentive compensation expense; 
higher market valuations on stock-based compensation; and 
higher deferred compensation expense; 

Personnel expense increased driven by: 
• 
• 
• 
• 
partially offset by: 
• 

lower salaries as a result of reduced headcount. 

In second quarter 2020, we entered into arrangements to 
transition our economic hedges of the deferred compensation 
plan liabilities from equity securities to derivative instruments. 
As a result of this transition, changes in fair value of derivatives 
used to economically hedge the deferred compensation plan are 
reported in personnel expense rather than in net gains (losses) 
from equity securities within noninterest income. For additional 
information on the derivatives used in the economic hedges, see 
Note 16 (Derivatives) to Financial Statements in this Report. 

Technology, telecommunications and equipment expense 
increased due to higher expense for technology contracts and 
the reversal of a software licensing liability accrual in 2020. 

Occupancy expense decreased driven by: 
• 

lower cleaning fees, supplies, and equipment expenses as 
2020 included higher expenses due to the COVID-19 
pandemic; and 
lower rent expense. 

• 

Operating losses decreased driven by lower expense for 
customer remediation accruals and litigation accruals, partially 
offset by a $250 million civil money penalty associated with the 
September 2021 OCC enforcement action. 

Professional and outside services expense decreased driven by 
efficiency initiatives to reduce our spending on consultants and 
contractors. 

Leases expense decreased driven by lower depreciation expense 
from the reduction in the size of our operating lease asset 
portfolio. 

Restructuring charges decreased due to lower personnel costs 
related to our efficiency initiatives that began in third quarter 
2020. For additional information on restructuring charges, see 
Note 22 (Restructuring Charges) to Financial Statements in this 
Report. 

Other expenses increased driven by a write-down of goodwill in 
2021 related to the sale of our student loan portfolio. 

Income Tax Expense 
Income tax expense was $5.6 billion in 2021, compared with an 
income tax benefit of $1.2 billion in 2020, driven by higher pre-
tax income. The effective income tax rate was 20.6% for 2021, 
compared with (52.1)% for 2020. The effective income tax rate 
for 2021 reflected the impact of higher pre-tax income while the 
effective income tax rate for 2020 reflected both the impact of 
income tax benefits (including tax credits) on lower pre-tax 
income and income tax benefits related to the resolution and 
reevaluation of prior period matters with U.S. federal and state 
tax authorities. The income tax expense (benefit) and our 
effective income tax rate for both years reflected the impact of 
changes in accounting policy for certain tax-advantaged 
investments adopted in second quarter 2021. For additional 
information on income taxes, see Note 23 (Income Taxes) to 
Financial Statements in this Report. 

Operating Segment Results 
Our management reporting is organized into four reportable 
operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; 
Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and 
Wealth and Investment Management. All other business 
activities that are not included in the reportable operating 
segments have been included in Corporate. For additional 
information, see Table 7. We define our reportable operating 
segments by type of product and customer segment, and their 
results are based on our management reporting process. The 
management reporting process measures the performance of 
the reportable operating segments based on the Company’s 
management structure, and the results are regularly reviewed by 
our Chief Executive Officer and Operating Committee. The 
management reporting process is based on U.S. GAAP and 
includes specific adjustments, such as funds transfer pricing for 
asset/liability management, shared revenues and expenses, and 
taxable-equivalent adjustments to consistently reflect income 

12 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
from taxable and tax-exempt sources, which allows management 
to assess performance consistently across the operating 
segments. 

In February 2021, we announced an agreement to sell 
WFAM, and in first quarter 2021, we moved the business from 
the Wealth and Investment Management operating segment to 
Corporate. In March 2021, we announced an agreement to sell 
our Corporate Trust Services business and, in second quarter 
2021, we moved the business from the Commercial Banking 
operating segment to Corporate. Prior period balances have been 
revised to conform with the current period presentation. These 
changes did not impact the previously reported consolidated 
financial results of the Company. On November 1, 2021, we 
closed the sales of our Corporate Trust Services business and 
WFAM. 

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our 

accounting method for low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) 
investments and elected to change the presentation of 
investment tax credits related to solar energy investments. 
These accounting policy changes had a nominal impact on 
reportable operating segment results. Prior period financial 
statement line items for the Company, as well as for the 
reportable operating segments, have been revised to conform 
with the current period presentation. Our LIHTC investments are 
included in the Corporate and Investment Banking operating 
segment and our solar energy investments are included in the 
Commercial Banking operating segment. For additional 
information, see the “Overview – Recent Developments” section 
and Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) to 
Financial Statements in this Report. 

Funds Transfer Pricing  Corporate treasury manages a funds 
transfer pricing methodology that considers interest rate risk, 
liquidity risk, and other product characteristics. Operating 
segments pay a funding charge for their assets and receive a 
funding credit for their deposits, both of which are included in 
net interest income. The net impact of the funding charges or 
credits is recognized in corporate treasury. 

Table 7:  Management Reporting Structure 

Revenue and Expense Sharing  When lines of business jointly 
serve customers, the line of business that is responsible for 
providing the product or service recognizes revenue or expense 
with a referral fee paid or an allocation of cost to the other line of 
business based on established internal revenue-sharing 
agreements. 

When a line of business uses a service provided by another 
line of business or enterprise function (included in Corporate), 
expense is generally allocated based on the cost and use of the 
service provided. 

Taxable-Equivalent Adjustments  Taxable-equivalent 
adjustments related to tax-exempt income on certain loans and 
debt securities are included in net interest income, while taxable-
equivalent adjustments related to income tax credits for low-
income housing and renewable energy investments are included 
in noninterest income, in each case with corresponding impacts 
to income tax expense (benefit). Adjustments are included in 
Corporate, Commercial Banking, and Corporate and Investment 
Banking and are eliminated to reconcile to the Company’s 
consolidated financial results. 

Allocated Capital  Reportable operating segments are allocated 
capital under a risk-sensitive framework that is primarily based 
on aspects of our regulatory capital requirements, and the 
assumptions and methodologies used to allocate capital are 
periodically assessed and revised. Management believes that 
return on allocated capital is a useful financial measure because it 
enables management, investors, and others to assess a 
reportable operating segment’s use of capital. 

Selected Metrics  We present certain financial and nonfinancial 
metrics that management uses when evaluating reportable 
operating segment results. Management believes that these 
metrics are useful to investors and others to assess the 
performance, customer growth, and trends of reportable 
operating segments or lines of business. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

Commercial 
Banking 

Corporate and
Investment 
Banking 

Wealth and 
Investment 
Management 

• Middle Market 
Banking 

• Asset-Based 
Lending and Leasing 

• Banking 

• Commercial Real 
Estate 

• Markets 

• Wells Fargo 
Advisors 

• The Private 
Bank 

Consumer 
Banking and
Lending 

• Consumer and 
Small Business 
Banking 

• Home Lending 

• Credit Card 

• Auto 

• Personal Lending 

Corporate 

• Corporate 
Treasury 

• Enterprise 
Functions 

• Investment 
Portfolio 

• Affiliated venture 
capital and private 
equity businesses 

• Non-strategic 
businesses 

Wells Fargo & Company 

13 

  
 
 
 
Earnings Performance (continued) 

Table 8 and the following discussion present our results by 
reportable operating segment. For additional information, see 
Note 26 (Operating Segments) to Financial Statements in this 
Report. 

Table 8:  Operating Segment Results – Highlights 

(in millions) 

Year ended December 31, 2021 

Net interest income 

Noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) 

Income tax expense (benefit) 

Net income before noncontrolling interests 

Less: Net income (loss) from noncontrolling

interests 

Net income 

Year ended December 31, 2020 

Net interest income 

Noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) 

Income tax expense (benefit) 

Net income (loss) before noncontrolling interests 
Less: Net income (loss) from noncontrolling 

interests 

Net income (loss) 

Year ended December 31, 2019 

Net interest income 

Noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) 

Income tax expense (benefit) 

Net income before noncontrolling interests 

Less: Net income (loss) from noncontrolling

interests 

Net income 

Consumer 
Banking and 
Lending 

Commercial 
Banking 

Corporate and 
Investment 

Wealth and 
Investment 
Banking  Management 

Corporate (1) 

Reconciling 
Items (2) 

Consolidated 
Company 

$ 

22,807 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

12,070 

34,877 

(1,178) 

24,648 

11,407 

2,852 

8,555 

— 

8,555 

23,378 

10,638 

34,016 

5,662 

26,976 

1,378 

302 

1,076 

— 

1,076 

25,786 

12,105 

37,891 

2,184 

26,998 

8,709 

2,814 

5,895 

— 

$ 

5,895 

4,960 

3,589 

8,549 

(1,500) 

5,862 

4,187 

1,045 

3,142 

8 

3,134 

6,134 

3,041 

9,175 

3,744 

6,323 

(892) 

(208) 

(684) 

5 

(689) 

7,981 

3,721 

11,702 

190 

6,598 

4,914 

1,246 

3,668 

6 

3,662 

7,410 

6,429 

13,839 

(1,439) 

7,200 

8,078 

2,019 

6,059 

(3) 

6,062 

7,509 

6,419 

13,928 

4,946 

7,703 

1,279 

330 

949 

(1) 

950 

8,008 

6,442 

14,450 

173 

7,432 

6,845 

1,658 

5,187 

(1) 

5,188 

2,570 

11,776 

14,346 

(95) 

11,734 

2,707 

680 

2,027 

— 

2,027 

2,988 

10,225 

13,213 

249 

10,912 

2,052 

514 

1,538 

— 

1,538 

3,906 

10,506 

14,412 

2 

12,167 

2,243 

562 

1,681 

— 

1,681 

(1,541) 

10,036 

8,495 

57 

4,387 

4,051 

596 

3,455 

1,685 

1,770 

441 

4,916 

5,357 

(472) 

5,716 

113 

(670) 

783 

281 

502 

2,246 

7,550 

9,796 

138 

4,983 

4,675 

900 

3,775 

486 

3,289 

(427) 

(1,187) 

(1,614) 

— 

— 

(1,614) 

(1,614) 

— 

— 

— 

(494) 

(931) 

(1,425) 

— 

— 

(1,425) 

(1,425) 

— 

— 

— 

(624) 

(795) 

(1,419) 

— 

— 

(1,419) 

(1,419) 

— 

— 

— 

35,779 

42,713 

78,492 

(4,155) 

53,831 

28,816 

5,578 

23,238 

1,690 

21,548 

39,956 

34,308 

74,264 

14,129 

57,630 

2,505 

(1,157) 

3,662 

285 

3,377 

47,303 

39,529 

86,832 

2,687 

58,178 

25,967 

5,761 

20,206 

491 

19,715 

(1) 
(2) 

All other business activities that are not included in the reportable operating segments have been included in Corporate. For additional information, see the “Corporate” section below. 
Taxable-equivalent adjustments related to tax-exempt income on certain loans and debt securities are included in net interest income, while taxable-equivalent adjustments related to income tax 
credits for low-income housing and renewable energy investments are included in noninterest income, in each case with corresponding impacts to income tax expense (benefit). Adjustments are 
included in Corporate, Commercial Banking, and Corporate and Investment Banking and are eliminated to reconcile to the Company’s consolidated financial results. 

14 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
Consumer Banking and Lending offers diversified financial 
products and services for consumers and small businesses with 
annual sales generally up to $5 million. These financial products 
and services include checking and savings accounts, credit and 

debit cards, as well as home, auto, personal, and small business 
lending. Table 8a and Table 8b provide additional information for 
Consumer Banking and Lending. 

Table 8a:  Consumer Banking and Lending – Income Statement and Selected Metrics 

($ in millions, unless otherwise noted) 

2021 

2020 

$ Change
2021/
2020 

% Change
2021/
2020 

2019 

Year ended December 31, 

$ Change
2020/
2019 

% Change
2020/
2019 

$  22,807 

23,378 

(571) 

(2) % 

$  25,786 

(2,408) 

(9) % 

Income Statement 

Net interest income 

Noninterest income: 

Deposit-related fees 

Card fees 

Mortgage banking 

Other 

Total noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Net charge-offs 

Change in the allowance for credit losses 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Income before income tax expense 

Income tax expense 

Net income 

Revenue by Line of Business 

Consumer Lending: 

Home Lending 

Credit Card 

Auto 

Personal Lending 

Total revenue 

Selected Metrics 

Consumer Banking and Lending: 

Return on allocated capital (1) 

Efficiency ratio (2) 

Headcount (#) (period-end) 

Retail bank branches (#) 

Digital active customers (# in millions) (3) 

Mobile active customers (# in millions) (3) 

Consumer and Small Business Banking: 

Deposit spread (4) 

Debit card purchase volume ($ in billions) (5) 

$ 

471.5 

Debit card purchase transactions (# in millions) (5) 

9,808 

(continued on following page) 

3,045 

3,930 

4,490 

605 

12,070 

34,877 

1,439 

(2,617) 

(1,178) 

24,648 

11,407 

2,852 

$ 

8,555 

2,904 

3,318 

3,224 

1,192 

10,638 

34,016 

1,875 

3,787 

5,662 

26,976 

1,378 

302 

1,076 

8,154 

5,527 

1,733 

505 

7,875 

5,288 

1,575 

594 

$  34,877 

34,016 

17.2% 

71 

1.6 

79 

112,913 

125,034 

4,777 

33.0 

27.3 

1.5% 

5,032 

32.0 

26.0 

1.8 

391.9 

8,792 

141 

612 

1,266 

5 

18 

39 

(587) 

(49) 

1,432 

861 

(436) 

(6,404) 

(6,840) 

(2,328) 

10,029 

2,550 

7,479 

274 

279 

239 

158 

(89) 

861 

79.6 

13 

3 

(23) 

NM 

NM 

(9) 

728 

844 

695 

1 

4 

5 

10 

(15) 

3 

(10) 

(5) 

3 

5 

20 

12 

3,582 

3,672 

2,314 

2,537 

12,105 

37,891 

2,235 

(51) 

2,184 

26,998 

8,709 

2,814 

$ 

5,895 

(678) 

(354) 

910 

(1,345) 

(1,467) 

(3,875) 

(360) 

3,838 

3,478 

(22) 

(7,331) 

(2,512) 

(4,819) 

(19) 

(10) 

39 

(53) 

(12) 

(10) 

(16) 

NM 

159 

— 

(84) 

(89) 

(82) 

$  21,148 

(2,464) 

(12) 

8,817 

5,707 

1,567 

652 

(942) 

(419) 

8 

(58) 

(11) 

(7) 

1 

(9) 

$  37,891 

(3,875) 

(10) 

12.1  % 

71 

134,881 

5,352 

30.3 

24.4 

2.4  % 

$ 

367.6 

9,189 

(7) 

(6) 

6 

7 

7 

(4) 

24.3 

Consumer and Small Business Banking 

$  18,958 

18,684 

Wells Fargo & Company 

15 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Earnings Performance (continued) 

(continued from previous page) 

($ in millions, unless otherwise noted) 

2021 

2020 

Home Lending: 

Mortgage banking: 

Net servicing income 

Net gains on mortgage loan originations/sales 

Total mortgage banking 

Originations ($ in billions): 

Retail 

Correspondent 

Total originations 

% of originations held for sale (HFS) 

Third-party mortgage loans serviced (period-end)

($ in billions) (6) 

Mortgage servicing rights (MSR) carrying value 

(period-end) 

Ratio of MSR carrying value (period-end) to third-party 

mortgage loans serviced (period-end) (6) 

Home lending loans 30+ days delinquency

rate (7)(8)(9) 

$ 

35 

4,455 

$ 

4,490 

$ 

138.5 

66.5 

$ 

205.0 

64.6  % 

$ 

716.8 

6,920 

0.97  % 

0.39 

Credit Card: 

Point of sale (POS) volume ($ in billions) 

$ 

102.5 

New accounts (# in thousands) (10) 

Credit card loans 30+ days delinquency rate (9) 

1,640 

1.50  % 

Auto: 

Auto originations ($ in billions) 

Auto loans 30+ days delinquency rate (8)(9) 

$ 

33.9 

1.84  % 

(160) 

3,384 

3,224 

118.7 

104.0 

222.7 

73.9 

856.7 

6,125 

0.71 

0.64 

81.6 

1,022 

2.17 

22.8 

1.77 

$ Change
2021/
2020 

% Change
2021/
2020 

Year ended December 31, 

$ Change % Change
2020/
2019 

2020/
2019 

2019 

195 

1,071 

1,266 

19.8 

(37.5) 

(17.7) 

122  % 

$ 

454 

(614) 

NM 

32 

39 

17 

(36) 

(8) 

1,860 

$  2,314 

$ 

96.4 

107.6 

$  204.0 

66.1  % 

1,524 

910 

82  % 

39 

22.3 

(3.6) 

18.7 

23 

(3) 

9 

(139.9) 

(16) 

$  1,063.4 

(206.7) 

(19) 

795 

13 

11,517 

(5,392) 

(47) 

1.08  % 

0.64 

20.9 

26 

60 

$ 

88.2 

(6.6) 

1,840 

2.63  % 

(7) 

(44) 

11.1 

49 

$ 

25.4 

(2.6) 

(10) 

2.56  % 

Personal Lending: 

New funded balances 

$ 

2,507 

1,599 

908 

57 

$  2,829 

(1,230) 

(43) 

NM – Not meaningful 
(1) 

Return on allocated capital is segment net income (loss) applicable to common stock divided by segment average allocated capital. Segment net income (loss) applicable to common stock is segment 
net income (loss) less allocated preferred stock dividends. 
Efficiency ratio is segment noninterest expense divided by segment total revenue (net interest income and noninterest income). 
Digital and mobile active customers is the number of consumer and small business customers who have logged on via a digital or mobile device, respectively, in the prior 90 days. Digital active 
customers includes both online and mobile customers. 
Deposit spread is (i) the internal funds transfer pricing credit on segment deposits minus interest paid to customers for segment deposits, divided by (ii) average segment deposits. 
Debit card purchase volume and transactions reflect combined activity for both consumer and business debit card purchases. 
Excludes residential mortgage loans subserviced for others. 
Excludes residential mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and loans held for sale. 
Excludes nonaccrual loans. 
Beginning in second quarter 2020, customer payment deferral activities instituted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic may have delayed the recognition of delinquencies for those customers 
who would have otherwise moved into past due or nonaccrual status. 

(2) 
(3) 

(4) 
(5) 
(6) 
(7) 
(8) 
(9) 

(10)  Excludes certain private label new account openings. 

Full year 2021 vs. full year 2020 

Revenue increased driven by: 
• 

higher mortgage banking noninterest income due to higher 
gains in 2021 related to the resecuritization of loans we 
purchased from GNMA loan securitization pools in 2020, 
losses in 2020 driven by the impact of interest rate volatility 
on hedging activities and valuation losses due to the impact 
of the COVID-19 pandemic on market conditions, and a shift 
in production to more retail loans, which have a higher 
production margin compared with correspondent loans; 
higher card fees reflecting higher interchange fees driven by 
increased purchase and transaction volumes, partially offset 
by higher rewards, including promotional offers on our new 
Active CashSM card; and 
higher deposit-related fees driven by higher consumer 
transaction volumes as 2020 included reduced volumes due 
to the economic slowdown associated with the COVID-19 
pandemic; 

• 

• 

16 

Wells Fargo & Company 

partially offset by: 
• 

lower net interest income reflecting a lower deposit spread 
and lower loan balances, partially offset by higher deposit 
balances; and 
lower other income driven by lower gains on the sales of 
certain residential mortgage loans which were reclassified to 
held for sale. 

Provision for credit losses decreased driven by an improved 
economic environment. 

Noninterest expense decreased driven by: 
• 

lower operating losses due to lower expense for customer 
remediation accruals and litigation accruals; 
lower personnel expense reflecting additional payments 
made in 2020 to certain customer-facing and support 
employees and for back-up child care services, as well as 
lower branch staffing expense in 2021 related to efficiency 
initiatives in Consumer and Small Business Banking, partially 

• 

• 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• 
• 

offset by higher revenue-related compensation in Home 
Lending; 
lower advertising and promotion expense; and 
lower occupancy expense related to lower cleaning fees, 
supplies, and equipment expenses as 2020 included higher 
expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic; 

Table 8b:  Consumer Banking and Lending – Balance Sheet 

(in millions) 

2021 

2020 

Selected Balance Sheet Data (average) 

Loans by Line of Business: 

partially offset by: 
• 

• 

higher charitable donations expense driven by the donation 
of PPP processing fees; and 
higher Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) deposit 
assessment expense driven by both a higher assessment 
rate and a higher deposit assessment base. 

$ Change
2021/
2020 

% Change
2021/
2020 

Year ended December 31, 

$ Change % Change
2020/
2019 

2020/
2019 

2019 

Home Lending 

Auto 

Credit Card 

Small Business 

Personal Lending 

Total loans 

Total deposits 

Allocated capital 

Selected Balance Sheet Data (period-end) 

Loans by Line of Business: 

Home Lending 

Auto 

Credit Card 

Small Business 

Personal Lending 

Total loans 

Total deposits 

$  224,446 

268,586 

(44,140) 

(16) % 

$  276,962 

52,293 

35,471 

16,625 

5,050 

49,460 

37,093 

15,173 

6,151 

$  333,885 

376,463 

834,739 

722,085 

48,000 

48,000 

2,833 

(1,622) 

1,452 

(1,101) 

(42,578) 

112,654 

— 

6 

(4) 

10 

(18) 

(11) 

16 

— 

47,117 

38,865 

9,951 

6,871 

$  379,766 

629,110 

46,000 

(8,376) 

2,343 

(1,772) 

5,222 

(720) 

(3,303) 

92,975 

2,000 

$  214,407 

253,942 

(39,535) 

(16) 

$  278,325 

(24,383) 

57,260 

38,453 

11,270 

5,184 

49,072 

36,664 

17,743 

5,375 

$  326,574 

362,796 

883,674 

784,565 

8,188 

1,789 

(6,473) 

(191) 

(36,222) 

99,109 

17 

5 

(36) 

(4) 

(10) 

13 

49,124 

41,013 

9,695 

6,845 

$  385,002 

647,152 

(52) 

(4,349) 

8,048 

(1,470) 

(22,206) 

137,413 

(3) % 

5 

(5) 

52 

(10) 

(1) 

15 

4 

(9) 

— 

(11) 

83 

(21) 

(6) 

21 

Full year 2021 vs. full year 2020 

Total loans (average and period-end) decreased as paydowns 
exceeded originations. Home Lending loan balances were also 
impacted by actions taken in 2020 to temporarily curtail certain 
non-conforming residential mortgage originations and suspend 
home equity originations. Small Business period-end loan 
balances were also impacted by a decline in PPP loans. 

Total deposits (average and period-end) increased driven by 
higher levels of liquidity and savings for consumer customers 
reflecting government stimulus programs and payment deferral 
programs, as well as continued economic uncertainty associated 
with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

17 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Earnings Performance (continued) 

Commercial Banking provides financial solutions to private, 
family owned and certain public companies. Products and 
services include banking and credit products across multiple 

industry sectors and municipalities, secured lending and lease 
products, and treasury management. Table 8c and Table 8d 
provide additional information for Commercial Banking. 

Table 8c:  Commercial Banking – Income Statement and Selected Metrics 

($ in millions) 

Income Statement 

Net interest income 

Noninterest income: 

Deposit-related fees 

Lending-related fees 

Lease income 

Other 

Total noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Net charge-offs 

Change in the allowance for credit losses 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) 

Income tax expense (benefit) 

Less: Net income from noncontrolling interests 

Net income (loss) 

Revenue by Line of Business 

Middle Market Banking 

Asset-Based Lending and Leasing 

Total revenue 

Revenue by Product 

Lending and leasing 

Treasury management and payments 

Other 

Total revenue 

Selected Metrics 

Return on allocated capital 

Efficiency ratio 

Headcount (#) (period-end) 

NM – Not meaningful 

Full year 2021 vs. full year 2020 

2021 

2020 

$ Change
2021/
2020 

% Change
2021/
2020 

2019 

Year ended December 31, 

$ Change
2020/
2019 

% Change
2020/
2019 

$ 

4,960 

6,134 

(1,174) 

(19) % 

$ 

7,981 

(1,847) 

(23) % 

1,285 

532 

682 

1,090 

3,589 

8,549 

101 

(1,601) 

(1,500) 

5,862 

4,187 

1,045 

8 

$ 

3,134 

$ 

4,642 

3,907 

$ 

8,549 

$ 

4,835 

2,825 

889 

$ 

8,549 

1,219 

531 

646 

645 

3,041 

9,175 

590 

3,154 

3,744 

6,323 

(892) 

(208) 

5 

(689) 

5,067 

4,108 

9,175 

5,432 

3,205 

538 

9,175 

15.1  % 

69 

(4.5) 

69 

18,397 

20,241 

66 

1 

36 

445 

548 

(626) 

(489) 

(4,755) 

(5,244) 

(461) 

5,079 

1,253 

3 

3,823 

(425) 

(201) 

(626) 

(597) 

(380) 

351 

(626) 

5 

— 

6 

69 

18 

(7) 

(83) 

NM 

NM 

(7) 

569 

602 

60 

555 

(8) 

(5) 

(7) 

(11) 

(12) 

65 

(7) 

1,175 

524 

931 

1,091 

3,721 

11,702 

215 

(25) 

190 

6,598 

4,914 

1,246 

6 

$ 

3,662 

$ 

6,691 

5,011 

$  11,702 

$ 

5,983 

4,872 

847 

$  11,702 

16.8  % 

56 

44 

7 

(285) 

(446) 

(680) 

(2,527) 

375 

3,179 

3,554 

(275) 

(5,806) 

(1,454) 

(1) 

(4,351) 

(1,624) 

(903) 

(2,527) 

(551) 

(1,667) 

(309) 

(2,527) 

4 

1 

(31) 

(41) 

(18) 

(22) 

174 

NM 

NM 

(4) 

NM 

NM 

(17) 

NM 

(24) 

(18) 

(22) 

(9) 

(34) 

(36) 

(22) 

(9) 

21,798 

(7) 

Provision for credit losses decreased driven by an improved 
economic environment. 

Revenue decreased driven by: 
• 

lower net interest income reflecting lower loan balances 
driven by weak demand and the lower interest rate 
environment, partially offset by higher income from higher 
deposit balances; 

partially offset by: 
• 

higher other noninterest income due to higher realized and 
unrealized gains on the sales of equity securities and higher 
income from renewable energy investments; and 
higher deposit-related fees due to higher treasury 
management fees driven by an increase in transaction 
volumes and repricing. 

Noninterest expense decreased driven by: 
• 

lower spending related to efficiency initiatives, including 
lower personnel expense from reduced headcount; 
lower lease expense driven by lower depreciation expense 
from a reduction in the size of our operating lease asset 
portfolio; and 
lower professional and outside services expense reflecting 
decreased project-related expense. 

• 

• 

• 

18 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 8d:  Commercial Banking – Balance Sheet 

(in millions) 

2021 

2020 

$ Change
2021/
2020 

% Change
2021/
2020 

Year ended December 31, 

$ Change % Change
2020/
2019 

2020/
2019 

2019 

Selected Balance Sheet Data (average) 

Loans: 

Commercial and industrial 

Commercial real estate 

Lease financing and other 

Total loans 

Loans by Line of Business: 

Middle Market Banking 

Asset-Based Lending and Leasing 

Total loans 

Total deposits 

Allocated capital 

Selected Balance Sheet Data (period-end) 

Loans: 

Commercial and industrial 

Commercial real estate 

Lease financing and other 

Total loans 

Loans by Line of Business: 

Middle Market Banking 

Asset-Based Lending and Leasing 

Total loans 

Total deposits 

Full year 2021 vs. full year 2020 

$  120,396 

143,263 

(22,867) 

(16) % 

$  157,829 

(14,566) 

(9) % 

47,018 

13,823 

52,220 

15,953 

(5,202) 

(2,130) 

$  181,237 

211,436 

(30,199) 

$  102,882 

112,848 

78,355 

98,588 

$  181,237 

211,436 

197,269 

178,946 

19,500 

19,500 

$  131,078 

124,253 

45,467 

13,803 

49,903 

14,821 

$  190,348 

188,977 

$  106,834 

101,193 

83,514 

87,784 

$  190,348 

188,977 

205,428 

188,292 

(9,966) 

(20,233) 

(30,199) 

18,323 

— 

6,825 

(4,436) 

(1,018) 

1,371 

5,641 

(4,270) 

1,371 

17,136 

(10) 

(13) 

(14) 

(9) 

(21) 

(14) 

10 

— 

5 

(9) 

(7) 

1 

6 

(5) 

1 

9 

54,416 

17,109 

$  229,354 

$  119,717 

109,637 

$  229,354 

159,763 

20,500 

$  153,601 

53,526 

17,654 

$  224,781 

$  115,187 

109,594 

$  224,781 

168,081 

(2,196) 

(1,156) 

(17,918) 

(6,869) 

(11,049) 

(17,918) 

19,183 

(1,000) 

(29,348) 

(3,623) 

(2,833) 

(35,804) 

(13,994) 

(21,810) 

(35,804) 

20,211 

(4) 

(7) 

(8) 

(6) 

(10) 

(8) 

12 

(5) 

(19) 

(7) 

(16) 

(16) 

(12) 

(20) 

(16) 

12 

Total loans (average) decreased driven by lower loan demand, 
including lower line utilization, and higher paydowns reflecting 
continued high levels of client liquidity and strength in the capital 
markets, partially offset by modest loan growth in late 2021 
driven by higher line utilization, as well as customer growth. 

Total deposits (average and period-end) increased due to 
higher levels of liquidity and lower investment spending 
reflecting government stimulus programs and continued 
economic uncertainty associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

19 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Earnings Performance (continued) 

Corporate and Investment Banking delivers a suite of capital 
markets, banking, and financial products and services to 
corporate, commercial real estate, government and institutional 
clients globally. Products and services include corporate banking, 
investment banking, treasury management, commercial real 

estate lending and servicing, equity and fixed income solutions, 
as well as sales, trading, and research capabilities. Table 8e and 
Table 8f provide additional information for Corporate and 
Investment Banking. 

Table 8e:  Corporate and Investment Banking – Income Statement and Selected Metrics 

2021 

2020 

$ Change
2021/
2020 

% Change
2021/
2020 

2019 

Year ended December 31, 

$ Change % Change
2020/
2019 

2020/
2019 

$ 

7,410 

7,509 

(99) 

(1) % 

$ 

8,008 

(499) 

(6) % 

($ in millions) 

Income Statement 

Net interest income 

Noninterest income: 

Deposit-related fees 

Lending-related fees 

Investment banking fees 

Net gains from trading activities 

Other 

Total noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Net charge-offs 

Change in the allowance for credit losses 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Income before income tax expense 

Income tax expense 

Less: Net loss from noncontrolling interests 

1,112 

761 

2,405 

272 

1,879 

6,429 

1,062 

684 

1,952 

1,190 

1,531 

6,419 

13,839 

13,928 

(22) 

(1,417) 

(1,439) 

7,200 

8,078 

2,019 

(3) 

742 

4,204 

4,946 

7,703 

1,279 

330 

(1) 

950 

1,767 

1,680 

1,448 

4,895 

3,607 

4,314 

1,204 

26 

5,544 

(118) 

50 

77 

453 

(918) 

348 

10 

(89) 

(764) 

(5,621) 

(6,385) 

(503) 

6,799 

1,689 

(2) 

5,112 

181 

(212) 

206 

175 

356 

(604) 

(307) 

65 

(846) 

226 

(89) 

5 

11 

23 

(77) 

23 

— 

(1) 

NM 

NM 

NM 

(7) 

532 

512 

NM 

538 

10 

(13) 

14 

4 

10 

(14) 

(25) 

250 

(15) 

192 

(1) 

4 

1,029 

710 

1,804 

1,022 

1,877 

6,442 

14,450 

173 

— 

173 

7,432 

6,845 

1,658 

(1) 

$ 

5,188 

$ 

1,811 

2,290 

1,370 

5,471 

4,260 

3,760 

1,078 

(6) 

4,832 

(113) 

$  14,450 

15.4  % 

51 

7,918 

33 

(26) 

148 

168 

(346) 

(23) 

(522) 

569 

4,204 

4,773 

271 

(5,566) 

(1,328) 

— 

(4,238) 

(44) 

(610) 

78 

(576) 

(653) 

554 

126 

32 

712 

(5) 

(522) 

3 

(4) 

8 

16 

(18) 

— 

(4) 

329 

NM 

NM 

4 

(81) 

(80) 

— 

(82) 

(2) 

(27) 

6 

(11) 

(15) 

15 

12 

533 

15 

(4) 

(4) 

3 

Net income 

$ 

6,062 

Revenue by Line of Business 

Banking: 

Lending 

Treasury Management and Payments 

Investment Banking 

Total Banking 

Commercial Real Estate 

Markets: 

$ 

1,948 

1,468 

1,654 

5,070 

3,963 

Fixed Income, Currencies, and Commodities (FICC) 

3,710 

Equities 

Credit Adjustment (CVA/DVA) and Other 

Total Markets 

Other 

Total revenue 

Selected Metrics 

Return on allocated capital 

Efficiency ratio 

Headcount (#) (period-end) 

NM – Not meaningful 

Full year 2021 vs. full year 2020 

897 

91 

4,698 

108 

$  13,839 

13,928 

16.9  % 

52 

8,489 

1.8 

55 

8,178 

Revenue decreased driven by: 
• 

lower net gains from trading activities driven by lower 
volumes of interest rate products, lower client trading 
activity for equity products due to market volatility in 2020, 
and lower client trading activity for credit products 
reflecting greater market liquidity in 2020 from government 
actions taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, 
partially offset by higher client trading activity for asset-
backed finance products; 

• 

• 

20 

Wells Fargo & Company 

partially offset by: 
• 

higher investment banking fees due to higher debt 
underwriting fees, including loan syndication fees, as well as 
higher advisory fees and equity underwriting fees; 
higher other noninterest income driven by higher 
commercial mortgage banking income due to higher 
servicing income and gains on the sales of mortgage loans, 
as well as higher income from low-income housing 
investments; and 
higher lending-related fees reflecting increased loan 
commitment fees. 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Provision for credit losses decreased driven by an improved 
economic environment. 

Noninterest expense decreased driven by: 
• 

lower operating losses due to lower expense for litigation 
accruals; 
lower expenses from operations and enterprise functions; 
and 

• 

• 

lower professional and outside services expense driven by 
efficiency initiatives to reduce our spending on consultants 
and contractors; 

partially offset by: 
• 

higher personnel expense driven by higher incentive 
compensation expense. 

Table 8f:  Corporate and Investment Banking – Balance Sheet 

(in millions) 

2021 

2020 

Selected Balance Sheet Data (average) 

$ Change
2021/
2020 

% Change
2021/
2020 

Year ended December 31, 

$ Change
2020/
2019 

% Change
2020/
2019 

2019 

$  170,713 

172,492 

(1,779) 

(1) % 

$  168,506 

Loans: 

Commercial and industrial 

Commercial real estate 

Total loans 

Loans by Line of Business: 

Banking 

Commercial Real Estate 

Markets 

Total loans 

Trading-related assets: 

Trading account securities 

Reverse repurchase agreements/securities borrowed 

Derivative assets 

86,323 

82,832 

$  257,036 

255,324 

$ 

93,766 

93,501 

110,978 

108,279 

52,292 

53,544 

$  257,036 

255,324 

$  110,386 

109,803 

59,044 

25,315 

71,485 

21,986 

Total trading-related assets 

$  194,745 

203,274 

Total assets 

Total deposits 

Allocated capital 

Selected Balance Sheet Data (period-end) 

Loans: 

Commercial and industrial 

Commercial real estate 

Total loans 

Loans by Line of Business: 

Banking 

Commercial Real Estate 

Markets 

Total loans 

Trading-related assets: 

Trading account securities 

Reverse repurchase agreements/securities borrowed 

Derivative assets 

523,344 

189,176 

34,000 

521,514 

234,332 

34,000 

$  191,391 

160,000 

92,983 

84,456 

$  284,374 

244,456 

$  101,926 

84,640 

125,926 

107,207 

56,522 

52,609 

$  284,374 

244,456 

$  108,697 

109,311 

55,973 

21,398 

57,248 

25,916 

Total trading-related assets 

$  186,068 

192,475 

Total assets 

Total deposits 

546,549 

168,609 

508,518 

203,004 

Full year 2021 vs. full year 2020 

Total assets (period-end) increased reflecting higher loan 
balances driven by customer usage of lines of credit due to 
increased corporate spending. 

Total deposits (average and period-end) decreased reflecting 
continued actions to manage under the asset cap. 

3,491 

1,712 

265 

2,699 

(1,252) 

1,712 

583 

(12,441) 

3,329 

(8,529) 

1,830 

(45,156) 

— 

31,391 

8,527 

39,918 

17,286 

18,719 

3,913 

39,918 

(614) 

(1,275) 

(4,518) 

(6,407) 

38,031 

4 

1 

— 

2 

(2) 

1 

1 

(17) 

15 

(4) 

— 

(19) 

— 

20 

10 

16 

20 

17 

7 

16 

(1) 

(2) 

(17) 

(3) 

7 

(34,395) 

(17) 

79,804 

$  248,310 

$ 

90,749 

104,261 

53,300 

$  248,310 

$  115,937 

89,190 

12,762 

$  217,889 

520,379 

238,651 

31,500 

$  173,985 

79,451 

$  253,436 

$ 

93,117 

103,938 

56,381 

$  253,436 

$  124,808 

90,077 

14,382 

$  229,267 

538,007 

261,134 

3,986 

3,028 

7,014 

2,752 

4,018 

244 

7,014 

(6,134) 

(17,705) 

9,224 

(14,615) 

1,135 

(4,319) 

2,500 

(13,985) 

5,005 

(8,980) 

(8,477) 

3,269 

(3,772) 

(8,980) 

(15,497) 

(32,829) 

11,534 

(36,792) 

(29,489) 

(58,130) 

2  % 

4 

3 

3 

4 

— 

3 

(5) 

(20) 

72 

(7) 

— 

(2) 

8 

(8) 

6 

(4) 

(9) 

3 

(7) 

(4) 

(12) 

(36) 

80 

(16) 

(5) 

(22) 

Wells Fargo & Company 

21 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Earnings Performance (continued) 

Wealth and Investment Management provides personalized 
wealth management, brokerage, financial planning, lending, 
private banking, trust and fiduciary products and services to 
affluent, high-net worth and ultra-high-net worth clients. We 
operate through financial advisors in our brokerage and wealth 

offices, consumer bank branches, independent offices, and 
digitally through WellsTrade® and Intuitive Investor®. Table 8g 
and Table 8h provide additional information for Wealth and 
Investment Management. 

Table 8g:  Wealth and Investment Management 

($ in millions, unless otherwise noted) 

2021 

2020 

$ Change
2021/
2020 

% Change
2021/
2020 

Year ended December 31, 

$ Change
2020/
2019 

% Change
2020/
2019 

2019 

$ 

2,570 

2,988 

(418) 

(14) % 

$ 

3,906 

(918) 

(24) % 

Income Statement 

Net interest income 

Noninterest income: 

Investment advisory and other asset-based fees 

Commissions and brokerage services fees 

Other 

Total noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Net charge-offs 

Change in the allowance for credit losses 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Income before income tax expense 

Income tax expense 

Net income 

Selected Metrics 

Return on allocated capital 

Efficiency ratio 

Headcount (#) (period-end) 

Advisory assets ($ in billions) 

9,574 

2,010 

192 

11,776 

14,346 

10 

(105) 

(95) 

11,734 

2,707 

680 

$ 

2,027 

8,085 

2,078 

62 

10,225 

13,213 

(3) 

252 

249 

10,912 

2,052 

514 

1,538 

22.6  % 

82 

17.0 

83 

25,906 

28,306 

$ 

964 

Other brokerage assets and deposits ($ in billions) 

1,219 

Total client assets ($ in billions) 

Annualized revenue per advisor ($ in thousands) (1) 

Total financial and wealth advisors (#) (period-end) 

Selected Balance Sheet Data (average) 

Total loans 

Total deposits 

Allocated capital 

$ 

2,183 

1,114 

12,367 

$  82,364 

176,562 

8,750 

853 

1,152 

2,005 

939 

13,513 

78,775 

162,476 

8,750 

Selected Balance Sheet Data (period-end) 

Total loans 

Total deposits 

$  84,101 

192,548 

80,785 

175,483 

1,489 

(68) 

130 

1,551 

1,133 

13 

(357) 

(344) 

822 

655 

166 

489 

111 

67 

178 

175 

3,589 

14,086 

— 

3,316 

17,065 

18 

(3) 

210 

15 

9 

433 

NM 

NM 

8 

32 

32 

32 

(8) 

13 

6 

9 

19 

(8) 

5 

9 

— 

4 

10 

7,909 

2,170 

427 

10,506 

14,412 

— 

2 

2 

12,167 

2,243 

562 

$ 

1,681 

18.6  % 

84 

29,530 

$ 

778 

1,108 

$ 

1,886 

985 

14,414 

$  74,986 

139,099 

8,750 

$  77,140 

143,830 

176 

(92) 

(365) 

(281) 

(1,199) 

(3) 

250 

247 

(1,255) 

(191) 

(48) 

(143) 

75 

44 

119 

(46) 

3,789 

23,377 

— 

3,645 

31,653 

2 

(4) 

(85) 

(3) 

(8) 

NM 

NM 

NM 

(10) 

(9) 

(9) 

(9) 

(4) 

10 

4 

6 

(5) 

(6) 

5 

17 

— 

5 

22 

NM – Not meaningful 
(1) 

Represents annualized segment total revenue divided by average total financial and wealth advisors for the period. 

Full year 2021 vs. full year 2020 

Revenue increased driven by: 
• 

• 

higher investment advisory and other asset-based fees due 
to higher market valuations on WIM advisory assets; and 
higher gains on deferred compensation plan investments, 
which are included in other noninterest income (largely 
offset by personnel expense); 

partially offset by: 
• 

lower net interest income reflecting the lower interest rate 
environment, partially offset by higher deposit and loan 
balances. 

Provision for credit losses decreased driven by an improved 
economic environment. 

Noninterest expense increased due to: 
• 

higher personnel expense driven by higher revenue-related 
compensation expense and higher deferred compensation 
expense; and 
the reversal of a software licensing liability accrual in 2020; 

• 
partially offset by: 
• 

lower professional and outside services expense driven by 
efficiency initiatives to reduce our spending on consultants 
and contractors. 

Total loans (average and period-end) increased due to higher 
securities-based loan balances. 

Total deposits (average and period-end) increased primarily due 
to growth in customer balances in both The Private Bank and 
Wells Fargo Advisors. 

22 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WIM Advisory Assets  In addition to transactional accounts, 
WIM offers advisory account relationships to brokerage 
customers. Fees from advisory accounts are based on a 
percentage of the market value of the assets as of the beginning 
of the quarter, which vary across the account types based on the 
distinct services provided, and are affected by investment 
performance as well as asset inflows and outflows. Advisory 
accounts include assets that are financial advisor-directed and 
separately managed by third-party managers, as well as certain 
client-directed brokerage assets where we earn a fee for advisory 
and other services, but do not have investment discretion. 

WIM also manages personal trust and other assets for high 
net worth clients, with fee income earned based on a percentage 
of the market value of these assets. Table 8h presents advisory 
assets activity by WIM line of business for the years ended 
December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019. Management believes that 
advisory assets is a useful metric because it allows management, 
investors, and others to assess how changes in asset amounts 
may impact the generation of certain asset-based fees. 

For the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, 

the average fee rate by account type ranged from 50 to 120 
basis points. 

Table 8h:  WIM Advisory Assets 

(in billions) 

December 31, 2021 

Client-directed (4) 

Financial advisor-directed (5) 

Separate accounts (6) 

Mutual fund advisory (7) 

Total Wells Fargo Advisors 

The Private Bank (8) 

Total WIM advisory assets 

December 31, 2020 

Client directed (4) 

Financial advisor directed (5) 

Separate accounts (6) 

Mutual fund advisory (7) 

Total Wells Fargo Advisors 

The Private Bank (8) 

Total WIM advisory assets 

December 31, 2019 

Client directed (4) 

Financial advisor directed (5) 

Separate accounts (6) 

Mutual fund advisory (7) 

Total Wells Fargo Advisors 

Total Private Bank (8) 

Total WIM advisory assets 

Balance, beginning 
of period 

Inflows (1) 

Outflows (2)  Market impact (3) 

Year ended 

Balance, end of 
period 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

186.3 

211.0 

174.6 

91.4 

663.3 

189.4 

852.7 

169.4 

176.3 

160.1 

83.7 

589.5 

188.0 

777.5 

151.5 

141.9 

136.4 

71.3 

501.1 

173.0 

674.1 

41.5 

48.7 

31.8 

15.6 

137.6 

40.0 

177.6 

36.4 

40.6 

24.6 

11.3 

112.9 

34.0 

146.9 

33.5 

33.9 

24.2 

11.8 

103.4 

34.5 

137.9 

(45.0) 

(41.1) 

(30.7) 

(15.0) 

(131.8) 

(51.1) 

(182.9) 

(38.2) 

(33.6) 

(27.4) 

(13.9) 

(113.1) 

(45.8) 

(158.9) 

(41.8) 

(34.7) 

(29.7) 

(14.1) 

(120.3) 

(43.8) 

(164.1) 

22.8 

36.9 

27.6 

10.1 

97.4 

19.7 

117.1 

18.7 

27.7 

17.3 

10.3 

74.0 

13.2 

87.2 

26.2 

35.2 

29.2 

14.7 

105.3 

24.3 

129.6 

205.6 

255.5 

203.3 

102.1 

766.5 

198.0 

964.5 

186.3 

211.0 

174.6 

91.4 

663.3 

189.4 

852.7 

169.4 

176.3 

160.1 

83.7 

589.5 

188.0 

777.5 

Inflows include new advisory account assets, contributions, dividends and interest. 
(1) 
(2)  Outflows include closed advisory account assets, withdrawals and client management fees. 
(3)  Market impact reflects gains and losses on portfolio investments. 
(4) 

Investment advice and other services are provided to client, but decisions are made by the client and the fees earned are based on a percentage of the advisory account assets, not the number and 
size of transactions executed by the client. 
Professionally managed portfolios with fees earned based on respective strategies and as a percentage of certain client assets. 
Professional advisory portfolios managed by WFAM or third-party asset managers. Fees are earned based on a percentage of certain client assets. 
Program with portfolios constructed of load-waived, no-load and institutional share class mutual funds. Fees are earned based on a percentage of certain client assets. 
Discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios held in personal trusts, investment agency, or custody accounts with fees earned based on a percentage of client assets. 

(5) 
(6) 
(7) 
(8) 

Wells Fargo & Company 

23 

  
 
 
 
 
 
Earnings Performance (continued) 

Corporate includes corporate treasury and enterprise functions, 
net of allocations (including funds transfer pricing, capital, 
liquidity and certain expenses), in support of the reportable 
operating segments, as well as our investment portfolio and 
affiliated venture capital and private equity businesses. In 
addition, Corporate includes all restructuring charges related to 
our efficiency initiatives. See Note 22 (Restructuring Charges) to 

Financial Statements in this Report for additional information on 
restructuring charges. Corporate also includes certain lines of 
business that management has determined are no longer 
consistent with the long-term strategic goals of the Company, as 
well as results for previously divested businesses. Table 8i, 
Table 8j, and Table 8k provide additional information for 
Corporate. 

Table 8i:  Corporate – Income Statement and Selected Metrics 

($ in millions, unless otherwise noted) 

2021 

2020 

Income Statement 

Net interest income 

Noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Net charge-offs 

Change in the allowance for credit losses 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Income before income tax expense (benefit) 

Income tax expense (benefit) 

Less: Net income from noncontrolling interests (1) 

Net income 

Selected Metrics 

$ 

(1,541) 

10,036 

8,495 

54 

3 

57 

4,387 

4,051 

596 

1,685 

$ 

1,770 

441 

4,916 

5,357 

166 

(638) 

(472) 

5,716 

113 

(670) 

281 

502 

$ Change
2021/
2020 

% Change
2021/
2020 

(1,982) 

NM 

$ 

5,120 

3,138 

(112) 

641 

529 

(1,329) 

3,938 

1,266 

1,404 

1,268 

104  % 

59 

(67) 

100 

112 

(23) 

NM 

189 

500 

253 

2019 

2,246 

7,550 

9,796 

139 

(1) 

138 

4,983 

4,675 

900 

486 

$ 

3,289 

Year ended December 31, 

$ Change
2020/
2019 

% Change
2020/
2019 

(1,805) 

(2,634) 

(4,439) 

27 

(637) 

(610) 

733 

(4,562) 

(1,570) 

(205) 

(2,787) 

(80) % 

(35) 

(45) 

19 

NM 

NM 

15 

(98) 

NM 

(42) 

(85) 

12 

Headcount (#) (period-end) (2) 

83,730 

86,772 

(4) 

77,797 

NM – Not meaningful 
(1) 
(2) 

Reflects results attributable to noncontrolling interests predominantly associated with the Company’s consolidated venture capital investments. 
Beginning in first quarter 2021, employees who were notified of displacement remained as headcount in their respective operating segment rather than included in Corporate. 

Full year 2021 vs. full year 2020 

Revenue increased driven by: 
• 

higher unrealized gains on nonmarketable equity securities 
from our affiliated venture capital and private equity 
businesses, higher realized gains on the sales of equity 
securities, as well as lower impairment of equity securities 
due to improved market conditions in 2021; and 
gains on the sales of our Corporate Trust Services business, 
our student loan portfolio, and WFAM; 

partially offset by: 
• 

lower net interest income reflecting the lower interest rate 
environment, unfavorable hedge ineffectiveness accounting 
results, and lower loan balances; 
lower gains on debt securities from sales of agency MBS and 
municipal bonds, partially offset by higher gains on sales of 
corporate and other debt securities; 
lower asset-based fees due to the sale of WFAM on 
November 1, 2021; 
lower lease income driven by a $268 million impairment of 
certain rail cars in our rail car leasing business used for the 
transportation of coal products; and 
higher valuation losses related to the retained litigation risk, 
including the timing and amount of final settlement, 
associated with shares of Visa Class B common stock that 
we previously sold. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Provision for credit losses increased due to a reduction in the 
allowance for credit losses in 2020 as a result of the 
reclassification of our student loan portfolio to loans held for 
sale, partially offset by an improved economic environment. 

Noninterest expense decreased due to: 
lower restructuring charges; and 
• 
• 
lower expenses related to divested businesses; 
partially offset by: 
• 

higher incentive compensation expense, including the 
impact of higher market valuations on stock-based 
compensation; 
higher deferred compensation expense; and 
a write-down of goodwill in 2021 related to the sale of our 
student loan portfolio. 

• 
• 

Corporate includes our rail car leasing business, which had 

long-lived operating lease assets (as a lessor) of $5.1 billion, 
which was net of $2.1 billion of accumulated depreciation, as of 
December 31, 2021. The average age of our rail cars is 22 years 
and the rail cars are typically leased under short-term leases of 
3 to 5 years. Our three largest concentrations, which represented 
55% of our rail car fleet as of December 31, 2021, were rail cars 
used for the transportation of agricultural grain, coal, and 
cement/sand products. 

In 2021, we observed that a decline in the market led to 

continued weakening demand for certain rail cars used for the 
transportation of coal products. We expect that both utilization 
and rental rates for these leased rail cars may remain low in 
future periods and, therefore, we recognized an impairment 
charge related to these leased rail cars of $268 million in fourth 
quarter 2021 as an offset to our lease income, which is included 
in noninterest income. We believe no other classes of rail cars 
were impaired as of December 31, 2021. Additional impairment 
may result in the future based on changing economic and market 
conditions affecting the long-term demand and utility of specific 
types of rail cars. Our assumptions for impairment are sensitive 
to estimated utilization and rental rates, as well as the estimated 

24 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
economic life of the leased asset. For additional information on 
the accounting for impairment of operating lease assets, see 
Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) and Note 5 
(Leasing Activity) to Financial Statements in this Report. 

In addition, Corporate includes assets under management 
(AUM) and assets under administration (AUA) for Institutional 

Retirement and Trust (IRT) client assets of $19 billion and 
$582 billion, respectively, at December 31, 2021, which we 
continue to administer at the direction of the buyer pursuant to a 
transition services agreement. The transition services agreement 
terminates in June 2022. 

Table 8j:  Corporate – Balance Sheet 

(in millions) 

2021 

2020 

$ Change
2021/
2020 

% Change
2021/
2020 

Year ended December 31, 

$ Change
2020/
2019 

% Change
2020/
2019 

2019 

Selected Balance Sheet Data (average) 

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 

$  236,124 

52,704 

29  % 

$  130,532 

Selected Balance Sheet Data (period-end) 

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 

$  209,696 

Available-for-sale debt securities 

Held-to-maturity debt securities 

Equity securities 

Total loans 

Total assets 

Total deposits 

Available-for-sale debt securities 

Held-to-maturity debt securities 

Equity securities 

Total loans 

Total assets 

Total deposits 

Full year 2021 vs. full year 2020 

743,089 

675,250 

40,066 

78,172 

181,841 

244,735 

12,720 

9,766 

165,926 

269,285 

16,549 

9,997 

183,420 

221,493 

172,755 

12,445 

19,790 

235,262 

208,694 

204,858 

10,305 

10,623 

(39,652) 

(18) 

71,980 

275 

(10,024) 

67,839 

(38,106) 

(25,566) 

(42,768) 

64,427 

6,244 

(626) 

(7,332) 

42 

2 

(51) 

10 

(49) 

(11) 

(20) 

31 

61 

(6) 

(1) 

252,099 

147,303 

13,188 

18,540 

623,075 

119,638 

52,888 

(30,606) 

25,452 

(743) 

1,250 

52,175 

41  % 

(12) 

17 

(6) 

7 

8 

(41,466) 

(35) 

$  111,408 

123,854 

111 

250,801 

153,142 

13,770 

21,906 

610,673 

102,429 

(42,107) 

51,716 

(3,465) 

(11,283) 

117,994 

(49,392) 

(17) 

34 

(25) 

(52) 

19 

(48) 

721,335 

728,667 

32,220 

53,037 

(20,817) 

(39) 

Total assets (period-end) decreased modestly reflecting the 
timing of cash deployment by our investment portfolio near the 
end of 2021, partially offset by an increase in equity securities 
related to our affiliated venture capital business. 

Total deposits (average and period-end) decreased reflecting 
actions taken to manage under the asset cap. 

Total assets (average) increased due to: 
• 

an increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 
managed by corporate treasury as a result of an increase in 
deposits from the reportable operating segments; and 
an increase in held-to-maturity debt securities related to 
portfolio rebalancing to manage liquidity and interest rate 
risk; 

partially offset by: 
• 

a decline in available-for-sale debt securities related to 
portfolio rebalancing to manage liquidity and interest rate 
risk; and 
a decline in loans due to the sale of our student loan 
portfolio. 

• 

• 

Wells Fargo & Company 

25 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Earnings Performance (continued) 

Wells Fargo Asset Management (WFAM) Assets Under 
Management  On November 1, 2021 we closed our previously 
announced agreement to sell WFAM. Prior to the sale, we earned 
investment advisory and other asset-based fees from managing 
and administering assets through WFAM, which offered 
Wells Fargo proprietary mutual funds and managed institutional 
separate accounts. Generally, we earned fees from AUM where 
we had discretionary management authority over the 
investments and generated fees as a percentage of the market 

value of the AUM. WFAM assets under management consisted of 
equity, alternative, balanced, fixed income, money market, and 
stable value, and included client assets that were managed or 
sub-advised on behalf of other Wells Fargo lines of business. 
Table 8k presents WFAM AUM activity for the years ended 
December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019. Management believes that 
AUM is a useful metric because it allows management, investors, 
and others to assess how changes in asset amounts may impact 
the generation of certain asset-based fees. 

Table 8k:  WFAM Assets Under Management 

Year ended 

Balance, end 
of period 

— 

— 

— 

197.4 

405.6 

603.0 

130.6 

378.2 

508.8 

(in billions) 

December 31, 2021 

Money market funds (4) 

Other assets managed 

$ 

Total WFAM assets under management  $ 

December 31, 2020 

Money market funds (4) 

Other assets managed 

$ 

Total WFAM assets under management 

$ 

December 31, 2019 

Money market funds (4) 

Other assets managed 

$ 

Total WFAM assets under management 

$ 

Balance, beginning 
of period 

Inflows (1) 

Outflows (2)  Market impact (3) 

Sale of WFAM on 
November 1, 2021 

197.4 

405.6 

603.0 

130.6 

378.2 

508.8 

112.4 

353.5 

465.9 

— 

69.3 

69.3 

66.8 

101.3 

168.1 

18.2 

75.1 

93.3 

(6.3) 

(90.5) 

(96.8) 

— 

(104.7) 

(104.7) 

— 

(86.1) 

(86.1) 

— 

11.6 

11.6 

— 

30.8 

30.8 

— 

35.7 

35.7 

(191.1) 

(396.0) 

(587.1) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(1) 
Inflows include new managed account assets, contributions, dividends and interest. 
(2)  Outflows include closed managed account assets, withdrawals and client management fees. 
(3)  Market impact reflects gains and losses on portfolio investments. 
(4)  Money Market funds activity is presented on a net inflow or net outflow basis, because the gross flows are not meaningful nor used by management as an indicator of performance. 

26 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
Balance Sheet Analysis 

At December 31, 2021, our assets totaled $1.95 trillion, down 
$4.8 billion from December 31, 2020. 

The following discussion provides additional information 
about the major components of our consolidated balance sheet. 
See the “Capital Management” section in this Report for 
information on changes in our equity. 

Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities 

Table 9:  Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities 

Amortized 
cost, net (1)

Net 
 unrealized gains 

December 31, 2021 

Weighted 
average 
expected 
Fair value  maturity (yrs) 

Amortized 
cost, net (1) 

Net 
unrealized gains 

December 31, 2020 

Weighted 
average
expected
Fair value  maturity (yrs) 

1,781 

364 

2,145 

177,244 

272,386 

449,630 

5.2 

6.3 

n/a 

215,533 

205,720 

421,253 

4,859 

6,587 

220,392 

212,307 

11,446 

432,699 

4.5 

4.5 

n/a 

($ in millions) 

Available-for-sale (2) 

Held-to-maturity (3) 

175,463 

272,022 

Total 

$ 

447,485 

(1) 

(2) 
(3) 

Represents amortized cost of the securities, net of the allowance for credit losses of $8 million and $28 million related to available-for-sale debt securities and $96 million and $41 million related to 
held-to-maturity debt securities at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 
Available-for-sale debt securities are carried on the consolidated balance sheet at fair value. 
Held-to-maturity debt securities are carried on the consolidated balance sheet at amortized cost, net of the allowance for credit losses. 

Table 9 presents a summary of our portfolio of investments 

The amortized cost, net of the allowance for credit losses, of 

AFS and HTM debt securities increased from December 31, 
2020. We continued to purchase AFS and HTM debt securities, 
including HTM debt securities through securitizations of LHFS, 
which more than offset portfolio runoff and AFS debt security 
sales. In addition, we transferred $56.0 billion of AFS debt 
securities to HTM debt securities in 2021 due to actions taken to 
reposition the overall portfolio for capital management 
purposes. 

The total net unrealized gains on AFS and HTM debt 
securities decreased from December 31, 2020, driven by higher 
interest rates. 

At December 31, 2021, 98% of the combined AFS and HTM 

debt securities portfolio was rated AA- or above. Ratings are 
based on external ratings where available and, where not 
available, based on internal credit grades. See Note 3 (Available-
for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities) to Financial 
Statements in this Report for additional information on AFS and 
HTM debt securities, including a summary of debt securities by 
security type. 

in available-for-sale (AFS) and held-to-maturity (HTM) debt 
securities. The size and composition of our AFS and HTM debt 
securities is dependent upon the Company’s liquidity and interest 
rate risk management objectives. The AFS debt securities 
portfolio can be used to meet funding needs that arise in the 
normal course of business or due to market stress. Changes in 
our interest rate risk profile may occur due to changes in overall 
economic or market conditions, which could influence loan 
origination demand, prepayment rates, or deposit balances and 
mix. In response, the AFS debt securities portfolio can be 
rebalanced to meet the Company’s interest rate risk 
management objectives. In addition to meeting liquidity and 
interest rate risk management objectives, the AFS and HTM debt 
securities portfolios may provide yield enhancement over other 
short-term assets. See the “Risk Management – Asset/Liability 
Management” section in this Report for additional information 
on liquidity and interest rate risk. 

The AFS debt securities portfolio predominantly consists of 

liquid, high-quality U.S. Treasury and federal agency debt, and 
agency MBS. The portfolio also includes securities issued by U.S. 
states and political subdivisions and highly rated collateralized 
loan obligations (CLOs). 

The HTM debt securities portfolio predominantly consists of 

liquid, high-quality U.S. Treasury and federal agency debt, and 
agency MBS. The portfolio also includes securities issued by U.S. 
states and political subdivisions and highly rated CLOs. Our 
intent is to hold these securities to maturity and collect the 
contractual cash flows. Debt securities are classified as HTM 
through purchases or through transfers from the AFS debt 
securities portfolio. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

27 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Balance Sheet Analysis (continued) 

Loan Portfolios 
Table 10 provides a summary of total outstanding loans by 
portfolio segment. Commercial loans increased from 
December 31, 2020, predominantly due to an increase in the 
commercial and industrial loan portfolio, driven by higher loan 
demand resulting in increased originations and loan draws, 
partially offset by paydowns and PPP loan forgiveness. Consumer 

loans decreased from December 31, 2020, predominantly driven 
by a decrease in the residential mortgage – first lien portfolio due 
to loan paydowns reflecting the low interest rate environment 
and the transfer of $17.8 billion of first lien mortgage loans to 
loans held for sale (LHFS) substantially all of which related to the 
sales of loans purchased from GNMA loan securitization pools in 
prior periods, partially offset by originations of $72.6 billion. 

Table 10:  Loan Portfolios 

(in millions) 

Commercial 

Consumer 

Total loans 

Change from prior year-end 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

$ 

$ 

$ 

513,120 

382,274 

895,394 

7,757 

478,417 

409,220 

887,637 

(74,628) 

Average loan balances and a comparative detail of average 

loan balances is included in Table 3 under “Earnings Performance 
– Net Interest Income” earlier in this Report. Additional 
information on total loans outstanding by portfolio segment and 
class of financing receivable is included in the “Risk Management 
– Credit Risk Management” section in this Report. Period-end 
balances and other loan related information are in Note 4 (Loans 

and Related Allowance for Credit Losses) to Financial Statements 
in this Report. 

Table 11 shows contractual maturities by class of loan and 

the distribution by changes in interest rates for loans with a 
contractual maturity greater than one year. Nonaccrual loans and 
loans with indeterminate maturities have been classified as 
maturing within one year. 

Table 11:  Loan Maturities 

(in millions) 

Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer 

Total loans 

Loan maturities 

December 31, 2021 

Loans maturing
after one year 

Within 
one 
year 

After 
one year 
through 
five years 

$  127,237 

199,907 

27,847 

8,147 

3,519 

74,775 

11,541 

10,178 

After five 
years 
through 
fifteen 
years 

22,510 

23,329 

394 

1,083 

After 
fifteen 
years 

782 

1,782 

10 

79 

Total 

350,436 

127,733 

20,092 

14,859 

166,750 

296,401 

47,316 

2,653 

513,120 

Fixed 
interest 
rates 

22,827 

20,283 

254 

11,340 

54,704 

10,489 

1,018 

38,453 

13,034 

25,148 

88,142 

968 

— 

40,120 

2,846 

72,491 

28,557 

82,159 

121,065 

242,270 

163,105 

2,567 

12,065 

— 

3,505 

252 

88,483 

— 

— 

28 

133,158 

135,811 

16,618 

38,453 

56,659 

28,274 

382,274 

895,394 

4,299 

— 

43,625 

2,465 

213,494 

268,198 

$  254,892 

368,892 

135,799 

Floating/
variable 
interest 
rates 

200,372 

79,603 

11,691 

— 

291,666 

68,676 

11,301 

— 

— 

661 

80,638 

372,304 

28 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
  
Deposits 
Deposits increased from December 31, 2020, reflecting: 
• 

higher levels of liquidity and savings for consumer 
customers reflecting government stimulus programs and 
payment deferral programs, as well as continued economic 
uncertainty associated with the COVID-19 pandemic; 

partially offset by: 
• 

actions taken to manage under the asset cap resulting in 
declines in time deposits, such as brokered certificates of 

deposit (CDs), and interest-bearing deposits in non-U.S. 
offices. 

Table 12 provides additional information regarding deposits. 

Information regarding the impact of deposits on net interest 
income and a comparison of average deposit balances is provided 
in the “Earnings Performance – Net Interest Income” section and 
Table 3 earlier in this Report. 

Table 12:  Deposits 

($ in millions) 

Noninterest-bearing demand deposits 

Interest-bearing demand deposits 

Savings deposits 

Time deposits 

Interest-bearing deposits in non-U.S. offices 

Total deposits 

As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, total deposits that 
exceed FDIC insurance limits, or are otherwise uninsured, were 
estimated to be $590 billion and $560 billion, respectively. 
Estimated uninsured domestic deposits reflect amounts 
disclosed in the U.S. regulatory reports of our subsidiary banks, 
with adjustments for amounts related to consolidated 

Table 13:  Uninsured Time Deposits by Maturity 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Domestic time deposits 

Non-U.S. time deposits 

Total 

$ 

Dec 31, 
2021 

527,748 

465,887 

439,600 

29,461 

19,783 

% of 
total 
deposits 

Dec 31, 
2020 

% of 
total 
deposits 

36  % 

$ 

467,068 

33  % 

31 

30 

2 

1 

447,446 

404,935 

49,775 

35,157 

32 

29 

4 

2 

$ 

1,482,479 

100  %  $ 

1,404,381 

100  % 

% Change 

13 

4 

9 

(41) 

(44) 

6 

subsidiaries. All non-U.S. deposits are treated for these purposes 
as uninsured. 

Table 13 presents the contractual maturities of estimated 
time deposits that exceed FDIC insurance limits, or are otherwise 
uninsured. All non-U.S. time deposits are uninsured. 

Three months 
or less 

$ 

$ 

2,866 

316 

3,182 

After three 
months 
through six 
months 

After six 
months 
through
twelve months 

After twelve 
months 

491 

235 

726 

467 

— 

467 

773 

— 

773 

Total 

4,597 

551 

5,148 

Wells Fargo & Company 

29 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements 

In the ordinary course of business, we engage in financial 
transactions that are not recorded on the consolidated balance 
sheet, or may be recorded on the consolidated balance sheet in 
amounts that are different from the full contract or notional 
amount of the transaction. Our off-balance sheet arrangements 
include commitments to lend and purchase debt and equity 
securities, transactions with unconsolidated entities, guarantees, 
derivatives, and other commitments. These transactions are 
designed to (1) meet the financial needs of customers, (2) 
manage our credit, market or liquidity risks, and/or (3) diversify 
our funding sources. 

Commitments to Lend 
We enter into commitments to lend to customers, which are 
usually at a stated interest rate, if funded, and for specific 
purposes and time periods. When we enter into commitments, 
we are exposed to credit risk. The maximum credit risk for these 
commitments will generally be lower than the contractual 
amount because a significant portion of these commitments are 
not funded. For additional information, see Note 4 (Loans and 
Related Allowance for Credit Losses) to Financial Statements in 
this Report. 

Transactions with Unconsolidated Entities 
In the normal course of business, we enter into various types of 
on- and off-balance sheet transactions with special purpose 
entities (SPEs), which are corporations, trusts, limited liability 
companies or partnerships that are established for a limited 
purpose. Generally, SPEs are formed in connection with 
securitization transactions and are considered variable interest 
entities (VIEs). For additional information, see Note 8 
(Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities) to Financial 
Statements in this Report. 

Guarantees and Other Arrangements 
Guarantees are contracts that contingently require us to make 
payments to a guaranteed party based on an event or a change in 
an underlying asset, liability, rate or index. Guarantees are 
generally in the form of standby and direct pay letters of credit, 
written options, recourse obligations, exchange and clearing 
house guarantees, indemnifications, and other types of similar 
arrangements. For additional information, see Note 13 
(Guarantees and Other Commitments) to Financial Statements 
in this Report. 

Commitments to Purchase Debt and Equity Securities 
We enter into commitments to purchase securities under resale 
agreements. We also may enter into commitments to purchase 
debt and equity securities to provide capital for customers’ 
funding, liquidity or other future needs. For additional 
information, see Note 13 (Guarantees and Other Commitments) 
to Financial Statements in this Report. 

Derivatives 
We use derivatives to manage exposure to market risk, including 
interest rate risk, credit risk and foreign currency risk, and to 
assist customers with their risk management objectives. 
Derivatives are recorded on the consolidated balance sheet at 
fair value, and volume can be measured in terms of the notional 
amount, which is generally not exchanged, but is used only as the 
basis on which interest and other payments are determined. The 
notional amount is not recorded on the consolidated balance 
sheet and is not, when viewed in isolation, a meaningful measure 
of the risk profile of the instruments. For additional information, 
see Note 16 (Derivatives) to Financial Statements in this Report. 

30 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
 
Risk Management 

Wells Fargo manages a variety of risks that can significantly 
affect our financial performance and our ability to meet the 
expectations of our customers, shareholders, regulators and 
other stakeholders. 

Risk is Part of our Business Model.  Risk is the possibility of an 
event occurring that could adversely affect the Company’s ability 
to achieve its strategic or business objectives. The Company 
routinely takes risks to achieve its business goals and to serve its 
customers. These risks include financial risks, such as interest 
rate, credit, liquidity, and market risks, and non-financial risks, 
such as operational risk, which includes compliance and model 
risks, and strategic and reputation risks. 

Risk Profile.  The Company’s risk profile is an assessment of the 
aggregate risks associated with the Company’s exposures and 
business activities after taking into consideration risk 
management effectiveness. The Company monitors its risk 
profile, and the Board reviews risk profile reports and analysis. 

Risk Capacity.  Risk capacity is the maximum level of risk that 
the Company could assume given its current level of resources 
before triggering regulatory and other constraints on its capital 
and liquidity needs. 

Risk Appetite.  Risk appetite is the amount of risk, within its risk 
capacity, the Company is comfortable taking given its current 
level of resources. Risk appetite is articulated in our Statement of 
Risk Appetite, which establishes acceptable risks and at what 
level and includes risk appetite principles. The Company’s 
Statement of Risk Appetite is defined by senior management, 
approved at least annually by the Board, and helps guide the 
Company’s business and risk leaders. The Company continuously 
monitors its risk appetite, and the Board reviews reports which 
include risk appetite information and analysis. 

Risk and Strategy.  The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) drives the 
Company’s strategic planning process, which identifies the 
Company’s most significant opportunities and challenges, 
develops options to address them, and evaluates the risks and 
trade-offs of each. The Company’s risk profile, risk capacity, risk 
appetite, and risk management effectiveness are considered in 
the strategic planning process, which is closely linked with the 
Company’s capital planning process. The Company’s Independent 
Risk Management (IRM) organization participates in strategic 
planning, providing challenge to and independent assessment of 
the risks associated with strategic initiatives. IRM also 
independently assesses and challenges the impact of the 
strategic plan on risk capacity, risk appetite, and risk 
management effectiveness at the principal lines of business, 
enterprise functions, and aggregate Company level. After review, 
the strategic plan is presented to the Board each year with IRM’s 
evaluation. 

Risk and Climate Change.  The Company is committed to helping 
mitigate the impacts of climate change related to its activities 
and to partner with key stakeholders, including communities and 
customers, to do the same. The Company expects that climate 
change will increasingly impact the risk types it manages, and the 
Company will continue to integrate climate considerations into 
its risk management framework as its understanding of climate 
change and risks driven by it evolve. 

Risk is Managed by Everyone.  Every employee, in the course of 
their daily activities, creates risk and is responsible for managing 
risk. Every employee has a role to play in risk management, 
including establishing and maintaining the Company’s control 
environment. Every employee must comply with applicable laws, 
regulations, and Company policies. 

Risk and Culture.  Senior management sets the tone at the top 
by supporting a strong culture, defined by the Company’s 
expectations, that guides how employees conduct themselves 
and make decisions. The Board holds senior management 
accountable for establishing and maintaining this culture and for 
effectively managing risk. Senior management expects 
employees to speak up when they see something that could 
cause harm to the Company’s customers, communities, 
employees, shareholders, or reputation. Because risk 
management is everyone’s responsibility, all employees are 
empowered to and expected to challenge risk decisions when 
appropriate and to escalate their concerns when they have not 
been addressed. The Company’s performance management and 
incentive compensation programs are designed to establish a 
balanced framework for risk and reward under core principles 
that employees are expected to know and practice. The Board, 
through its Human Resources Committee, plays an important 
role in overseeing and providing credible challenge to the 
Company’s performance management and incentive 
compensation programs. Effective risk management is a central 
component of employee performance evaluations. 

Risk Management Framework.  The Company’s risk 
management framework sets forth the Company’s core 
principles for managing and governing its risk. It is approved by 
the Board’s Risk Committee and reviewed and updated annually. 
Many other documents and policies flow from its core principles. 

Wells Fargo’s top priority is to strengthen our company by 
building an appropriate risk and control infrastructure. We 
continue to enhance our risk management programs, including 
our operational and compliance risk management as required by 
the FRB’s February 2, 2018, and the CFPB/OCC’s April 20, 2018, 
consent orders. 

Risk Governance 
Role of the Board.  The Board oversees the Company’s business, 
including its risk management. It assesses senior management’s 
performance and holds senior management accountable for 
maintaining and adhering to an effective risk management 
program. 

Board Committee Structure.  The Board carries out its risk 
oversight responsibilities directly and through its committees. 
The Risk Committee reviews and approves the Company’s risk 
management framework and oversees management’s 
implementation of the framework, including how the Company 
manages and governs risk. The Risk Committee also oversees the 
Company’s adherence to its risk appetite. In addition, the Risk 
Committee supports the stature, authority and independence of 
IRM and oversees and receives reports on its operation. The Chief 
Risk Officer (CRO) reports functionally to the Risk Committee 
and administratively to the CEO. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

31 

 
Risk Management (continued) 

Management Committee Structure.  The Company has 
established management committees, including those focused 
on risk, that support management in carrying out its governance 
and risk management responsibilities. One type of management 
committee is a governance committee, which is a decision-
making body that operates for a particular purpose and may 
report to a Board committee. 

Each management governance committee, in accordance 

with its charter, is expected to discuss, document, and make 
decisions regarding high priority and significant risks, emerging 

risks, risk acceptances, and risks and issues escalated to it; review 
and monitor progress related to critical and high-risk issues and 
remediation efforts, including lessons learned; and report key 
challenges, decisions, escalations, other actions, and open issues 
as appropriate. 

Table 14 presents, as of December 31, 2021, the structure 

of the Company’s Board committees and management 
governance committees reporting to a Board committee, 
including relevant reporting and escalation paths. 

Table 14:  Board and Management-level Governance Committee Structure 

Wells Fargo & Company 

Audit 
Committee (1) 

Finance 
Committee 

Corporate
Responsibility
Committee 

Risk 
Committee 

Governance & 
Nominating
Committee 

Human 
Resources 
Committee 

Disclosure 
Committee 

Regulatory and
Risk Reporting
Oversight
Committee 

Capital 
Management
Committee 

Corporate 
Asset/Liability
Committee 

Recovery and
Resolution 
Committee 

Management Governance Committees 

Allowance for Credit 
Losses Approval 
Governance 
Committee 

Enterprise Risk &
Control Committee 

Incentive 
Compensation 
and 
Performance 
Management
Committee 

Risk and Control 
Committees 

Risk Type 
Committees 

Risk Topic 
Committees 

(1) 

The Audit Committee additionally oversees the internal audit function; external auditor independence, activities, and performance; and the disclosure framework for financial, regulatory and risk 
reports prepared for the Board, management, and bank regulatory agencies; and assists the Board in its oversight of the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. 

Management Governance Committees Reporting to the Risk 
Committee of the Board.  The Enterprise Risk & Control 
Committee (ERCC) is a decision-making and escalation body that 
governs the management of all risk types. The ERCC receives 
information about risk and control issues, addresses escalated 
risks and issues, and actively oversees risk controls. The ERCC 
also makes decisions related to significant risks and changes to 
the Company’s risk appetite. The Risk Committee receives 
regular updates from the ERCC chairs and senior management 
regarding current and emerging risks and senior management’s 
assessment of the effectiveness of the Company’s risk 
management program. 

The ERCC is co-chaired by the CEO and CRO, and its 

membership is comprised of principal line of business and certain 
enterprise function heads. The Chief Auditor or a designee 
attends all meetings of the ERCC. The ERCC has a direct 
escalation path to the Risk Committee. The ERCC also escalates 
certain human capital risks and issues to the Human Resources 
Committee. In addition, the CRO may escalate anything directly 
to the Board. Risks and issues are escalated to the ERCC in 
accordance with the Company’s escalation management policy. 
Each principal line of business and enterprise function has a 
risk and control committee, which is a management governance 
committee with a mandate that aligns with the ERCC but with its 
scope limited to the respective principal line of business or 
enterprise function. These committees focus on and consider 

risks that the respective principal line of business or enterprise 
function generate and manage, and the controls the principal line 
of business or enterprise function are expected to have in place. 
As a complement to these risk and control committees, 
management governance committees dedicated to specific risk 
types and risk topics also report to the ERCC to enable more 
comprehensive governance of risks. 

Risk Operating Model – Roles and Responsibilities 
The Company has three lines of defense for managing risk: the 
Front Line, Independent Risk Management, and Internal Audit. 
• 

Front Line  The Front Line, which comprises principal line of 
business and certain enterprise function activities, is the first 
line of defense. The Front Line is responsible for 
understanding the risks generated by its activities, applying 
adequate controls, and managing risk in the course of its 
business activities. The Front Line identifies, measures and 
assesses, controls, monitors, and reports on risk generated 
by or associated with its business activities and balances risk 
and reward in decision making while operating within the 
Company’s risk appetite. 
Independent Risk Management  IRM is the second line of 
defense. It establishes and maintains the Company’s risk 
management program and provides oversight, including 
challenge to and independent assessment of, the Front 
Line’s execution of its risk management responsibilities. 

• 

32 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• 

Internal Audit  Internal Audit is the third line of defense. It is 
responsible for acting as an independent assurance function 
and validates that the risk management program is 
adequately designed and functioning effectively. 

Risk Type Classifications 
The Company uses common classifications, hierarchies, and 
ratings to enable consistency across risk management programs 
and aggregation of information. Risk type classifications permit 
the Company to identify and prioritize its risk exposures, 
including emerging risk exposures. 

Operational Risk Management 
Operational risk, which in addition to those discussed in this 
section, includes compliance risk and model risk, is the risk 
resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people 
and systems, or from external events. 

The Board’s Risk Committee has primary oversight 
responsibility for all aspects of operational risk, including 
significant supporting programs and/or policies regarding the 
Company’s business resiliency and disaster recovery, data 
management, information security, technology, and third-party 
risk management. As part of its oversight responsibilities, the 
Board’s Risk Committee reviews and approves significant 
operational risk policies and oversees the Company’s operational 
risk management program. 

At the management level, Operational Risk Management, 

which is part of IRM, has oversight responsibility for operational 
risk. Operational Risk Management reports to the CRO and 
provides periodic reports related to operational risk to the 
Board’s Risk Committee. Operational Risk Management’s 
oversight responsibilities include change management risk, 
human capital risk, technology risk, third-party risk, information 
management risk, information security risk, data management 
risk, and fraud risk. 

Information security is a significant operational risk for 

financial institutions such as Wells Fargo and includes the risk 
arising from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, 
modification, or destruction of information or information 
systems. The Board is actively engaged in the oversight of the 
Company’s information security risk management and cyber 
defense programs. The Board’s Risk Committee has primary 
oversight responsibility for information security risk and 
approves the Company’s information security program, which 
includes the information security policy and the cyber defense 
program. A Technology Subcommittee of the Risk Committee 
assists the Risk Committee in providing oversight of technology, 
information security, and cybersecurity risks as well as data 
management risk. The Technology Subcommittee reviews and 
recommends to the Risk Committee for approval any significant 
programs and/or policies supporting information security risk 
(including cybersecurity risk), technology risk, and data 
management risk. 

Wells Fargo and other financial institutions, as well as their 

third- party service providers, continue to be the target of 
various evolving and adaptive cyber attacks, including malware, 
ransomware, other malicious software intended to exploit 
hardware or software vulnerabilities, phishing, credential 
validation, and distributed denial-of-service, in an effort to 
disrupt the operations of financial institutions, test their 
cybersecurity capabilities, commit fraud, or obtain confidential, 
proprietary or other information. Cyber attacks have also 
focused on targeting online applications and services, such as 
online banking, as well as cloud-based and other products and 
services provided by third parties, and have targeted the 

infrastructure of the internet causing the widespread 
unavailability of websites and degrading website performance. As 
a result, information security and the continued development 
and enhancement of our controls, processes and systems 
designed to protect our networks, computers, software and data 
from attack, damage or unauthorized access remain a priority for 
Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo is also proactively involved in industry 
cybersecurity efforts and working with other parties, including 
our third-party service providers and governmental agencies, to 
continue to enhance defenses and improve resiliency to 
cybersecurity and other information security threats. See the 
“Risk Factors” section in this Report for additional information 
regarding the risks associated with a failure or breach of our 
operational or security systems or infrastructure, including as a 
result of cyber attacks. 

Compliance Risk Management 
Compliance risk (a type of operational risk) is the risk resulting 
from the failure to comply with laws (legislation, regulations and 
rules) and regulatory guidance, and the failure to appropriately 
address associated impact, including to customers. Compliance 
risk encompasses violations of applicable internal policies, 
program requirements, procedures, and standards related to 
ethical principles applicable to the banking industry. 

The Board’s Risk Committee has primary oversight 

responsibility for all aspects of compliance risk, including financial 
crimes risk. As part of its oversight responsibilities, the Board’s 
Risk Committee reviews and approves significant supporting 
compliance risk and financial crimes risk policies and programs 
and oversees the Company’s compliance risk management and 
financial crimes risk management programs. 

Conduct risk, a sub-category of compliance risk, is the risk of 

inappropriate, unethical, or unlawful behavior on the part of 
employees or individuals acting on behalf of the Company, 
caused by deliberate or unintentional actions or business 
practices. In connection with its oversight of conduct risk, the 
Board oversees the alignment of employee conduct to the 
Company’s risk appetite (which the Board approves annually). 
The Board’s Risk Committee has primary oversight responsibility 
for conduct risk and risk management components of the 
Company’s culture, while the responsibilities of the Board’s 
Human Resources Committee include oversight of the 
Company’s culture, Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, 
human capital management (including talent management and 
succession planning), performance management program, and 
incentive compensation risk management program. 

At the management level, the Compliance function, which is 

part of IRM, monitors the implementation of the Company’s 
compliance and conduct risk programs. Financial Crimes Risk 
Management, which is part of the Compliance function, oversees 
and monitors financial crimes risk. The Compliance function 
reports to the CRO and provides periodic reports related to 
compliance risk to the Board’s Risk Committee. 

Model Risk Management 
Model risk (a type of operational risk) is the risk arising from the 
potential for adverse consequences from decisions made based 
on model output that may be incorrect or used inappropriately. 

The Board’s Risk Committee has primary oversight 

responsibility for model risk. As part of its oversight 
responsibilities, the Board’s Risk Committee oversees the 
Company’s model risk management policy, model governance, 
model performance, model issue remediation status, and 
adherence to model risk appetite metrics. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

33 

Risk Management (continued) 

At the management level, the Model Risk function, which is 

part of IRM, has oversight responsibility for model risk and is 
responsible for governance, validation and monitoring of model 
risk across the Company. The Model Risk function reports to the 
CRO and provides periodic reports related to model risk to the 
Board’s Risk Committee. 

Strategic Risk Management 
Strategic risk is the risk to earnings, capital, or liquidity arising 
from adverse business decisions, improper implementation of 
strategic initiatives, or inadequate responses to changes in the 
external operating environment. 

The Board has primary oversight responsibility for strategic 

planning and oversees management’s development and 
implementation of and approves the Company’s strategic plan, 
and considers whether it is aligned with the Company’s risk 
appetite and risk management effectiveness. Management 
develops, executes and recommends significant strategic 
corporate transactions and the Board evaluates management’s 
proposals, including their impact on the Company’s risk profile 
and financial position. The Board’s Risk Committee has primary 
oversight responsibility for the Company’s strategic risk and the 
adequacy of the Company’s strategic risk management program, 
including associated risk management practices, processes and 
controls. The Board’s Risk Committee also receives updates from 
management regarding new business initiatives activity and risks 
related to new or changing products, as appropriate. 

At the management level, the Strategic Risk Oversight 

function, which is part of IRM, has oversight responsibility for 
strategic risk. The Strategic Risk Oversight function reports into 
the CRO and supports periodic reports related to strategic risk 
provided to the Board’s Risk Committee. 

Reputation Risk Management 
Reputation risk is the risk arising from the potential that 
negative stakeholder opinion or negative publicity regarding the 
Company’s business practices, whether true or not, will adversely 
impact current or projected financial conditions and resilience, 
cause a decline in the customer base, or result in costly litigation. 
Stakeholders include employees, customers, communities, 
shareholders, regulators, elected officials, advocacy groups, and 
media organizations. 

The Board’s Risk Committee has primary oversight 
responsibility for reputation risk, while each Board committee 
has reputation risk oversight responsibilities related to their 
primary oversight responsibilities. As part of its oversight 
responsibilities, the Board’s Risk Committee receives reports 
from management that help it monitor how effectively the 
Company is managing reputation risk. As part of its oversight 
responsibilities for social and public responsibility matters, the 
Board’s Corporate Responsibility Committee receives reports 
from management relating to stakeholder perceptions of the 
Company. 

At the management level, the Reputation Risk Oversight 
function, which is part of IRM, has oversight responsibility for 
reputation risk. The Reputation Risk Oversight function reports 
into the CRO and supports periodic reports related to reputation 
risk provided to the Board’s Risk Committee. 

Credit Risk Management 
We define credit risk as the risk of loss associated with a 
borrower or counterparty default (failure to meet obligations in 
accordance with agreed upon terms). Credit risk exists with many 

of the Company’s assets and exposures such as loans, debt 
securities, and certain derivatives. 

The Board’s Risk Committee has primary oversight 

responsibility for credit risk. A Credit Subcommittee of the Risk 
Committee assists the Risk Committee in providing oversight of 
credit risk. At the management level, Credit Risk, which is part of 
IRM, has oversight responsibility for credit risk. Credit Risk 
reports to the CRO and supports periodic reports related to 
credit risk provided to the Board’s Risk Committee or its Credit 
Subcommittee. 

Loan Portfolio  Our loan portfolios represent the largest 
component of assets on our consolidated balance sheet for which 
we have credit risk. Table 15 presents our total loans outstanding 
by portfolio segment and class of financing receivable. 

Table 15:  Total Loans Outstanding by Portfolio Segment and Class of 
Financing Receivable 

(in millions) 

Commercial: 

Dec 31, 2021 

Dec 31, 2020 

Commercial and industrial 

$ 

350,436 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

127,733 

20,092 

14,859 

318,805 

121,720 

21,805 

16,087 

513,120 

478,417 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

242,270 

276,674 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer 

Total loans 

16,618 

38,453 

56,659 

28,274 

382,274 

$ 

895,394 

23,286 

36,664 

48,187 

24,409 

409,220 

887,637 

We manage our credit risk by establishing what we believe 

are sound credit policies for underwriting new business, while 
monitoring and reviewing the performance of our existing loan 
portfolios. We employ various credit risk management and 
monitoring activities to mitigate risks associated with multiple 
risk factors affecting loans we hold including: 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•  Merger and acquisition activities; and 
• 

Loan concentrations and related credit quality; 
Counterparty credit risk; 
Economic and market conditions; 
Legislative or regulatory mandates; 
Changes in interest rates; 

Reputation risk. 

In addition, the Company will continue to integrate climate 
considerations into its credit risk management activities. 

Our credit risk management oversight process is governed 

centrally, but provides for direct management and accountability 
by our lines of business. Our overall credit process includes 
comprehensive credit policies, disciplined credit underwriting, 
frequent and detailed risk measurement and modeling, extensive 
credit training programs, and a continual loan review and audit 
process. 

A key to our credit risk management is adherence to a well-
controlled underwriting process, which we believe is appropriate 
for the needs of our customers as well as investors who purchase 
the loans or securities collateralized by the loans. 

34 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
Significant Accounting Policies) to Financial Statements in this 
Report. 

Significant Loan Portfolio Reviews  Measuring and monitoring 
our credit risk is an ongoing process that tracks delinquencies, 
collateral values, Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) scores, economic 
trends by geographic areas, loan-level risk grading for certain 
portfolios (typically commercial) and other indications of credit 
risk. Our credit risk monitoring process is designed to enable 
early identification of developing risk and to support our 
determination of an appropriate allowance for credit losses. The 
following discussion provides additional characteristics and 
analysis of our significant portfolios. See Note 4 (Loans and 
Related Allowance for Credit Losses) to Financial Statements in 
this Report for more analysis and credit metric information for 
each of the following portfolios. 

COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL LOANS AND LEASE FINANCING 
For purposes of portfolio risk management, we aggregate 
commercial and industrial loans and lease financing according 
to market segmentation and standard industry codes. We 
generally subject commercial and industrial loans and lease 
financing to individual risk assessment using our internal 
borrower and collateral quality ratings. Our ratings are aligned to 
regulatory definitions of pass and criticized categories with 
criticized segmented among special mention, substandard, 
doubtful and loss categories. 

We had $13.0 billion of the commercial and industrial loans 
and lease financing portfolio internally classified as criticized in 
accordance with regulatory guidance at December 31, 2021, 
compared with $19.3 billion at December 31, 2020. The change 
was driven by decreases in the oil, gas and pipelines, retail, 
transportation services, and entertainment and recreation 
industries, as these industries continue to recover from the 
effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The majority of our commercial and industrial loans and 
lease financing portfolio is secured by short-term assets, such as 
accounts receivable, inventory and debt securities, as well as 
long-lived assets, such as equipment and other business assets. 
Generally, the primary source of repayment for this portfolio is 
the operating cash flows of customers, with the collateral 
securing this portfolio representing a secondary source of 
repayment. 

The portfolio increased at December 31, 2021, compared 
with December 31, 2020, driven by higher loan demand resulting 
in increased originations and loan draws, partially offset by 
paydowns and PPP loan forgiveness. Table 16 provides our 
commercial and industrial loans and lease financing by industry. 
The industry categories are based on the North American 
Industry Classification System. 

Credit Quality Overview  Credit quality in 2021 reflected 
continued improvement in the economic environment. In 
particular: 
•  Nonaccrual loans were $7.2 billion at December 31, 2021, 
down from $8.7 billion at December 31, 2020. Commercial 
nonaccrual loans decreased to $2.4 billion at December 31, 
2021, compared with $4.8 billion at December 31, 2020, and 
consumer nonaccrual loans increased to $4.8 billion at 
December 31, 2021, compared with $3.9 billion at 
December 31, 2020. Nonaccrual loans represented 0.81% of 
total loans at December 31, 2021, compared with 0.98% at 
December 31, 2020. 

•  Net loan charge-offs as a percentage of our average 

• 

commercial and consumer loan portfolios were 0.06% and 
0.33%, respectively, in 2021, compared with 0.31% and 
0.39%, respectively, in 2020. 
Loans that are not government insured/guaranteed and 
90 days or more past due and still accruing were 
$235 million and $424 million in our commercial and 
consumer portfolios, respectively, at December 31, 2021, 
compared with $78 million and $612 million at 
December 31, 2020. 

•  Our provision for credit losses for loans was $(4.2) billion in 

• 

2021, compared with $14.0 billion in 2020. 
The ACL for loans decreased to $13.8 billion, or 1.54% of 
total loans, at December 31, 2021, compared with 
$19.7 billion, or 2.22%, at December 31, 2020. 

Additional information on our loan portfolios and our credit 

quality trends follows. 

COVID-Related Lending Accommodations  During 2021, we 
provided customers with residential mortgage loan payment 
deferrals of up to 18 months in response to the COVID-19 
pandemic. At December 31, 2021, approximately $1.1 billion of 
unpaid principal balance related to residential mortgage loans, 
excluding those insured by the Federal Housing Administration 
(FHA) or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA), remained in a deferral period. 

Based on guidance in the CARES Act and the Interagency 

Statement on Loan Modifications and Reporting for Financial 
Institutions Working with Customers Affected by the Coronavirus 
(Revised) issued by federal banking regulators in April 2020 (the 
Interagency Statement), both of which we elected to apply, loan 
modifications related to COVID-19 and that meet certain other 
criteria are exempt from troubled debt restructuring (TDR) 
classification. The TDR relief provided by the CARES Act 
guidance is no longer available after January 1, 2022; however, 
certain COVID-related lending accommodations may continue to 
be eligible for TDR relief under the Interagency Statement. At 
December 31, 2021, the majority of residential mortgage loans 
that were in a deferral period, excluding those that were 
government insured/guaranteed, met the criteria for TDR relief 
and were therefore not classified as TDRs. 

Customers who were current prior to entering the deferral 
period and confirmed their ability to return to their contractual 
loan payments upon exiting the deferral period will remain on 
accrual status. Customers who are unable to resume making their 
contractual loan payments upon exiting the deferral period are 
generally placed on nonaccrual status until they perform for a 
period of time. Such customers may require further assistance 
after exiting from these deferral programs and may receive or be 
eligible to receive modifications, or may be charged-off in 
accordance with our policies. For additional information about 
our COVID-related modifications, see Note 1 (Summary of 

Wells Fargo & Company 

35 

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Risk Management – Credit Risk Management (continued) 

Table 16:  Commercial and Industrial Loans and Lease Financing by Industry 

($ in millions) 

Financials except banks 

Technology, telecom and media 

Real estate and construction 

Equipment, machinery and parts manufacturing 

Retail 

Materials and commodities 

Food and beverage manufacturing 

Health care and pharmaceuticals 

Oil, gas and pipelines 

Auto related 

Commercial services 

Utilities 

Diversified or miscellaneous 

Entertainment and recreation 

Insurance and fiduciaries 

Banks 

Transportation services 

Agribusiness 

Government and education 

Other (2) 

Total 

Nonaccrual 
loans 

Total 
portfolio 

% of 
total 
loans 

Total 
commitments (1) 

Nonaccrual 
loans 

Total 
portfolio 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

% of 
total 
loans 

Total 
commitments (1) 

$ 

104 

142,283 

16% 

$ 

236,435 

$ 

64 

78 

24 

27 

32 

7 

24 

197 

31 

78 

77 

3 

23 

1 

— 

288 

35 

5 

30 

23,345 

25,035 

18,130 

17,645 

14,684 

13,242 

12,847 

8,828 

10,629 

10,492 

6,982 

7,493 

9,907 

3,387 

16,178 

8,162 

6,086 

5,863 

4,077 

3 

3 

2 

2 

2 

1 

1 

* 

1 

1 

* 

* 

1 

* 

2 

* 

* 

* 

* 

63,551 

56,278 

43,778 

41,447 

36,704 

30,903 

29,057 

29,010 

25,772 

24,804 

22,428 

19,395 

17,943 

17,521 

16,615 

14,775 

11,701 

11,358 

20,112 

160 

144 

133 

81 

94 

39 

17 

145 

953 

79 

107 

2 

7 

263 

2 

— 

573 

81 

9 

68 

117,726 

13%  $ 

206,999 

23,061 

23,113 

18,158 

17,393 

12,071 

12,401 

15,322 

10,471 

11,817 

10,284 

5,031 

5,437 

9,884 

3,297 

12,789 

9,236 

6,314 

5,464 

5,623 

3 

3 

2 

2 

1 

1 

2 

1 

1 

1 

* 

* 

1 

* 

1 

1 

* 

* 

* 

56,500 

51,526 

41,332 

41,669 

33,879 

28,908 

32,154 

30,055 

25,034 

24,442 

18,564 

14,717 

17,551 

14,334 

13,842 

15,531 

11,642 

11,065 

23,315 

$ 

1,128 

365,295 

41% 

$ 

769,587 

$ 

2,957 

334,892 

33%  $ 

713,059 

Less than 1%. 
* 
(1) 
Total commitments consist of loans outstanding plus unfunded credit commitments, excluding issued letters of credit. 
(2)  No other single industry had total loans in excess of $3.1 billion and $3.8 billion at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

Loans to financials except banks, our largest industry 

concentration, is predominantly comprised of loans to 
investment firms, financial vehicles, nonbank creditors, rental 
and leasing companies, securities firms, and investment banks. 
We had $93.6 billion and $80.0 billion of loans originated by our 
Asset Backed Finance (ABF) and Financial Institution Group (FIG) 
lines of business at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 
These loans include: (i) loans to customers related to their 
subscription or capital calls, (ii) loans to nonbank lenders 
collateralized by commercial loans, and (iii) loans to originators or 
servicers of financial assets collateralized by residential real 
estate or other consumer loans such as credit cards, auto loans 
and leases, student loans and other financial assets eligible for 
the securitization market. These ABF and FIG loans are limited to 
a percentage of the value of the underlying financial assets 
considering underlying credit risk, asset duration, and ongoing 
performance. These ABF and FIG loans may also have other 
features to manage credit risk such as cross-collateralization, 
credit enhancements, and contractual re-margining of collateral 
supporting the loans. In addition, loans to financials except banks 
included collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) in loan form, all of 
which were rated AA or above, of $8.1 billion and $7.9 billion at 
December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

Oil, gas and pipelines loans included $5.8 billion and 

$7.5 billion of senior secured loans outstanding at December 31, 
2021 and 2020, respectively. Oil, gas and pipelines nonaccrual 
loans decreased at December 31, 2021, compared with 
December 31, 2020, driven by loan paydowns. 

We continue to perform enhanced credit monitoring for 

certain industries that we consider to be directly and 
most adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Our commercial and industrial loans and lease financing 

portfolio also includes non-U.S. loans of $78.0 billion and 
$63.8 billion at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

Significant industry concentrations of non-U.S. loans at 
December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, included: 
• 

$46.7 billion and $36.2 billion in the financials except banks 
category; 
$15.9 billion and $12.8 billion in the banks category; and 
$1.7 billion and $1.6 billion in the oil, gas and pipelines 
category. 

• 
• 

Risk mitigation actions, including the restructuring of 

repayment terms, securing collateral or guarantees, and entering 
into extensions, are based on a re-underwriting of the loan and 
our assessment of the borrower’s ability to perform under the 
agreed-upon terms. Extension terms generally range from six to 
thirty-six months and may require that the borrower provide 
additional economic support in the form of partial repayment, or 
additional collateral or guarantees. In cases where the value of 
collateral or financial condition of the borrower is insufficient to 
repay our loan, we may rely upon the support of an outside 
repayment guarantee in providing the extension. 

Our ability to seek performance under a guarantee is directly 

related to the guarantor’s creditworthiness, capacity and 
willingness to perform, which is evaluated on an annual basis, or 
more frequently as warranted. Our evaluation is based on the 
most current financial information available and is focused on 
various key financial metrics, including net worth, leverage, and 
current and future liquidity. We consider the guarantor’s 
reputation, creditworthiness, and willingness to work with us 
based on our analysis, as well as other lenders’ experience with 
the guarantor. Our assessment of the guarantor’s credit strength 
is reflected in our loan risk ratings for such loans. The loan risk 
rating and accruing status are important factors in our allowance 
for credit losses methodology. 

36 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In considering the accrual status of the loan, we evaluate 
the collateral and future cash flows, as well as the anticipated 
support of any repayment guarantor. In many cases, the 
strength of the guarantor provides sufficient assurance that full 
repayment of the loan is expected. When full and timely 
collection of the loan becomes uncertain, including the 
performance of the guarantor, we place the loan on nonaccrual 
status. As appropriate, we also charge the loan down in 
accordance with our charge-off policies, generally to the net 
realizable value of the collateral securing the loan, if any. 

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE (CRE)  We generally subject CRE loans 
to individual risk assessment using our internal borrower and 
collateral quality ratings. We had $13.1 billion of CRE mortgage 
loans classified as criticized at December 31, 2021, compared 
with $12.0 billion at December 31, 2020, and $1.7 billion of CRE 
construction loans classified as criticized at December 31, 2021, 
compared with $1.6 billion at December 31, 2020. The increase 
in criticized CRE mortgage and construction loans was driven by 
the hotel/motel, apartment, and institutional property types and 

Table 17:  CRE Loans by State and Property Type 

reflected the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due 
to uncertainty in the recovery from the economic impacts of the 
COVID-19 pandemic, the credit quality of certain property types 
within our CRE loan portfolio, such as retail, hotel/motel, office 
buildings, and shopping centers, could continue to be adversely 
affected. 

The total CRE loan portfolio increased $4.3 billion from 

December 31, 2020, driven by an increase in CRE mortgage loans 
predominantly related to apartments, 1-4 family structure, 
hotel/motel, and industrial property types, partially offset by a 
decrease in CRE construction loans. The CRE loan portfolio 
included $8.7 billion of non-U.S. CRE loans at December 31, 
2021. The portfolio is diversified both geographically and by 
property type. The largest geographic concentrations of CRE 
loans are in California, New York, Texas, and Florida, which 
combined represented 48% of the total CRE portfolio. The 
largest property type concentrations are office buildings at 25% 
and apartments at 22% of the portfolio. 

Table 17 summarizes CRE loans by state and property type 

with the related nonaccrual totals at December 31, 2021. 

December 31, 2021 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Nonaccrual 
loans 

Total 
portfolio 

Nonaccrual 
loans 

Total 
portfolio 

Nonaccrual 
loans 

($ in millions) 

By state: 

California 

New York 

Texas 

Florida 

Washington 

Arizona 

North Carolina 

Georgia 

Illinois 

New Jersey 

Other (1) 

Total 

By property: 

Office buildings 

Apartments 

Industrial/warehouse 

Hotel/motel 

Retail (excluding shopping center) 

Shopping center 

Institutional 

Mixed use properties 

Collateral pool 

1-4 family structure 

Other 

Total 

$ 

$ 

$ 

187 

132 

88 

98 

84 

45 

5 

13 

15 

47 

31,007 

13,283 

9,456 

9,086 

4,121 

4,712 

4,124 

4,324 

3,563 

2,809 

521 

41,248 

1,235 

127,733 

133 

13 

78 

254 

132 

422 

50 

80 

— 

— 

73 

33,657 

24,663 

16,086 

11,261 

12,352 

9,554 

5,344 

5,321 

3,308 

8 

6,179 

2 

2 

— 

1 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

8 

13 

1 

— 

— 

— 

3 

— 

1 

1 

— 

— 

7 

3,661 

2,353 

1,149 

1,349 

1,180 

334 

631 

338 

479 

816 

7,802 

20,092 

3,079 

7,238 

1,628 

1,503 

98 

894 

2,399 

982 

201 

1,049 

1,021 

Total 

Total 
portfolio 

34,668 

15,636 

10,605 

10,435 

5,301 

5,046 

4,755 

4,662 

4,042 

3,625 

189 

134 

88 

99 

84 

45 

5 

13 

15 

47 

529 

1,248 

49,050 

147,825 

134 

13 

78 

254 

135 

422 

51 

81 

— 

— 

80 

36,736 

31,901 

17,714 

12,764 

12,450 

10,448 

7,743 

6,303 

3,509 

1,057 

7,200 

% of 
total 
loans 

4  % 

2 

1 

1 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

5 

17  % 

4  % 

4 

2 

1 

1 

1 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

$ 

1,235 

127,733 

13 

20,092 

1,248 

147,825 

17  % 

* 
(1) 

Less than 1%. 
Includes 40 states; no state in Other had loans in excess of $3.6 billion. 

NON-U.S. LOANS  Our classification of non-U.S. loans is based on 
whether the borrower’s primary address is outside of the United 
States. At December 31, 2021, non-U.S. loans totaled 
$86.9 billion, representing approximately 10% of our total 
consolidated loans outstanding, compared with $72.9 billion, or 
approximately 8% of our total consolidated loans outstanding, at 
December 31, 2020. Non-U.S. loans were approximately 4% of 

our total consolidated assets at both December 31, 2021, and 
December 31, 2020. 

COUNTRY RISK EXPOSURE  Our country risk monitoring process 
incorporates centralized monitoring of economic, political, social, 
legal, and transfer risks in countries where we do or plan to do 
business, along with frequent dialogue with our customers, 

Wells Fargo & Company 

37 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Risk Management – Credit Risk Management (continued) 

counterparties and regulatory agencies. We establish exposure 
limits for each country through a centralized oversight process 
based on customer needs, and through consideration of the 
relevant and distinct risk of each country. We monitor exposures 
closely and adjust our country limits in response to changing 
conditions. We evaluate our individual country risk exposure 
based on our assessment of the borrower’s ability to repay, 
which gives consideration for allowable transfers of risk, such as 
guarantees and collateral, and may be different from the 
reporting based on the borrower’s primary address. 

Our largest single country exposure outside the U.S. at 

December 31, 2021, was the United Kingdom, which totaled 
$36.0 billion, or approximately 2% of our total assets, and 
included $7.9 billion of sovereign claims. Our United Kingdom 
sovereign claims arise from deposits we have placed with the 
Bank of England pursuant to regulatory requirements in support 
of our London branch. 

Table 18:  Select Country Exposures 

Table 18 provides information regarding our top 20 
exposures by country (excluding the U.S.), based on our 
assessment of risk, which gives consideration to the country of 
any guarantors and/or underlying collateral. With respect to 
Table 18: 
• 

Lending and deposits exposure includes outstanding loans, 
unfunded credit commitments, and deposits with non-U.S. 
banks. These balances are presented prior to the deduction 
of allowance for credit losses or collateral received under the 
terms of the credit agreements, if any. 
Securities exposure represents debt and equity securities of 
non-U.S. issuers. Long and short positions are netted, and 
net short positions are reflected as negative exposure. 
•  Derivatives and other exposure represents foreign exchange 
contracts, derivative contracts, securities resale agreements, 
and securities lending agreements. 

• 

($ in millions) 

Top 20 country exposures: 

United Kingdom 

Canada 

Cayman Islands 

Ireland 

Guernsey 

Bermuda 

Luxembourg 

Germany 

China 

France 

Netherlands 

South Korea 

India 

Switzerland 

Brazil 

Chile 

Australia 

Norway 

Japan 

United Arab Emirates 

Lending and deposits 

Sovereign 

Non-
sovereign 

Securities 

Non-
sovereign 

Sovereign 

$ 

7,912 

1 

— 

557 

— 

— 

— 

— 

8 

91 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

166 

— 

24,793 

17,347 

6,971 

4,904 

4,193 

3,877 

3,582 

3,177 

3,287 

2,969 

2,191 

2,025 

1,553 

1,380 

1,516 

1,326 

1,231 

1,045 

809 

881 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1 

— 

— 

(4) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

978 

145 

— 

185 

— 

68 

99 

68 

66 

140 

83 

137 

68 

1 

3 

30 

(9) 

116 

48 

82 

Derivatives and other 

December 31, 2021 

Total exposure 

Sovereign 

Non-
sovereign 

Sovereign 

Non-
sovereign (1) 

1 

7 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

29 

111 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2,365 

364 

95 

68 

60 

63 

87 

231 

27 

28 

81 

13 

1 

200 

2 

1 

14 

4 

37 

— 

7,913 

8 

— 

557 

— 

— 

— 

— 

38 

202 

— 

(4) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

166 

— 

28,136 

17,856 

7,066 

5,157 

4,253 

4,008 

3,768 

3,476 

3,380 

3,137 

2,355 

2,175 

1,622 

1,581 

1,521 

1,357 

1,236 

1,165 

894 

963 

Total 

36,049 

17,864 

7,066 

5,714 

4,253 

4,008 

3,768 

3,476 

3,418 

3,339 

2,355 

2,171 

1,622 

1,581 

1,521 

1,357 

1,236 

1,165 

1,060 

963 

Total top 20 country exposures 

$ 

8,735 

89,057 

(3) 

2,308 

148 

3,741 

8,880 

95,106 

103,986 

(1) 

Total non-sovereign exposure comprised $47.7 billion exposure to financial institutions and $47.4 billion to non-financial corporations at December 31, 2021. 

RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOANS  Our residential mortgage loan 
portfolio is comprised of 1-4 family first and junior lien mortgage 
loans. Residential mortgage – first lien loans comprised 94% of 
the total residential mortgage loan portfolio at December 31, 
2021, compared with 92% at December 31, 2020. 

The residential mortgage loan portfolio includes some loans 

with adjustable-rate features and some with an interest-only 
feature as part of the loan terms. Interest-only loans were 
approximately 3% of total loans at both December 31, 2021, and 
December 31, 2020. We believe our origination process 
appropriately addresses our adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) 
reset risk across our residential mortgage loans and our ACL for 
loans considers this risk. We do not offer option ARM products, 
nor do we offer variable-rate mortgage products with fixed 
payment amounts, commonly referred to within the financial 
services industry as negative amortizing mortgage loans. 

The residential mortgage – junior lien portfolio consists of 

residential mortgage lines of credit and loans that are 
subordinate in rights to an existing lien on the same property. 
These lines and loans may have draw periods, interest-only 

payments, balloon payments, adjustable rates and similar 
features. Junior lien loan products are primarily amortizing 
payment loans with fixed interest rates and repayment periods 
between five to 30 years. We continuously monitor the credit 
performance of our residential mortgage – junior lien portfolio 
for trends and factors that influence the frequency and severity 
of losses, such as junior lien performance when the first lien loan 
is delinquent. 

Our residential mortgage lines of credit (both first and junior 

lien) generally have draw periods of 10, 15 or 20 years with 
variable interest rate and payment options available during the 
draw period of (1) interest-only or (2) 1.5% of outstanding 
principal balance plus accrued interest. As of December 31, 2021, 
lines of credit in a draw period primarily used the interest-only 
option. The lines that enter their amortization period may 
experience higher delinquencies and higher loss rates than the 
ones in their draw or term period. We have considered this 
increased risk in our ACL estimate. 

During the draw period, the borrower has the option of 
converting all or a portion of the line from a variable interest rate 

38 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
to a fixed rate with terms including interest-only payments for a 
fixed period between three to seven years or a fully amortizing 
payment with a fixed period between five to 30 years. At the end 
of the draw period, a line of credit generally converts to an 
amortizing payment schedule with repayment terms of up to 
30 years based on the balance at time of conversion. Certain lines 
and loans have been structured with a balloon payment, which 
requires full repayment of the outstanding balance at the end of 
the term period. The conversion of lines or loans to fully 
amortizing or balloon payoff may result in a significant payment 
increase, which can affect some borrowers’ ability to repay the 
outstanding balance. 

In anticipation of our residential mortgage line of credit 
borrowers reaching the end of their contractual commitment, we 
have created a program to inform, educate and help these 
borrowers transition from interest-only to fully-amortizing 
payments or full repayment. We monitor the performance of the 
borrowers moving through the program in an effort to refine our 
ongoing program strategy. 

We monitor changes in real estate values and underlying 
economic or market conditions for all geographic areas of our 
residential mortgage portfolio as part of our credit risk 
management process. Our periodic review of this portfolio 
includes original appraisals adjusted for the change in Home Price 
Index (HPI) or estimates from automated valuation models 
(AVMs) to support property values. AVMs are computer-based 
tools used to estimate the market value of homes. AVMs are a 
lower-cost alternative to appraisals and support valuations of 
large numbers of properties in a short period of time using 
market comparables and price trends for local market areas. The 
primary risk associated with the use of AVMs is that the value of 
an individual property may vary significantly from the average for 
the market area. We have processes to periodically validate 
AVMs and specific risk management guidelines addressing the 
circumstances when AVMs may be used. Additional information 
about appraisals, AVMs, and our policy for their use can be found 
in Note 4 (Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses) to 
Financial Statements in this Report. 

Part of our credit monitoring includes tracking delinquency, 
current FICO scores and loan/combined loan to collateral values 
(LTV/CLTV) on the entire residential mortgage loan portfolio. 
CLTV represents the ratio of the total loan balance of first and 
junior lien mortgages (including unused line amounts for credit 
line products) to property collateral value. Excluding government 
insured/guaranteed loans, these credit risk indicators on the 
residential mortgage portfolio were: 
• 

Loans 30 days or more delinquent at December 31, 2021, 
totaled $3.3 billion, or 1% of residential mortgage loans, 
compared with $4.7 billion, or 2%, at December 31, 2020; 
Lines of credit in their draw period that were 30 days or 
more past due were $293 million, or 2% of such lines, at 
December 31, 2021, and $381 million, or 2%, at 
December 31, 2020, compared with amortizing lines of 
credit that were 30 days or more past due of $395 million, or 
7% of such lines, at December 31, 2021, and $378 million, or 
5%, at December 31, 2020; 

• 

• 

• 

Loans with FICO scores lower than 640 totaled $3.8 billion, 
or 1% of residential mortgage loans, at December 31, 2021, 
compared with $5.6 billion, or 2%, at December 31, 2020; 
and 
Loans with a LTV/CLTV greater than 100% totaled 
$465 million at December 31, 2021, or less than 1% of 
residential mortgage loans, compared with $1.6 billion, or 
1%, at December 31, 2020. 

With respect to residential mortgage – junior lien loans that had a 
CLTV greater than 100%: 
• 

Such loans totaled 1% of the junior lien portfolio at 
December 31, 2021, compared with 3% at December 31, 
2020; and 
3% were 30 days or more delinquent at both December 31, 
2021, and December 31, 2020. 

• 

Customer payment deferral activities instituted in response 

to the COVID-19 pandemic could continue to delay the 
recognition of delinquencies. For additional information 
regarding credit quality indicators, see Note 4 (Loans and Related 
Allowance for Credit Losses) to Financial Statements in this 
Report. 

We continue to modify residential mortgage loans to assist 

homeowners and other borrowers experiencing financial 
difficulties. Under these programs, we may provide concessions 
such as interest rate reductions, forbearance of principal, and in 
some cases, principal forgiveness. These programs generally 
include trial payment periods of three to four months, and after 
successful completion and compliance with terms during this 
period, the loan is permanently modified. Loans included under 
these programs are accounted for as TDRs at the start of the trial 
period or at the time of permanent modification, if no trial period 
is used. For additional information on customer 
accommodations, including loan modifications, in response to 
the COVID-19 pandemic, see the “Risk Management – Credit 
Risk Management – COVID-Related Lending Accommodations” 
section in this Report. 

Residential Mortgage – First Lien Portfolio  Our residential 
mortgage – first lien portfolio decreased $34.4 billion from 
December 31, 2020, driven by loan paydowns reflecting the low 
interest rate environment and the transfer of $17.8 billion of 
first lien mortgage loans to loans held for sale (LHFS) 
substantially all of which related to the sales of loans purchased 
from GNMA loan securitization pools in prior periods, partially 
offset by originations of $72.6 billion. 

Table 19 shows certain delinquency and loss information for 

the residential mortgage – first lien portfolio and lists the top 
five states by outstanding balance. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

39 

Risk Management – Credit Risk Management (continued) 

Table 19:  Residential Mortgage – First Lien Portfolio Performance 

Outstanding balance 

% of total loans 

% of loans 30 days
or more past due 

Net loan charge-off rate (1) 

December 31, 

December 31, 

December 31, 

Year ended December 31, 

($ in millions) 

California (2) 

New York 

New Jersey 

Florida 

Washington 

Other (3) 

Total 

Government insured/guaranteed loans (4) 

2021 

2020 

2021 

$ 

100,933 

104,260 

11.27  % 

30,039 

10,205 

9,978 

8,636 

69,321 

229,112 

13,158 

31,028 

12,073 

10,623 

9,094 

79,356 

3.35 

1.14 

1.11 

0.96 

7.74 

246,434 

25.57 

30,240 

1.47 

Total first lien mortgage portfolio 

$ 

242,270 

276,674 

27.04 

2021 

2020 

0.95 

1.34 

1.95 

1.93 

0.47 

1.48 

1.23 

1.00 

1.40 

1.92 

2.56 

0.66 

1.60 

1.34 

2021 

(0.01) 

0.12 

0.08 

0.09 

— 

0.01 

0.02 

2020 

(0.01) 

0.01 

— 

— 

(0.01) 

0.01 

— 

2020 

11.75 

3.50 

1.36 

1.20 

1.02 

8.94 

27.77 

3.41 

31.18 

(1) 

The net loan charge-off rate for the year ended December 31, 2021, includes $120 million of loan charge-offs related to a change in practice to fully charge-off certain delinquent legacy residential 
mortgage loans. 

(2)  Our residential mortgage loans to borrowers in California are located predominantly within the larger metropolitan areas, with no single California metropolitan area consisting of more than 4% of 

(3) 
(4) 

total loans. 
Consists of 45 states; no state in Other had loans in excess of $7.2 billion and $7.8 billion at December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively. 
Represents loans, substantially all of which were repurchased from GNMA loan securitization pools, where the repayment of the loans is predominantly insured by the Federal Housing Administration 
(FHA) or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). For additional information on GNMA loan securitization pools, see the “Risk Management – Credit Risk Management – Mortgage 
Banking Activities” section in this Report. 

Residential Mortgage – Junior Lien Portfolio  Our residential 
mortgage – junior lien portfolio decreased $6.7 billion from 
December 31, 2020, driven by loan paydowns. 

Table 20 shows certain delinquency and loss information for 

the residential mortgage – junior lien portfolio and lists the top 
five states by outstanding balance. 

Table 20:  Residential Mortgage – Junior Lien Portfolio Performance 

Outstanding balance 

% of total loans 

% of loans 30 days 
or more past due 

Net loan charge-off rate (1) 

December 31, 

December 31, 

December 31, 

Year ended December 31, 

($ in millions) 

California 

New Jersey 

Florida 

Pennsylvania 

Virginia 

Other (2) 

$ 

2021 

4,310 

1,728 

1,533 

1,039 

976 

7,032 

2020 

2021 

2020 

2021 

2020 

6,237 

2,258 

2,119 

1,377 

1,355 

9,940 

0.48  % 

0.19 

0.17 

0.12 

0.11 

0.79 

0.70 

0.25 

0.24 

0.16 

0.15 

1.12 

2.62 

3.52 

2.98 

2.54 

2.19 

2.56 

2.75 

2.91 

2.20 

2.84 

3.06 

2.30 

2.41 

2.31 

2.41 

2021 

(0.59) 

0.04 

(0.13) 

(0.12) 

(0.30) 

(0.39) 

(0.36) 

2020 

(0.35) 

(0.02) 

(0.14) 

(0.15) 

(0.10) 

(0.19) 

(0.21) 

Total junior lien mortgage portfolio 

$ 

16,618 

23,286 

1.86  % 

(1) 

(2) 

The net loan charge-off rate for the year ended December 31, 2021, includes $32 million of loan charge-offs related to a change in practice to fully charge-off certain delinquent legacy residential 
mortgage loans. 
Consists of 45 states; no state in Other had loans in excess of $1.0 billion and $1.3 billion at December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively. 

The outstanding balance of residential mortgage lines of 
credit was $22.8 billion at December 31, 2021. The unfunded 
credit commitments for these lines of credit totaled $45.6 billion 
at December 31, 2021. 

On a monthly basis, we monitor the payment characteristics 

of borrowers in our residential mortgage – first and junior lien 
lines of credit portfolios. In December 2021, excluding borrowers 
with COVID-related loan modification payment deferrals: 
Approximately 45% of these borrowers paid only the 
• 
minimum amount due and approximately 50% paid more 
than the minimum amount due. The rest were either 
delinquent or paid less than the minimum amount due. 
For the borrowers with an interest-only payment feature, 
approximately 29% paid only the minimum amount due and 
approximately 66% paid more than the minimum amount 
due. 

• 

CREDIT CARD, AUTO AND OTHER CONSUMER LOANS  Table 21 
shows the outstanding balance of our credit card, auto and other 
consumer loan portfolios. For information regarding credit 
quality indicators for these portfolios, see Note 4 (Loans and 

Related Allowance for Credit Losses) to Financial Statements in 
this Report. 

Table 21:  Credit Card, Auto, and Other Consumer Loans 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

Outstanding
balance 

% of 
total 
loans 

Outstanding
balance 

% of 
total 
loans 

$ 

38,453 

4.29% 

$ 

36,664 

4.13% 

56,659 

28,274 

6.33 

3.16 

48,187 

24,409 

5.43 

2.75 

($ in millions) 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total 

$  123,386 

13.78% 

$ 

109,260 

12.31% 

Credit Card  Our credit card portfolio totaled $38.5 billion at 
December 31, 2021, compared with $36.7 billion at 
December 31, 2020, due to strong purchase volume and the 
launch of new products. 

Auto  Our auto portfolio totaled $56.7 billion at December 31, 
2021, compared with $48.2 billion at December 31, 2020. The 
increase in the outstanding balance at December 31, 2021, 

40 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
compared with December 31, 2020, was driven by strong 
consumer demand for automobiles. 

Other Consumer  Other consumer loans, which primarily include 
securities-based loans as well as personal lines and loans, totaled 
$28.3 billion at December 31, 2021, compared with $24.4 billion 
at December 31, 2020, driven by an increase in margin loans. 

NONPERFORMING ASSETS (NONACCRUAL LOANS AND FORECLOSED 
ASSETS)  We generally place loans on nonaccrual status when: 
• 

the full and timely collection of interest or principal becomes 
uncertain (generally based on an assessment of the 
borrower’s financial condition and the adequacy of collateral, 
if any), such as in bankruptcy or other circumstances; 
they are 90 days (120 days with respect to residential 
mortgage loans) past due for interest or principal, unless the 
loan is both well-secured and in the process of collection or 
the loan is in an active payment deferral as a result of the 
COVID-19 pandemic; 
part of the principal balance has been charged off; or 

• 

• 

• 

for junior lien mortgages, we have evidence that the related 
first lien mortgage may be 120 days past due or in the 
process of foreclosure regardless of the junior lien 
delinquency status. 

Certain nonaccrual loans may be returned to accrual status 

after they perform for a period of time. Consumer credit card 
loans are not placed on nonaccrual status, but are generally fully 
charged off when the loan reaches 180 days past due. 

Customer payment deferral activities instituted in response 

to the COVID-19 pandemic could continue to delay the 
recognition of nonaccrual loans for those customers who would 
have otherwise moved into nonaccrual status. For additional 
information on customer accommodations, including loan 
modifications, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, see the 
“Risk Management – Credit Risk Management – COVID-Related 
Lending Accommodations” section in this Report. 

Table 22 summarizes nonperforming assets (NPAs) at 

December 31, 2021 and 2020. 

Table 22:  Nonperforming Assets (Nonaccrual Loans and Foreclosed Assets) 

(in millions) 

Nonaccrual loans: 

Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien (1) 

Residential mortgage – junior lien (1) 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer 

Total nonaccrual loans 

As a percentage of total loans 

Foreclosed assets: 

Government insured/guaranteed (2) 

Non-government insured/guaranteed 

Total foreclosed assets 

Total nonperforming assets 

As a percentage of total loans 

December 31, 

2021 

2020 

$ 

$ 

$ 

980 

1,235 

13 

148 

2,376 

3,803 

801 

198 

34 

4,836 

7,212 

0.81  % 

16 

96 

112 

$ 

7,324 

0.82  % 

2,698 

1,774 

48 

259 

4,779 

2,957 

754 

202 

36 

3,949 

8,728 

0.98 

18 

141 

159 

8,887 

1.00 

(1) 
(2) 

Residential mortgage loans predominantly insured by the FHA or guaranteed by the VA are not placed on nonaccrual status because they are insured or guaranteed. 
Consistent with regulatory reporting requirements, foreclosed real estate resulting from government insured/guaranteed loans are classified as nonperforming. Both principal and interest related to 
these foreclosed real estate assets are collectible because the loans were predominantly insured by the FHA or guaranteed by the VA. Receivables related to the foreclosure of certain government 
guaranteed real estate mortgage loans are excluded from this table and included in Accounts Receivable in Other Assets. For additional information on the classification of certain government-
guaranteed mortgage loans upon foreclosure, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) to Financial Statements in this Report. 

Commercial nonaccrual loans decreased $2.4 billion from 
December 31, 2020, primarily due to a decline in commercial and 
industrial nonaccrual loans, as a result of paydowns in the oil, gas, 
and pipelines industry. For additional information on commercial 
nonaccrual loans, see the “Risk Management – Credit Risk 
Management – Commercial and Industrial Loans and Lease 
Financing” and “Risk Management – Credit Risk Management – 
Commercial Real Estate” sections in this Report. 

Consumer nonaccrual loans increased $887 million from 
December 31, 2020, predominantly driven by an increase in 
residential mortgage – first lien nonaccrual loans as certain 
customers exited from accommodation programs provided in 
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers requiring 
further payment assistance after exiting from these programs 
may have their loans modified or may be eligible to receive 
modifications. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

41 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Risk Management – Credit Risk Management (continued) 

Table 23 provides an analysis of the changes in nonaccrual 

loans. Typically, changes to nonaccrual loans period-over-period 
represent inflows for loans that are placed on nonaccrual status 
in accordance with our policies, offset by reductions for loans 

that are paid down, charged off, sold, foreclosed, or are no longer 
classified as nonaccrual as a result of continued performance and 
an improvement in the borrower’s financial condition and loan 
repayment capabilities. 

Table 23:  Analysis of Changes in Nonaccrual Loans 

(in millions) 

Commercial nonaccrual loans 

Balance, beginning of period 

Inflows 

Outflows: 

Returned to accruing 

Foreclosures 

Charge-offs 

Payments, sales and other 

Total outflows 

Balance, end of period 

Consumer nonaccrual loans 

Balance, beginning of period 

Inflows 

Outflows: 

Returned to accruing 

Foreclosures 

Charge-offs (1) 

Payments, sales and other 

Total outflows 

Balance, end of period 

Total nonaccrual loans 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

4,779 

2,113 

(1,003) 

(13) 

(533) 

(2,967) 

(4,516) 

2,376 

3,949 

3,281 

(828) 

(69) 

(252) 

(1,245) 

(2,394) 

4,836 

7,212 

2,254 

7,232 

(385) 

(37) 

(1,669) 

(2,616) 

(4,707) 

4,779 

3,092 

2,616 

(757) 

(36) 

(159) 

(807) 

(1,759) 

3,949 

8,728 

(1) 

Charge-offs for the year ended December 31, 2021, includes $152 million of loan charge-offs related to a change in practice to fully charge-off certain delinquent legacy residential mortgage loans. 

We believe exposure to loss on nonaccrual loans is mitigated 

If interest due on all nonaccrual loans (including loans that 

were, but are no longer on nonaccrual status at year end) had 
been accrued under the original terms, approximately 
$335 million of interest would have been recorded as income on 
these loans, compared with $309 million actually recorded as 
interest income in 2021, versus $329 million and $303 million, 
respectively, in 2020. 

by the following factors at December 31, 2021: 
• 
• 

95% of total commercial nonaccrual loans are secured. 
84% of commercial nonaccrual loans were current on 
interest and 81% of commercial nonaccrual loans were 
current on both principal and interest, but were on 
nonaccrual status because the full or timely collection of 
interest or principal had become uncertain. 
99% of total consumer nonaccrual loans are secured, of 
which 95% are secured by real estate and 96% have a 
combined LTV (CLTV) ratio of 80% or less. 
of the $907 million of consumer loans in bankruptcy or 
discharged in bankruptcy, and classified as nonaccrual, 
$675 million were current. 
the remaining risk of loss of all nonaccrual loans has been 
considered in developing our allowance for loan losses. 

• 

• 

• 

42 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
Table 24 provides a summary of foreclosed assets and an 

analysis of changes in foreclosed assets. 

Table 24:  Foreclosed Assets 

(in millions) 

Summary by loan segment 

Government insured/guaranteed 

Commercial 

Consumer 

Total foreclosed assets 

Analysis of changes in foreclosed assets 

Balance, beginning of period 

Net change in government insured/guaranteed (1) 

Additions to foreclosed assets (2) 

Reductions from sales and write-downs 

Balance, end of period 

(1) 
(2) 

Foreclosed government insured/guaranteed loans are temporarily transferred to and held by us as servicer, until reimbursement is received from FHA or VA. 
Includes loans moved into foreclosed assets from nonaccrual status and repossessed autos. 

As part of our actions to support customers during the 

COVID-19 pandemic, we temporarily suspended certain 
mortgage foreclosure activities through December 31, 2021, 
which has affected the amount of our foreclosed assets. 
Beginning January 1, 2022, we resumed these mortgage 
foreclosure activities. For additional information on loans in 
process of foreclosure, see Note 4 (Loans and Related Allowance 
for Credit Losses) to Financial Statements in this Report. 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

$ 

$ 

$ 

16 

54 

42 

112 

159 

(2) 

370 

(415) 

112 

18 

70 

71 

159 

303 

(32) 

332 

(444) 

159 

Wells Fargo & Company 

43 

  
 
 
Risk Management – Credit Risk Management (continued) 

TROUBLED DEBT RESTRUCTURINGS (TDRs)  Table 25 provides 
information regarding the recorded investment of loans 
modified in TDRs. TDRs decreased from December 31, 2020, 
predominantly related to commercial and industrial loans and 
residential mortgage – first lien loans. The decrease in 
commercial and industrial loans was primarily due to paydowns in 
the oil, gas, and pipelines industry. The decrease in residential 
mortgage – first lien loans was due to paydowns and transfers to 
LHFS, which related to sales of repurchased loans from GNMA 
loan securitization pools. 

The amount of our TDRs at December 31, 2021, would have 

otherwise been higher without the TDR relief provided by the 

CARES Act and Interagency Statement. Customers who are 
unable to resume making their contractual loan payments upon 
exiting from these deferral programs may require further 
assistance and may receive or be eligible to receive modifications, 
which may be classified as TDRs. For additional information on 
the CARES Act and the Interagency Statement, see the “Risk 
Management – Credit Risk Management – Credit Quality 
Overview – COVID-Related Lending Accommodations” section in 
this Report. 

December 31, 

2021 

2020 

793 

543 

2 

10 

1,933 

774 

15 

9 

1,348 

2,731 

$ 

$ 

$ 

7,282 

946 

309 

169 

57 

71 

8,834 

10,182 

3,142 

2,462 

4,578 

$ 

10,182 

9,764 

1,237 

458 

176 

67 

90 

11,792 

14,523 

4,456 

3,721 

6,346 

14,523 

Table 25:  TDR Balances 

(in millions) 

Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial TDRs 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Trial modifications 

Total consumer TDRs 

Total TDRs 

TDRs on nonaccrual status 

TDRs on accrual status: 

Government insured/guaranteed 

Non-government insured/guaranteed 

Total TDRs 

44 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
  
In those situations where principal is forgiven, the entire 
amount of such forgiveness is immediately charged off. When we 
delay the timing on the repayment of a portion of principal 
(principal forbearance), we charge off the amount of forbearance 
if that amount is not considered fully collectible. The allowance 
for loan losses for TDRs was $211 million and $565 million at 
December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

Our nonaccrual policies are generally the same for all 

loan types when a restructuring is involved. We may 
re-underwrite loans at the time of restructuring to determine 
whether there is sufficient evidence of sustained repayment 
capacity based on the borrower’s documented income, debt 
to income ratios, and other factors. Loans that are not re-
underwritten or loans that lack sufficient evidence of sustained 
repayment capacity at the time of modification are charged 
down to the fair value of the collateral, if applicable. For an 
accruing loan that has been modified, if the borrower has 
demonstrated performance under the previous terms and the 
underwriting process shows the capacity to continue to perform 

Table 26:  Analysis of Changes in TDRs 

under the restructured terms, the loan will generally remain in 
accruing status. Otherwise, the loan will be placed in nonaccrual 
status and may be returned to accruing status when the 
borrower demonstrates a sustained period of performance, 
generally six consecutive months of payments, or equivalent, 
inclusive of consecutive payments made prior to modification. 
Loans will also be placed on nonaccrual status, and a 
corresponding charge-off is recorded to the loan balance, when 
we believe that principal and interest contractually due under the 
modified agreement will not be collectible. See Note 4 (Loans 
and Related Allowance for Credit Losses) to Financial Statements 
in this Report for additional information regarding TDRs. 

Table 26 provides an analysis of the changes in TDRs. Loans 
modified more than once as a TDR are reported as inflows only in 
the period they are first modified. In addition to foreclosures, 
sales and transfers to held for sale, we may remove loans from 
TDR classification, but only if they have been refinanced or 
restructured at market terms and qualify as a new loan. 

(in millions) 

Commercial TDRs 

Balance, beginning of period 

Inflows (1) 

Outflows 

Charge-offs 

Foreclosure 

Payments, sales and other (2) 

Balance, end of period 

Consumer TDRs 

Balance, beginning of period 

Inflows (1) 

Outflows 

Charge-offs 

Foreclosure 

Payments, sales and other (2) 

Net change in trial modifications (3) 

Balance, end of period 

Total TDRs 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2,731 

746 

(141) 

(5) 

(1,983) 

1,348 

11,792 

1,665 

(185) 

(56) 

(4,363) 

(19) 

8,834 

10,182 

1,901 

2,775 

(265) 

— 

(1,680) 

2,731 

9,882 

4,768 

(224) 

(77) 

(2,532) 

(25) 

11,792 

14,523 

(1) 

Inflows include loans that modify, even if they resolve within the period, as well as gross advances on term loans that modified in a prior period and net advances on revolving TDRs that modified in a 
prior period. 

(2)  Other outflows include normal amortization/accretion of loan basis adjustments and loans transferred to LHFS. Occasionally, loans that have been refinanced or restructured at market terms qualify 

as new loans, which are also included as other outflows. 

(3)  Net change in trial modifications includes: inflows of new TDRs entering the trial payment period, net of outflows for modifications that either (i) successfully perform and enter into a permanent 

modification, or (ii) did not successfully perform according to the terms of the trial period plan and are subsequently charged-off, foreclosed upon or otherwise resolved. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

45 

  
 
 
 
 
Risk Management – Credit Risk Management (continued) 

NET CHARGE-OFFS  Table 27 presents net loan charge-offs. 

Table 27:  Net Loan Charge-offs 

($ in millions) 

2021 

Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer 

Total 

2020 

Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer 

Total 

Quarter ended 

December 31, 

Year ended 

December 31, 

Net loan 
charge-
offs 

% of 
avg.
loans (1) 

Net loan 
charge-
offs 

% of 
avg.
loans 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

3 

22 

— 

3 

28 

110 

8 

150 

58 

67 

393 

421 

111 

162 

— 

35 

308 

(3) 

(24) 

190 

51 

62 

276 

584 

—  %  $ 

218 

0.07  % 

0.07 

— 

0.09 

0.02 

0.18 

0.19 

1.61 

0.41 

0.96 

0.41 

53 

— 

24 

295 

53 

(70) 

800 

181 

315 

1,279 

0.04 

— 

0.16 

0.06 

0.02 

(0.36) 

2.26 

0.35 

1.22 

0.33 

0.19  %  $ 

1,574 

0.18  % 

0.14  %  $ 

1,239 

0.36  % 

0.53 

— 

0.83 

0.26 

— 

(0.39) 

2.09 

0.43 

0.88 

0.26 

283 

(19) 

87 

1,590 

(5) 

(55) 

1,139 

270 

350 

1,699 

0.23 

(0.09) 

0.49 

0.31 

— 

(0.21) 

3.07 

0.56 

1.10 

0.39 

0.26  %  $ 

3,289 

0.35  % 

(1)  Quarterly net charge-offs as a percentage of average respective loans are annualized. 

The decrease in commercial net loan charge-offs in 2021, 
compared with the prior year, was due to lower losses and higher 
recoveries in the commercial and industrial portfolio primarily 
driven by the oil, gas, and pipeline industry, and in the real estate 
mortgage portfolio. 

The decrease in consumer net loan charge-offs in 2021, 
compared with the prior year, was driven by lower losses in the 
credit card portfolio reflecting the impact of government 
stimulus programs instituted in response to the COVID-19 
pandemic, improvements in the economic environment and 
better portfolio credit quality, partially offset by $152 million of 
residential mortgage loan charge-offs related to a change in 
practice to fully charge-off certain delinquent legacy residential 
mortgage loans. 

The COVID-19 pandemic may continue to impact the credit 
quality of our loan portfolio. Although the potential impacts were 
considered in our allowance for credit losses for loans, payment 
deferral activities instituted in response to the COVID-19 
pandemic could continue to delay the recognition of loan charge-
offs. For additional information on customer accommodations in 
response to the COVID-19 pandemic, see the “Risk Management 

– Credit Risk Management – COVID-Related Lending 
Accommodations” section in this Report. 

ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES  We maintain an allowance for 
credit losses (ACL) for loans, which is management’s estimate of 
the expected life-time credit losses in the loan portfolio and 
unfunded credit commitments, at the balance sheet date, 
excluding loans and unfunded credit commitments carried at fair 
value or held for sale. Additionally, we maintain an ACL for debt 
securities classified as either AFS or HTM, other financial assets 
measured at amortized cost, net investments in leases, and other 
off-balance sheet credit exposures. 

We apply a disciplined process and methodology to establish 

our ACL each quarter. The process for establishing the ACL for 
loans takes into consideration many factors, including historical 
and forecasted loss trends, loan-level credit quality ratings and 
loan grade-specific characteristics. The process involves 
subjective and complex judgments. In addition, we review a 
variety of credit metrics and trends. These credit metrics and 
trends, however, do not solely determine the amount of the 
allowance as we use several analytical tools. For additional 
information on our ACL, see the “Critical Accounting Policies – 

46 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Allowance for Credit Losses” section and Note 1 (Summary of 
Significant Accounting Policies) to Financial Statements in this 
Report. For additional information on our ACL for loans, see 
Note 4 (Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses) to 
Financial Statements in this Report, and for additional 

information on our ACL for debt securities, see Note 3 (Available-
for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities) to Financial 
Statements in this Report. 

Table 28 presents the allocation of the ACL for loans by loan 

portfolio segment and class at December 31, 2021 and 2020. 

Table 28:  Allocation of the ACL for Loans 

Dec 31, 2021 

Dec 31, 2020 

Loans 
as % 
of total 
loans 

ACL 

$ 

4,873 

39  %  $ 

2,085 

431 

402 

7,791 

1,156 

130 

3,290 

928 

493 

5,997 

14 

2 

2 

57 

28 

2 

4 

6 

3 

43 

Loans 
as % 
of total 
loans 

36  % 

14 

2 

2 

54 

31 

3 

4 

5 

3 

46 

ACL 

7,230 

3,167 

410 

709 

11,516 

1,600 

653 

4,082 

1,230 

632 

8,197 

$  13,788 

100  %  $ 

19,713 

100  % 

$  12,490 

1,298 

$  13,788 

7.94x 

1.73 

1.39  % 

1.54 

18,516 

1,197 

19,713 

5.63 

2.12 

2.09 

2.22 

COVID-19 pandemic, including government restrictions and 
other economic disruptions. 

Additionally, we consider qualitative factors that represent 

risks inherent in our processes and assumptions such as 
economic environmental factors, modeling assumptions and 
performance, and other subjective factors, including industry 
trends and emerging risk assessments. We also considered the 
significant uncertainty related to the duration and severity of the 
economic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic and the 
incremental risks to our loan portfolio. 

($ in millions) 

Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer 

Total 

Components: 

Allowance for loan losses 

Allowance for unfunded credit commitments 

Allowance for credit losses 

Ratio of allowance for loan losses to total net loan charge-offs 

Ratio of allowance for loan losses to total nonaccrual loans 

Allowance for loan losses as a percentage of total loans 

Allowance for credit losses for loans as a percentage of total loans 

The ratios for the allowance for loan losses and the ACL for 
loans presented in Table 28 may fluctuate from period to period 
due to such factors as the mix of loan types in the portfolio, 
borrower credit strength, and the value and marketability of 
collateral. 

The ACL for loans decreased $5.9 billion, or 30%, from 
December 31, 2020, reflecting better portfolio credit quality and 
continued improvements in current and forecasted economic 
conditions. Total provision for credit losses for loans was 
$(4.2) billion in 2021, compared with $14.0 billion in 2020, 
reflecting continued improvements in the economic 
environment, which led to lower charge-offs and better portfolio 
credit quality. The detail of the changes in the ACL for loans by 
portfolio segment (including charge-offs and recoveries by loan 
class) is included in Note 4 (Loans and Related Allowance for 
Credit Losses) to Financial Statements in this Report. 

We consider multiple economic scenarios to develop our 
estimate of the ACL for loans, which generally include a base 
scenario, along with an optimistic (upside) and one or more 
pessimistic (downside) scenarios. In our estimate of the ACL for 
loans at December 31, 2021, we weighted the base scenario and 
the downside scenarios to reflect our expectations for overall 
limited economic improvement balanced against the potential 
for higher inflation, supply chain constraints, and a continuation 
of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the possibility of additional 
variants. The base scenario assumed strong economic conditions 
in the near term with a return to normalized levels in 2023. The 
downside scenarios assumed economic contractions due to the 

Wells Fargo & Company 

47 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Risk Management – Credit Risk Management (continued) 

The forecasted key economic variables used in our estimate 

of the ACL for loans at December 31 and September 30, 2021, 
are presented in Table 29. 

Table 29:  Forecasted Key Economic Variables 

2Q 
2022 

4Q 
2022 

2Q 
2023 

Weighted blend of economic scenarios: 

U.S. unemployment rate (1): 

September 30, 2021 

December 31, 2021 

U.S. real GDP (2): 

September 30, 2021 

December 31, 2021 

Home price index (3): 

September 30, 2021 

December 31, 2021 

Commercial real estate asset prices (3): 

September 30, 2021 

December 31, 2021 

6.2  % 

4.8 

6.6 

5.4 

6.7 

5.9 

2.0 

1.4 

0.6 

(0.3) 

(6.5) 

(4.3) 

(6.5) 

(6.0) 

(7.7) 

(4.2) 

(7.4) 

(6.0) 

(0.2) 

1.4 

(1.2) 

5.9 

(3.3) 

5.0 

(1)  Quarterly average. 
(2) 
(3) 

Percent change from the preceding period, seasonally adjusted annualized rate. 
Percent change year over year of national average; outlook differs by geography and 
property type. 

Future amounts of the ACL for loans will be based on a 
variety of factors, including loan balance changes, portfolio credit 
quality and mix changes, and changes in general economic 
conditions and expectations (including for unemployment and 
GDP), among other factors. There remains uncertainty related to 
the length and severity of the economic impact of the COVID-19 
pandemic, including the possibility of additional variants, and the 
impact of other factors that may influence the level of expected 
losses and associated amounts of the ACL. The COVID-19 
pandemic could continue to impact the recognition of credit 
losses in our loan portfolios and may result in increases or 
decreases in our ACL. 

We believe the ACL for loans of $13.8 billion at 

December 31, 2021, was appropriate to cover expected credit 
losses, including unfunded credit commitments, at that date. The 
entire allowance is available to absorb credit losses from the total 
loan portfolio. The ACL for loans is subject to change and reflects 
existing factors as of the date of determination, including 
economic or market conditions and ongoing internal and external 
examination processes. Due to the sensitivity of the ACL for 
loans to changes in the economic and business environment, it is 
possible that we will incur incremental credit losses not 
anticipated as of the balance sheet date. Our process for 
determining the ACL is discussed in the “Critical Accounting 
Policies – Allowance for Credit Losses” section and Note 1 
(Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) to Financial 
Statements in this Report. 

MORTGAGE BANKING ACTIVITIES  We sell residential and 
commercial mortgage loans to various parties, including (1) 
government-sponsored entities (GSEs) Federal Home Loan 
Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC) and Federal National Mortgage 
Association (FNMA) who include the mortgage loans in GSE-
guaranteed mortgage securitizations, (2) SPEs that issue private 
label MBS, and (3) other financial institutions that purchase 
mortgage loans for investment or private label securitization. In 
addition, we pool FHA-insured and VA-guaranteed residential 
mortgage loans that are then used to back securities guaranteed 
by the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA). We 

may be required to repurchase these mortgage loans, indemnify 
the securitization trust, investor or insurer, or reimburse the 
securitization trust, investor or insurer for credit losses incurred 
on loans (collectively, repurchase) in the event of a breach of 
contractual representations or warranties that is not remedied 
within a period (usually 90 days or less) after we receive notice of 
the breach. 

In connection with our sales and securitization of residential 

mortgage loans to various parties, we have established a 
mortgage repurchase liability, initially at fair value, related to 
various representations and warranties that reflect 
management’s estimate of losses for loans for which we could 
have a repurchase obligation, whether or not we currently service 
those loans, based on a combination of factors. See Note 8 
(Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities) to Financial 
Statements in this Report for additional information about our 
liability for mortgage loan repurchase losses. 

We provide recourse to GSEs for commercial mortgage 
loans sold under various programs and arrangements. The terms 
of these programs require that we incur a pro-rata share of actual 
losses in the event of borrower default. See Note 13 (Guarantees 
and Other Commitments) to Financial Statements in this Report 
for additional information about our exposure to loss related to 
these programs. 

In addition to servicing loans in our portfolio, we act as 
servicer and/or master servicer of residential and commercial 
mortgage loans included in GSE-guaranteed mortgage 
securitizations, GNMA-guaranteed mortgage securitizations of 
FHA-insured/VA-guaranteed mortgages and private label 
mortgage securitizations, as well as for unsecuritized loans 
owned by institutional investors.

 The loans we service were originated by us or by other 
mortgage loan originators. As servicer, our primary duties are 
typically to (1) collect payments due from borrowers, (2) advance 
certain delinquent payments of principal and interest on the 
mortgage loans, (3) maintain and administer any hazard, title or 
primary mortgage insurance policies relating to the mortgage 
loans, (4) maintain any required escrow accounts for payment of 
taxes and insurance and administer escrow payments, and (5) 
foreclose on defaulted mortgage loans or, to the extent 
consistent with the related servicing agreement, consider 
alternatives to foreclosure, such as loan modifications or short 
sales, and for certain investors, manage the foreclosed property 
through liquidation. As master servicer, our primary duties are 
typically to (1) supervise, monitor and oversee the servicing of 
the mortgage loans by the servicer, and (2) advance delinquent 
amounts required by non-affiliated servicers who fail to perform 
their advancing obligations. The amount and timing of 
reimbursement for advances of delinquent payments vary by 
investor and the applicable servicing agreements. See Note 9 
(Mortgage Banking Activities) to Financial Statements in this 
Report for additional information about residential and 
commercial servicing rights, servicer advances and servicing fees. 

In accordance with applicable servicing guidelines, 

delinquency status continues to advance for loans with COVID-
related payment deferrals, which has resulted in an increase in 
delinquent loans serviced for others and a corresponding increase 
in loans eligible for repurchase from GNMA loan securitization 
pools. Upon transfer as servicer, we retain the option to 
repurchase loans from GNMA loan securitization pools, which 
becomes exercisable when three scheduled loan payments 
remain unpaid by the borrower. We generally repurchase these 
loans for cash and as a result, our total consolidated assets do not 
change. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, our repurchases 
of these loans were elevated in 2020, but returned to more 

48 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
normalized levels in 2021. These repurchased loan balances were 
$17.3 billion and $34.8 billion at December 31, 2021 and 2020, 
respectively, which included $12.9 billion and $29.9 billion, 
respectively, in our held for investment loan portfolio, with the 
remainder in loans held for sale. 

Repurchased loans that regain current status or are 
otherwise modified in accordance with applicable servicing 
guidelines may be included in future GNMA loan securitization 
pools. However, in accordance with guidance issued by GNMA, 
certain loans repurchased after June 30, 2020, are ineligible for 
inclusion in future GNMA loan securitization pools until the 
borrower has timely made six consecutive payments. This 
requirement may delay our ability to resell loans into the 
securitization market. See Note 8 (Securitizations and Variable 
Interest Entities) to Financial Statements in this Report for 
additional information about our involvement with mortgage 
loan securitizations. 

Each agreement under which we act as servicer or master 

servicer generally specifies a standard of responsibility for 
actions we take in such capacity. We are required to indemnify 
the securitization trustee against any failure by us, as servicer or 
master servicer, to perform our servicing obligations. In addition, 
if we commit a breach of our obligations as servicer or master 
servicer, we may be subject to termination if the breach is not 
cured within a specified period. The standards governing 
servicing in GSE-guaranteed securitizations, and the possible 
remedies for violations of such standards, vary, and those 
standards and remedies are determined by servicing guides 
maintained by the GSEs, contracts between the GSEs and 
individual servicers and topical guides published by the GSEs 
from time to time. Such remedies could include indemnification 
or repurchase of an affected mortgage loan. In addition, in 
connection with our servicing activities, we could become subject 
to consent orders and settlement agreements with federal and 
state regulators for alleged servicing issues and practices. In 
general, these can require us to provide customers with loan 
modification relief, refinancing relief, and foreclosure prevention 
and assistance, and can result in business restrictions or the 
imposition of certain monetary penalties on us. For example, on 
September 9, 2021, the Company entered into a consent order 
with the OCC requiring the Company to improve the execution, 
risk management, and oversight of loss mitigation activities in its 
Home Lending business. For additional information on the OCC 
consent order, see the “Overview” section in this Report. 

Asset/Liability Management 
Asset/liability management involves evaluating, monitoring and 
managing interest rate risk, market risk, liquidity and funding. 
Primary oversight of interest rate risk and market risk resides 
with the Finance Committee of the Board, which oversees the 
administration and effectiveness of financial risk management 
policies and processes used to assess and manage these risks. 
Primary oversight of liquidity and funding resides with the Risk 
Committee of the Board. 

At the management level, the Corporate Asset/Liability 
Committee (Corporate ALCO), which consists of management 
from finance, risk and business groups, oversees these risks and 
supports periodic reports provided to the Board’s Finance 
Committee and Risk Committee as appropriate. As discussed in 
more detail for market risk activities below, we employ separate 
management level oversight specific to market risk. 

INTEREST RATE RISK  Interest rate risk is created in our role as a 
financial intermediary for customers based on investments such 
as loans and other extensions of credit and debt securities. 

Interest rate risk can have a significant impact to our earnings. 
We are subject to interest rate risk because: 
• 

assets and liabilities may mature or reprice at different 
times. If assets reprice faster than liabilities and interest 
rates are generally rising, earnings will initially increase; 
assets and liabilities may reprice at the same time but by 
different amounts; 
short-term and long-term market interest rates may change 
by different amounts. For example, the shape of the yield 
curve may affect yield for new loans and funding costs 
differently; 
the remaining maturity for various assets or liabilities may 
shorten or lengthen as interest rates change. For example, if 
long-term mortgage interest rates increase sharply, MBS 
held in the debt securities portfolio may pay down at a 
slower rate than anticipated, which could impact portfolio 
income; or 
interest rates may have a direct or indirect effect on loan 
demand, collateral values, credit losses, mortgage 
origination volume, and the fair value of MSRs and other 
financial instruments. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

We assess interest rate risk by comparing outcomes under 

various net interest income simulations using many interest rate 
scenarios that differ in the direction of interest rate changes, the 
degree of change over time, the speed of change and the 
projected shape of the yield curve. These simulations require 
assumptions regarding drivers of earnings and balance sheet 
composition such as loan originations, prepayment rates on loans 
and debt securities, deposit flows and mix, as well as pricing 
strategies. 

Our most recent simulations, as presented in Table 30, 
estimate net interest income sensitivity over the next 12 months 
using instantaneous movements across the yield curve with both 
lower and higher interest rates relative to our base scenario. 
Steeper and flatter scenarios measure non-parallel changes in 
the yield curve, with long-term interest rates defined as all tenors 
three years and longer (e.g., 10-year U.S. Treasury securities) and 
short-term interest rates defined as all tenors less than three 
years. Where applicable, U.S. dollar interest rates are floored at 
0.00%. The following describes the simulation assumptions for 
the scenarios presented in Table 30: 
• 

Simulations are dynamic and reflect anticipated changes to 
our assets and liabilities. 

•  Other macroeconomic variables that could be correlated 
with the changes in interest rates are held constant. 
•  Mortgage prepayment and origination assumptions vary 

across scenarios and reflect only the impact of the higher or 
lower interest rates. 

•  Our base scenario deposit forecast incorporates mix changes 
consistent with the base interest rate trajectory. Deposit 
mix is modeled to be the same as in the base scenario across 
the alternative scenarios. In higher interest rate scenarios, 
customer deposit activity that shifts balances into higher-
yielding products could impact expected net interest 
income. 

•  Deposit rates paid may change with market interest rate 

changes. Our interest rate sensitivity of deposits, referred to 
as deposit betas, is modeled using the historical behavior of 
our deposits portfolio. The actual deposit rates paid may 
differ from the assumed deposit rates paid in these 
scenarios due to lags in repricing and other factors. 

•  We hold the size of the projected debt and equity securities 

portfolios constant across scenarios. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

49 

Risk Management – Asset/Liability Management (continued) 

Table 30:  Net Interest Income Sensitivity 

($ in billions) 

Parallel Shift: 

+100 bps shift in interest rates 

$ 

-100 bps shift in interest rates 

Steeper yield curve: 

Dec 31, 2021 

Dec 31, 2020 

7.1 

(3.3) 

6.7 

(2.7) 

+50 bps shift in long-term interest rates 

1.2 

1.3 

Flatter yield curve: 

+50 bps shift in short-term interest rates 

-50 bps shift in long-term interest rates 

2.6 

(1.0) 

2.2 

(1.4) 

The interest rate sensitivity included in Table 30 indicates 
that we would expect to benefit from higher interest rates as our 
assets would reprice faster and to a greater degree than our 
liabilities, while in the case of lower interest rates, our assets 
would reprice downward and to a greater degree than our 
liabilities resulting in lower net interest income. For the 
simulations with downward shifts in interest rates, the 0.00% 
interest rate floor limits the amount of the decline in net interest 
income. We may have a larger decline in net interest income 
when interest rates increase for the base scenario relative to the 
interest rate floor. 

The sensitivity results above do not capture noninterest 

income or expense impacts. Our interest rate sensitive 
noninterest income and expense are predominantly driven by 
mortgage banking activities, and may move in the opposite 
direction of our net interest income. Mortgage originations 
generally decline in response to higher interest rates and 
generally increase in response to lower interest rates, particularly 
refinancing activity. Mortgage banking results are also impacted 
by the valuation of MSRs and related hedge positions. See the 
“Risk Management – Asset/Liability Management – Mortgage 
Banking Interest Rate and Market Risk” section in this Report for 
additional information. 

Interest rate sensitive noninterest income also results from 
changes in earnings credit for noninterest-bearing deposits that 
reduce treasury management deposit service fees. Additionally, 
our trading assets are (before the effects of certain economic 
hedges) generally less sensitive to changes in interest rates than 
the related funding liabilities. As a result, net interest income 
from the trading portfolio contracts and expands as interest 
rates rise and fall, respectively. The impact to net interest income 
does not include the fair value changes of trading securities, 
which, along with the effects of related economic hedges, are 
recorded in noninterest income. For additional information on 
our trading assets and liabilities, see Note 2 (Trading Activities) 
to Financial Statements in this Report. 

We use the debt securities portfolio and exchange-traded 

and over-the-counter (OTC) interest rate derivatives to manage 
our interest rate exposures. See Note 1 (Summary of Significant 
Accounting Policies), and Note 3 (Available-for-Sale and Held-to-
Maturity Debt Securities) to Financial Statements in this Report 
for additional information on the use of the debt securities 
portfolios. The notional or contractual amount, credit risk 
amount and fair value of the derivatives used to hedge our 
interest rate risk exposures as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, 
are presented in Note 16 (Derivatives) to Financial Statements in 
this Report. We use derivatives for asset/liability management in 
two main ways: 
• 

to convert the cash flows from selected asset and/or liability 
instruments/portfolios including investments, commercial 
loans and long-term debt, from fixed-rate payments to 
floating-rate payments, or vice versa; and 

• 

to economically hedge our mortgage origination pipeline, 
funded mortgage loans, and MSRs. 

MORTGAGE BANKING INTEREST RATE AND MARKET RISK  We 
originate, fund and service mortgage loans, which subjects us to 
various risks, including credit, liquidity and interest rate risks. 
Based on market conditions and other factors, we reduce credit 
and liquidity risks by selling or securitizing mortgage loans. We 
determine whether mortgage loans will be held for investment or 
held for sale at the time of commitment, but may change our 
intent to hold loans for investment or sale as part of our 
corporate asset/liability management activities. We may also 
retain securities in our investment portfolio at the time we 
securitize mortgage loans. 

We typically originate agency residential mortgage loans as 
held for sale and certain prime non-agency residential mortgage 
loans as held for investment. Occasionally, we designate some of 
our agency residential mortgage loans as held for investment and 
non-agency residential mortgage loan originations as held for 
sale in support of future issuances of private label residential 
mortgage-backed securities (RMBS). We issued $2.2 billion and 
$2.6 billion of RMBS in 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

Interest rate and market risk can be substantial in our 

mortgage businesses. Changes in interest rates may impact 
origination and servicing fees, the fair value of our residential 
MSRs, LHFS, and derivative loan commitments (interest rate 
“locks”) extended to mortgage applicants, as well as the 
associated income or loss in mortgage banking noninterest 
income, including the gains or losses related to economic hedges 
of MSRs and LHFS. Given the time it takes for customer behavior 
to fully react to interest rate changes, as well as the time required 
for processing a new application, providing the commitment, and 
securitizing and selling the loan, interest rate changes will 
generally affect our mortgage banking noninterest income on a 
lagging basis. The amount and timing of the impact will depend 
on the magnitude, speed and duration of the changes in interest 
rates. 

The valuation of our residential MSRs can be highly 
subjective and involve complex judgments by management 
about matters that are inherently unpredictable. See the “Critical 
Accounting Policies – Valuation of Residential Mortgage 
Servicing Rights” section in this Report for additional 
information. Changes in interest rates influence a variety of 
significant assumptions included in the periodic valuation of 
residential MSRs, including prepayment rates, expected returns 
and potential risks on the servicing asset portfolio, costs to 
service, the value of escrow balances and other servicing 
valuation elements. For additional information on mortgage 
banking, including key economic assumptions and the sensitivity 
of the fair value of MSRs, see Note 9 (Mortgage Banking 
Activities) and Note 17 (Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities) to 
Financial Statements in this Report. 

An increase in interest rates generally reduces the 

propensity for refinancing, extends the expected duration of the 
servicing portfolio and, therefore, increases the estimated fair 
value of the MSRs. However, an increase in interest rates can also 
reduce mortgage loan demand, which reduces noninterest 
income from origination activities. A decline in interest rates 
would generally have an opposite impact. 

To reduce our exposure to changes in interest rates, our 
residential MSRs are economically hedged with a combination of 
derivative instruments, including interest rate swaps, Eurodollar 
futures, highly liquid mortgage forward contracts and interest 
rate options. MSR hedging results include a combination of 
directional gain or loss due to market changes as well as any carry 

50 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
reflected in the interest income and interest expense 
components of our consolidated statement of income. Changes 
in fair value of the financial instruments used in our trading 
activities are reflected in net gains from trading activities. For 
additional information on the financial instruments used in our 
trading activities and the income from these trading activities, 
see Note 2 (Trading Activities) to Financial Statements in this 
Report. 

Value-at-risk (VaR) is a statistical risk measure used to 
estimate the potential loss from adverse moves in the financial 
markets. The Company uses VaR metrics complemented with 
sensitivity analysis and stress testing in measuring and 
monitoring market risk. These market risk measures are 
monitored at both the business unit level and at aggregated 
levels on a daily basis. Our corporate market risk management 
function aggregates and monitors all exposures to ensure risk 
measures are within our established risk appetite. Changes to the 
market risk profile are analyzed and reported on a daily basis. The 
Company monitors various market risk exposure measures from 
a variety of perspectives, including line of business, product, risk 
type, and legal entity. 

Trading VaR is the measure used to provide insight into the 

market risk exhibited by the Company’s trading positions. The 
Company calculates Trading VaR for risk management purposes 
to establish line of business and Company-wide risk limits. 
Trading VaR is calculated based on all trading positions on our 
consolidated balance sheet. 

Table 31 shows the Company’s Trading General VaR by risk 

category. Our Trading General VaR uses a historical simulation 
model which assumes that historical changes in market values 
are representative of the potential future outcomes and 
measures the expected earnings loss of the Company over a 
1-day time interval at a 99% confidence level. Our historical 
simulation model is based on equally weighted data from a 
12-month historical look-back period. We believe using a 
12-month look-back period helps ensure the Company’s VaR is 
responsive to current market conditions. The 99% confidence 
level equates to an expectation that the Company would incur 
single-day trading losses in excess of the VaR estimate on 
average once every 100 trading days. 

Average Company Trading General VaR was $49 million for 
the year ended December 31, 2021, compared with $123 million 
for the year ended December 31, 2020. The decrease in average 
Company Trading General VaR for the year ended December 31, 
2021, was driven by market volatility due to the COVID-19 
pandemic, in particular changes in interest rate curves and a 
significant widening of credit spreads exiting the 12-month 
historical look-back window used to calculate VaR. 

income related to mortgage forward contracts. Carry income 
represents accretion from the forward delivery price to the spot 
price including both the yield earned on the reference securities 
and the market implied cost of financing during the period. A 
steep yield curve generally produces higher carry income while a 
flat or inverted yield curve can result in lower or potentially 
negative carry income. 

The size of the hedge and the particular combination of 
hedging instruments at any point in time is designed to reduce 
the volatility of our earnings over various time frames within a 
range of mortgage interest rates. Because market factors, the 
composition of the mortgage servicing portfolio and the 
relationship between the origination and servicing sides of 
our mortgage businesses change continually, the types of 
instruments used in our hedging are reviewed daily and 
rebalanced based on our evaluation of current market factors 
and the interest rate risk inherent in our portfolio. 

Hedging the various sources of interest rate risk in mortgage 

banking is a complex process that requires sophisticated 
modeling and constant monitoring. There are several potential 
risks to earnings from mortgage banking related to origination 
volumes and mix, valuation of MSRs and associated hedging 
results, the relationship and degree of volatility between short-
term and long-term interest rates, and changes in servicing and 
foreclosures costs. While we attempt to balance our mortgage 
banking interest rate and market risks, the financial instruments 
we use may not perfectly correlate with the values and income 
being hedged. 

MARKET RISK  Market risk is the risk of possible economic loss 
from adverse changes in market risk factors such as interest 
rates, credit spreads, foreign exchange rates, equity and 
commodity prices, and the risk of possible loss due to 
counterparty exposure. This applies to implied volatility risk, 
basis risk, and market liquidity risk. It also includes price risk in 
the trading book, mortgage servicing rights and the hedge 
effectiveness risk associated with the mortgage book, and 
impairment of private equity investments. 

The Board’s Finance Committee has primary oversight 
responsibility for market risk and oversees the Company’s 
market risk exposure and market risk management strategies. 
In addition, the Board’s Risk Committee has certain oversight 
responsibilities with respect to market risk, including adjusting 
the Company’s market risk appetite with input from the Finance 
Committee. The Finance Committee also reports key market risk 
matters to the Risk Committee. 

At the management level, the Market and Counterparty Risk 

Management function, which is part of IRM, has oversight 
responsibility for market risk. The Market and Counterparty Risk 
Management function reports into the CRO and provides 
periodic reports related to market risk to the Board’s Finance 
Committee. 

MARKET RISK – TRADING ACTIVITIES  We engage in trading 
activities to accommodate the investment and risk management 
activities of our customers and to execute economic hedging to 
manage certain balance sheet risks. These trading activities 
predominantly occur within our CIB businesses and to a lesser 
extent other businesses of the Company. Debt securities held for 
trading, equity securities held for trading, trading loans and 
trading derivatives are financial instruments used in our trading 
activities, and all are carried at fair value. Income earned on the 
financial instruments used in our trading activities include net 
interest income, changes in fair value and realized gains and 
losses. Net interest income earned from our trading activities is 

Wells Fargo & Company 

51 

 
 
 
 
Risk Management – Asset/Liability Management (continued) 

Table 31:  Trading 1-Day 99% General VaR by Risk Category 

(in millions) 

Company Trading General VaR Risk Categories 

Credit 

Interest rate 

Equity 

Commodity 

Foreign exchange 

Diversification benefit (1) 

Company Trading General VaR 

Period 
end 

Average 

Low 

High 

2021 

$ 

19 

15 

15 

10 

1 

(40) 

20 

38 

25 

30 

7 

1 

(52) 

49 

12 

4 

13 

2 

0 

112 

120 

72 

28 

1 

Year ended December 31, 

2020 

Average 

Low 

High 

15 

5 

4 

1 

1 

121 

241 

35 

8 

6 

72 

104 

14 

3 

1 

(71) 

123 

Period 
end 

106 

81 

32 

3 

1 

(126) 

97 

(1) 

The period-end VaR was less than the sum of the VaR components described above, which is due to portfolio diversification. The diversification effect arises because the risks are not perfectly 
correlated causing a portfolio of positions to usually be less risky than the sum of the risks of the positions alone. The diversification benefit is not meaningful for low and high metrics since they may 
occur on different days. 

Sensitivity Analysis  Given the inherent limitations of the VaR 
models, the Company uses other measures, including sensitivity 
analysis, to measure and monitor risk. Sensitivity analysis is the 
measure of exposure to a single risk factor, such as a 0.01% 
increase in interest rates or a 1% increase in equity prices. We 
conduct and monitor sensitivity on interest rates, credit spreads, 
volatility, equity, commodity, and foreign exchange exposure. 
Sensitivity analysis complements VaR as it provides an indication 
of risk relative to each factor irrespective of historical market 
moves. 

Stress Testing  While VaR captures the risk of loss due to 
adverse changes in markets using recent historical market data, 
stress testing is designed to capture the Company’s exposure to 
extreme but low probability market movements. Stress scenarios 
estimate the risk of losses based on management’s assumptions 
of abnormal but severe market movements such as severe 
credit spread widening or a large decline in equity prices. 
These scenarios assume that the market moves happen 
instantaneously and no repositioning or hedging activity takes 
place to mitigate losses as events unfold (a conservative 
approach since experience demonstrates otherwise). 

An inventory of scenarios is maintained representing both 

historical and hypothetical stress events that affect a broad 
range of market risk factors with varying degrees of correlation 
and differing time horizons. Hypothetical scenarios assess the 
impact of large movements in financial variables on portfolio 
values. Typical examples include a 1% (100 basis point) increase 
across the yield curve or a 10% decline in equity market indexes. 
Historical scenarios utilize an event-driven approach: the stress 
scenarios are based on plausible but rare events, and the analysis 
addresses how these events might affect the risk factors 
relevant to a portfolio. 

The Company’s stress testing framework is also used in 
calculating results in support of the Federal Reserve Board’s 
Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR) and internal 
stress tests. Stress scenarios are regularly reviewed and updated 
to address potential market events or concerns. For more detail 
on the CCAR process, see the “Capital Management” section in 
this Report. 

MARKET RISK – EQUITY SECURITIES  We are directly and indirectly 
affected by changes in the equity markets. We make and manage 
direct investments in start-up businesses, emerging growth 
companies, management buy-outs, acquisitions and corporate 
recapitalizations. We also invest in non-affiliated funds that 
make similar private equity investments. These private equity 

investments are made within capital allocations approved by 
management and the Board. The Board’s policy is to review 
business developments, key risks and historical returns for the 
private equity investment portfolio at least annually. 
Management reviews these investments at least quarterly to 
assess them for impairment and observable price changes. For 
nonmarketable equity securities, the analysis is based on facts 
and circumstances of each individual investment and the 
expectations for that investment’s cash flows, capital needs, the 
viability of its business model, our exit strategy, and observable 
price changes that are similar to the investments held. 
Investments in nonmarketable equity securities include private 
equity investments accounted for under the equity method, fair 
value through net income, and the measurement alternative. 
In conjunction with the March 2008 initial public offering 

(IPO) of Visa, Inc. (Visa), we received approximately 20.7 million 
shares of Visa Class B common stock, the class which was 
apportioned to member banks of Visa at the time of the IPO. 
To manage our exposure to Visa and realize the value of the 
appreciated Visa shares, we incrementally sold these shares 
through a series of sales, thereby eliminating this position as of 
September 30, 2015. As part of these sales, we agreed to 
compensate the buyer for any additional contributions to a 
litigation settlement fund for the litigation matters associated 
with the Class B shares we sold. Our exposure to this retained 
litigation risk has been updated quarterly and is reflected on our 
consolidated balance sheet. For additional information about the 
associated litigation matters, see the “Interchange Litigation” 
section in Note 15 (Legal Actions) to Financial Statements in this 
Report. 

As part of our business to support our customers, we trade 

public equities, listed/OTC equity derivatives and convertible 
bonds. We have parameters that govern these activities. We also 
have marketable equity securities that include investments 
relating to our venture capital activities. We manage these 
marketable equity securities within capital risk limits approved by 
management and the Board and monitored by Corporate ALCO 
and the Market Risk Committee. The fair value changes in these 
marketable equity securities are recognized in net income. For 
additional information, see Note 6 (Equity Securities) to Financial 
Statements in this Report. 

Changes in equity market prices may also indirectly affect 

our net income by (1) the value of third-party assets under 
management and, hence, fee income, (2) borrowers whose ability 
to repay principal and/or interest may be affected by the stock 
market, or (3) brokerage activity, related commission income and 

52 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
  
other business activities. Each business line monitors and 
manages these indirect risks. 

the Company’s projected liquidity position during stress and 
inform future needs in the Company’s funding plan. 

LIQUIDITY RISK AND FUNDING  In the ordinary course of business, 
we enter into contractual obligations that may require future 
cash payments, including funding for customer loan requests, 
customer deposit maturities and withdrawals, debt service, 
leases for premises and equipment, and other cash 
commitments. The objective of effective liquidity management is 
to ensure that we can meet our contractual obligations and other 
cash commitments efficiently under both normal operating 
conditions and under periods of Wells Fargo-specific and/or 
market stress. For additional information on these obligations, 
see the following sections and Notes to Financial Statements in 
this Report: 
• 

“Commitments to Lend” section within Loans and Related 
Allowance for Credit Losses (Note 4) 
Leasing Activity (Note 5) 

Long-Term Debt (Note 12) 

• 
•  Deposits (Note 11) 
• 
•  Guarantees and Other Commitments (Note 13) 
• 
• 

Employee Benefits and Other Expenses (Note 21) 
Income Taxes (Note 23) 

To help achieve this objective, the Board establishes liquidity 

guidelines that require sufficient asset-based liquidity to cover 
potential funding requirements and to avoid over-dependence 
on volatile, less reliable funding markets. These guidelines are 
monitored on a monthly basis by the Corporate ALCO and on a 
quarterly basis by the Board. These guidelines are established and 
monitored for both the consolidated company and for the Parent 
on a stand-alone basis to ensure that the Parent is a source of 
strength for its regulated, deposit-taking banking subsidiaries. 
The Parent acts as a source of funding for the Company through 
the issuance of long-term debt and equity, and WFC Holdings, 
LLC, an intermediate holding company and subsidiary of the 
Parent (the “IHC”), provides funding support for the ongoing 
operational requirements of the Parent and certain of its direct 
and indirect subsidiaries. For additional information on the IHC, 
see the “Regulatory Matters – ‘Living Will’ Requirements and 
Related Matters” section in this Report. 

Liquidity Stress Tests  Liquidity stress tests are performed to 
help ensure that the Company has sufficient liquidity to meet 
contractual and contingent outflows modeled under a variety of 
stress scenarios. Our scenarios utilize market-wide as well as 
corporate-specific events, including a range of stress conditions 
and time horizons. Stress testing results facilitate evaluation of 

Table 32:  Liquidity Coverage Ratio 

(in millions, except ratio) 

HQLA (1): 

Eligible cash 

Eligible securities (2) 

Total HQLA 

Projected net cash outflows 

LCR 

Excludes excess HQLA at certain subsidiaries that is not transferable to other Wells Fargo entities. 

(1) 
(2)  Net of applicable haircuts required under the LCR rule. 

Contingency Funding Plan  Our contingency funding plan (CFP), 
which is approved by Corporate ALCO and the Board’s Risk 
Committee, sets out the Company’s strategies and action plans 
to address potential liquidity needs during market-wide or 
idiosyncratic liquidity events. The CFP establishes measures for 
monitoring emerging liquidity events and describes the 
processes for communicating and managing stress events should 
they occur. The CFP also identifies alternate funding and liquidity 
strategies available to the Company in a period of stress. 

Liquidity Standards  We are subject to a rule issued by the FRB, 
OCC and FDIC that establishes a quantitative minimum liquidity 
requirement consistent with the LCR established by the Basel 
Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS). The rule requires a 
covered banking organization to hold high-quality liquid assets 
(HQLA) in an amount equal to or greater than its projected net 
cash outflows during a 30-day stress period. Our HQLA under the 
rule predominantly consists of central bank deposits, 
government debt securities, and mortgage-backed securities of 
federal agencies. The LCR applies to the Company on a 
consolidated basis and to our insured depository institutions 
(IDIs) with total assets of $10 billion or more. In addition, rules 
issued by the FRB impose enhanced liquidity risk management 
standards on large bank holding companies (BHCs), such as 
Wells Fargo. 

The FRB, OCC and FDIC have also issued a rule implementing 

a stable funding requirement, known as the net stable funding 
ratio (NSFR), which requires a covered banking organization, such 
as Wells Fargo, to maintain a minimum amount of stable funding, 
including common equity, long-term debt and most types of 
deposits, in relation to its assets, derivative exposures and 
commitments over a one-year horizon period. The NSFR applies 
to the Company on a consolidated basis and to our IDIs with total 
assets of $10 billion or more. As of December 31, 2021, we were 
compliant with the NSFR requirement. 

Liquidity Coverage Ratio  As of December 31, 2021, the 
consolidated Company, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and Wells Fargo 
National Bank West exceeded the minimum LCR requirement of 
100%, which is calculated as HQLA divided by projected net cash 
outflows, as each is defined under the LCR rule. Table 32 presents 
the Company’s quarterly average values for the daily-calculated 
LCR and its components calculated pursuant to the LCR rule 
requirements. 

Dec 31, 2021 

Sep 30, 2021 

Dec 31, 2020 

Average for Quarter ended 

$ 

210,527 

172,761 

383,288 

325,015 

118% 

244,260 

138,525 

382,785 

320,782 

119 

213,937 

201,060 

414,997 

312,697 

133 

Wells Fargo & Company 

53 

  
 
 
 
 
Risk Management – Asset/Liability Management (continued) 

Liquidity Sources  We maintain liquidity in the form of cash, cash 
equivalents and unencumbered high-quality, liquid debt 
securities. These assets make up our primary sources of liquidity. 
Our primary sources of liquidity are substantially the same in 
composition as HQLA under the LCR rule; however, our primary 
sources of liquidity will generally exceed HQLA calculated under 
the LCR rule due to the applicable haircuts to HQLA and the 
exclusion of excess HQLA at our subsidiary IDIs required under 
the LCR rule. Our primary sources of liquidity are presented in 
Table 33 at fair value, which also includes encumbered securities 
that are not included as available HQLA in the calculation of the 
LCR. 

Table 33:  Primary Sources of Liquidity 

Our cash is predominantly on deposit with the Federal 
Reserve. Debt securities included as part of our primary sources 
of liquidity are comprised of U.S. Treasury and federal agency 
debt, and MBS issued by federal agencies within our debt 
securities portfolio. We believe these debt securities provide 
quick sources of liquidity through sales or by pledging to obtain 
financing, regardless of market conditions. Some of these debt 
securities are within our HTM portfolio and, as such, are not 
intended for sale but may be pledged to obtain financing. 

(in millions) 

Total 

Encumbered 

Unencumbered 

Total 

Encumbered 

Unencumbered 

Interest-earning deposits with banks 

Debt securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Total 

$ 

209,614 

56,486 

293,870 

$ 

559,970 

— 

4,066 

58,955 

63,021 

209,614 

236,376 

52,420 

70,756 

234,915 

258,668 

496,949 

565,800 

— 

5,370 

49,156 

54,526 

236,376 

65,386 

209,512 

511,274 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

In addition to our primary sources of liquidity shown in 
Table 33, liquidity is also available through the sale or financing of 
other debt securities including trading and/or AFS debt 
securities, as well as through the sale, securitization or financing 
of loans, to the extent such debt securities and loans are not 
encumbered. As of December 31, 2021, we also maintained 
approximately $208.2 billion of available borrowing capacity at 
various Federal Home Loan Banks and the Federal Reserve 
Discount Window. 

Deposits have historically provided a sizable source of 
relatively low-cost funds. Deposits were 166% and 158% of total 

Table 34:  Short-Term Borrowings 

(in millions) 

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase 

Other short-term borrowings 

Total 

loans at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Additional 
funding is provided by long-term debt and short-term 
borrowings. Table 34 presents a summary of our short-term 
borrowings, which generally mature in less than 30 days. We 
pledge certain financial instruments that we own to collateralize 
repurchase agreements and other securities financings. For 
additional information, see the “Pledged Assets” section of 
Note 14 (Pledged Assets and Collateral) to Financial Statements 
in this Report. 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

$ 

$ 

21,191 

13,218 

34,409 

46,362 

12,637 

58,999 

We access domestic and international capital markets for 
long-term funding (generally greater than one year) through 
issuances of registered debt securities, private placements and 
asset-backed secured funding. We issue long-term debt in a 
variety of maturities and currencies to achieve cost-efficient 
funding and to maintain an appropriate maturity profile. 
Proceeds from securities issued were used for general corporate 
purposes, and, unless otherwise specified in the applicable 
prospectus or prospectus supplement, we expect the proceeds 

from securities issued in the future will be used for the same 
purposes. Depending on market conditions and our liquidity 
position, we may redeem or repurchase, and subsequently retire, 
our outstanding debt securities in privately negotiated or open 
market transactions, by tender offer, or otherwise. Table 35 
presents a summary of our long-term debt. For additional 
information, including contractual maturities of our long-term 
debt, see Note 12 (Long-Term Debt) to Financial Statements in 
this Report. 

Table 35:  Long-Term Debt 

(in millions) 

Wells Fargo & Company (Parent Only) 

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and other bank entities (Bank) 

Other consolidated subsidiaries 

Total 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

$ 

$ 

146,286 

12,858 

1,545 

160,689 

182,212 

27,130 

3,608 

212,950 

54 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
  
 
  
 
Credit Ratings  Investors in the long-term capital markets, as 
well as other market participants, generally will consider, among 
other factors, a company’s debt rating in making investment 
decisions. Rating agencies base their ratings on many 
quantitative and qualitative factors, including capital adequacy, 
liquidity, asset quality, business mix, the level and quality of 
earnings, and rating agency assumptions regarding the 
probability and extent of federal financial assistance or support 
for certain large financial institutions. Adverse changes in these 
factors could result in a reduction of our credit rating; however, 
our debt securities do not contain credit rating covenants. 

There were no actions undertaken by the rating agencies 
with regard to our credit ratings during fourth quarter 2021. On 

February 16, 2022, Moody's Investors Service (Moody’s) 
affirmed the Company’s ratings and changed the rating outlook 
to stable from negative. 

See the “Risk Factors” section in this Report for additional 
information regarding our credit ratings and the potential impact 
a credit rating downgrade would have on our liquidity and 
operations, as well as Note 16 (Derivatives) to Financial 
Statements in this Report for information regarding additional 
collateral and funding obligations required for certain derivative 
instruments in the event our credit ratings were to fall below 
investment grade. 

The credit ratings of the Parent and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 

as of December 31, 2021, are presented in Table 36. 

Table 36:  Credit Ratings as of December 31, 2021 

Wells Fargo & Company 

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. 

Senior debt 

Short-term 
borrowings 

Long-term
deposits 

Short-term 
borrowings 

A1 

BBB+ 

A+ 

P-1 

A-2 

F1 

AA (low) 

R-1 (middle) 

Aa1 

A+ 

AA 

AA 

P-1 

A-1 

F1+ 

R-1 (high) 

Moody’s 

S&P Global Ratings 

Fitch Ratings 

DBRS Morningstar 

FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK MEMBERSHIP  The Federal Home 
Loan Banks (the FHLBs) are a group of cooperatives that lending 
institutions use to finance housing and economic development in 
local communities. We are a member of the FHLBs based in 
Dallas, Des Moines and San Francisco. FHLB members are 
required to maintain a minimum investment in capital stock of 
the applicable FHLB. The board of directors of each FHLB can 
increase the minimum investment requirements in the event it 
has concluded that additional capital is required to allow it to 
meet its own regulatory capital requirements. Any increase in the 
minimum investment requirements outside of specified ranges 
requires the approval of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. 
Because the extent of any obligation to increase our investment 
in any of the FHLBs depends entirely upon the occurrence of a 
future event, the amount of any future investment in the capital 
stock of the FHLBs is not determinable. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

55 

  
 
Capital Management 

We have an active program for managing capital through a 
comprehensive process for assessing the Company’s overall 
capital adequacy. Our objective is to maintain capital at an 
amount commensurate with our risk profile and risk tolerance 
objectives, and to meet both regulatory and market 
expectations. We primarily fund our capital needs through the 
retention of earnings net of both dividends and share 
repurchases, as well as through the issuance of preferred stock 
and long- and short-term debt. Retained earnings at 
December 31, 2021, increased $17.6 billion from December 31, 
2020, predominantly as a result of $21.5 billion of Wells Fargo 
net income, partially offset by $3.7 billion of common and 
preferred stock dividends. During 2021, we issued $2.1 billion of 
common stock, substantially all of which was issued in 
connection with employee compensation and benefits. In 2021, 
we repurchased 306 million shares of common stock at a cost of 
$14.5 billion. For additional information about capital planning, 
see the “Capital Planning and Stress Testing” section below. 
In 2021, we issued $5.8 billion of preferred stock and 

redeemed $6.7 billion of preferred stock. For additional 
information, see Note 18 (Preferred Stock) to Financial 
Statements in this Report. 

Regulatory Capital Requirements 
The Company and each of our IDIs are subject to various 
regulatory capital adequacy requirements administered by the 
FRB and the OCC. Risk-based capital rules establish risk-adjusted 
ratios relating regulatory capital to different categories of assets 
and off-balance sheet exposures as discussed below. 

RISK-BASED CAPITAL AND RISK-WEIGHTED ASSETS  The Company 
is subject to rules issued by federal banking regulators to 
implement Basel III capital requirements for U.S. banking 
organizations. The rules contain two frameworks for calculating 
capital requirements, a Standardized Approach and an Advanced 
Approach applicable to certain institutions, including Wells Fargo, 
and we must calculate our risk-based capital ratios under both 
approaches. The Company is required to satisfy the risk-based 
capital ratio requirements to avoid restrictions on capital 
distributions and discretionary bonus payments. Table 37 and 
Table 38 present the risk-based capital requirements applicable 
to the Company on a fully phased-in basis under the 
Standardized Approach and Advanced Approach, respectively, as 
of December 31, 2021. 

Table 37:  Risk-Based Capital Requirements – Standardized Approach 
as of December 31, 2021 

Table 38:  Risk-Based Capital Requirements – Advanced Approach as of 
December 31, 2021 

In addition to the risk-based capital requirements described 
in Table 37 and Table 38, if the FRB determines that a period of 
excessive credit growth is contributing to an increase in systemic 
risk, a countercyclical buffer of up to 2.50% could be added to the 
risk-based capital ratio requirements under federal banking 
regulations. The FRB did not include a countercyclical buffer in 
the risk-based capital ratio requirements at December 31, 2021. 
The capital conservation buffer is applicable to certain 
institutions, including Wells Fargo, under the Advanced Approach 
and is intended to absorb losses during times of economic or 
financial stress. 

56 

Wells Fargo & Company 

Standardized Approach9.60%11.10%13.10%4.50%6.00%8.00%3.10%3.10%3.10%2.00%2.00%2.00%Minimum requirementStress capital bufferG-SIB capital surchargeCommon Equity Tier 1(CET1) ratioTier 1 capital ratioTotal capital ratioAdvanced Approach9.00%10.50%12.50%4.50%6.00%8.00%2.50%2.50%2.50%2.00%2.00%2.00%Minimum requirementCapital conservation bufferG-SIB capital surchargeCommon Equity Tier 1(CET1) ratioTier 1 capital ratioTotal capital ratio 
  
  
The stress capital buffer is calculated based on the decrease 

in a BHC’s risk-based capital ratios under the severely adverse 
scenario in the FRB’s annual supervisory stress test and related 
Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR), plus four 
quarters of planned common stock dividends. Because the stress 
capital buffer is calculated annually based on data that can differ 
over time, our stress capital buffer, and thus our risk-based 
capital ratio requirements under the Standardized Approach, are 
subject to change in future periods. Our stress capital buffer for 
the period October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2022, is 
3.10%. 

As a G-SIB, we are also subject to the FRB’s rule 
implementing an additional capital surcharge of between 
1.00-4.50% on the risk-based capital ratio requirements of G-
SIBs. Under the rule, we must annually calculate our surcharge 
under two methods and use the higher of the two surcharges. 
The first method (method one) considers our size, 
interconnectedness, cross-jurisdictional activity, 
substitutability, and complexity, consistent with the 
methodology developed by the BCBS and the Financial 
Stability Board (FSB). The second method (method two) uses 
similar inputs, but replaces substitutability with use of short-
term wholesale funding and will generally result in higher 
surcharges than under method one. Because the G-SIB capital 
surcharge is calculated annually based on data that can differ 
over time, the amount of the surcharge is subject to change in 
future years. Our G-SIB capital surcharge decreased by 50 
basis points to 1.50% beginning in first quarter 2022. 

Under the risk-based capital rules, on-balance sheet assets 

and credit equivalent amounts of derivatives and off-balance 
sheet items are assigned to one of several broad risk categories 
according to the obligor, or, if relevant, the guarantor or the 
nature of any collateral. The aggregate dollar amount in each risk 
category is then multiplied by the risk weight associated with 
that category. The resulting weighted values from each of the 
risk categories are aggregated for determining total risk-
weighted assets (RWAs). 

Table 39:  Capital Components and Ratios (Fully Phased-In) 

Effective January 1, 2022, we are required by federal 
banking regulators to use the Standardized Approach for 
Counterparty Credit Risk (SA-CCR) for calculating exposure 
amounts for credit RWAs on derivative contracts. SA-CCR 
replaced the current exposure method for calculating these 
exposure amounts for purposes of our risk-based capital ratios 
and our supplementary leverage ratio. The adoption of SA-CCR 
resulted in an increase of less than 1.00% in total RWAs under the 
Standardized Approach (which was our binding approach at 
December 31, 2021) and a decrease of less than 0.50% in total 
leverage exposure at January 1, 2022. 

The Basel III capital requirements for calculating CET1 and 

tier 1 capital, along with RWAs, are fully phased-in. However, the 
requirements for determining tier 2 and total capital remained in 
accordance with transition requirements at December 31, 2021, 
but became fully phased-in beginning January 1, 2022. 

The tables that follow provide information about our risk-

based capital and related ratios as calculated under Basel III 
capital rules. Although we report certain capital amounts and 
ratios in accordance with transition requirements for bank 
regulatory reporting purposes, we manage our capital on a fully 
phased-in basis. For information about our capital requirements 
calculated in accordance with transition requirements, see 
Note 28 (Regulatory Capital Requirements and Other 
Restrictions) to Financial Statements in this Report. 

Table 39 summarizes our CET1, tier 1 capital, total capital, 

RWAs and capital ratios on a fully phased-in basis at 
December 31, 2021 and 2020. Fully phased-in total capital 
amounts and ratios are considered non-GAAP financial measures 
that are used by management, bank regulatory agencies, 
investors and analysts to assess and monitor the Company’s 
capital position. See Table 40 for information regarding the 
calculation and components of our CET1, tier 1 capital, total 
capital and RWAs, as well as a corresponding reconciliation to 
GAAP financial measures for our fully phased-in total capital 
amounts. 

(in millions, except ratios) 

Common Equity Tier 1 

Tier 1 Capital 

Total Capital 

Risk-Weighted Assets 

Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Ratio 

Tier 1 Capital Ratio 

Total Capital Ratio 

Required
Capital
Ratios (1) 

(A) 

(B) 

(C) 

(D) 

Standardized Approach 

Advanced Approach 

Dec 31, 
2021 

$ 

140,643 

159,671 

196,281 

Dec 31, 
2020 

138,297 

158,196 

196,529 

Required
Capital
Ratios (1) 

Dec 31, 
2021 

$ 

140,643 

159,671 

186,553 

Dec 31, 
2020 

138,297 

158,196 

186,803 

1,239,026 

1,193,744 

1,116,068 

1,158,355 

(A)/(D) 

(B)/(D) 

(C)/(D) 

9.60  % 

11.10 

13.10 

11.35  * 

12.89  * 

15.84  * 

11.59 

13.25 

16.47 

9.00 

10.50 

12.50 

12.60 

14.31 

16.72 

11.94 

13.66 

16.14 

* 
(1) 

Denotes the binding ratio under the Standardized and Advanced Approaches at December 31, 2021. 
Represents the minimum ratios required to avoid restrictions on capital distributions and discretionary bonus payments at December 31, 2021. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

57 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Capital Management (continued) 

Table 40 provides information regarding the calculation and 
composition of our risk-based capital under the Standardized and 
Advanced Approaches at December 31, 2021 and 2020. 

Table 40:  Risk-Based Capital Calculation and Components 

(in millions) 

Total equity (1) 

Effect of accounting policy changes (1) 

Total equity (as reported) 

Adjustments: 

Preferred stock 

Additional paid-in capital on preferred stock 

Unearned ESOP shares 

Noncontrolling interests 

Total common stockholders’ equity 

Adjustments: 

Goodwill 

Certain identifiable intangible assets (other than MSRs) 

Goodwill and other intangibles on nonmarketable equity securities (included in 

other assets) 

Applicable deferred taxes related to goodwill and other intangible assets (2) 

CECL transition provision (3) 

Other 

Common Equity Tier 1 

Preferred stock 

Additional paid-in capital on preferred stock 

Unearned ESOP shares 

Other 

Total Tier 1 capital 

Long-term debt and other instruments qualifying as Tier 2 

Qualifying allowance for credit losses (4) 

Other 

Total Tier 2 capital (fully phased-in) 

Effect of Basel III transition requirements 

Total Tier 2 capital (Basel III transition requirements) 

Standardized Approach 

Advanced Approach 

Dec 31, 
2021 

190,110 

— 

Dec 31, 
2020 

Dec 31, 
2021 

185,712 

$ 

190,110 

208 

— 

190,110 

185,920 

190,110 

Dec 31, 
2020 

185,712 

208 

185,920 

(20,057) 

(21,136) 

(20,057) 

(21,136) 

136 

646 

(2,504) 

$ 

168,331 

(25,180) 

(225) 

(2,437) 

765 

241 

(852) 

$ 

140,643 

20,057 

(136) 

(646) 

(247) 

(A) 

$ 

159,671 

22,740 

14,149 

(279) 

36,610 

27 

36,637 

(B) 

$ 

$ 

152 

875 

(1,033) 

164,778 

(26,392) 

(342) 

(1,965) 

856 

1,720 

(358) 

138,297 

21,136 

(152) 

(875) 

(210) 

158,196 

24,387 

14,134 

(188) 

38,333 

131 

38,464 

136 

646 

(2,504) 

168,331 

(25,180) 

(225) 

(2,437) 

765 

241 

(852) 

140,643 

20,057 

(136) 

(646) 

(247) 

159,671 

22,740 

4,421 

(279) 

26,882 

27 

26,909 

152 

875 

(1,033) 

164,778 

(26,392) 

(342) 

(1,965) 

856 

1,720 

(358) 

138,297 

21,136 

(152) 

(875) 

(210) 

158,196 

24,387 

4,408 

(188) 

28,607 

131 

28,738 

Total qualifying capital (fully phased-in) 

(A)+(B)  $ 

196,281 

196,529 

186,553 

186,803 

Total Effect of Basel III transition requirements 

27 

131 

27 

131 

Total qualifying capital (Basel III transition requirements) 

$ 

196,308 

196,660 

186,580 

186,934 

Risk-Weighted Assets (RWAs)(5): 

Credit risk 

Market risk 

Operational risk 

Total RWAs 

1,186,810 

1,125,813 

$ 

747,714 

52,216 

— 

67,931 

— 

52,216 

316,138 

752,999 

67,931 

337,425 

$ 

1,239,026 

1,193,744 

1,116,068 

1,158,355 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income housing tax credit investments and elected to change the presentation of investment tax credits related to solar 
energy investments. Prior period total equity was revised to conform with the current period presentation. Prior period risk-based capital and certain other regulatory related metrics were not 
revised. 
Determined by applying the combined federal statutory rate and composite state income tax rates to the difference between book and tax basis of the respective goodwill and intangible assets at 
period end. 
At December 31, 2021, the impact of the current expected credit losses (CECL) transition provision issued by federal banking regulators on our regulatory capital was an increase in capital of 
$241 million, reflecting a $991 million (post-tax) increase in capital recognized upon our initial adoption of CECL, offset by 25% of the $4.9 billion increase in our ACL under CECL from January 1, 
2020, through December 31, 2021. 
Differences between the approaches are driven by the qualifying amounts of ACL includable in Tier 2 capital. Under the Advanced Approach, eligible credit reserves represented by the amount of 
qualifying ACL in excess of expected credit losses (using regulatory definitions) is limited to 0.60% of Advanced credit RWAs, whereas the Standardized Approach includes ACL in Tier 2 capital up to 
1.25% of Standardized credit RWAs. Under both approaches, any excess ACL is deducted from the respective total RWAs. 
RWAs calculated under the Advanced Approach utilize a risk-sensitive methodology, which relies upon the use of internal credit models based upon our experience with internal rating grades. 
Advanced Approach also includes an operational risk component, which reflects the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems, or from external events. 

58 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 41 presents the changes in CET1 for the year ended 

December 31, 2021. 

Table 41:  Analysis of Changes in Common Equity Tier 1 

(in millions) 

Common Equity Tier 1 at December 31, 2020 

Net income applicable to common stock 

Common stock dividends 

Common stock issued, repurchased, and stock compensation-related items 

Changes in cumulative other comprehensive income 

Goodwill 

Certain identifiable intangible assets (other than MSRs) 

Goodwill and other intangibles on nonmarketable equity securities (included in other assets) 

Applicable deferred taxes related to goodwill and other intangible assets (1) 

CECL transition provision (2) 

Other 

Change in Common Equity Tier 1 

Common Equity Tier 1 at December 31, 2021 

$ 

138,297 

20,256 

(2,426) 

(12,197) 

(1,896) 

1,212 

117 

(472) 

(91) 

(1,479) 

(678) 

2,346 

$ 

140,643 

(1) 

(2) 

Determined by applying the combined federal statutory rate and composite state income tax rates to the difference between book and tax basis of the respective goodwill and intangible assets at 
period end. 
At December 31, 2021, the impact of the CECL transition provision issued by federal banking regulators on our regulatory capital was an increase in capital of $241 million, reflecting a $991 million 
(post-tax) increase in capital recognized upon our initial adoption of CECL, offset by 25% of the $4.9 billion increase in our ACL under CECL from January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2021. 

Table 42 presents net changes in the components of RWAs 
under the Standardized and Advanced Approaches for the year 
ended December 31, 2021. 

Table 42:  Analysis of Changes in RWAs 

(in millions) 

RWAs at December 31, 2020 

Net change in credit risk RWAs 

Net change in market risk RWAs 

Net change in operational risk RWAs 

Total change in RWAs 

RWAs at December 31, 2021 

Standardized Approach 

Advanced Approach 

1,193,744  $ 

1,158,355 

60,997 

(15,715) 

— 

45,282 

(5,285) 

(15,715) 

(21,287) 

(42,287) 

$ 

1,239,026  $ 

1,116,068 

Wells Fargo & Company 

59 

  
 
 
 
 
 
  
Capital Management (continued) 

TANGIBLE COMMON EQUITY  We also evaluate our business based 
on certain ratios that utilize tangible common equity. Tangible 
common equity is a non-GAAP financial measure and represents 
total equity less preferred equity, noncontrolling interests, 
goodwill, certain identifiable intangible assets (other than MSRs) 
and goodwill and other intangibles on nonmarketable equity 
securities, net of applicable deferred taxes. The ratios are (i) 
tangible book value per common share, which represents 
tangible common equity divided by common shares outstanding; 
and (ii) return on average tangible common equity (ROTCE), 

which represents our annualized earnings as a percentage of 
tangible common equity. The methodology of determining 
tangible common equity may differ among companies. 
Management believes that tangible book value per common 
share and return on average tangible common equity, which 
utilize tangible common equity, are useful financial measures 
because they enable management, investors, and others to 
assess the Company’s use of equity. 

Table 43 provides a reconciliation of these non-GAAP 

financial measures to GAAP financial measures. 

Table 43:  Tangible Common Equity 

(in millions, except ratios) 

Total equity 

Adjustments: 

Preferred stock 

Additional paid-in capital on preferred stock 

Unearned ESOP shares 

Noncontrolling interests 

Balance at period end 

Quarter ended 

Average balance 

Year ended 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

Dec 31, 
2019 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

Dec 31, 
2019 

$ 

190,110 

185,712 

187,702 

191,219 

184,689 

197,174 

(20,057) 

(21,136) 

(21,549) 

(21,151) 

(21,364) 

(22,522) 

136 

646 

152 

875 

(2,504) 

(1,033) 

(71) 

1,143 

(838) 

137 

874 

(1,601) 

148 

1,007 

(769) 

(81) 

1,306 

(962) 

Total common stockholders’ equity 

(A) 

168,331 

164,570 

166,387 

169,478 

163,711 

174,915 

Adjustments: 

Goodwill 

(25,180) 

(26,392) 

(26,390) 

(26,087) 

(26,387) 

(26,409) 

Certain identifiable intangible assets (other than MSRs) 

(225) 

(342) 

(437) 

(294) 

(389) 

(493) 

Goodwill and other intangibles on nonmarketable equity 
securities (included in other assets) 

Applicable deferred taxes related to goodwill and other intangible

assets (1) 

Tangible common equity 

Common shares outstanding 

Net income applicable to common stock 

Book value per common share 

Tangible book value per common share 

Return on average common stockholders’ equity (ROE) 

Return on average tangible common equity (ROTCE) 

(2,437) 

(1,965) 

(2,146) 

(2,226) 

(2,002) 

(2,174) 

765 

856 

810 

867 

834 

792 

(B) 

(C) 

(D) 

(A)/(C) 

(B)/(C) 

(D)/(A) 

(D)/(B) 

$ 

141,254 

136,727 

138,224 

141,738 

135,767 

146,631 

3,885.8 

4,144.0 

4,134.4 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

$ 

N/A 

43.32 

36.35 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

39.71 

32.99 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

$ 

20,256 

1,786 

18,103 

40.24 

33.43 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

11.95  % 

14.29 

N/A 

N/A 

1.09 

1.32 

N/A 

N/A 

10.35 

12.35 

(1) 

Determined by applying the combined federal statutory rate and composite state income tax rates to the difference between book and tax basis of the respective goodwill and intangible assets at 
period end. 

LEVERAGE REQUIREMENTS  As a BHC, we are required to maintain 
a supplementary leverage ratio (SLR) to avoid restrictions on 
capital distributions and discretionary bonus payments and 
maintain a minimum tier 1 leverage ratio. Table 44 presents the 
leverage requirements applicable to the Company as of 
December 31, 2021. 

Table 44:  Leverage Requirements Applicable to the Company 

In addition, our IDIs are required to maintain an SLR of at 
least 6.00% to be considered well capitalized under applicable 
regulatory capital adequacy rules and maintain a minimum tier 1 
leverage ratio of 4.00%. 

The FRB and OCC have proposed amendments to the SLR 

rules (Proposed SLR rules) that would replace the 2.00% 
supplementary leverage buffer with a buffer equal to one-half of 
our G-SIB capital surcharge. The Proposed SLR rules would 
similarly tailor the current 6.00% SLR requirement for our IDIs. 

60 

Wells Fargo & Company 

5.00%4.00%3.00%4.00%2.00%Minimum requirementSupplementary leverage bufferSupplementary leverageratioTier 1 leverage ratio  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
At December 31, 2021, the Company’s SLR was 6.89%, and 

each of our IDIs exceeded their applicable SLR requirements. 
Table 45 presents information regarding the calculation and 
components of the Company’s SLR and tier 1 leverage ratio. 

Table 45:  Leverage Ratios for the Company 

(in millions, except ratios) 

Tier 1 capital 

Total average assets 

Less: Goodwill and other permitted Tier 1 capital 
deductions (net of deferred tax liabilities) 

Total adjusted average assets 

Plus adjustments for off-balance sheet 

exposures: 

Derivatives (1) 

Repo-style transactions (2) 

Other (3) 

Total off-balance sheet exposures 

Quarter ended 
December 31, 2021 

(A) 

$ 

159,671 

1,943,670 

28,085 

1,915,585 

71,926 

3,080 

325,488 

400,494 

Total leverage exposure 

(B) 

$ 

2,316,079 

Supplementary leverage ratio 

(A)/(B) 

Tier 1 leverage ratio (4) 

6.89% 

8.34% 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

Adjustment represents derivatives and collateral netting exposures as defined for 
supplementary leverage ratio determination purposes. 
Adjustment represents counterparty credit risk for repo-style transactions where 
Wells Fargo & Company is the principal counterparty facing the client. 
Adjustment represents credit equivalent amounts of other off-balance sheet exposures 
not already included as derivatives and repo-style transactions exposures. 
The tier 1 leverage ratio consists of tier 1 capital divided by total average assets, excluding 
goodwill and certain other items as determined under the rule. 

TOTAL LOSS ABSORBING CAPACITY  As a G-SIB, we are required to 
have a minimum amount of equity and unsecured long-term 
debt for purposes of resolvability and resiliency, often referred to 
as Total Loss Absorbing Capacity (TLAC). U.S. G-SIBs are required 
to have a minimum amount of TLAC (consisting of CET1 capital 
and additional tier 1 capital issued directly by the top-tier or 
covered BHC plus eligible external long-term debt) to avoid 
restrictions on capital distributions and discretionary bonus 
payments, as well as a minimum amount of eligible unsecured 
long-term debt. The components used to calculate our minimum 
TLAC and eligible unsecured long-term debt requirements as of 
December 31, 2021, are presented in Table 46. 

Table 46:  Components Used to Calculate TLAC and Eligible Unsecured 
Long-Term Debt Requirements 

TLAC requirement 

Greater of: 

18.00% of RWAs 

7.50% of total leverage exposure 
(the denominator of the SLR
calculation) 

+ 

+ 

TLAC buffer (equal to 2.50% of RWAs 
+ method one G-SIB capital surcharge 
+ any countercyclical buffer) 

External TLAC leverage buffer 
(equal to 2.00% of total leverage 
exposure)

Minimum amount of eligible unsecured long-term debt 

Greater of: 

6.00% of RWAs 

+ 

Greater of method one and method 
two G-SIB capital surcharge 

4.50% of total leverage exposure 

Under the Proposed SLR rules, the 2.00% external TLAC 
leverage buffer would be replaced with a buffer equal to one-half 
of our applicable G-SIB capital surcharge, and the leverage 
component for calculating the minimum amount of eligible 
unsecured long-term debt would be modified from 4.50% of 
total leverage exposure to 2.50% of total leverage exposure plus 
one-half of our applicable G-SIB capital surcharge. 

Table 47 provides our TLAC and eligible unsecured long-

term debt and related ratios as of December 31, 2021, and 
December 31, 2020. 

Table 47:  TLAC and Eligible Unsecured Long-Term Debt 

($ in millions) 

TLAC (1) 

Regulatory
Minimum 
(2) 

Eligible
Unsecured 
Long-
term Debt 

Regulatory
Minimum 

December 31, 2021 

Total eligible amount 

$ 285,312 

120,943 

Percentage of RWAs (3) 

23.03  % 

21.50 

Percentage of total

leverage exposure 

12.32 

9.50 

9.76 

5.22 

8.00 

4.50 

December 31, 2020 

Total eligible amount 

$ 307,226 

140,703 

Percentage of RWAs (3) 

25.74  % 

22.00 

11.79 

Percentage of total 

leverage exposure (4) 

15.64 

9.50 

7.16 

8.00 

4.50 

(1) 

(2) 

TLAC ratios are calculated using the CECL transition provision issued by federal banking 
regulators. 
Represents the minimum required to avoid restrictions on capital distributions and 
discretionary bonus payments. 

(3)  Our minimum TLAC and eligible unsecured long-term debt requirements are calculated 
based on the greater of RWAs determined under the Standardized and Advanced 
Approaches. 
Total leverage exposure at December 31, 2020, reflected an interim final rule issued by the 
FRB that temporarily allowed a bank holding company to exclude on-balance sheet 
amounts of U.S. Treasury securities and deposits at Federal Reserve Banks from the 
calculation of its total leverage exposure. 

(4) 

OTHER REGULATORY CAPITAL AND LIQUIDITY MATTERS  For 
information regarding the U.S. implementation of the Basel III 
LCR and NSFR, see the “Risk Management – Asset/ Liability 
Management – Liquidity Risk and Funding – Liquidity Standards” 
section in this Report. 

Capital Planning and Stress Testing 
Our planned long-term capital structure is designed to meet 
regulatory and market expectations. We believe that our long-
term targeted capital structure enables us to invest in and grow 
our business, satisfy our customers’ financial needs in varying 
environments, access markets, and maintain flexibility to return 
capital to our shareholders. Our long-term targeted capital 
structure also considers capital levels sufficient to exceed capital 
requirements including the G-SIB capital surcharge. Accordingly, 
we currently target a long-term CET1 capital ratio that is 100 
basis points above our regulatory requirement plus an 
incremental buffer of 25 to 50 basis points. Our capital targets 
are subject to change based on various factors, including changes 
to the regulatory requirements for our capital ratios, planned 
capital actions, changes in our risk profile and other factors. 

The FRB capital plan rule establishes capital planning and 
other requirements that govern capital distributions, including 
dividends and share repurchases, by certain BHCs, including 
Wells Fargo. The FRB assesses, among other things, the overall 
financial condition, risk profile, and capital adequacy of BHCs 
when evaluating their capital plans. 

Federal banking regulators also require large BHCs and 
banks to conduct their own stress tests to evaluate whether the 

Wells Fargo & Company 

61 

  
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Capital Management (continued) 

institution has sufficient capital to continue to operate during 
periods of adverse economic and financial conditions. 

Securities Repurchases 
From time to time the Board authorizes the Company to 
repurchase shares of our common stock. Although we announce 
when the Board authorizes share repurchases, we typically do not 
give any public notice before we repurchase our shares. Various 
factors determine the amount of our share repurchases, 
including our capital requirements, the number of shares we 
expect to issue for employee benefit plans and acquisitions, 
market conditions (including the trading price of our stock), and 

regulatory and legal considerations, including under the FRB’s 
capital plan rule. Due to the various factors that may impact the 
amount of our share repurchases and the fact that we tend to be 
in the market regularly to satisfy repurchase considerations 
under our capital plan, our share repurchases occur at various 
price levels. We may suspend share repurchase activity at any 
time. 

At December 31, 2021, we had remaining Board authority to 

repurchase approximately 361 million shares, subject to 
regulatory and legal conditions. For additional information about 
share repurchases during fourth quarter 2021, see Part II, Item 5 
in our 2021 Form 10-K. 

Regulatory Matters 

The U.S. financial services industry is subject to significant 
regulation and regulatory oversight initiatives. This regulation 
and oversight may continue to impact how U.S. financial services 
companies conduct business and may continue to result in 
increased regulatory compliance costs. The following highlights 
the more significant regulations and regulatory oversight 
initiatives that have affected or may affect our business. For 
additional information about the regulatory matters discussed 
below and other regulations and regulatory oversight matters, 
see Part I, Item 1 “Regulation and Supervision” of our 2021 Form 
10-K, and the “Overview,” “Capital Management,” “Forward-
Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” sections and Note 28 
(Regulatory Capital Requirements and Other Restrictions) to 
Financial Statements in this Report. 

Dodd-Frank Act 
The Dodd-Frank Act is the most significant financial reform 
legislation since the 1930s. The following provides additional 
information on the Dodd-Frank Act, including certain of its 
rulemaking initiatives. 
• 

Enhanced supervision and regulation of systemically important 
firms.  The Dodd-Frank Act grants broad authority to federal 
banking regulators to establish enhanced supervisory and 
regulatory requirements for systemically important firms. 
The FRB has finalized a number of regulations implementing 
enhanced prudential requirements for large bank holding 
companies (BHCs) like Wells Fargo regarding risk-based 
capital and leverage, risk and liquidity management, single 
counterparty credit limits, and imposing debt-to-equity 
limits on any BHC that regulators determine poses a grave 
threat to the financial stability of the United States. The FRB 
and OCC have also finalized rules implementing stress 
testing requirements for large BHCs and national banks. In 
addition, the FRB has proposed a rule to establish 
remediation requirements for large BHCs experiencing 
financial distress. Furthermore, in order to promote a BHC’s 
safety and soundness and the financial and operational 
resilience of its operations, the FRB has finalized guidance 
regarding effective boards of directors of large BHCs and 
has proposed related guidance identifying core principles for 
effective senior management. The OCC, under separate 
authority, has finalized guidelines establishing heightened 
governance and risk management standards for large 
national banks such as Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. The OCC 
guidelines require covered banks to establish and adhere to a 
written risk governance framework to manage and control 
their risk-taking activities. The guidelines also formalize 
roles and responsibilities for risk management practices 
within covered banks and create certain risk oversight 

• 

• 

responsibilities for their boards of directors. In addition to 
the authorization of enhanced supervisory and regulatory 
requirements for systemically important firms, the Dodd-
Frank Act also established the Financial Stability Oversight 
Council and the Office of Financial Research, which may 
recommend new systemic risk management requirements 
and require new reporting of systemic risks. 
Regulation of consumer financial products.  The Dodd-Frank 
Act established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 
(CFPB) to ensure that consumers receive clear and accurate 
disclosures regarding financial products and are protected 
from unfair, deceptive or abusive practices. The CFPB has 
issued a number of rules impacting consumer financial 
products, including rules regarding the origination, servicing, 
notification, disclosure and other requirements with respect 
to residential mortgage lending, as well as rules impacting 
prepaid cards, credit cards, and other financial products and 
banking-related activities. In addition to these rulemaking 
activities, the CFPB is continuing its ongoing supervisory 
examination activities of the financial services industry with 
respect to a number of consumer businesses and products, 
including mortgage lending and servicing, fair lending 
requirements, and auto finance. 
Regulation of swaps and other derivatives activities.  The 
Dodd-Frank Act established a comprehensive framework for 
regulating over-the-counter derivatives, and, pursuant to 
authority granted by the Dodd-Frank Act, the Commodity 
Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and 
Exchange Commission (SEC) have adopted comprehensive 
sets of rules regulating swaps and security-based swaps, 
respectively, and the OCC and other federal regulatory 
agencies have adopted margin requirements for uncleared 
swaps and security-based swaps. As a provisionally-
registered swap dealer and a conditionally-registered 
security-based swap dealer, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., is 
subject to these rules. These rules, as well as others adopted 
or under consideration by regulators in the United States 
and other jurisdictions, may negatively impact customer 
demand for over-the-counter derivatives, impact our ability 
to offer customers new derivatives or amendments to 
existing derivatives, and may increase our costs for engaging 
in swaps, security-based swaps, and other derivatives 
activities. 

Regulatory Capital, Leverage, and Liquidity Requirements 
The Company and each of our IDIs are subject to various 
regulatory capital adequacy requirements administered by the 
FRB and the OCC. For example, the Company is subject to rules 
issued by federal banking regulators to implement Basel III risk-

62 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
based capital requirements for U.S. banking organizations. The 
Company and its IDIs are also required to maintain specified 
leverage and supplementary leverage ratios. In addition, the 
Company is required to have a minimum amount of total loss 
absorbing capacity for purposes of resolvability and resiliency. 
Federal banking regulators have also issued final rules requiring a 
liquidity coverage ratio and a net stable funding ratio. For 
additional information on the final risk-based capital, leverage 
and liquidity rules, and additional capital requirements applicable 
to us, see the “Capital Management” and “Risk Management – 
Asset/Liability Management – Liquidity Risk and Funding – 
Liquidity Standards” sections in this Report. 

“Living Will” Requirements and Related Matters 
Rules adopted by the FRB and the FDIC under the Dodd-Frank 
Act require large financial institutions, including Wells Fargo, to 
prepare and periodically submit resolution plans, also known as 
“living wills,” that would facilitate their rapid and orderly 
resolution in the event of material financial distress or failure. 
Under the rules, rapid and orderly resolution means a 
reorganization or liquidation of the covered company under the 
U.S. Bankruptcy Code that can be accomplished in a reasonable 
period of time and in a manner that substantially mitigates the 
risk that failure would have serious adverse effects on the 
financial stability of the United States. In addition to the 
Company’s resolution plan, our national bank subsidiary, 
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (the “Bank”), is also required to prepare 
and periodically submit a resolution plan. If the FRB and/or FDIC 
determine that our resolution plan has deficiencies, they may 
impose more stringent capital, leverage or liquidity requirements 
on us or restrict our growth, activities or operations until we 
adequately remedy the deficiencies. If the FRB and/or FDIC 
ultimately determine that we have been unable to remedy any 
deficiencies, they could require us to divest certain assets or 
operations. On June 29, 2021, we submitted our most recent 
resolution plan to the FRB and FDIC. 

If Wells Fargo were to fail, it may be resolved in a bankruptcy 
proceeding or, if certain conditions are met, under the resolution 
regime created by the Dodd-Frank Act known as the “orderly 
liquidation authority.” The orderly liquidation authority allows for 
the appointment of the FDIC as receiver for a systemically 
important financial institution that is in default or in danger of 
default if, among other things, the resolution of the institution 
under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code would have serious adverse 
effects on financial stability in the United States. If the FDIC is 
appointed as receiver for Wells Fargo & Company (the “Parent”), 
then the orderly liquidation authority, rather than the U.S. 
Bankruptcy Code, would determine the powers of the receiver 
and the rights and obligations of our security holders. The FDIC’s 
orderly liquidation authority requires that security holders of a 
company in receivership bear all losses before U.S. taxpayers are 
exposed to any losses. There are substantial differences in the 
rights of creditors between the orderly liquidation authority and 
the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, including the right of the FDIC to 
disregard the strict priority of creditor claims under the U.S. 
Bankruptcy Code in certain circumstances and the use of an 
administrative claims procedure instead of a judicial procedure to 
determine creditors’ claims. 

The strategy described in our most recent resolution plan is 
a single point of entry strategy, in which the Parent would be the 
only material legal entity to enter resolution proceedings. 
However, the strategy described in our resolution plan is not 
binding in the event of an actual resolution of Wells Fargo, 
whether conducted under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or by the 
FDIC under the orderly liquidation authority. The FDIC has 

announced that a single point of entry strategy may be a 
desirable strategy under its implementation of the orderly 
liquidation authority, but not all aspects of how the FDIC might 
exercise this authority are known and additional rulemaking is 
possible. 

To facilitate the orderly resolution of systemically important 
financial institutions in case of material distress or failure, federal 
banking regulations require that institutions, such as Wells Fargo, 
maintain a minimum amount of equity and unsecured debt to 
absorb losses and recapitalize operating subsidiaries. Federal 
banking regulators have also required measures to facilitate the 
continued operation of operating subsidiaries notwithstanding 
the failure of their parent companies, such as limitations on 
parent guarantees, and have issued guidance encouraging 
institutions to take legally binding measures to provide capital 
and liquidity resources to certain subsidiaries to facilitate an 
orderly resolution. In response to the regulators’ guidance and to 
facilitate the orderly resolution of the Company, on June 28, 
2017, the Parent entered into a support agreement, as amended 
and restated on June 26, 2019 (the “Support Agreement”), with 
WFC Holdings, LLC, an intermediate holding company and 
subsidiary of the Parent (the “IHC”), the Bank, Wells Fargo 
Securities, LLC (“WFS”), Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC 
(“WFCS”), and certain other subsidiaries of the Parent designated 
from time to time as material entities for resolution planning 
purposes (the “Covered Entities”) or identified from time to time 
as related support entities in our resolution plan (the “Related 
Support Entities”). Pursuant to the Support Agreement, the 
Parent transferred a significant amount of its assets, including 
the majority of its cash, deposits, liquid securities and 
intercompany loans (but excluding its equity interests in its 
subsidiaries and certain other assets), to the IHC and will 
continue to transfer those types of assets to the IHC from time 
to time. In the event of our material financial distress or failure, 
the IHC will be obligated to use the transferred assets to provide 
capital and/or liquidity to the Bank, WFS, WFCS, and the Covered 
Entities pursuant to the Support Agreement. Under the Support 
Agreement, the IHC will also provide funding and liquidity to the 
Parent through subordinated notes and a committed line of 
credit, which, together with the issuance of dividends, is expected 
to provide the Parent, during business as usual operating 
conditions, with the same access to cash necessary to service its 
debts, pay dividends, repurchase its shares, and perform its other 
obligations as it would have had if it had not entered into these 
arrangements and transferred any assets. If certain liquidity and/ 
or capital metrics fall below defined triggers, or if the Parent’s 
board of directors authorizes it to file a case under the U.S. 
Bankruptcy Code, the subordinated notes would be forgiven, the 
committed line of credit would terminate, and the IHC’s ability to 
pay dividends to the Parent would be restricted, any of which 
could materially and adversely impact the Parent’s liquidity and 
its ability to satisfy its debts and other obligations, and could 
result in the commencement of bankruptcy proceedings by the 
Parent at an earlier time than might have otherwise occurred if 
the Support Agreement were not implemented. The respective 
obligations under the Support Agreement of the Parent, the IHC, 
the Bank, and the Related Support Entities are secured pursuant 
to a related security agreement. 

In addition to our resolution plans, we must also prepare and 

periodically submit to the FRB a recovery plan that identifies a 
range of options that we may consider during times of 
idiosyncratic or systemic economic stress to remedy any financial 
weaknesses and restore market confidence without 
extraordinary government support. Recovery options include the 
possible sale, transfer or disposal of assets, securities, loan 

Wells Fargo & Company 

63 

• 

In addition, the OCC and the FRB issued guidelines for 

banks and BHCs related to working with customers affected 
by the COVID-19 pandemic, including guidance with respect 
to waiving fees, offering repayment accommodations, and 
providing payment deferrals. Any current or future rules, 
regulations, and guidance related to the COVID-19 
pandemic and its impacts could require us to change certain 
of our business practices, reduce our revenue and earnings, 
impose additional costs on us, or otherwise adversely affect 
our business operations and/or competitive position. 
Regulatory Developments in Response to Climate Change. 
Federal and state governments and government agencies 
have demonstrated increased attention to the impacts and 
potential risks associated with climate change. For example, 
federal banking regulators are reviewing the implications of 
climate change on the financial stability of the United States 
and the identification and management by BHCs of climate-
related financial risks. The approaches taken by various 
governments and government agencies can vary 
significantly, evolve over time, and sometimes conflict. Any 
current or future rules, regulations, and guidance related to 
climate change and its impacts could require us to change 
certain of our business practices, reduce our revenue and 
earnings, impose additional costs on us, or otherwise 
adversely affect our business operations and/or competitive 
position. 

Regulatory Matters (continued) 

portfolios or businesses. The Bank must also prepare and 
periodically submit to the OCC a recovery plan that sets forth the 
Bank’s plan to remain a going concern when the Bank is 
experiencing considerable financial or operational stress, but has 
not yet deteriorated to the point where liquidation or resolution 
is imminent. If either the FRB or the OCC determines that our 
recovery plan is deficient, they may impose fines, restrictions on 
our business or ultimately require us to divest assets. 

Other Regulatory Related Matters 
• 

Regulatory actions.  The Company is subject to a number of 
consent orders and other regulatory actions, which may 
require the Company, among other things, to undertake 
certain changes to its business, operations, products and 
services, and risk management practices, and include the 
following: 
◦ 

Consent Orders Discussed in the “Overview” Section in this 
Report.  For a discussion of certain consent orders 
applicable to the Company, see the “Overview” section 
in this Report. 

• 

◦  OCC approval of director and senior executive officer 

appointments and certain post-termination payments. 
Under the April 2018 consent order with the OCC, 
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., remains subject to requirements 
that were originally imposed in November 2016 to 
provide prior written notice to, and obtain non-
objection from, the OCC with respect to changes in 
directors and senior executive officers, and remains 
subject to certain regulatory limitations on post-
termination payments to certain individuals and 
employees. 

Regulatory Developments Related to COVID-19.  In response 
to the COVID-19 pandemic and related events, federal 
banking regulators undertook a number of measures to help 
stabilize the banking sector, support the broader economy, 
and facilitate the ability of banking organizations like 
Wells Fargo to continue lending to consumers and 
businesses. For example, in order to facilitate the 
Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES 
Act), federal banking regulators issued rules designed to 
encourage financial institutions to participate in stimulus 
measures, such as the Small Business Administration’s 
Paycheck Protection Program. Similarly, the FRB launched a 
number of lending facilities designed to enhance liquidity 
and the functioning of markets, including facilities covering 
money market mutual funds and term asset-backed 
securities loans. Certain of these measures, including the 
acceptance of applications under the Paycheck Protection 
Program and the extension of credit under certain FRB 
lending facilities, ended in 2021. Federal banking regulators 
also issued rules amending the regulatory capital and TLAC 
rules and other prudential regulations to temporarily ease 
certain restrictions on banking organizations and encourage 
the use of certain FRB-established facilities in order to 
further promote lending to consumers and businesses. 

64 

Wells Fargo & Company 

Critical Accounting Policies 

Our significant accounting policies (see Note 1 (Summary of 
Significant Accounting Policies) to Financial Statements in this 
Report) are fundamental to understanding our results of 
operations and financial condition because they require that we 
use estimates and assumptions that may affect the value of our 
assets or liabilities and financial results. Six of these policies are 
critical because they require management to make difficult, 
subjective and complex judgments about matters that are 
inherently uncertain and because it is likely that materially 
different amounts would be reported under different conditions 
or using different assumptions. These policies govern: 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

the allowance for credit losses; 
the valuation of residential MSRs; 
the fair value of financial instruments; 
income taxes; 
liability for contingent litigation losses; and 
goodwill impairment. 

Management has discussed these critical accounting policies 
and the related estimates and judgments with the Board’s Audit 
Committee. 

Allowance for Credit Losses 
We maintain an ACL for loans, which is management’s estimate 
of the expected credit losses in the loan portfolio and unfunded 
credit commitments, at the balance sheet date, excluding loans 
and unfunded credit commitments carried at fair value or held 
for sale. Additionally, we maintain an ACL for debt securities 
classified as either HTM or AFS, other financial assets measured 
at amortized cost, net investments in leases, and other off-
balance sheet credit exposures. For additional information, see 
Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) to Financial 
Statements in this Report. 

For loans and HTM debt securities, the ACL is measured 

based on the remaining contractual term of the financial asset 
(including off-balance sheet credit exposures) adjusted, as 
appropriate, for prepayments and permitted extension options 
using historical experience, current conditions, and forecasted 
information. For AFS debt securities, the ACL is measured using a 
discounted cash flow approach and is limited to the difference 
between the fair value of the security and its amortized cost. 

Changes in the ACL and, therefore, in the related provision 

for credit losses can materially affect net income. In applying the 
judgment and review required to determine the ACL, 
management considerations include the evaluation of past 
events, historical experience, changes in economic forecasts and 
conditions, customer behavior, collateral values, the length of the 
initial loss forecast period, and other influences. From time to 
time, changes in economic factors or assumptions, business 
strategy, products or product mix, or debt security investment 
strategy, may result in a corresponding increase or decrease in 
our ACL. While our methodology attributes portions of the ACL 
to specific financial asset classes (loan and debt security 
portfolios) or loan portfolio segments (commercial and 
consumer), the entire ACL is available to absorb credit losses of 
the Company. 

• 

Judgment is specifically applied in: 
Economic assumptions and the length of the initial loss forecast 
period.  We forecast a wide range of economic variables to 
estimate expected credit losses. Our key economic variables 
include gross domestic product (GDP), unemployment rate, 
and collateral asset prices. While many of these economic 

variables are evaluated at the macro-economy level, some 
economic variables are forecasted at more granular levels, 
for example, using the metro statistical area (MSA) level for 
unemployment rates, home prices and commercial real 
estate prices. Quarterly, we assess the length of the initial 
loss forecast period and have currently set the period to two 
years. For the initial loss forecast period, we forecast 
multiple economic scenarios that generally include a base 
scenario with an optimistic (upside) and one or more 
pessimistic (downside) scenarios. Management exercises 
judgment when assigning weight to the economic scenarios 
that are used to estimate future credit losses. 
Reversion to historical loss expectations.  Our long-term 
average loss expectations are estimated by reverting to the 
long-term average, on a linear basis, for each of the 
forecasted economic variables. These long-term averages 
are based on observations over multiple economic cycles. 
The reversion period, which may be up to two years, is 
assessed on a quarterly basis. 
Credit risk ratings applied to individual commercial loans, 
unfunded credit commitments, and debt securities.  Individually 
assessed credit risk ratings are considered key credit 
variables in our modeled approaches to help assess 
probability of default and loss given default. Borrower 
quality ratings are aligned to the borrower’s financial 
strength and contribute to forecasted probability of default 
curves. Collateral quality ratings combined with forecasted 
collateral prices (as applicable) contribute to the forecasted 
severity of loss in the event of default. These credit risk 
ratings are reviewed by experienced senior credit officers 
and subjected to reviews by an internal team of credit risk 
specialists. 
Usage of credit loss estimation models.  We use internally 
developed models that incorporate credit attributes and 
economic variables to generate estimates of credit losses. 
Management uses a combination of judgment and 
quantitative analytics in the determination of segmentation, 
modeling approach, and variables that are leveraged in the 
models. These models are validated in accordance with the 
Company’s policies by an internal model validation group. 
We routinely assess our model performance and apply 
adjustments when necessary to improve the accuracy of loss 
estimation. We also assess our models for limitations 
against the company-wide risk inventory to help ensure that 
we appropriately capture known and emerging risks in our 
estimate of expected credit losses and apply overlays as 
needed. 
Valuation of collateral.  The current fair value of collateral is 
utilized to assess the expected credit losses when a financial 
asset is considered to be collateral dependent. We apply 
judgment when valuing the collateral either through 
appraisals, evaluation of the cash flows of the property, or 
other quantitative techniques. Decreases in collateral 
valuations support incremental charge-downs and increases 
in collateral valuation are included in the ACL as a negative 
allowance when the financial asset has been previously 
written-down below current recovery value. 
Contractual term considerations.  The remaining contractual 
term of a loan is adjusted for expected prepayments and 
certain expected extensions, renewals, or modifications. We 
extend the contractual term when we are not able to 
unconditionally cancel contractual renewals or extension 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Wells Fargo & Company 

65 

 
 
Critical Accounting Policies (continued) 

options. We also incorporate any scenarios where we 
reasonably expect to provide an extension through a TDR. 
Credit card loans have indeterminate maturities, which 
requires that we determine a contractual life by estimating 
the application of future payments to the outstanding loan 
amount. 

•  Qualitative factors which may not be adequately captured in 
the loss models.  These amounts represent management’s 
judgment of risks inherent in the processes and assumptions 
used in establishing the ACL. We also consider economic 
environmental factors, modeling assumptions and 
performance, process risk, and other subjective factors, 
including industry trends and emerging risk assessments. 

Sensitivity  The ACL for loans is sensitive to changes in key 
assumptions which requires significant judgment to be used by 
management. Future amounts of the ACL for loans will be based 
on a variety of factors, including loan balance changes, portfolio 
credit quality, and general economic conditions. General 
economic conditions are forecasted using economic variables, 
which could have varying impacts on different financial assets or 
portfolios. Additionally, throughout numerous credit cycles, 
there are observed changes in economic variables such as the 
unemployment rate, GDP and real estate prices which may not 
move in a correlated manner as variables may move in opposite 
directions or differ across portfolios or geography. 

Our sensitivity analysis does not represent management’s 

view of expected credit losses at the balance sheet date. We 
applied 100% weight to the downside scenario in our sensitivity 
analysis to reflect the potential for further economic 
deterioration from a COVID-19 resurgence. The outcome of the 
scenario was influenced by the duration, severity, and timing of 
changes in economic variables within the scenario. The sensitivity 
analysis resulted in a hypothetical increase in the ACL for loans of 
approximately $4.4 billion at December 31, 2021. The 
hypothetical increase in our ACL for loans does not incorporate 
the impact of management judgment for qualitative factors 
applied in the current ACL for loans, which may have a positive or 
negative effect on the results. It is possible that others 
performing similar sensitivity analyses could reach different 
conclusions or results. 

The sensitivity analysis excludes the ACL for debt securities 

and other financial assets given its size relative to the overall 
ACL. Management believes that the estimate for the ACL for 
loans was appropriate at the balance sheet date. 

Valuation of Residential Mortgage Servicing Rights 
(MSRs) 
MSRs are assets that represent the rights to service mortgage 
loans for others. We recognize MSRs when we retain servicing 
rights in connection with the sale or securitization of loans we 
originate (asset transfers), or purchase servicing rights from 
third parties. We also have acquired MSRs in the past under co-
issuer agreements that provide for us to service loans that were 
originated and securitized by third-party correspondents. 

We carry our MSRs related to residential mortgage loans 
at fair value. Periodic changes in our residential MSRs and the 
economic hedges used to hedge our residential MSRs are 
reflected in earnings. 

We use a model to estimate the fair value of our 
residential MSRs. The model is validated in accordance with 
Company policies by an internal model validation group. The 
model calculates the present value of estimated future net 
servicing income and incorporates inputs and assumptions 
that market participants use in estimating fair value. Certain 

significant inputs and assumptions generally are not 
observable in the market and require judgment to determine. 
If observable market indications do become available, these 
are factored into the estimates as appropriate: 
• 

The mortgage loan prepayment rate used to estimate future 
net servicing income.  The prepayment rate is the annual rate 
at which borrowers are forecasted to repay their mortgage 
loan principal; this rate also includes estimated borrower 
defaults. We use models to estimate prepayment rate and 
borrower defaults which are influenced by changes in 
mortgage interest rates and borrower behavior. 
The discount rate used to present value estimated future net 
servicing income.  The discount rate is the required rate of 
return investors in the market would expect for an asset 
with similar risk. To determine the discount rate, we consider 
the risk premium for uncertainties in the cash flow estimates 
such as from servicing operations (e.g., possible changes in 
future servicing costs, ancillary income and earnings on 
escrow accounts). 
The expected cost to service loans used to estimate future net 
servicing income.  The cost to service loans includes 
estimates for unreimbursed expenses, such as delinquency 
and foreclosure costs, which considers the number of 
defaulted loans as well as the incremental cost to service 
loans in default and foreclosure. We use a market 
participant's view for our estimated cost to service and our 
actual costs may vary from that estimate. 

• 

• 

Both prepayment rate and discount rate assumptions can, 

and generally will, change quarterly as market conditions and 
mortgage interest rates change. For example, an increase in 
either the prepayment rate or discount rate assumption results 
in a decrease in the fair value of the MSRs, while a decrease in 
either assumption would result in an increase in the fair value of 
the MSRs. In recent years, there have been significant market-
driven fluctuations in loan prepayment rate and the discount 
rate. These fluctuations can be rapid and may be significant in the 
future. Additionally, future regulatory or investor changes in 
servicing standards, as well as changes in individual state 
foreclosure legislation or changes in market participant 
information regarding servicing cost assumptions, may have an 
impact on our servicing cost assumption and our MSR valuation 
in future periods. We periodically benchmark our MSR fair value 
estimate to independent appraisals. 

For a description of our valuation and sensitivity of MSRs, 
see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies), Note 8 
(Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities), Note 9 (Mortgage 
Banking Activities) and Note 17 (Fair Values of Assets and 
Liabilities) to Financial Statements in this Report. 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments 
Fair value represents the price that would be received to sell a 
financial asset or paid to transfer a financial liability in an orderly 
transaction between market participants at the measurement 
date. 

We use fair value measurements to record fair value 
adjustments to certain financial instruments and to fulfill fair 
value disclosure requirements. For example, assets and liabilities 
held for trading purposes, marketable equity securities, AFS 
debt securities, derivatives and a majority of our LHFS are 
carried at fair value each period. Other financial instruments, 
such as certain LHFS, a majority of nonmarketable equity 
securities, and loans held for investment, are not carried at fair 
value each period but may require nonrecurring fair value 
adjustments due to application of lower-of-cost-or-market 

66 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
accounting, measurement alternative accounting or write-
downs of individual assets. We also disclose our estimate of fair 
value for financial instruments not recorded at fair value, such as 
loans held for investment or issuances of long-term debt. 

The accounting requirements for fair value measurements 

include a three-level hierarchy for disclosure of assets and 
liabilities recorded at fair value. The classification of assets and 
liabilities within the hierarchy is based on whether the inputs to 
the valuation methodology used for measurement are 
observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect market-
derived or market-based information obtained from 
independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect our 
estimates about market data. 

When developing fair value measurements, we maximize the 

use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable 
inputs. When available, we use quoted prices in active markets to 
measure fair value. If quoted prices in active markets are not 
available, fair value measurement is based upon models that 
generally use market-based or independently sourced market 
parameters, including interest rate yield curves, prepayment 
rates, option volatilities and currency rates. However, when 
observable market data is limited or not available, fair value 
estimates are typically determined using internal models based 
on unobservable inputs. Internal models used to determine fair 
value are validated in accordance with Company policies by an 
internal model validation group. Additionally, we use third-party 
pricing services to obtain fair values, which are used to either 
record the price of an instrument or to corroborate internal 
prices. Third-party price validation procedures are performed 
over the reasonableness of the fair value measurements. 

When using internal models based on unobservable inputs, 

management judgment is necessary as we make judgments 
about significant assumptions that market participants would 
use to estimate fair value. Determination of these assumptions 
includes consideration of many factors, including market 
conditions and liquidity levels. Changes in the market conditions, 
such as reduced liquidity in the capital markets or changes in 
secondary market activities, may reduce the availability and 
reliability of quoted prices or observable data used to determine 
fair value. In such cases, it may be appropriate to adjust available 
quoted prices or observable market data. For example, we may 
adjust a price received from a third-party pricing service using 
internal models based on discounted cash flows when the impact 
of illiquid markets has not already been incorporated in the fair 
value measurement. Additionally, for certain residential LHFS and 
certain debt and equity securities where the significant inputs 
have become unobservable due to illiquid markets and a third-
party pricing service is not used, our discounted cash flow model 
uses a discount rate that reflects what we believe a market 
participant would require in light of the illiquid market. 

We continually assess the level and volume of market 
activity in our debt and equity security classes in determining 
adjustments, if any, to quoted prices. Given market conditions 
can change over time, our determination of which securities 
markets are considered active or inactive can change. If we 
determine a market to be inactive, the degree to which quoted 
prices require adjustment, can also change. 

Significant judgment is also applied in the determination of 

whether certain assets measured at fair value are classified as 
Level 2 or Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. When making this 
judgment, we consider available information, including 
observable market data, indications of market liquidity and 
orderliness, and our understanding of the valuation techniques 
and significant inputs used to estimate fair value. The 
classification as Level 2 or Level 3 is based upon the specific facts 

and circumstances of each instrument or instrument category 
and judgments are made regarding the significance of 
unobservable inputs to each instrument’s fair value 
measurement in its entirety. If unobservable inputs are 
considered significant to the fair value measurement, the 
instrument is classified as Level 3. 

Table 48 presents our (1) assets and liabilities recorded at 
fair value on a recurring basis and (2) Level 3 assets and liabilities 
recorded at fair value on a recurring basis, both presented as a 
percentage of our total assets and total liabilities. 

Table 48:  Fair Value Level 3 Summary 

($ in billions) 

Assets recorded at fair 
value on a recurring 
basis 

As a percentage 

of total assets 

Liabilities recorded at fair 
value on a recurring 
basis 

As a percentage of 
total liabilities 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

Total 
balance 

Level 3 (1) 

Total 
balance 

Level 3 (1) 

$ 

348.9 

19.6 

380.3 

21.9 

18  % 

1 

19 

$ 

30.1 

2.6 

39.0 

2  % 

* 

2 

1 

2.0 

* 

* 
(1) 

Less than 1%. 
Before derivative netting adjustments. 

See Note 17 (Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities) to 

Financial Statements in this Report for a complete discussion on 
our fair value of financial instruments, our related measurement 
techniques and the impact to our financial statements. 

Income Taxes 
We file income tax returns in the jurisdictions in which we 
operate and evaluate income tax expense in two components: 
current and deferred income tax expense. Current income tax 
expense represents our estimated taxes to be paid or refunded 
for the current period and includes income tax expense related to 
uncertain tax positions. Uncertain tax positions that meet the 
more likely than not recognition threshold are measured to 
determine the amount of benefit to recognize. An uncertain tax 
position is measured at the largest amount of benefit that 
management believes has a greater than 50% likelihood of 
realization upon settlement. Tax benefits not meeting our 
realization criteria represent unrecognized tax benefits. 

Deferred income taxes are based on the balance sheet 
method and deferred income tax expense results from changes 
in deferred tax assets and liabilities between periods. Under the 
balance sheet method, the net deferred tax asset or liability is 
based on the tax effects of the differences between the book and 
tax basis of assets and liabilities, and recognizes enacted changes 
in tax rates and laws in the period in which they occur. Deferred 
tax assets are recognized subject to management’s judgment 
that realization is more likely than not. A valuation allowance 
reduces deferred tax assets to the realizable amount. 

The income tax laws of the jurisdictions in which we operate 

are complex and subject to different interpretations by 
management and the relevant government taxing authorities. In 
establishing a provision for income tax expense, we must make 
judgments about the application of these inherently complex tax 
laws. We must also make estimates about when in the future 
certain items will affect taxable income in the various tax 
jurisdictions. Our interpretations may be subjected to review 
during examination by taxing authorities and disputes may arise 
over the respective tax positions. We attempt to resolve these 

Wells Fargo & Company 

67 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Critical Accounting Policies (continued) 

disputes during the tax examination and audit process and 
ultimately through the court systems when applicable. 

regulators, or company specific factors such as a decline in 
market capitalization. 

We monitor relevant tax authorities and revise our estimate 

We identify reporting units to be assessed for goodwill 

of accrued income taxes due to changes in income tax laws and 
their interpretation by the courts and regulatory authorities on a 
quarterly basis. Revisions of our estimate of accrued income 
taxes also may result from our own income tax planning and from 
the resolution of income tax controversies. Such revisions in our 
estimates may be material to our operating results for any given 
quarter. 

See Note 23 (Income Taxes) to Financial Statements in this 

Report for a further description of our provision for income taxes 
and related income tax assets and liabilities. 

Liability for Contingent Litigation Losses 
The Company is involved in a number of judicial, regulatory, 
governmental, arbitration and other proceedings or 
investigations concerning matters arising from the conduct of its 
business activities, and many of those proceedings and 
investigations expose the Company to potential financial loss or 
other adverse consequences. We establish accruals for legal 
actions when potential losses associated with the actions 
become probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. For 
such accruals, we record the amount we consider to be the best 
estimate within a range of potential losses that are both 
probable and estimable; however, if we cannot determine a best 
estimate, then we record the low end of the range of those 
potential losses. The actual costs of resolving legal actions may 
be substantially higher or lower than the amounts accrued for 
those actions. 

We apply judgment when establishing an accrual for 

potential losses associated with legal actions and in establishing 
the range of reasonably possible losses in excess of the accrual. 
Our judgment in establishing accruals and the range of 
reasonably possible losses in excess of the Company’s accrual for 
probable and estimable losses is influenced by our understanding 
of information currently available related to the legal evaluation 
and potential outcome of actions, including input and advice on 
these matters from our internal counsel, external counsel and 
senior management. These matters may be in various stages of 
investigation, discovery or proceedings. They may also involve a 
wide variety of claims across our businesses, legal entities and 
jurisdictions. The eventual outcome may be a scenario that was 
not considered or was considered remote in anticipated 
occurrence. Accordingly, our estimate of potential losses will 
change over time and the actual losses may vary significantly. 

The outcomes of legal actions are unpredictable and subject 

to significant uncertainties, and it is inherently difficult to 
determine whether any loss is probable or even possible. It is also 
inherently difficult to estimate the amount of any loss and there 
may be matters for which a loss is probable or reasonably 
possible but not currently estimable. Accordingly, actual losses 
may be in excess of the established accrual or the range of 
reasonably possible loss. 

See Note 15 (Legal Actions) to Financial Statements in this 

Report for additional information. 

Goodwill Impairment 
We test goodwill for impairment annually in the fourth quarter or 
more frequently as macroeconomic and other business factors 
warrant. These factors may include trends in short-term or long-
term interest rates, negative trends from reduced revenue 
generating activities or increased costs, adverse actions by 

impairment at the reportable operating segment level or one 
level below. We calculate reporting unit carrying amounts as 
allocated capital plus assigned goodwill and other intangible 
assets. We allocate capital to the reporting units under a risk-
sensitive framework driven by our regulatory capital 
requirements. We estimate fair value of the reporting units 
based on a balanced weighting of fair values estimated using 
both an income approach and a market approach and are 
intended to reflect Company performance and expectations as 
well as external market conditions. The methodologies for 
calculating carrying amounts and estimating fair values are 
periodically assessed by senior management and revised as 
necessary. 

The income approach is a discounted cash flow (DCF) 
analysis, which estimates the present value of future cash flows 
associated with each reporting unit. A DCF analysis requires 
significant judgment to model financial forecasts for our lines of 
business. Significant assumptions include future expectations of 
economic conditions and balance sheet changes, and 
assumptions related to future business activities. The forecasts 
are reviewed by senior management. For periods after our 
financial forecasts, we incorporate a terminal value estimate 
based on an assumed long-term growth rate. We discount these 
forecasted cash flows using a rate derived from the capital asset 
pricing model which produces an estimated cost of equity 
specific to that reporting unit, which reflects risks and 
uncertainties in the financial markets and in our internally 
generated business projections. 

The market approach utilizes observable market data from 

comparable publicly traded companies, such as price-to-earnings 
or price-to-tangible book value ratios, to estimate a reporting 
unit’s fair value. The results of the market approach include a 
control premium to represent our expectation of a hypothetical 
acquisition of the reporting unit. Management uses judgment in 
the selection of comparable companies and includes those with 
the most similar business activities. 

The aggregate fair value of our reporting units exceeded our 

market capitalization for our fourth quarter 2021 assessment. 
Factors that we considered in our assessment and contributed to 
this difference included: (i) an overall premium that would be paid 
to gain control of the operating and financial decisions of the 
Company, (ii) synergies that we believe may not be reflected in 
the price of the Company’s common stock, (iii) a higher degree of 
complexity and execution risk at the Company level, compared 
with the individual reporting unit level, and (iv) risks or benefits 
at the Company level that may not be reflected in the fair value 
of the individual reporting units. 

Based on our fourth quarter 2021 assessment, there was no 
impairment of goodwill at December 31, 2021. The fair value of 
each reporting unit exceeded its carrying amount by a substantial 
amount. 

Declines in our ability to generate revenue, significant 
increases in credit losses or other expenses, or adverse actions 
from regulators are factors that could result in material goodwill 
impairment in a future period. 

For additional information on goodwill and our reportable 

operating segments, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant 
Accounting Policies), Note 10 (Intangible Assets), and Note 26 
(Operating Segments) to Financial Statements in this Report. 

68 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
Current Accounting Developments 

Table 49 provides the significant accounting updates applicable 
to us that have been issued by the Financial Accounting 
Standards Board (FASB) but are not yet effective. 

Table 49:  Current Accounting Developments – Issued Standards 

Description and Effective Date 

Financial statement impact 

ASU 2018-12 – Financial Services – Insurance (Topic 944): 
Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts and subsequent related updates 
The Update, effective January 1, 2023, 
requires market risk benefits (features 
of insurance contracts that protect the 
policyholder from other-than-nominal 
capital market risk and expose the 
insurer to that risk) to be measured at 
fair value through earnings with 
changes in fair value attributable to 
our own credit risk recognized in other 
comprehensive income. The Update 
also requires more frequent updates 
for insurance assumptions, mandates 
the use of a standardized discount rate 
for traditional long-duration contracts, 
and simplifies the amortization of 
deferred acquisition costs. 

The most significant impact of adoption relates to reinsurance of variable annuity 
products for a limited number of our insurance clients. Our reinsurance business is no 
longer entering into new contracts. These variable annuity products contain guaranteed 
minimum benefits that require us to make benefit payments for the remainder of the 
policyholder's life once the account values are exhausted. These guaranteed minimum 
benefits meet the definition of market risk benefits and will be measured at fair value. 
The cumulative effect of the difference between fair value and the carrying value upon 
adoption of the Update, net of income tax adjustments and excluding the impact of our 
own credit risk, will be recognized in the opening balance of retained earnings in the 
earliest period presented and will affect our regulatory capital calculations. At 
December 31, 2021, our estimated liability related to these guaranteed minimum 
benefits was approximately $500 million and was associated with approximately 
$13.1 billion of policyholder account values. We expect future earnings volatility from 
changes in the fair value of market risk benefits, which are sensitive to changes in equity 
and fixed income markets, as well as policyholder behavior and changes in mortality 
assumptions. We plan to economically hedge the market volatility, where feasible. 
Changes in the accounting for the liability of future policy benefits for traditional long-
duration contracts and deferred acquisition costs are not expected to be material. 

Other Accounting Developments 
The following Updates are applicable to us but are not expected 
to have a material impact on our consolidated financial 
statements: 
• 

ASU 2020-06 – Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other 
Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging – 
Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): 
Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an 
Entity’s Own Equity 
ASU 2021-05 – Leases (Topic 842): Lessors – Certain Leases 
with Variable Lease Payments 
ASU 2021-08 – Business Combinations (Topic 805): 
Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from 
Contracts with Customers 
ASU 2021-10 – Government Assistance (Topic 832): 
Disclosures by Business Entities About Government Assistance 

• 

• 

• 

Wells Fargo & Company 

69 

  
Forward-Looking Statements 

This document contains forward-looking statements. In addition, 
we may make forward-looking statements in our other 
documents filed or furnished with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission, and our management may make forward-looking 
statements orally to analysts, investors, representatives of the 
media and others. Forward-looking statements can be identified 
by words such as “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks,” 
“believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “target,” “projects,” “outlook,” 
“forecast,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “can” and similar 
references to future periods. In particular, forward-looking 
statements include, but are not limited to, statements we make 
about: (i) the future operating or financial performance of the 
Company, including our outlook for future growth; (ii) our 
noninterest expense and efficiency ratio; (iii) future credit quality 
and performance, including our expectations regarding future 
loan losses, our allowance for credit losses, and the economic 
scenarios considered to develop the allowance; (iv) our 
expectations regarding net interest income and net interest 
margin; (v) loan growth or the reduction or mitigation of risk in 
our loan portfolios; (vi) future capital or liquidity levels, ratios or 
targets; (vii) the performance of our mortgage business and any 
related exposures; (viii) the expected outcome and impact of 
legal, regulatory and legislative developments, as well as our 
expectations regarding compliance therewith; (ix) future 
common stock dividends, common share repurchases and other 
uses of capital; (x) our targeted range for return on assets, return 
on equity, and return on tangible common equity; (xi) 
expectations regarding our effective income tax rate; (xii) the 
outcome of contingencies, such as legal proceedings; (xiii) 
environmental, social and governance related goals or 
commitments; and (xiv) the Company’s plans, objectives and 
strategies. 

Forward-looking statements are not based on historical 

facts but instead represent our current expectations and 
assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other 
future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to 
the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and 
changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Our actual 
results may differ materially from those contemplated by the 
forward-looking statements. We caution you, therefore, against 
relying on any of these forward-looking statements. They are 
neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or 
assurances of future performance. While there is no assurance 
that any list of risks and uncertainties or risk factors is complete, 
important factors that could cause actual results to differ 
materially from those in the forward-looking statements include 
the following, without limitation: 
• 

current and future economic and market conditions, 
including the effects of declines in housing prices, high 
unemployment rates, U.S. fiscal debt, budget and tax 
matters, geopolitical matters, and any slowdown in global 
economic growth; 
the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, including on our 
credit quality and business operations, as well as its impact 
on general economic and financial market conditions; 
our capital and liquidity requirements (including under 
regulatory capital standards, such as the Basel III capital 
standards) and our ability to generate capital internally or 
raise capital on favorable terms; 
current, pending or future legislation or regulation that 
could have a negative effect on our revenue and businesses, 

• 

• 

• 

70 

including rules and regulations relating to bank products and 
financial services; 
developments in our mortgage banking business, including 
the extent of the success of our mortgage loan modification 
efforts, the amount of mortgage loan repurchase demands 
that we receive, any negative effects relating to our 
mortgage servicing, loan modification or foreclosure 
practices, and the effects of regulatory or judicial 
requirements or guidance impacting our mortgage banking 
business and any changes in industry standards; 
our ability to realize any efficiency ratio or expense target as 
part of our expense management initiatives, including as a 
result of business and economic cyclicality, seasonality, 
changes in our business composition and operating 
environment, growth in our businesses and/or acquisitions, 
and unexpected expenses relating to, among other things, 
litigation and regulatory matters; 
the effect of the current interest rate environment or 
changes in interest rates or in the level or composition of our 
assets or liabilities on our net interest income, net interest 
margin and our mortgage originations, mortgage servicing 
rights and mortgage loans held for sale; 
significant turbulence or a disruption in the capital or 
financial markets, which could result in, among other things, 
reduced investor demand for mortgage loans, a reduction in 
the availability of funding or increased funding costs, and 
declines in asset values and/or recognition of impairments of 
securities held in our debt securities and equity securities 
portfolios; 
the effect of a fall in stock market prices on our investment 
banking business and our fee income from our brokerage 
and wealth management businesses; 
negative effects from the retail banking sales practices 
matter and from other instances where customers may have 
experienced financial harm, including on our legal, 
operational and compliance costs, our ability to engage in 
certain business activities or offer certain products or 
services, our ability to keep and attract customers, our 
ability to attract and retain qualified employees, and our 
reputation; 
resolution of regulatory matters, litigation, or other legal 
actions, which may result in, among other things, additional 
costs, fines, penalties, restrictions on our business activities, 
reputational harm, or other adverse consequences; 
a failure in or breach of our operational or security systems 
or infrastructure, or those of our third-party vendors or 
other service providers, including as a result of cyber attacks; 
the effect of changes in the level of checking or savings 
account deposits on our funding costs and net interest 
margin; 
fiscal and monetary policies of the Federal Reserve Board; 
changes to U.S. tax guidance and regulations, as well as the 
effect of discrete items on our effective income tax rate; 
our ability to develop and execute effective business plans 
and strategies; and 
the other risk factors and uncertainties described under 
“Risk Factors” in this Report. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 
• 

• 

• 

In addition to the above factors, we also caution that the 
amount and timing of any future common stock dividends or 
repurchases will depend on the earnings, cash requirements and 
financial condition of the Company, market conditions, capital 

Wells Fargo & Company 

requirements (including under Basel capital standards), common 
stock issuance requirements, applicable law and regulations 
(including federal securities laws and federal banking 
regulations), and other factors deemed relevant by the 
Company’s Board of Directors, and may be subject to regulatory 
approval or conditions. 

For additional information about factors that could cause 
actual results to differ materially from our expectations, refer to 
our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, 
including the discussion under “Risk Factors” in this Report, as 
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available 
on its website at www.sec.gov.1 

Any forward-looking statement made by us speaks only as 

of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could 
cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, 
and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake 
no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, 
whether as a result of new information, future developments or 
otherwise, except as may be required by law. 

Forward-looking Non-GAAP Financial Measures. From time to 
time management may discuss forward-looking non-GAAP 
financial measures, such as forward-looking estimates or targets 
for return on average tangible common equity. We are unable to 
provide a reconciliation of forward-looking non-GAAP financial 
measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial 
measures because we are unable to provide, without 
unreasonable effort, a meaningful or accurate calculation or 
estimation of amounts that would be necessary for the 
reconciliation due to the complexity and inherent difficulty in 
forecasting and quantifying future amounts or when they may 
occur. Such unavailable information could be significant to future 
results. 

1 We do not control this website. Wells Fargo has provided this link for 
your convenience, but does not endorse and is not responsible for the 
content, links, privacy policy, or security policy of this website. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

71 

Risk Factors 

An investment in the Company involves risk, including the 
possibility that the value of the investment could fall 
substantially and that dividends or other distributions on the 
investment could be reduced or eliminated. We discuss below 
risk factors that could adversely affect our financial results and 
condition, and the value of, and return on, an investment in the 
Company. 

ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL MARKETS, INTEREST RATES, AND 
LIQUIDITY RISKS 

Our financial results have been, and will continue to be, 
materially affected by general economic conditions, and a 
deterioration in economic conditions or in the financial 
markets may materially adversely affect our lending and other 
businesses and our financial results and condition.  We 
generate revenue from the interest and fees we charge on the 
loans and other products and services we sell, and a substantial 
amount of our revenue and earnings comes from the net interest 
income and fee income that we earn from our consumer and 
commercial lending and banking businesses, including our 
mortgage banking business. These businesses have been, and will 
continue to be, materially affected by the state of the U.S. 
economy, particularly unemployment levels and home prices. The 
negative effects and continued uncertainty stemming from U.S. 
fiscal, monetary and political matters, including concerns about 
deficit and debt levels, inflation, taxes and U.S. debt ratings, have 
impacted and may continue to impact the global economy. 
Moreover, geopolitical matters, including international political 
unrest or disturbances, the United Kingdom’s exit from the 
European Union, as well as continued concerns over commodity 
prices, restrictions on international trade and corresponding 
retaliatory measures, and global economic difficulties, may 
impact the stability of financial markets and the global economy. 
Any impacts to the global economy could have a similar impact 
to the U.S. economy. A prolonged period of slow growth in the 
global economy or any deterioration in general economic 
conditions and/or the financial markets resulting from the above 
matters or any other events or factors that may disrupt or 
weaken the U.S. or global economy, could materially adversely 
affect our financial results and condition. 

A weakening in business or economic conditions, including 
higher unemployment levels or declines in home prices, as well as 
higher interest rates, can also adversely affect our borrowers’ 
ability to repay their loans, which can negatively impact our credit 
performance. If unemployment levels worsen or if home prices 
fall we would expect to incur elevated charge-offs and provision 
expense from increases in our allowance for credit losses. These 
conditions may adversely affect not only consumer loan 
performance but also commercial and CRE loans, especially for 
those business borrowers that rely on the health of industries 
that may experience deteriorating economic conditions. The 
ability of these and other borrowers to repay their loans may 
deteriorate, causing us, as one of the largest commercial and CRE 
lenders in the U.S., to incur significantly higher credit losses. In 
addition, weak or deteriorating economic conditions make it 
more challenging for us to increase our consumer and 
commercial loan portfolios by making loans to creditworthy 
borrowers at attractive yields. Furthermore, weak economic 
conditions, as well as competition and/or increases in interest 
rates, could soften demand for our loans resulting in our 
retaining a much higher amount of lower yielding liquid assets on 

our consolidated balance sheet. If economic conditions do not 
continue to improve or if the economy worsens and 
unemployment rises, which also would likely result in a decrease 
in consumer and business confidence and spending, the demand 
for our credit products, including our mortgages, may fall, 
reducing our interest and noninterest income and our earnings. 
A deterioration in business and economic conditions, which 

may erode consumer and investor confidence levels, and/or 
increased volatility of financial markets, also could adversely 
affect financial results for our fee-based businesses, including our 
investment advisory, securities brokerage, wealth management, 
markets and investment banking businesses. For example, 
because investment advisory fees are often based on the value of 
assets under management, a fall in the market prices of those 
assets could reduce our fee income. Changes in stock market 
prices could affect the trading activity of investors, reducing 
commissions and other fees we earn from our brokerage 
business. In addition, adverse market conditions may negatively 
affect the performance of products we have provided to 
customers, which may expose us to legal actions or additional 
costs. Poor economic conditions and volatile or unstable financial 
markets also can negatively affect our debt and equity 
underwriting and advisory businesses, as well as our trading 
activities and venture capital businesses. Any deterioration in 
global financial markets and economies, including as a result of 
any international political unrest or disturbances, may adversely 
affect the revenues and earnings of our international operations, 
particularly our global financial institution and correspondent 
banking services. 

For additional information, see the “Risk Management – 

Asset/Liability Management” and “– Credit Risk Management” 
sections in this Report. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted our business 
and financial results, and the ultimate impact will depend on 
future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be 
predicted, including the scope and duration of the pandemic 
and actions taken by governmental authorities in response to 
the pandemic.  The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively 
impacted the global economy, disrupted global supply chains, 
affected equity market valuations, created significant volatility 
and disruption in financial markets, and increased unemployment 
levels. In addition, the pandemic resulted in restrictions and 
closures for many businesses, as well as the institution of social 
distancing, masking, and sheltering in place requirements in 
many states and communities. These impacts have varied over 
time, with changes often occurring suddenly. As a result of the 
pandemic, the demand for our products and services may 
continue to be significantly impacted, which could adversely 
affect our revenue, particularly if we are unable to satisfy changes 
in customer needs and preferences. Furthermore, the pandemic 
could continue to result in the recognition of credit losses in our 
loan portfolios and increases in our allowance for credit losses, 
particularly for industries most directly and adversely affected by 
the pandemic, such as travel and entertainment, and/or if 
businesses remain closed or fail, the impact on the global 
economy worsens, or more customers draw on their lines of 
credit or seek additional loans to help finance their businesses. 
In addition, our business operations may be further disrupted if 
significant portions of our workforce are unable to work 
effectively, including because of illness, quarantines, government 
actions, or other restrictions in connection with the pandemic. 

72 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
 
Moreover, the pandemic has created additional operational 

and compliance risks, including the need to quickly implement 
and execute new programs and procedures for the products and 
services we offer our customers, provide enhanced safety 
measures for our employees and customers, comply with rapidly 
changing regulatory requirements, address any increased risk of 
fraudulent activity, and protect the integrity and functionality of 
our systems, networks and operations while a larger number of 
our employees and those of our third-party service providers 
work remotely. The pandemic could also result in or contribute to 
additional downgrades to our credit ratings or credit outlook. In 
response to the pandemic, we previously suspended certain 
mortgage foreclosure activities and provided fee waivers, 
payment deferrals, and other expanded assistance for certain 
consumer and commercial lending customers, and future 
governmental actions may again require these and other types of 
customer-related responses. Our participation in governmental 
measures taken to address the economic impact from the 
COVID-19 pandemic could result in reputational harm, as well as 
continue to result in litigation and government investigations 
and proceedings. In addition, we reduced our common stock 
dividend and temporarily suspended share repurchases, and we 
could take, or be required to take, other capital actions in the 
future. The COVID-19 pandemic may also have the effect of 
increasing the likelihood and/or magnitude of the other risks 
described herein, including credit, market and operational related 
risks, particularly if the pandemic continues to adversely affect 
the global economy. The extent to which the COVID-19 
pandemic impacts our business, results of operations, and 
financial condition, as well as our regulatory capital and liquidity 
ratios, will depend on future developments, which are highly 
uncertain and cannot be predicted, including the scope and 
duration of the pandemic, the effectiveness, availability and use 
of vaccines, the emergence and impact of COVID-19 variants, 
and actions taken by governmental authorities and other third 
parties in response to the pandemic. 

Changes in interest rates and financial market values could 
reduce our net interest income and earnings, as well as our 
other comprehensive income, including as a result of 
recognizing losses on the debt and equity securities that we 
hold in our portfolio or trade for our customers.  Changes in 
either our net interest margin or the amount or mix of earning 
assets we hold, including as a result of the asset cap under the 
February 2018 consent order with the FRB, could affect our net 
interest income and our earnings. Changes in interest rates can 
affect our net interest margin. Although the yield we earn on our 
assets and our funding costs tend to move in the same direction 
in response to changes in interest rates, one can rise or fall faster 
than the other, causing our net interest margin to expand or 
contract. If our funding costs rise faster than the yield we earn on 
our assets or if the yield we earn on our assets falls faster than 
our funding costs, our net interest margin could contract. 

The amount and type of earning assets we hold can affect 
our yield and net interest income. We hold earning assets in the 
form of loans and debt and equity securities, among other assets. 
As noted above, if the economy worsens we may see lower 
demand for loans by creditworthy customers, reducing our yield 
and net interest income. In addition, our net interest income and 
net interest margin can be negatively affected by a prolonged 
low interest rate environment as it may result in us holding lower 
yielding loans and securities on our consolidated balance sheet, 
particularly if we are unable to replace the maturing higher 
yielding assets with similar higher yielding assets. Increases in 
interest rates, however, may negatively affect loan demand and 

could result in higher credit losses as borrowers may have more 
difficulty making higher interest payments. As described below, 
changes in interest rates also affect our mortgage business, 
including the value of our MSRs. 

Changes in the slope of the “yield curve” – or the spread 

between short-term and long-term interest rates – could also 
reduce our net interest income and net interest margin. 
Normally, the yield curve is upward sloping, meaning short-term 
rates are lower than long-term rates. When the yield curve 
flattens, or even inverts, our net interest income and net interest 
margin could decrease if the cost of our short-term funding 
increases relative to the yield we can earn on our long-term 
assets. Moreover, a negative interest rate environment, in which 
interest rates drop below zero, could reduce our net interest 
income and net interest margin due to a likely decline in the 
interest we could earn on loans and other earning assets, while 
also likely requiring us to pay to maintain our deposits with the 
FRB. 

We assess our interest rate risk by estimating the effect on 

our earnings under various scenarios that differ based on 
assumptions about the direction, magnitude and speed of 
interest rate changes and the slope of the yield curve. We may 
hedge some of that interest rate risk with interest rate 
derivatives. We also rely on the “natural hedge” that our 
mortgage loan originations and servicing rights can provide as 
their revenue impact tends to move in opposite directions based 
on changes in interest rates. 

We generally do not hedge all of our interest rate risk. There 
is always the risk that changes in interest rates, credit spreads or 
option volatility could reduce our net interest income and 
earnings, as well as our other comprehensive income, in material 
amounts, especially if actual conditions turn out to be materially 
different than what we assumed. For example, if interest rates 
rise or fall faster than we assumed or the slope of the yield curve 
changes, we may incur significant losses on debt securities we 
hold as investments. To reduce our interest rate risk, we may 
rebalance our portfolios of debt securities, equity securities and 
loans, refinance our debt and take other strategic actions. We 
may incur losses when we take such actions. In addition, changes 
in interest rates can result in increased basis risk, which could 
limit the effectiveness of our hedging activities. 

Because of changing economic and market conditions, as 
well as credit ratings, affecting issuers and the performance of 
any underlying collateral, we may be required to recognize other-
than-temporary impairment (OTTI) in future periods on the 
securities we hold. Furthermore, the value of the debt securities 
we hold can fluctuate due to changes in interest rates, issuer 
creditworthiness, and other factors. Our net income also is 
exposed to changes in interest rates, credit spreads, foreign 
exchange rates, and equity and commodity prices in connection 
with our trading activities, which are conducted primarily to 
accommodate the investment and risk management activities of 
our customers, as well as when we execute economic hedging to 
manage certain balance sheet risks. Trading debt securities and 
equity securities held for trading are carried at fair value with 
realized and unrealized gains and losses recorded in noninterest 
income. As part of our business to support our customers, we 
trade public debt and equity securities that are subject to market 
fluctuations with gains and losses recognized in net income. In 
addition, although high market volatility can increase our 
exposure to trading-related losses, periods of low volatility may 
have an adverse effect on our businesses as a result of reduced 
customer activity levels. Although we have processes in place to 
measure and monitor the risks associated with our trading 
activities, including stress testing and hedging strategies, there 

Wells Fargo & Company 

73 

  
Risk Factors (continued) 

can be no assurance that our processes and strategies will be 
effective in avoiding losses that could have a material adverse 
effect on our financial results. 

The value of our marketable and nonmarketable equity 
securities can fluctuate from quarter to quarter. Marketable 
equity securities are carried at fair value with unrealized gains and 
losses reflected in earnings. Nonmarketable equity securities are 
carried under the cost method, equity method, or measurement 
alternative, while others are carried at fair value with unrealized 
gains and losses reflected in earnings. Earnings from our equity 
securities portfolio may be volatile and hard to predict, and may 
have a significant effect on our earnings from period to period. 
When, and if, we recognize gains may depend on a number of 
factors, including general economic and market conditions, the 
prospects of the companies in which we invest, when a company 
goes public, the size of our position relative to the public float, 
and whether we are subject to any resale restrictions. 

Nonmarketable equity securities include our private equity 
and venture capital investments that could result in significant 
OTTI losses for those investments carried under the 
measurement alternative or equity method. If we determine 
there is OTTI for an investment, we write-down the carrying 
value of the investment, resulting in a charge to earnings, which 
could be significant. 

For additional information, see the “Risk Management – 
Asset/Liability Management – Interest Rate Risk”, “– Mortgage 
Banking Interest Rate and Market Risk”, “– Market Risk – Trading 
Activities”, and “– Market Risk – Equity Securities” and the 
“Balance Sheet Analysis – Available-for-Sale and Held-to-
Maturity Debt Securities” sections in this Report and Note 2 
(Trading Activities), Note 3 (Available-for-Sale and Held-to-
Maturity Debt Securities) and Note 6 (Equity Securities) to 
Financial Statements in this Report. 

The transition away from the London Interbank Offered Rate 
(LIBOR) may adversely affect our business, results of 
operations, and financial condition.  The administrator of LIBOR 
ceased publication of LIBOR settings on a representative basis on 
December 31, 2021, with the exception of the most commonly 
used U.S. dollar (USD) LIBOR settings, which will no longer be 
published on a representative basis after June 30, 2023. 
Additionally, federal banking regulators have issued guidance 
strongly encouraging banking organizations to cease using USD 
LIBOR in new contracts. We have a significant number of assets 
and liabilities, such as commercial loans, adjustable-rate 
mortgage loans, derivatives, debt securities, and long-term debt, 
referenced to LIBOR and other interbank offered rates. When 
any such benchmark rate or other referenced financial metric is 
significantly changed, replaced or discontinued, or ceases to be 
recognized as an acceptable market benchmark rate or financial 
metric, there may be uncertainty or differences in the calculation 
of the applicable interest rate or payment amount depending on 
the terms of the governing instrument. 

This could impact the financial performance of previously 
booked transactions, result in losses on financial instruments we 
hold, require different hedging strategies or result in ineffective 
or increased basis risk on existing hedges, impact the overall 
interest rate environment and the availability or cost of floating-
rate funding, affect our capital and liquidity planning and 
management, or have other adverse financial consequences. 
There can be no assurance that any new benchmark rate or other 
financial metric will be an adequate alternative to LIBOR or 
produce the economic equivalent of LIBOR. In addition, the 
transition away from LIBOR will continue to require changes to 
existing transaction data, products, systems, models, operations, 

and pricing processes, as well as the modification or 
renegotiation of a substantial volume of existing transactions 
that reference USD LIBOR. It may also continue to result in 
significant operational, systems, or other practical challenges, 
increased compliance and operational costs, and heightened 
expectations and scrutiny from regulators, and could result in 
litigation, reputational harm, or other adverse consequences. 
There can be no assurance that statutory or contractual 
“fallback” provisions will be effective or that we or other 
contracting parties will be able to modify or renegotiate existing 
transactions before the discontinuation of LIBOR. Furthermore, 
the transition away from widely used benchmark rates like LIBOR 
could result in customers or other market participants 
challenging the determination of their interest payments, 
disputing the interpretation or implementation of fallback 
provisions and other transition related changes, or entering into 
fewer transactions or postponing their financing needs, which 
could reduce our revenue and adversely affect our business. 
Moreover, to the extent borrowers with loans referenced to 
LIBOR, such as adjustable-rate mortgage loans, experience 
higher interest payments as a result of the transition to a new 
benchmark rate, our customers’ ability to repay their loans may 
be adversely affected, which can negatively impact our credit 
performance. 

For additional information on the discontinuation of LIBOR 
and the steps we are taking to address and mitigate the risks we 
have identified, see the “Overview – Recent Developments – 
LIBOR Transition” section in this Report. 

Effective liquidity management is essential for the operation 
of our business, and our financial results and condition could be 
materially adversely affected if we do not effectively manage 
our liquidity.  We primarily rely on customer deposits to be a 
low-cost and stable source of funding for the loans we make and 
the operation of our business. In addition to customer deposits, 
our sources of liquidity include certain debt and equity securities, 
our ability to sell or securitize loans in secondary markets and to 
pledge loans to access secured borrowing facilities through the 
FHLB and the FRB, and our ability to raise funds in domestic and 
international money through capital markets. 

Our liquidity and our ability to fund and run our business 
could be materially adversely affected by a variety of conditions 
and factors, including financial and credit market disruption and 
volatility or a lack of market or customer confidence in financial 
markets in general similar to what occurred during the financial 
crisis in 2008 and early 2009, which may result in a loss of 
customer deposits or outflows of cash or collateral and/or our 
inability to access capital markets on favorable terms. Market 
disruption and volatility could impact our credit spreads, which 
are the amount in excess of the interest rate of U.S. Treasury 
securities, or other benchmark securities, of the same maturity 
that we need to pay to our funding providers. Increases in 
interest rates and our credit spreads could significantly increase 
our funding costs. Other conditions and factors that could 
materially adversely affect our liquidity and funding include a lack 
of market or customer confidence in the Company or negative 
news about the Company or the financial services industry 
generally which also may result in a loss of deposits and/or 
negatively affect our ability to access the capital markets; our 
inability to sell or securitize loans or other assets; disruptions or 
volatility in the repurchase market which also may increase our 
short-term funding costs; regulatory requirements or 
restrictions; unexpectedly high or accelerated customer draws on 
lines of credit; and, as described below, reductions in one or more 
of our credit ratings. Many of the above conditions and factors 

74 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
  
may be caused by events over which we have little or no control. 
There can be no assurance that significant disruption and 
volatility in the financial markets will not occur in the future. For 
example, concerns over geopolitical issues, commodity and 
currency prices, as well as global economic conditions, may cause 
financial market volatility. 

In addition, concerns regarding U.S. government debt levels 
and any associated downgrade of U.S. government debt ratings 
may cause uncertainty and volatility as well. A downgrade of the 
sovereign debt ratings of the U.S. government or the debt 
ratings of related institutions, agencies or instrumentalities, as 
well as other fiscal or political events could, in addition to causing 
economic and financial market disruptions, materially adversely 
affect the market value of the U.S. government securities that 
we hold, the availability of those securities as collateral for 
borrowing, and our ability to access capital markets on favorable 
terms, as well as have other material adverse effects on the 
operation of our business and our financial results and condition. 
As noted above, we rely heavily on customer deposits for our 
funding and liquidity. We compete with banks and other financial 
services companies for deposits. If our competitors raise the 
rates they pay on deposits our funding costs may increase, either 
because we raise our rates to avoid losing deposits or because we 
lose deposits and must rely on more expensive sources of 
funding. Checking and savings account balances and other forms 
of customer deposits may decrease when customers perceive 
alternative investments, such as the stock market, as providing a 
better risk/return tradeoff. When customers move money out of 
bank deposits and into other investments, we may lose a 
relatively low-cost source of funds, increasing our funding costs 
and negatively affecting our liquidity. In addition, actions taken 
to manage under the asset cap may continue to impact our 
ability to retain deposits. 

If we are unable to continue to fund our assets through 
customer deposits or access capital markets on favorable terms 
or if we suffer an increase in our borrowing costs or otherwise fail 
to manage our liquidity effectively (including on an intra-day or 
intra-affiliate basis), our liquidity, net interest margin, financial 
results and condition may be materially adversely affected. As we 
did during the financial crisis, we may also need, or be required by 
our regulators, to raise additional capital through the issuance of 
common stock, which could dilute the ownership of existing 
stockholders, or reduce or even eliminate our common stock 
dividend to preserve capital or to raise additional capital. 

For additional information, see the “Risk Management – 

Asset/Liability Management” section in this Report. 

Adverse changes in our credit ratings could have a material 
adverse effect on our liquidity, cash flows, financial results and 
condition.  Our borrowing costs and ability to obtain funding are 
influenced by our credit ratings. Reductions in one or more of our 
credit ratings could adversely affect our ability to borrow funds 
and raise the costs of our borrowings substantially and could 
cause creditors and business counterparties to raise collateral 
requirements or take other actions that could adversely affect 
our ability to raise funding. Credit ratings and credit ratings 
agencies’ outlooks are based on the ratings agencies’ analysis of 
many quantitative and qualitative factors, such as our capital 
adequacy, liquidity, asset quality, business mix, the level and 
quality of our earnings, rating agency assumptions regarding the 
probability and extent of federal financial assistance or support, 
and other rating agency specific criteria. In addition to credit 
ratings, our borrowing costs are affected by various other 
external factors, including market volatility and concerns or 
perceptions about the financial services industry generally. There 

can be no assurance that we will maintain our credit ratings and 
outlooks and that credit ratings downgrades in the future would 
not materially affect our ability to borrow funds and borrowing 
costs. Downgrades in our credit ratings also may trigger 
additional collateral or funding obligations which, depending on 
the severity of the downgrade, could have a material adverse 
effect on our liquidity, including as a result of credit-related 
contingent features in certain of our derivative contracts. 
For information on our credit ratings, see the “Risk 

Management – Asset/Liability Management – Liquidity Risk and 
Funding – Credit Ratings” section and for information regarding 
additional collateral and funding obligations required of certain 
derivative instruments in the event our credit ratings were to fall 
below investment grade, see Note 16 (Derivatives) to Financial 
Statements in this Report. 

We rely on dividends from our subsidiaries for liquidity, and 
federal and state law, as well as certain contractual 
arrangements, can limit those dividends.  Wells Fargo & 
Company, the parent holding company (the “Parent”), is a 
separate and distinct legal entity from its subsidiaries. It receives 
substantially all of its funding and liquidity from dividends and 
other distributions from its subsidiaries. We generally use these 
dividends and distributions, among other things, to pay dividends 
on our common and preferred stock and interest and principal on 
our debt. Federal and state laws limit the amount of dividends 
and distributions that our bank and some of our nonbank 
subsidiaries, including our broker-dealer subsidiaries, may pay to 
the Parent. In addition, under a Support Agreement dated 
June 28, 2017, as amended and restated on June 26, 2019, 
among the Parent, WFC Holdings, LLC, an intermediate holding 
company and subsidiary of the Parent (the “IHC”), Wells Fargo 
Bank, N.A. (the “Bank”), Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Wells Fargo 
Clearing Services, LLC, and certain other subsidiaries of the 
Parent designated from time to time as material entities for 
resolution planning purposes or identified from time to time as 
related support entities in our resolution plan, the IHC may be 
restricted from making dividend payments to the Parent if 
certain liquidity and/or capital metrics fall below defined triggers 
or if the Parent’s board of directors authorizes it to file a case 
under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Also, our right to participate in a 
distribution of assets upon a subsidiary’s liquidation or 
reorganization is subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s 
creditors. 

For additional information, see the “Regulation and 
Supervision – Dividend Restrictions” and “– Holding Company 
Structure” sections in our 2021 Form 10-K and to Note 28 
(Regulatory Capital Requirements and Other Restrictions) to 
Financial Statements in this Report. 

REGULATORY RISKS 

Current and future legislation and/or regulation could require 
us to change certain of our business practices, reduce our 
revenue and earnings, impose additional costs on us or 
otherwise adversely affect our business operations and/or 
competitive position.  Our parent company, our subsidiary 
banks and many of our nonbank subsidiaries such as those 
related to our brokerage business, are subject to significant and 
extensive regulation under state and federal laws in the U.S., as 
well as the applicable laws of the various jurisdictions outside of 
the U.S. where they conduct business. These regulations 
generally protect depositors, federal deposit insurance funds, 
consumers, investors, employees, or the banking and financial 
system as a whole, not necessarily our security holders. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

75 

 
  
 
Risk Factors (continued) 

Economic, market and political conditions during the past few 
years have led to a significant amount of legislation and 
regulation in the U.S. and abroad affecting the financial services 
industry, as well as heightened expectations and scrutiny of 
financial services companies from banking regulators. These laws 
and regulations may continue to affect the manner in which we 
do business and the products and services that we provide, affect 
or restrict our ability to compete in our current businesses or our 
ability to enter into or acquire new businesses, reduce or limit our 
revenue, affect our compliance and risk management activities, 
increase our capital requirements, impose additional fees, 
assessments or taxes on us, intensify the regulatory supervision 
of us and the financial services industry, and adversely affect our 
business operations or have other negative consequences. Our 
businesses and revenues in non-U.S. jurisdictions are also subject 
to risks from political, economic and social developments in 
those jurisdictions, including sanctions or business restrictions, 
asset freezes or confiscation, unfavorable political or diplomatic 
developments, or financial or social instability. In addition, 
greater government oversight and scrutiny of Wells Fargo, as 
well as financial services companies generally, has increased our 
operational and compliance costs as we must continue to devote 
substantial resources to enhancing our procedures and controls 
and meeting heightened regulatory standards and expectations. 
Any failure to meet regulatory requirements, standards or 
expectations, either in the U.S. or in non-U.S. jurisdictions, could 
continue to result in significant fees, penalties, restrictions on our 
ability to engage in certain business activities, or other adverse 
consequences. 

Our consumer businesses, including our mortgage, auto, 

credit card and other consumer lending and non-lending 
businesses, are subject to numerous and, in many cases, highly 
complex consumer protection laws and regulations, as well as 
enhanced regulatory scrutiny and more and expanded regulatory 
examinations and/or investigations. In particular, the CFPB’s 
rules may continue to increase our compliance costs and require 
changes in our business practices, which could limit or negatively 
affect the products and services that we offer our customers. If 
we fail to meet enhanced regulatory requirements and 
expectations with respect to our consumer businesses, we may 
be subject to increased costs, fines, penalties, restrictions on our 
business activities including the products and services we can 
provide, and/or harm to our reputation. 

In addition, the Dodd-Frank Act established a 

comprehensive framework for regulating over-the-counter 
derivatives, and the CFTC, SEC, and other federal regulatory 
agencies have adopted rules regulating swaps, security-based 
swaps, and derivatives activities. These rules may continue to 
negatively impact customer demand for over-the-counter 
derivatives, impact our ability to offer customers new derivatives 
or amendments to existing derivatives, and increase our costs for 
engaging in swaps, security-based swaps, and other derivatives 
activities. 

We are also subject to various rules and regulations related 
to the prevention of financial crimes and combating terrorism, 
including the U.S. Patriot Act of 2001. These rules and 
regulations require us to, among other things, implement policies 
and procedures related to anti-money laundering, anti-bribery 
and corruption, fraud, compliance, suspicious activities, currency 
transaction reporting and due diligence on customers. Although 
we have policies and procedures designed to comply with these 
rules and regulations, to the extent they are not fully effective or 
do not meet heightened regulatory standards or expectations, 
we may be subject to fines, penalties, restrictions on certain 
activities, reputational harm, or other adverse consequences. 

Our businesses are also subject to laws and regulations 
enacted by U.S. and non-U.S. regulators and governmental 
authorities relating to the privacy of the information of 
customers, employees and others. These laws and regulations, 
among other things, increase our compliance obligations; have a 
significant impact on our businesses’ collection, processing, 
sharing, use, and retention of personal data and reporting of data 
breaches; and provide for significantly increased penalties for 
non-compliance. 

In addition, we are subject to a number of consent orders 
and other regulatory actions, including a February 2018 consent 
order with the FRB regarding the Board’s governance and 
oversight of the Company, and the Company’s compliance and 
operational risk management program. This consent order limits 
the Company’s total consolidated assets as defined under the 
consent order to the level as of December 31, 2017, until certain 
conditions are met. This limitation could continue to adversely 
affect our results of operations or financial condition. We are also 
subject to April 2018 consent orders with the CFPB and OCC 
regarding the Company’s compliance risk management program 
and past practices involving certain automobile collateral 
protection insurance policies and certain mortgage interest rate 
lock extensions. Similarly, we are subject to a September 2021 
consent order with the OCC regarding loss mitigation activities in 
the Company’s Home Lending business. 

Under the April 2018 consent order with the OCC, the Bank 
remains subject to requirements that were originally imposed in 
November 2016 to provide prior written notice to, and obtain 
non-objection from, the OCC with respect to changes in directors 
and senior executive officers, and remains subject to certain 
regulatory limitations on post-termination payments to certain 
individuals and employees. 

The Company may be subject to further actions, including 

the imposition of additional consent orders, regulatory 
agreements or civil money penalties, by federal regulators 
regarding similar or other issues. Furthermore, issues or delays in 
satisfying the requirements of a regulatory action could affect 
our progress on others, and failure to satisfy the requirements of 
a regulatory action on a timely basis could result in additional 
penalties, enforcement actions, and other negative 
consequences, which could be significant. For example, in 
September 2021, the OCC assessed a $250 million civil money 
penalty against the Company related to insufficient progress in 
addressing requirements under the OCC’s April 2018 consent 
order and loss mitigation activities in the Company’s Home 
Lending business. Compliance with the February 2018 FRB 
consent order, the April 2018 CFPB and OCC consent orders, the 
September 2021 OCC consent order, and any other consent 
orders or regulatory actions, as well as the implementation of 
their requirements, may continue to increase the Company’s 
costs, require the Company to reallocate resources away from 
growing its existing businesses, subject the Company to business 
restrictions, negatively impact the Company’s capital and 
liquidity, and require the Company to undergo significant 
changes to its business, operations, products and services, and 
risk management practices. For additional information on the 
Company’s consent orders, see the “Overview” section in this 
Report. 

Other future regulatory initiatives that could significantly 

affect our business include proposals to reform the housing 
finance market in the United States. These proposals, among 
other things, consider ending the conservatorships of the GSEs 
and reducing or eliminating over time the role of the GSEs in 
buying mortgage loans or guaranteeing mortgage-backed 
securities (MBS), as well as the implementation of reforms 

76 

Wells Fargo & Company 

relating to borrowers, lenders, and investors in the mortgage 
market. The extent and timing of any regulatory reform or the 
adoption of any legislation regarding the GSEs and/or the home 
mortgage market, as well as any effect on the Company’s 
business and financial results, are uncertain. 

Any other future legislation and/or regulation, if adopted, 
also could significantly change our regulatory environment and 
increase our cost of doing business, limit the activities we may 
pursue or affect the competitive balance among banks, savings 
associations, credit unions, and other financial services 
companies, and have a material adverse effect on our financial 
results and condition. 

For additional information on the significant regulations and 
regulatory oversight initiatives that have affected or may affect 
our business, see the “Regulatory Matters” section in this Report 
and the “Regulation and Supervision” section in our 2021 Form 
10-K. 

We could be subject to more stringent capital, leverage or 
liquidity requirements or restrictions on our growth, activities 
or operations if regulators determine that our resolution or 
recovery plan is deficient.  Pursuant to rules adopted by the FRB 
and the FDIC, Wells Fargo prepares and periodically submits 
resolution plans, also known as “living wills,” designed to facilitate 
our rapid and orderly resolution in the event of material financial 
distress or failure. There can be no assurance that the FRB or 
FDIC will respond favorably to the Company’s resolution plans. If 
the FRB and/or FDIC determine that a resolution plan has 
deficiencies, they may impose more stringent capital, leverage or 
liquidity requirements on us or restrict our growth, activities or 
operations until we adequately remedy the deficiencies. If the 
FRB and/or FDIC ultimately determine that we have been unable 
to remedy any deficiencies, they could require us to divest certain 
assets or operations. 

In addition to our resolution plans, we must also prepare and 

periodically submit to the FRB a recovery plan that identifies a 
range of options that we may consider during times of 
idiosyncratic or systemic economic stress to remedy any financial 
weaknesses and restore market confidence without 
extraordinary government support. The Bank must also prepare 
and periodically submit to the OCC a recovery plan. If either the 
FRB or the OCC determines that our recovery plan is deficient, 
they may impose fines, restrictions on our business or ultimately 
require us to divest assets. 

Our security holders may suffer losses in a resolution of 
Wells Fargo even if creditors of our subsidiaries are paid in full. 
If Wells Fargo were to fail, it may be resolved in a bankruptcy 
proceeding or, if certain conditions are met, under the resolution 
regime created by the Dodd-Frank Act known as the “orderly 
liquidation authority,” which allows for the appointment of the 
FDIC as receiver. The FDIC’s orderly liquidation authority requires 
that security holders of a company in receivership bear all losses 
before U.S. taxpayers are exposed to any losses. There are 
substantial differences in the rights of creditors between the 
orderly liquidation authority and the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, 
including the right of the FDIC to disregard the strict priority of 
creditor claims under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in certain 
circumstances and the use of an administrative claims procedure 
instead of a judicial procedure to determine creditors’ claims. 

The strategy described in our most recent resolution plan is 
a single point of entry strategy, in which the Parent would be the 
only material legal entity to enter resolution proceedings. 
However, the strategy described in our resolution plan is not 
binding in the event of an actual resolution of Wells Fargo. 

To facilitate the orderly resolution of the Company, we 
entered into the Support Agreement, pursuant to which the 
Parent transferred a significant amount of its assets to the IHC 
and will continue to transfer assets to the IHC from time to time. 
In the event of our material financial distress or failure, the IHC 
will be obligated to use the transferred assets to provide capital 
and/or liquidity to the Bank and certain other direct and indirect 
subsidiaries of the Parent. Under the Support Agreement, the 
IHC will provide funding and liquidity to the Parent through 
subordinated notes and a committed line of credit. If certain 
liquidity and/or capital metrics fall below defined triggers, or if 
the Parent’s board of directors authorizes it to file a case under 
the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, the subordinated notes would be 
forgiven, the committed line of credit would terminate, and the 
IHC’s ability to pay dividends to the Parent would be restricted, 
any of which could materially and adversely impact the Parent’s 
liquidity and its ability to satisfy its debts and other obligations, 
and could result in the commencement of bankruptcy 
proceedings by the Parent at an earlier time than might have 
otherwise occurred if the Support Agreement were not 
implemented. 

Any resolution of the Company will likely impose losses on 
shareholders, unsecured debt holders and other creditors of the 
Parent, while the Parent’s subsidiaries may continue to operate. 
Creditors of some or all of our subsidiaries may receive 
significant or full recoveries on their claims, while the Parent’s 
security holders could face significant or complete losses. This 
outcome may arise whether the Company is resolved under the 
U.S. Bankruptcy Code or by the FDIC under the orderly 
liquidation authority, and whether the resolution is conducted 
using a single point of entry strategy or using a multiple point of 
entry strategy, in which the Parent and one or more of its 
subsidiaries would each undergo separate resolution 
proceedings. Furthermore, in a single point of entry or multiple 
point of entry strategy, losses at some or all of our subsidiaries 
could be transferred to the Parent and borne by the Parent’s 
security holders. Moreover, if either resolution strategy proved 
to be unsuccessful, our security holders could face greater losses 
than if the strategy had not been implemented. 

For additional information, see the “Regulatory Matters – 
‘Living Will’ Requirements and Related Matters” section in this 
Report. 

Bank regulations and rules may require higher capital and 
liquidity levels, limiting our ability to pay common stock 
dividends, repurchase our common stock, invest in our 
business, or provide loans or other products and services to our 
customers.  The Company and each of our insured depository 
institutions are subject to various regulatory capital adequacy 
requirements administered by federal banking regulators. In 
particular, the Company is subject to rules issued by federal 
banking regulators to implement Basel III risk-based capital 
requirements for U.S. banking organizations. These capital rules, 
among other things, establish required minimum ratios relating 
capital to different categories of assets and exposures. Federal 
banking regulators have also finalized rules to impose a leverage 
ratio and a supplementary leverage ratio on large BHCs like 
Wells Fargo and our insured depository institutions. The FRB has 
also finalized rules to address the amount of equity and 
unsecured long-term debt a U.S. G-SIB must hold to improve its 
resolvability and resiliency, often referred to as total loss 
absorbing capacity (TLAC). Similarly, federal banking regulators 
have issued final rules that implement a liquidity coverage ratio 
and a net stable funding ratio. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

77 

  
Risk Factors (continued) 

In addition, as part of its obligation to impose enhanced 
capital and risk-management standards on large financial firms 
pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, the FRB has issued a capital 
plan rule that establishes capital planning and other 
requirements that govern capital distributions, including 
dividends and share repurchases, by certain BHCs, including 
Wells Fargo. The FRB has also finalized a number of regulations 
implementing enhanced prudential requirements for large BHCs 
like Wells Fargo regarding risk-based capital and leverage, risk 
and liquidity management, single counterparty credit limits, and 
imposing debt-to-equity limits on any BHC that regulators 
determine poses a grave threat to the financial stability of the 
United States. The FRB and OCC have also finalized rules 
implementing stress testing requirements for large BHCs and 
national banks. In addition, the FRB has proposed a rule to 
establish remediation requirements for large BHCs experiencing 
financial distress and has proposed additional requirements 
regarding effective risk management practices at large BHCs, 
including its expectations for boards of directors and senior 
management. The OCC, under separate authority, has also 
established heightened governance and risk management 
standards for large national banks, such as the Bank. 

The Basel standards and federal regulatory capital, leverage, 

liquidity, TLAC, capital planning, and other requirements may 
limit or otherwise restrict how we utilize our capital, including 
common stock dividends and stock repurchases, and may require 
us to increase our capital and/or liquidity. Any requirement that 
we increase our regulatory capital, regulatory capital ratios or 
liquidity, including due to changes in regulatory requirements, 
such as to the Basel standards, or as a result of business growth, 
acquisitions or a change in our risk profile, could require us to 
liquidate assets or otherwise change our business, product 
offerings and/or investment plans, which may negatively affect 
our financial results. Although not currently anticipated, 
proposed capital requirements and/or our regulators may require 
us to raise additional capital in the future. Issuing additional 
common stock may dilute the ownership of existing 
stockholders. In addition, federal banking regulations may 
continue to increase our compliance costs as well as limit our 
ability to invest in our business or provide loans or other products 
and services to our customers. 

For additional information, see the “Capital Management,” 
“Risk Management – Asset/Liability Management – Liquidity Risk 
and Funding – Liquidity Standards,” and “Regulatory Matters” 
sections in this Report and the “Regulation and Supervision” 
section in our 2021 Form 10-K. 

FRB policies, including policies on interest rates, can 
significantly affect business and economic conditions and our 
financial results and condition.  The FRB regulates the supply of 
money in the United States. Its policies determine in large part 
our cost of funds for lending and investing and the return we 
earn on those loans and investments, both of which affect our 
net interest income and net interest margin. The FRB’s interest 
rate policies also can materially affect the value of financial 
instruments we hold, such as debt securities and MSRs. In 
addition, its policies can affect our borrowers, potentially 
increasing the risk that they may fail to repay their loans. 
Changes in FRB policies, including its target range for the federal 
funds rate or actions taken to increase or decrease the size of its 
balance sheet, are beyond our control and can be hard to predict. 
As noted above, a declining or low interest rate environment and 
a flattening yield curve which may result from the FRB’s actions 
could negatively affect our net interest income and net interest 

margin, as it may result in us holding lower yielding loans and 
debt securities on our consolidated balance sheet. 

CREDIT RISKS 

Increased credit risk, including as a result of a deterioration in 
economic conditions or changes in market conditions, could 
require us to increase our provision for credit losses and 
allowance for credit losses and could have a material adverse 
effect on our results of operations and financial condition. 
When we loan money or commit to loan money we incur credit 
risk, or the risk of losses if our borrowers do not repay their loans. 
As one of the largest lenders in the U.S., the credit performance 
of our loan portfolios significantly affects our financial results 
and condition. As noted above, if the current economic 
environment were to deteriorate, more of our customers may 
have difficulty in repaying their loans or other obligations which 
could result in a higher level of credit losses and provision for 
credit losses. We reserve for credit losses by establishing an 
allowance through a charge to earnings. The amount of this 
allowance is based on our assessment of credit losses inherent in 
our loan portfolio (including unfunded credit commitments). The 
process for determining the amount of the allowance is critical to 
our financial results and condition. It requires difficult, subjective 
and complex judgments about the future, including forecasts of 
economic or market conditions that might impair the ability of 
our borrowers to repay their loans. We might increase the 
allowance because of changing economic conditions, including 
falling home prices, higher unemployment or inflation, significant 
loan growth, changes in consumer behavior or other market 
conditions that adversely affect borrowers, or other factors. 
Additionally, the regulatory environment or external factors, such 
as natural disasters, disease pandemics, political or social 
matters, or trade policies, also can influence recognition of credit 
losses in our loan portfolios and impact our allowance for credit 
losses. 

Future allowance levels may increase or decrease based on a 
variety of factors, including loan balance changes, portfolio credit 
quality and mix changes, and changes in general economic 
conditions. While we believe that our allowance for credit losses 
was appropriate at December 31, 2021, there is no assurance 
that it will be sufficient to cover future credit losses, especially if 
housing and employment conditions worsen. In the event of 
significant deterioration in economic conditions or if we 
experience significant loan growth, we may be required to build 
reserves in future periods, which would reduce our earnings. 
For additional information, see the “Risk Management – 
Credit Risk Management” and “Critical Accounting Policies – 
Allowance for Credit Losses” sections in this Report. 

We may have more credit risk and higher credit losses to the 
extent our loans are concentrated by loan type, industry 
segment, borrower type, or location of the borrower or 
collateral.  Our credit risk and credit losses can increase if our 
loans are concentrated to borrowers engaged in the same or 
similar activities or to borrowers who individually or as a group 
may be uniquely or disproportionately affected by economic or 
market conditions. Similarly, challenging economic or market 
conditions, or trade policies, affecting a particular industry or 
geography may also impact related or dependent industries or 
the ability of borrowers living in such affected areas or working in 
such industries to meet their financial obligations. We 
experienced the effect of concentration risk in 2009 and 2010 
when we incurred greater than expected losses in our residential 
real estate loan portfolio due to a housing slowdown and greater 

78 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
 
 
 
  
than expected deterioration in residential real estate values in 
many markets, including the Central Valley California market and 
several Southern California metropolitan statistical areas. As 
California is our largest banking state in terms of loans and 
deposits, deterioration in real estate values and underlying 
economic conditions in those markets or elsewhere in California 
could result in materially higher credit losses. In addition, changes 
in consumer behavior or other market conditions may adversely 
affect borrowers in certain industries or sectors, which may 
increase our credit risk and reduce the demand by these 
borrowers for our products and services. Moreover, deterioration 
in macro-economic conditions generally across the country could 
result in materially higher credit losses, including for our 
residential real estate loan portfolio, which includes 
nonconforming mortgage loans we retain on our balance sheet. 
We may experience higher delinquencies and higher loss rates as 
our consumer real estate secured lines of credit reach their 
contractual end of draw period and begin to amortize. 

We are currently one of the largest CRE lenders in the U.S. 
A deterioration in economic conditions that negatively affects 
the business performance of our CRE borrowers, including 
increases in interest rates, declines in commercial property 
values, and/or changes in consumer behavior or other market 
conditions, such as a continued decrease in the demand for office 
space, could result in materially higher credit losses and have a 
material adverse effect on our financial results and condition. 

Challenges and/or changes in non-U.S. economic conditions 

may increase our non-U.S. credit risk. Economic difficulties in 
non-U.S. jurisdictions could also indirectly have a material 
adverse effect on our credit performance and results of 
operations and financial condition to the extent they negatively 
affect the U.S. economy and/or our borrowers who have non-U.S. 
operations. 

Due to regulatory requirements, we must clear certain 

derivative transactions through central counterparty 
clearinghouses (CCPs), which results in credit exposure to these 
CCPs. Similarly, because we are a member of various CCPs, we 
may be required to pay a portion of any losses incurred by the 
CCP in the event that one or more members of the CCP defaults 
on its obligations. In addition, we are exposed to the risk of non-
performance by our clients for which we clear transactions 
through CCPs to the extent such non-performance is not 
sufficiently covered by available collateral. 

For additional information regarding credit risk, see the 
“Risk Management – Credit Risk Management” section and 
Note 4 (Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses) to 
Financial Statements in this Report. 

OPERATIONAL, STRATEGIC AND LEGAL RISKS 

A failure in or breach of our operational or security systems, 
controls or infrastructure, or those of our third-party vendors 
and other service providers, could disrupt our businesses, 
damage our reputation, increase our costs and cause losses. 
As a large financial institution that serves customers through 
numerous physical locations, ATMs, the internet, mobile banking 
and other distribution channels across the U.S. and 
internationally, we depend on our ability to process, record and 
monitor a large number of customer transactions on a 
continuous basis. As our customer base and locations have 
expanded throughout the U.S. and internationally, as we have 
increasingly used the internet and mobile banking to provide 
products and services to our customers, as customer, public, 
legislative and regulatory expectations regarding operational and 
information security have increased, and as cyber and other 

information security attacks have become more prevalent and 
complex, our operational systems, controls and infrastructure 
must continue to be safeguarded and monitored for potential 
failures, disruptions and breakdowns. Our business, financial, 
accounting, data processing systems or other operating systems 
and facilities may stop operating properly, become insufficient 
based on our evolving business needs, or become disabled or 
damaged as a result of a number of factors including events that 
are wholly or partially beyond our control. For example, there 
have been and could in the future be sudden increases in 
customer transaction volume; electrical or telecommunications 
outages; degradation or loss of internet, website or mobile 
banking availability; natural disasters such as earthquakes, 
tornados, and hurricanes; disease pandemics; events arising from 
local or larger scale political or social matters, including terrorist 
acts; and, as described below, cyber attacks or other information 
security breaches. Furthermore, enhancements and upgrades to 
our infrastructure or operating systems may be time-consuming, 
entail significant costs, and create risks associated with 
implementing new systems and integrating them with existing 
ones. Due to the complexity and interconnectedness of our 
systems, the process of enhancing our infrastructure and 
operating systems, including their security measures and 
controls, can itself create a risk of system disruptions and 
security issues. Similarly, we may not be able to timely recover 
critical business processes or operations that have been 
disrupted, which may further increase any associated costs and 
consequences of such disruptions. Although we have business 
continuity plans and other safeguards in place to help provide 
operational resiliency, our business operations may be adversely 
affected by significant and widespread disruption to our physical 
infrastructure or operating systems that support our businesses 
and customers. For example, on February 7, 2019, we 
experienced system issues caused by an automatic power 
shutdown at one of our main data center facilities. Although 
applications and related workloads were systematically re-routed 
to back-up data centers throughout the day, certain of our 
services, including our online and mobile banking systems, 
certain mortgage origination systems, and certain ATM 
functions, experienced disruptions that delayed service to our 
customers. 

As a result of financial institutions and technology systems 

becoming more interconnected and complex, any operational 
incident at a third party may increase the risk of loss or material 
impact to us or the financial industry as a whole. Furthermore, 
third parties on which we rely, including those that facilitate our 
business activities or to which we outsource operations, such as 
exchanges, clearing houses, financial intermediaries or vendors 
that provide services or security solutions for our operations, 
could continue to be sources of operational risk to us, including 
from information breaches or loss, breakdowns, disruptions or 
failures of their own systems or infrastructure, or any deficiencies 
in the performance of their responsibilities. We are also exposed 
to the risk that a disruption or other operational incident at a 
common service provider to those third parties could impede 
their ability to provide services or perform their responsibilities 
for us. In addition, we must meet regulatory requirements and 
expectations regarding our use of third-party service providers, 
and any failure by our third-party service providers to meet their 
obligations to us or to comply with applicable laws, rules, 
regulations, or Wells Fargo policies could result in fines, penalties, 
restrictions on our business, or other negative consequences. 

Disruptions or failures in the physical infrastructure, controls 

or operating systems that support our businesses and 
customers, failures of the third parties on which we rely to 

Wells Fargo & Company 

79 

 
Risk Factors (continued) 

adequately or appropriately provide their services or perform 
their responsibilities, or our failure to effectively manage or 
oversee our third-party relationships, could result in business 
disruptions, loss of revenue or customers, legal or regulatory 
proceedings, compliance and other costs, violations of applicable 
privacy and other laws, reputational damage, or other adverse 
consequences, any of which could materially adversely affect our 
results of operations or financial condition. 

A cyber attack or other information security breach could have 
a material adverse effect on our results of operations or 
financial condition.  Information security risks for large financial 
institutions such as Wells Fargo have generally increased in 
recent years in part because of the proliferation of new 
technologies, the use of the internet, mobile devices, and cloud 
technologies to conduct financial transactions, and the increased 
sophistication and activities of organized crime, hackers, 
terrorists, activists, and other external parties, including foreign 
state-sponsored parties. Those parties also may continue to 
attempt to misrepresent personal or financial information to 
commit fraud, obtain loans or other financial products from us, or 
attempt to fraudulently induce employees, customers, or other 
users of our systems to disclose confidential information in order 
to gain access to our data or that of our customers. As noted 
above, our operations rely on the secure processing, transmission 
and storage of confidential information in our computer systems 
and networks. Our banking, brokerage, investment advisory, and 
capital markets businesses rely on our digital technologies, 
computer and email systems, software, hardware, and networks 
to conduct their operations. In addition, to access our products 
and services, our customers may use personal smartphones, 
tablets, and other mobile devices that are beyond our control 
systems. Our technologies, systems, software, networks, and our 
customers’ devices are likely to continue to be the target of 
cyber attacks or other information security breaches, which could 
materially adversely affect us, including as a result of fraudulent 
activity, the unauthorized release, gathering, monitoring, misuse, 
loss or destruction of Wells Fargo’s or our customers’ 
confidential, proprietary and other information, or the disruption 
of Wells Fargo’s or our customers’ or other third parties’ business 
operations. For example, various retailers have reported they 
were victims of cyber attacks in which large amounts of their 
customers’ data, including debit and credit card information, was 
obtained. In these situations, we generally incur costs to replace 
compromised cards and address fraudulent transaction activity 
affecting our customers. We are also exposed to the risk that an 
employee or other person acting on behalf of the Company fails 
to comply with applicable policies and procedures and 
inappropriately circumvents controls for personal gain or other 
improper purposes. 

Due to the increasing interconnectedness and complexity of 

financial institutions and technology systems, an information 
security incident at a third party may increase the risk of loss or 
material impact to us or the financial industry as a whole. In 
addition, third parties on which we rely, including those that 
facilitate our business activities or to which we outsource 
operations, such as internet, mobile technology, hardware, 
software, and cloud service providers, could continue to be 
sources of information security risk to us. If those third parties 
fail to adequately or appropriately safeguard their technologies, 
systems, networks, hardware, and software, we may suffer 
material harm, including business disruptions, losses or 
remediation costs, reputational damage, legal or regulatory 
proceedings, or other adverse consequences. 

Our risk and exposure to cyber attacks or other information 
security breaches remains heightened because of, among other 
things, the persistent and evolving nature of these threats, the 
prominent size and scale of Wells Fargo and its role in the 
financial services industry, our plans to continue to implement 
our digital and mobile banking channel strategies and develop 
additional remote connectivity solutions to serve our customers 
when and how they want to be served, our geographic footprint 
and international presence, the outsourcing of some of our 
business operations, and the current global economic and 
political environment. For example, Wells Fargo and other 
financial institutions, as well as their third-party service 
providers, continue to be the target of various evolving and 
adaptive cyber attacks, including malware, ransomware, other 
malicious software intended to exploit hardware or software 
vulnerabilities, phishing, credential validation, and distributed 
denial-of-service, in an effort to disrupt the operations of 
financial institutions, test their cybersecurity capabilities, commit 
fraud, or obtain confidential, proprietary or other information. 
Cyber attacks have also focused on targeting online applications 
and services, such as online banking, as well as cloud-based and 
other products and services provided by third parties, and have 
targeted the infrastructure of the internet, causing the 
widespread unavailability of websites and degrading website 
performance. As a result, information security and the continued 
development and enhancement of our controls, processes and 
systems designed to protect our networks, computers, software 
and data from attack, damage or unauthorized access remain a 
priority for Wells Fargo. We are also proactively involved in 
industry cybersecurity efforts and working with other parties, 
including our third-party service providers and governmental 
agencies, to continue to enhance defenses and improve resiliency 
to cybersecurity and other information security threats. As these 
threats continue to evolve, we expect to continue to be required 
to expend significant resources to develop and enhance our 
protective measures or to investigate and remediate any 
information security vulnerabilities or incidents. Because the 
investigation of any information security breach is inherently 
unpredictable and would require time to complete, we may not 
be able to immediately address the consequences of a breach, 
which may further increase any associated costs and 
consequences. Moreover, to the extent our insurance covers 
aspects of information security risk, such insurance may not be 
sufficient to cover all losses associated with an information 
security breach. 

Cyber attacks or other information security breaches 

affecting us or third parties on which we rely, including those that 
facilitate our business activities or to which we outsource 
operations, or security breaches of the networks, systems or 
devices that our customers use to access our products and 
services, could result in business disruptions, loss of revenue or 
customers, legal or regulatory proceedings, compliance, 
remediation and other costs, violations of applicable privacy and 
other laws, reputational damage, or other adverse consequences, 
any of which could materially adversely affect our results of 
operations or financial condition. 

Our framework for managing risks may not be fully effective in 
mitigating risk and loss to us.  Our risk management framework 
seeks to mitigate risk and loss to us. We have established 
processes and procedures intended to identify, measure, 
monitor, report and analyze the types of risk to which we are 
subject, including liquidity risk, credit risk, market risk, interest 
rate risk, operational risk, legal and compliance risk, and 
reputational risk, among others. However, as with any risk 

80 

Wells Fargo & Company 

management framework, there are inherent limitations to our 
risk management strategies as there may exist, or develop in the 
future, risks that we have not appropriately anticipated, 
identified or managed. Our risk management framework is also 
dependent on ensuring that effective operational controls and a 
sound culture exist throughout the Company. The inability to 
develop effective operational controls or to foster the 
appropriate culture in each of our lines of business, including the 
inability to align performance management and compensation to 
achieve the desired culture, could adversely impact the 
effectiveness of our risk management framework. Similarly, if we 
are unable to effectively manage our business or operations, we 
may be exposed to increased risks or unexpected losses. We 
process a large number of transactions each day and are exposed 
to risks if we do not accurately or completely execute a process 
or transaction, whether due to human error or otherwise, or if an 
employee fails to comply with applicable policies and procedures, 
inappropriately circumvents controls, or engages in other 
misconduct. In certain instances, we rely on models to measure, 
monitor and predict risks, such as market, interest rate and credit 
risks, as well as to help inform business decisions; however, there 
is no assurance that these models will appropriately or 
sufficiently capture all relevant risks or accurately predict future 
events or exposures. Furthermore, certain of our models are 
subject to regulatory review and approval, and any failure to 
meet regulatory standards or expectations could result in fines, 
penalties, restrictions on our ability to engage in certain business 
activities, or other adverse consequences, and any required 
modifications or changes to these models can impact our capital 
ratios and requirements and result in increased operational and 
compliance costs. In addition, we rely on data to aggregate and 
assess our various risk exposures and business activities, and any 
issues with the quality or effectiveness of our data, including our 
aggregation, management, and validation procedures, could 
result in ineffective risk management practices, business 
decisions or customer service, inefficient use of resources, or 
inaccurate regulatory or other risk reporting. We also use 
artificial intelligence to help further inform or automate our 
business decisions and risk management practices, but there is 
no assurance that artificial intelligence will appropriately or 
sufficiently replicate certain outcomes or accurately predict 
future events or exposures. Previous financial and credit crises 
and resulting regulatory reforms highlighted both the 
importance and some of the limitations of managing 
unanticipated risks, and our regulators remain focused on 
ensuring that financial institutions, and Wells Fargo in particular, 
build and maintain robust risk management policies and 
practices. If our risk management framework proves ineffective, 
we could suffer unexpected losses which could materially 
adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition. 

We may be exposed to additional legal or regulatory 
proceedings, costs, and other adverse consequences related to 
retail sales practices and other instances where customers may 
have experienced financial harm.  Various government entities 
and offices have undertaken formal or informal inquiries or 
investigations arising out of certain retail sales practices of the 
Company that were the subject of settlements with the CFPB, 
the OCC, and the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney 
announced by the Company on September 8, 2016, and various 
non-governmental parties filed lawsuits against us seeking 
damages or other remedies related to these retail sales practices. 
The Company has entered into various settlements to resolve 
these investigations and proceedings, as a result of which we 
have incurred monetary penalties, costs, and business 

restrictions. If we are unable to meet any ongoing obligations 
under these settlements, we may incur additional monetary or 
other penalties or be required to make admissions of wrongdoing 
and comply with other conditions, which can lead to restrictions 
on our ability to engage in certain business activities or offer 
certain products or services, limitations on our ability to access 
capital markets, limitations on capital distributions, the loss of 
customers, and/or other adverse consequences. Any inability to 
meet our ongoing obligations under these settlements, 
depending on the sanctions and remedy sought and granted, 
could materially adversely affect our results of operations and 
financial condition. Furthermore, negative publicity or public 
opinion resulting from these matters may increase the risk of 
reputational harm to our business, which can impact our ability to 
keep and attract customers, affect our ability to attract and 
retain qualified employees, result in the loss of revenue, or have 
other material adverse effects on our results of operations and 
financial condition. 

Furthermore, we have and may in the future identify other 

areas or instances where customers may have experienced 
financial harm, including as a result of our continuing efforts to 
rebuild trust and to strengthen our risk and control 
infrastructure. For example, we have identified certain issues 
related to past practices involving certain automobile collateral 
protection insurance policies and certain issues related to the 
unused portion of guaranteed automobile protection waiver or 
insurance agreements. The identification of such other areas or 
instances where customers may have experienced financial harm 
could lead to, and in some cases has already resulted in, 
additional remediation costs, loss of revenue or customers, legal 
or regulatory proceedings, compliance and other costs, 
reputational damage, or other adverse consequences. 

For additional information, see the “Overview – Retail Sales 
Practices Matters and Other Customer Remediation Activities” 
section and Note 15 (Legal Actions) to Financial Statements in 
this Report. 

We may incur fines, penalties and other negative 
consequences from regulatory violations or from any failure to 
meet regulatory standards or expectations.  We maintain 
systems and procedures designed to ensure that we comply with 
applicable laws and regulations. However, we are subject to 
heightened compliance and regulatory oversight and 
expectations, particularly due to the evolving and increasingly 
complex regulatory landscape we operate in. We are also subject 
to consent orders and other regulatory actions that subject us to 
various conditions and restrictions. In addition, a single event or 
issue may give rise to numerous and overlapping investigations 
and proceedings, either by multiple federal and state agencies in 
the U.S. or by multiple regulators and other governmental 
entities in different jurisdictions. Similarly, regulators may be 
more likely to pursue investigations or proceedings against us to 
the extent that we are or have previously been subject to other 
regulatory actions. Also, the laws and regulations in jurisdictions 
in which we operate may be different or even conflict with each 
other, such as differences between U.S. federal and state law or 
differences between U.S. and non-U.S. laws as to the products 
and services we may offer or other business activities we may 
engage in, which can lead to compliance difficulties or issues. 
Furthermore, many legal and regulatory regimes require us to 
report transactions and other information to regulators and 
other governmental authorities, self-regulatory organizations, 
exchanges, clearing houses and customers. We may be subject to 
fines, penalties, restrictions on our business, or other negative 
consequences if we do not timely, completely, or accurately 

Wells Fargo & Company 

81 

 
Risk Factors (continued) 

provide regulatory reports, customer notices or disclosures. 
Moreover, some legal/regulatory frameworks provide for the 
imposition of fines or penalties for noncompliance even though 
the noncompliance was inadvertent or unintentional and even 
though there were systems and procedures in place at the time 
designed to ensure compliance. For example, we are subject to 
regulations issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control 
(OFAC) that prohibit financial institutions from participating in 
the transfer of property belonging to the governments of certain 
non-U.S. countries and designated nationals of those countries. 
OFAC may impose penalties or restrictions on certain activities 
for inadvertent or unintentional violations even if reasonable 
processes are in place to prevent the violations. Any violation of 
these or other applicable laws or regulatory requirements, even if 
inadvertent or unintentional, or any failure to meet regulatory 
standards or expectations, including any failure to satisfy the 
conditions of any consent orders or other regulatory actions, 
could result in significant fees, penalties, restrictions on our 
ability to engage in certain business activities, reputational harm, 
loss of customers or other negative consequences. 

Reputational harm, including as a result of our actual or alleged 
conduct or public opinion of the financial services industry 
generally, could adversely affect our business, results of 
operations, and financial condition.  Reputation risk, or the risk 
to our business, earnings and capital from negative public 
opinion, is inherent in our business and has increased 
substantially because of our size and profile in the financial 
services industry and sales practices related matters and other 
instances where customers may have experienced financial harm. 
Negative public opinion about the financial services industry 
generally or Wells Fargo specifically could adversely affect our 
reputation and our ability to keep and attract customers. 
Negative public opinion could result from our actual or alleged 
conduct in any number of activities, including sales practices; 
mortgage, auto or other consumer lending practices; loan 
origination or servicing activities; mortgage foreclosure actions; 
management of client accounts or investments; lending, 
investing or other business relationships; identification and 
management of potential conflicts of interest from transactions, 
obligations and interests with and among our customers; 
environmental, social and governance practices; regulatory 
compliance; risk management; incentive compensation practices; 
and disclosure, sharing or inadequate protection or improper use 
of customer information, and from actions taken by government 
regulators and community or other organizations in response to 
that conduct. Although we have policies and procedures in place 
intended to detect and prevent conduct by employees and third-
party service providers that could potentially harm customers or 
our reputation, there is no assurance that such policies and 
procedures will be fully effective in preventing such conduct. 
Furthermore, our actual or perceived failure to address or 
prevent any such conduct or otherwise to effectively manage our 
business or operations could result in significant reputational 
harm. In addition, because we conduct most of our businesses 
under the “Wells Fargo” brand, negative public opinion about one 
business also could affect our other businesses. Moreover, 
actions by the financial services industry generally or by certain 
members or individuals in the industry also can adversely affect 
our reputation. The proliferation of social media websites utilized 
by Wells Fargo and other third parties, as well as the personal use 
of social media by our employees and others, including personal 
blogs and social network profiles, also may increase the risk that 
negative, inappropriate or unauthorized information may be 
posted or released publicly that could harm our reputation or 

have other negative consequences, including as a result of our 
employees interacting with our customers in an unauthorized 
manner in various social media outlets. 

Wells Fargo and other financial institutions have been 
targeted from time to time by protests and demonstrations, 
which have included disrupting the operation of our retail 
banking locations, and have been subject to negative public 
commentary, including with respect to the fees charged for 
various products and services. Wells Fargo and other financial 
institutions have also been subject to negative publicity as a 
result of providing financial services to or making investments in 
industries or organizations subject to stakeholder concerns. 
There can be no assurance that continued protests or negative 
public opinion of the Company specifically or large financial 
institutions generally will not harm our reputation and adversely 
affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. 

If we are unable to develop and execute effective business 
plans or strategies or manage change effectively, our 
competitive standing and results of operations could suffer.  In 
order to advance our business goals, we may undertake business 
plans or strategies related to, among other things, our 
organizational structure, our compliance and risk management 
framework, our expenses and efficiency, the types of products 
and services we offer, the types of businesses we engage in, the 
geographies in which we operate, the manner in which we serve 
our clients and customers, the third parties with which we do 
business, and the methods and distribution channels by which we 
offer our products and services. Accomplishing these business 
plans or strategies may be complex, time intensive, require 
significant financial, technological, management and other 
resources, may divert management attention and resources away 
from other areas of the Company, and may impact our expenses 
and ability to generate revenue. There is no guarantee that any 
business plans or strategies, including our current efficiency 
initiatives, will ultimately be successful. To the extent we are 
unable to develop or execute effective business plans or 
strategies or manage change effectively, our competitive 
position, reputation, prospects for growth, and results of 
operations may be adversely affected. 

In addition, from time to time, we may decide to divest 
certain businesses or assets. Difficulties in executing a divestiture 
may cause us not to realize any expected cost savings or other 
benefits from the divestiture, or may result in higher than 
expected losses of employees or harm our ability to retain 
customers. The divestiture or winding down of certain businesses 
or assets may also result in the impairment of goodwill or other 
long-lived assets related to those businesses or assets. 

Similarly, we may explore opportunities to expand our 
products, services, and assets through strategic acquisitions of 
companies or businesses in the financial services industry. We 
generally must receive federal regulatory approvals before we 
can acquire a bank, bank holding company, or certain other 
financial services businesses. We cannot be certain when or if, or 
on what terms and conditions, any required regulatory approvals 
will be granted. We might be required to sell banks, branches 
and/or business units or assets or issue additional equity as a 
condition to receiving regulatory approval for an acquisition. 
When we do announce an acquisition, our stock price may fall 
depending on the size of the acquisition, the type of business to 
be acquired, the purchase price, and the potential dilution to 
existing stockholders or our earnings per share if we issue 
common stock in connection with the acquisition. Furthermore, 
difficulty in integrating an acquired company or business may 
cause us not to realize expected revenue increases, cost savings, 

82 

Wells Fargo & Company 

increases in geographic or product presence, and other projected 
benefits from the acquisition. The integration could result in 
higher than expected deposit attrition, loss of key employees, an 
increase in our compliance costs or risk profile, disruption of our 
business or the acquired business, or otherwise harm our ability 
to retain customers and employees or achieve the anticipated 
benefits of the acquisition. Time and resources spent on 
integration may also impair our ability to grow our existing 
businesses. Many of the foregoing risks may be increased if the 
acquired company or business operates internationally or in a 
geographic location where we do not already have significant 
business operations and/or employees. 

investigations, proceedings or enforcement actions. In addition 
to imposing potentially significant monetary penalties, business 
restrictions, and other sanctions, regulatory authorities may 
require criminal pleas or other admissions of wrongdoing and 
compliance with other conditions in connection with settling 
such matters, which can lead to reputational harm, loss of 
customers, restrictions on the ability to access capital markets, 
limitations on capital distributions, the inability to engage in 
certain business activities or offer certain products or services, 
and/or other direct and indirect adverse effects. 

For additional information, see Note 15 (Legal Actions) to 

Financial Statements in this Report. 

Our operations and business could be adversely affected by the 
impacts of climate change.  The physical effects of climate 
change, including the increased prevalence and severity of 
extreme weather events and natural disasters, such as 
hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires, could damage or interfere 
with our operations or those of our third-party service providers, 
which could disrupt our business, increase our costs, or cause 
losses. Climate change related impacts could also negatively 
affect the financial condition of our customers, increase the 
credit risk associated with those customers, or result in the 
deterioration of the value of the collateral we hold. In addition, 
changes in consumer behavior or other market conditions on 
account of climate considerations or due to the transition to a 
low carbon economy may adversely affect customers in certain 
industries or sectors, which may increase our credit risk and 
reduce the demand by these customers for our products and 
services. Furthermore, the transition to a low carbon economy 
could affect our business practices or result in additional costs or 
other adverse consequences to our business operations. 
Legislation and/or regulation in connection with climate change, 
as well as stakeholder perceptions regarding climate change, 
could also require us to change certain of our business and/or risk 
management practices, impose additional costs on us, or 
otherwise adversely affect our business. Moreover, our 
reputation may be damaged as a result of our response to 
climate change or our strategy for the transition to a low carbon 
economy, including if we are unable to achieve our objectives or if 
our response is perceived to be ineffective or insufficient. For 
additional information on regulatory developments in response 
to climate change, see the “Regulatory Matters” section in this 
Report. 

We are exposed to potential financial loss or other adverse 
consequences from legal actions.  Wells Fargo and some of its 
subsidiaries are involved in judicial, regulatory, governmental, 
arbitration, and other proceedings or investigations concerning 
matters arising from the conduct of our business activities, and 
many of those proceedings and investigations expose 
Wells Fargo to potential financial loss or other adverse 
consequences. There can be no assurance as to the ultimate 
outcome of any of these legal actions. We establish accruals for 
legal actions when potential losses associated with the actions 
become probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. We 
may still incur costs for a legal action even if we have not 
established an accrual. In addition, the actual cost of resolving a 
legal action may be substantially higher than any amounts 
accrued for that action. The ultimate resolution of a pending legal 
proceeding or investigation, depending on the remedy sought 
and granted, could materially adversely affect our results of 
operations and financial condition. 

As noted above, we are subject to heightened regulatory 

oversight and scrutiny, which may lead to regulatory 

MORTGAGE BUSINESS RISKS 

Our mortgage banking revenue can be volatile from quarter to 
quarter, including from the impact of changes in interest rates, 
and we rely on the GSEs to purchase our conforming loans to 
reduce our credit risk and provide liquidity to fund new 
mortgage loans.  We are one of the largest mortgage originators 
and residential mortgage servicers in the U.S., and we earn 
revenue from fees we receive for originating mortgage loans and 
for servicing mortgage loans. Changes in interest rates can affect 
prepayment assumptions and thus the fair value of our MSRs. 
When interest rates fall, borrowers are usually more likely to 
prepay their mortgage loans by refinancing them at a lower rate. 
As the likelihood of prepayment increases, the fair value of our 
MSRs can decrease. Changes in interest rates can also negatively 
affect the fair value of certain residential mortgage loans within 
LHFS and other interests we hold related to residential loan sales 
and securitizations. For example, similar to other interest-
bearing securities, if market interest rates increase relative to the 
yield on these residential mortgage LHFS and other interests, 
their fair value may fall. 

When rates rise, the demand for mortgage loans usually 

tends to fall, reducing the revenue we receive from loan 
originations. Under the same conditions, revenue from our MSRs 
can increase through increases in fair value. When rates fall, 
mortgage originations usually tend to increase and the value of 
our MSRs usually tends to decline, also with some offsetting 
revenue effect. Even though they can act as a “natural hedge,” 
the hedge is not perfect, either in amount or timing. For example, 
the negative effect on revenue from a decrease in the fair value 
of residential MSRs is generally immediate, but any offsetting 
revenue benefit from more originations and the MSRs relating to 
the new loans would generally accrue over time. It is also possible 
that, because of economic conditions and/or a weak or 
deteriorating housing market, even if interest rates were to fall 
or remain low, mortgage originations may also fall or any increase 
in mortgage originations may not be enough to offset the 
decrease in the MSRs value caused by the lower rates. 

We typically use derivatives and other instruments to hedge 
our mortgage banking interest rate risk. We may not hedge all of 
our risk, and we may not be successful in hedging any of the risk. 
Hedging is not a perfect science, and we could incur significant 
losses from our hedging activities. 

We rely on the GSEs to guarantee or purchase mortgage 

loans that meet their conforming loan requirements and on 
government insuring agencies, such as the Federal Housing 
Administration (FHA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA), to insure or guarantee loans that meet their policy 
requirements. In order to meet customer needs, we also 
originate loans that do not conform to either the GSEs or 
government insuring agency standards, which are referred to as 
“nonconforming” loans. We generally retain these 

Wells Fargo & Company 

83 

Risk Factors (continued) 

nonconforming loans on our balance sheet. When we retain a 
loan on our balance sheet not only do we keep the credit risk of 
the loan but we also do not receive any sale proceeds that could 
be used to generate new loans. If we were unable or unwilling to 
retain nonconforming loans on our balance sheet, whether due to 
regulatory, business or other reasons, our ability to originate new 
nonconforming loans may be reduced, thereby reducing the 
interest income we could earn from these loans. Similarly, if the 
GSEs or government insuring agencies were to limit or reduce 
their purchases, insuring or guaranteeing of loans, our ability to 
fund, and thus originate new mortgage loans, could also be 
reduced. We cannot assure that the GSEs or government insuring 
agencies will not materially limit their purchases, insuring or 
guaranteeing of conforming loans or change their criteria for 
what constitutes a conforming loan (e.g., maximum loan amount 
or borrower eligibility). As noted above, there are various 
proposals to reform the housing finance market in the U.S., 
including the role of the GSEs in the housing finance market. The 
impact of any such regulatory reform regarding the housing 
finance market and the GSEs, as well as any effect on the 
Company’s business and financial results, are uncertain. 

For additional information, see the “Risk Management – 
Asset/Liability Management – Mortgage Banking Interest Rate 
and Market Risk,” “Critical Accounting Policies – Valuation of 
Residential Mortgage Servicing Rights (MSRs)” and “Critical 
Accounting Policies – Fair Value of Financial Instruments” 
sections in this Report. 

We may suffer losses, penalties, or other adverse 
consequences if we fail to satisfy our obligations with respect 
to the residential mortgage loans we originate or service.  In 
order to reduce credit risk and obtain additional funding, from 
time to time we may securitize or sell mortgage loans that we 
originate. We may be required to repurchase mortgage loans or 
indemnify or reimburse the securitization trust, investor or 
insurer for credit losses incurred on loans in the event of a breach 
of contractual representations or warranties in the agreements 
under which we sell mortgage loans that we originate or in the 
insurance or guaranty agreements that we enter into with the 
FHA and VA. We establish a mortgage repurchase liability that 
reflects management’s estimate of losses for loans for which we 
have a repurchase obligation. Because the level of mortgage loan 
repurchase losses depends upon economic factors, investor 
demand strategies and other external conditions that may 
change over the life of the underlying loans, the level of the 
liability for mortgage loan repurchase losses is difficult to 
estimate, requires considerable management judgment, and is 
subject to change. If economic conditions or the housing market 
worsen, we could have increased repurchase obligations and 
increased loss severity on repurchases, requiring significant 
additions to the repurchase liability. 

Additionally, for residential mortgage loans that we 
originate, we could become subject to monetary damages and 
other civil penalties, including the loss of certain contractual 
payments or the inability to exercise certain remedies under the 
loans such as foreclosure proceedings, if it is alleged or 
determined that the loans were not originated in accordance with 
applicable laws or regulations. 

Furthermore, if we fail to satisfy our servicing obligations for 

the mortgage loans we service, we may face a number of 
consequences, including termination as servicer or master 
servicer, requirements to indemnify the securitization trustee 
against losses from any failure by us to perform our servicing 
obligations, and/or contractual obligations to repurchase a 

mortgage loan or reimburse investors for credit losses, any of 
which could significantly reduce our net servicing income. 
We may also incur costs, liabilities to borrowers, title 
insurers and/or securitization investors, legal proceedings, or 
other adverse consequences if we fail to meet our servicing 
obligations, including with respect to mortgage foreclosure 
actions or if we experience delays in the foreclosure process. Our 
net servicing income and the fair value of our MSRs may be 
negatively affected to the extent our servicing costs increase 
because of higher foreclosure or other servicing related costs. In 
addition, we may continue to be subject to fines, business 
restrictions, and other sanctions imposed by federal or state 
regulators as a result of actual or perceived deficiencies in our 
mortgage servicing practices, including with respect to our 
foreclosure practices, our loss mitigation activities such as loan 
modifications or forbearances, or our servicing of flood zone 
properties. Any of these actions may harm our reputation, 
negatively affect our residential mortgage origination or 
servicing business, or result in material fines, penalties, equitable 
remedies, or other enforcement actions. 

For additional information, see the “Overview,” “Risk 
Management – Credit Risk Management – Mortgage Banking 
Activities,” and “Critical Accounting Policies – Valuation of 
Residential Mortgage Servicing Rights” sections and Note 14 
(Pledged Assets and Collateral) and Note 15 (Legal Actions) to 
Financial Statements in this Report. 

COMPETITIVE RISKS 

We face significant and increasing competition in the rapidly 
evolving financial services industry.  We compete with other 
financial institutions in a highly competitive industry that is 
undergoing significant changes as a result of financial regulatory 
reform, technological advances, increased public scrutiny, and 
current economic conditions. Our success depends on, among 
other things, our ability to develop and maintain deep and 
enduring relationships with our customers based on the quality 
of our customer service, the wide variety of products and 
services that we can offer our customers and the ability of those 
products and services to satisfy our customers’ needs and 
preferences, the pricing of our products and services, the 
extensive distribution channels available for our customers, our 
innovation, and our reputation. Continued or increased 
competition in any one or all of these areas may negatively affect 
our customer relationships, market share and results of 
operations and/or cause us to increase our capital investment in 
our businesses in order to remain competitive. In addition, our 
ability to reposition or reprice our products and services from 
time to time may be limited and could be influenced significantly 
by the current economic, regulatory and political environment for 
large financial institutions as well as by the actions of our 
competitors. Furthermore, any changes in the types of products 
and services that we offer our customers and/or the pricing for 
those products and services could result in a loss of customer 
relationships and market share and could materially adversely 
affect our results of operations. 

Continued technological advances and the growth of 

e-commerce have made it possible for non-depository 
institutions to offer products and services that traditionally were 
banking products, and for financial institutions and other 
companies to provide electronic and internet-based financial 
solutions, including electronic securities trading, lending and 
payment solutions. In addition, technological advances, including 
digital currencies and alternative payment methods, may 
diminish the importance of depository institutions and other 

84 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
  
financial intermediaries in the transfer of funds between parties. 
We may not respond effectively to these and other competitive 
threats from existing and new competitors and may be forced to 
sell products at lower prices, increase our investment in our 
business to modify or adapt our existing products and services, 
and/or develop new products and services to respond to our 
customers’ needs and preferences. To the extent we are not 
successful in developing and introducing new products and 
services or responding or adapting to the competitive landscape 
or to changes in customer preferences, we may lose customer 
relationships and our revenue growth and results of operations 
may be materially adversely affected. 

Our ability to attract and retain qualified employees is critical 
to the success of our business and failure to do so could 
adversely affect our business performance, competitive 
position and future prospects.  The success of Wells Fargo is 
heavily dependent on the talents and efforts of our employees, 
including our senior leaders, and in many areas of our business, 
including commercial banking, brokerage, investment advisory, 
capital markets, risk management and technology, the 
competition for highly qualified personnel is intense. We also 
seek to retain a pipeline of employees to provide continuity of 
succession for our senior leadership positions. In order to attract 
and retain highly qualified employees, we must provide 
competitive compensation, benefits and work arrangements, 
effectively manage employee performance and development, 
and foster a diverse and inclusive environment. As a large 
financial institution and additionally to the extent we remain 
subject to consent orders we may be subject to limitations on 
compensation by our regulators that may adversely affect our 
ability to attract and retain these qualified employees, especially 
if some of our competitors may not be subject to these same 
compensation limitations. If we are unable to continue to attract 
and retain qualified employees, including successors for senior 
leadership positions, our business performance, competitive 
position and future prospects may be adversely affected. 

FINANCIAL REPORTING RISKS 

Changes in accounting policies or accounting standards, and 
changes in how accounting standards are interpreted or 
applied, could materially affect how we report our financial 
results and condition.  Our accounting policies are fundamental 
to determining and understanding our financial results and 
condition. As described below, some of these policies require use 
of estimates and assumptions that may affect the value of our 
assets or liabilities and financial results. Any changes in our 
accounting policies could materially affect our financial 
statements. 

From time to time the FASB and the SEC change the 
financial accounting and reporting standards that govern the 
preparation of our external financial statements. In addition, 
accounting standard setters and those who interpret the 
accounting standards (such as the FASB, SEC, banking regulators 
and our outside auditors) may change or even reverse their 
previous interpretations or positions on how these standards 
should be applied. Changes in financial accounting and reporting 
standards and changes in current interpretations may be beyond 
our control, can be hard to predict and could materially affect 
how we report our financial results and condition. We may be 
required to apply a new or revised standard retroactively or apply 
an existing standard differently, also retroactively, in each case 
potentially resulting in our restating prior period financial 
statements in material amounts. 

For additional information, see the “Current Accounting 

Developments” section in this Report. 

Our financial statements are based in part on assumptions and 
estimates which, if wrong, could cause unexpected losses in 
the future, and our financial statements depend on our internal 
controls over financial reporting.  Pursuant to U.S. GAAP, we are 
required to use certain assumptions and estimates in preparing 
our financial statements, including in determining credit loss 
reserves, reserves related to litigation, and the fair value of 
certain assets and liabilities, among other items. Several of our 
accounting policies are critical because they require management 
to make difficult, subjective and complex judgments about 
matters that are inherently uncertain and because it is likely that 
materially different amounts would be reported under different 
conditions or using different assumptions. For a description of 
these policies, see the “Critical Accounting Policies” section in 
this Report. If assumptions or estimates underlying our financial 
statements are incorrect, we may experience material losses. 
Certain of our financial instruments, including derivative 
assets and liabilities, debt securities, certain loans, MSRs, private 
equity investments, structured notes and certain repurchase and 
resale agreements, among other items, require a determination 
of their fair value in order to prepare our financial statements. 
Where quoted market prices are not available, we may make fair 
value determinations based on internally developed models or 
other means which ultimately rely to some degree on 
management judgment, and there is no assurance that our 
models will capture or appropriately reflect all relevant inputs 
required to accurately determine fair value. Some of these and 
other assets and liabilities may have no direct observable price 
levels, making their valuation particularly subjective, being based 
on significant estimation and judgment. In addition, sudden 
illiquidity in markets or declines in prices of certain loans and 
securities may make it more difficult to value certain balance 
sheet items, which may lead to the possibility that such 
valuations will be subject to further change or adjustment and 
could lead to declines in our earnings. 

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Sarbanes-Oxley) requires 
our management to evaluate the Company’s disclosure controls 
and procedures and its internal control over financial reporting 
and requires our auditors to issue a report on our internal control 
over financial reporting. We are required to disclose, in our annual 
report on Form 10-K, the existence of any “material weaknesses” 
in our internal controls. We cannot assure that we will not 
identify one or more material weaknesses as of the end of any 
given quarter or year, nor can we predict the effect on our stock 
price of disclosure of a material weakness. In addition, our 
customers may rely on the effectiveness of our internal controls 
as a service provider, and any deficiency in those controls could 
affect our customers and damage our reputation or business. 
Sarbanes-Oxley also limits the types of non-audit services our 
outside auditors may provide to us in order to preserve their 
independence from us. If our auditors were found not to be 
“independent” of us under SEC rules, we could be required to 
engage new auditors and re-file financial statements and audit 
reports with the SEC. We could be out of compliance with SEC 
rules until new financial statements and audit reports were filed, 
limiting our ability to raise capital and resulting in other adverse 
consequences. 

*  *  * 

Wells Fargo & Company 

85 

 
 
Risk Factors (continued) 

Any factor described in this Report or in any of our other SEC 

filings could by itself, or together with other factors, adversely 
affect our financial results and condition. Refer to our quarterly 
reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC in 2022 for material 
changes to the above discussion of risk factors. There are factors 
not discussed above or elsewhere in this Report that could 
adversely affect our financial results and condition. 

86 

Wells Fargo & Company 

Controls and Procedures 

Disclosure Controls and Procedures 

The Company’s management evaluated the effectiveness, as of December 31, 2021, of the Company’s disclosure controls and 
procedures. The Company’s chief executive officer and chief financial officer participated in the evaluation. Based on this evaluation, the 
Company’s chief executive officer and chief financial officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were 
effective as of December 31, 2021. 

Internal Control Over Financial Reporting 

Internal control over financial reporting is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as a process 
designed by, or under the supervision of, the Company’s principal executive and principal financial officers and effected by the 
Company’s Board, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and 
the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) 
and includes those policies and procedures that: 
• 

pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of 
assets of the Company; 
provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in 
accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations 
of management and directors of the Company; and 
provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the 
Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. 

• 

• 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections of 

any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in 
conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. No change occurred during fourth quarter 
2021 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial 
reporting. Management’s report on internal control over financial reporting is set forth below and should be read with these limitations 
in mind. 

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting 
The Company’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting for the 
Company. Management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021, 
using the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control – 
Integrated Framework (2013). Based on this assessment, management concluded that as of December 31, 2021, the Company’s internal 
control over financial reporting was effective. 

KPMG LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm that audited the Company’s financial statements included in this 
Annual Report, issued an audit report on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. KPMG’s audit report appears on the 
following page. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

87 

 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

To the Stockholders and Board of Directors 
Wells Fargo & Company: 

Opinion on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting 

We have audited Wells Fargo & Company and subsidiaries’ (the Company) internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 
2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring 
Organizations of the Treadway Commission. In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control 
over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued 
by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. 

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), 
the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the related consolidated statements of income, 
comprehensive income, changes in equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2021, and 
the related notes (collectively, the consolidated financial statements), and our report dated February 22, 2022 expressed an unqualified 
opinion on those consolidated financial statements. 

Basis for Opinion 

The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of 
the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control 
over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on 
our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company 
in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission 
and the PCAOB. 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to 
obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. 
Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, 
assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control 
based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. 
We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. 

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting 

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of 
financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting 
principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the 
maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the 
company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in 
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in 
accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding 
prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect 
on the financial statements. 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections 
of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in 
conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. 

Charlotte, North Carolina 
February 22, 2022 

88 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
 
 
 
Financial Statements 

Wells Fargo & Company and Subsidiaries 
Consolidated Statement of Income 

(in millions, except per share amounts) 

Interest income 

Debt securities 

Loans held for sale 

Loans (1) 

Equity securities 

Other interest income 

Total interest income 

Interest expense 

Deposits 

Short-term borrowings 

Long-term debt 

Other interest expense 

Total interest expense 

Net interest income 

Noninterest income 

Deposit and lending-related fees 

Investment advisory and other asset-based fees (2) 

Commissions and brokerage services fees (2) 

Investment banking fees 

Card fees 

Mortgage banking 

Net gains on trading and securities 

Other (1) 

Total noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Personnel 

Technology, telecommunications and equipment 

Occupancy 

Operating losses 

Professional and outside services 

Advertising and promotion 

Restructuring charges 

Other 

Total noninterest expense 

Income before income tax expense (benefit) 

Income tax expense (benefit) (1) 

Net income before noncontrolling interests 

Less: Net income from noncontrolling interests 

Wells Fargo net income (1) 

Less: Preferred stock dividends and other 

Wells Fargo net income applicable to common stock (1) 

Per share information (1) 

Earnings per common share 

Diluted earnings per common share 

Average common shares outstanding 

Diluted average common shares outstanding 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

$ 

9,253 

865 

28,634 

608 

334 

11,234 

947 

34,230 

554 

954 

39,694 

47,919 

388 

(41) 

3,173 

395 

3,915 

2,804 

250 

4,471 

438 

7,963 

35,779 

39,956 

6,920 

11,011 

2,299 

2,354 

4,175 

4,956 

7,264 

3,734 

42,713 

78,492 

(4,155) 

6,602 

9,863 

2,384 

1,865 

3,544 

3,493 

2,710 

3,847 

34,308 

74,264 

14,129 

14,955 

892 

44,218 

962 

5,128 

66,155 

8,635 

2,316 

7,350 

551 

18,852 

47,303 

7,293 

9,814 

2,461 

1,797 

4,016 

2,715 

3,976 

7,457 

39,529 

86,832 

2,687 

35,541 

34,811 

35,128 

3,227 

2,968 

1,568 

5,723 

600 

76 

4,128 

53,831 

28,816 

5,578 

23,238 

1,690 

21,548 

1,292 

20,256 

4.99 

4.95 

4,061.9 

4,096.2 

$ 

$ 

$ 

3,099 

3,263 

3,523 

6,706 

600 

1,499 

4,129 

57,630 

2,505 

(1,157) 

3,662 

285 

3,377 

1,591 

1,786 

0.43 

0.43 

4,118.0 

4,134.2 

3,276 

2,945 

4,321 

6,745 

1,076 

— 

4,687 

58,178 

25,967 

5,761 

20,206 

491 

19,715 

1,612 

18,103 

4.12 

4.09 

4,393.1 

4,425.4 

(1) 

(2) 

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income housing tax credit investments and elected to change the presentation of investment tax credits related to solar 
energy investments. Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). 
In first quarter 2021, trust and investment management fees and asset-based brokerage fees were combined into a single line item for investment advisory and other asset-based fees, and 
brokerage commissions and other brokerage services fees were combined into a single line item for commissions and brokerage services fees. Prior period balances have been revised to conform with 
the current period presentation. 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

89 

 
 
 
Wells Fargo & Company and Subsidiaries 
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

(in millions) 

Net income before noncontrolling interests (1) 

Other comprehensive income (loss), after tax: 

Net change in debt securities 

Net change in derivatives and hedging activities 

Defined benefit plans adjustments 

Net change in foreign currency translation adjustments 

Other comprehensive income (loss), after tax 

Total comprehensive income before noncontrolling interests (1) 

Less: Other comprehensive loss from noncontrolling interests 

Less: Net income from noncontrolling interests 

Wells Fargo comprehensive income (1) 

2021 

23,238 

(2,375) 

159 

349 

(30)

(1,897) 

21,341 

(1) 

1,690 

19,652 

Year ended December 31, 

2020 

3,662 

1,487 

149 

(181)

50

1,505 

5,167 

— 

285 

4,882 

2019 

20,206 

4,193 

207 

73

71

4,544 

24,750 

— 

491 

24,259 

(1)

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income housing tax credit investments and elected to change the presentation of investment tax credits related to solar
energy investments. Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements. 

90 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
Wells Fargo & Company and Subsidiaries 

Consolidated Balance Sheet 

(in millions, except shares) 

Assets 

Cash and due from banks 

Interest-earning deposits with banks 

Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale agreements 

Debt securities: 

Trading, at fair value 

Available-for-sale, at fair value (includes amortized cost of $175,463 and $215,533, net of allowance for credit losses) 

Held-to-maturity, at amortized cost, net of allowance for credit losses (fair value $272,386 and $212,307) 

Loans held for sale (includes $15,895 and $18,806 carried at fair value) 

Loans 

Allowance for loan losses 

Net loans 

Mortgage servicing rights (includes $6,920 and $6,125 carried at fair value) 

Premises and equipment, net 

Goodwill 

Derivative assets 

Equity securities (includes $39,098 and $34,009 carried at fair value) 

Other assets 

Total assets (1) 

Liabilities 

Noninterest-bearing deposits 

Interest-bearing deposits 

Total deposits 

Short-term borrowings 

Derivative liabilities 

Accrued expenses and other liabilities (includes $20,685 and $22,441 carried at fair value) 

Long-term debt 

Total liabilities (2) 

Equity 

Wells Fargo stockholders’ equity: 

Preferred stock 

Common stock – $1-2/3 par value, authorized 9,000,000,000 shares; issued 5,481,811,474 shares 

Additional paid-in capital 

Retained earnings 

Cumulative other comprehensive income (loss) 

Treasury stock – 1,596,009,977 shares and 1,337,799,931 shares 

Unearned ESOP shares 

Total Wells Fargo stockholders’ equity 

Noncontrolling interests 

Total equity 

Total liabilities and equity 

$ 

$ 

$ 

Dec 31, 
2021 

24,616 

209,614 

234,230 

66,223 

88,265 

177,244 

272,022 

23,617 

895,394 

(12,490) 

882,904 

8,189 

8,571 

25,180 

21,478 

72,886 

67,259 

Dec 31, 
2020 

28,236 

236,376 

264,612 

65,672 

75,095 

220,392 

205,720 

36,384 

887,637 

(18,516) 

869,121 

7,437 

8,895 

26,392 

25,846 

60,008 

87,337 

1,948,068 

1,952,911 

527,748 

954,731 

1,482,479 

34,409 

9,424 

70,957 

160,689 

1,757,958 

20,057 

9,136 

60,196 

180,322 

(1,702) 

(79,757) 

(646) 

187,606 

2,504 

190,110 

467,068 

937,313 

1,404,381 

58,999 

16,509 

74,360 

212,950 

1,767,199 

21,136 

9,136 

60,197 

162,683 

194 

(67,791) 

(875) 

184,680 

1,032 

185,712 

$ 

1,948,068 

1,952,911 

(1)

(2)

Our consolidated assets at December 31, 2021 and 2020, included the following assets of certain variable interest entities (VIEs) that can only be used to settle the liabilities of those VIEs: Debt
securities, $71 million and $967 million; Loans, $4.5 billion and $10.9 billion; All other assets, $234 million and $310 million; and Total assets, $4.8 billion and $12.1 billion, respectively. 
Our consolidated liabilities at December 31, 2021 and 2020, include the following VIE liabilities for which the VIE creditors do not have recourse to Wells Fargo: Long-term debt, $149 million and
$203 million; All other liabilities, $259 million and $900 million; and Total liabilities, $408 million and $1.1 billion, respectively. 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

91 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wells Fargo & Company and Subsidiaries 
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity 

Preferred stock 

Common stock 

Wells Fargo stockholders’ equity 

($ and shares in millions) 

Shares 

Amount 

Shares 

Amount 

Additional 
paid-in
capital 

Retained 
earnings 

Cumulative 
other 
comprehensive
income (loss) 

Treasury
stock 

Unearned 
ESOP 
shares 

Noncontrolling
interests 

Total 
equity 

Balance December 31, 2018 

9.4 

$  23,214 

4,581.3 

$ 

9,136 

60,685 

158,163 

(6,336) 

(47,194) 

(1,502) 

900 

197,066 

7.5 

$  21,549 

4,134.4 

$ 

9,136 

61,049 

166,415 

(1,311) 

(68,831) 

(1,143) 

838 

187,702 

9,192 

4,544 

(21,637) 

359 

(62) 

(8,905) 

Cumulative effect from change in 
accounting policies (1)(2) 

(940) 

481 

Balance January 1, 2019 (2) 

9.4 

23,214 

4,581.3 

9,136 

60,685 

157,223 

(5,855) 

(47,194) 

(1,502) 

Net income (2) 

Other comprehensive income,

net of tax 

Noncontrolling interests 

Common stock issued 

Common stock repurchased 

Preferred stock issued 

48.7 

(502.4) 

— 

— 

Preferred stock redeemed (3) 

(1.6) 

(1,330) 

Preferred stock released by ESOP 

Preferred stock converted to 

common shares 

Common stock dividends 

Preferred stock dividends 

Stock-based compensation 

Net change in deferred compensation 

and related plans 

(0.3) 

(335) 

6.8 

Net change (2) 

(1.9) 

(1,665) 

(446.9) 

— 

9 

— 

— 

(24) 

(16) 

86 

1,234 

(925) 

364 

19,715 

(382) 

(220) 

(8,529) 

(1,392) 

4,544 

2,530 

(24,533) 

359 

351 

15 

Balance January 1, 2020 (2) 

7.5 

21,549 

4,134.4 

9,136 

61,049 

167,405 

(1,311) 

(68,831) 

(1,143) 

Balance December 31, 2019 (2) 

Cumulative effect from change in 

accounting policies (4) 

Net income (2) 

Other comprehensive income,

net of tax 

Noncontrolling interests 

Common stock issued 

Common stock repurchased 

Preferred stock issued 

0.1 

3,183 

Preferred stock redeemed (5) 

(1.9) 

(3,347) 

Preferred stock released by ESOP 

Preferred stock converted to 

common shares 

Common stock dividends 

Preferred stock dividends 

Stock-based compensation 

Net change in deferred compensation 

and related plans 

(0.2) 

(249) 

9.7 

990 

3,377 

1,505 

75.6 

(75.7) 

207 

(1,449) 

(301) 

(5,059) 

(1,290) 

(67) 

46 

(19) 

(243) 

44 

643 

(1,463) 

3,961 

(3,415) 

492 

2 

268 

268 

(875) 

900 

491 

— 

(553) 

(459) 

196,607 

20,206 

4,544 

(553) 

2,157 

(24,533) 

— 

(1,550) 

335 

— 

(8,443) 

(1,392) 

1,234 

(910) 

990 

188,692 

3,662 

1,505 

(91) 

2,719 

(3,415) 

3,116 

(3,602) 

249 

— 

(5,015) 

(1,290) 

643 

(1,461) 

(2,980) 

838 

285 

— 

(91) 

194 

1,032 

185,712 

Net change (2) 

(2.0) 

(413) 

9.6 

— 

(852) 

(4,722) 

1,505 

1,040 

Balance December 31, 2020 (2) 

5.5 

$  21,136 

4,144.0 

$ 

9,136 

60,197 

162,683 

194 

(67,791) 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 
(4) 

(5) 

Effective January 1, 2019, we adopted Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-02 – Leases (Topic 842) and subsequent related Updates, ASU 2017-08 – Receivables – Nonrefundable Fees and 
Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20): Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities. 
In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income housing tax credit investments and elected to change the presentation of investment tax credits related to solar 
energy investments. Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). 
Represents the impact of the partial redemption of preferred stock, Series K, in third quarter 2019. 
Effective January 1, 2020, we adopted ASU 2016-13 – Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (CECL). For additional information, see 
Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. 
Represents the impact of the redemption of the remaining preferred stock, Series K, in first quarter 2020, and Series T and Series V in fourth quarter 2020. 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements. 

92 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total 
equity 

185,712 

23,238 

(217) 

2,095 

(14,464) 

5,756 

(6,676) 

213 

— 

(2,426) 

(1,205) 

1,043 

(1,062) 

4,398 

190,110 

Wells Fargo & Company and Subsidiaries 
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity 

Preferred stock 

Common stock 

Wells Fargo stockholders’ equity 

($ and shares in millions) 

Shares 

Amount 

Shares 

Amount 

Additional 
paid-in
capital 

Retained 
earnings 

Cumulative 
other 
comprehensive
income (loss) 

Treasury
stock 

Unearned 
ESOP 
shares 

Noncontrolling
interests 

Balance December 31, 2020 (1) 

5.5 

$  21,136 

4,144.0 

$ 

9,136 

60,197 

162,683 

194 

(67,791) 

(875) 

21,548 

1,032 

1,690 

Net income 

Other comprehensive loss,

net of tax 

Noncontrolling interests 

Common stock issued 

Common stock repurchased 

Preferred stock issued 

Preferred stock redeemed (2) 

Preferred stock released by ESOP 

Preferred stock converted to 

common shares 

Common stock dividends 

Preferred stock dividends 

Stock-based compensation 

Net change in deferred

compensation and related plans 

(1,896) 

(1) 

(1,897) 

43.8 

(306.4) 

(8) 

(162) 

2,265 

(14,464) 

(217) 

0.2 

(0.2) 

5,810 

(6,676) 

(0.2) 

(213) 

4.4 

(87) 

(2,455) 

(1,205) 

(54) 

87 

(16) 

(8) 

29 

1,043 

(1,074) 

229 

221 

12 

Net change 

(0.2) 

(1,079) 

(258.2) 

— 

(1) 

17,639 

(1,896) 

(11,966) 

Balance December 31, 2021 

5.3 

$  20,057 

3,885.8 

$ 

9,136 

60,196 

180,322 

(1,702) 

(79,757) 

229 

(646) 

1,472 

2,504 

(1) 

(2) 

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income housing tax credit investments and elected to change the presentation of investment tax credits related to solar 
energy investments. Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). 
Represents the impact of the redemption of Preferred Stock, Series I, Series P and Series W, in first quarter 2021; Preferred Stock, Series N, in second quarter 2021; and Preferred Stock, Series O and 
Series X, in third quarter 2021. For additional information, see Note 16 (Preferred Stock). 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

93 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wells Fargo & Company and Subsidiaries 
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows 

(in millions) 

Cash flows from operating activities: 
Net income before noncontrolling interests (1) 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: 

Provision for credit losses 
Changes in fair value of MSRs and LHFS carried at fair value 
Depreciation, amortization and accretion (1) 
Deferred income tax benefit (1) 
Other, net (2) 

Originations and purchases of loans held for sale 
Proceeds from sales of and paydowns on loans originally classified as held for sale 
Net change in: 

Debt and equity securities, held for trading 
Derivative assets and liabilities 
Other assets 
Other accrued expenses and liabilities (1) 

Net cash provided (used) by operating activities 

Cash flows from investing activities: 
Net change in: 

2021 

Year ended December 31, 

2020 

2019 

$ 

23,238 

3,662 

20,206 

(4,155) 

(1,188) 

7,890 

(1,292) 

(12,194) 

(158,923) 

101,293 

19,334 

(2,472) 

15,477 

1,467 

(11,525) 

14,129 

4,321 

8,219 

(3,289) 

7,024 

(181,961) 

122,592 

43,214 

(5,492) 

(12,304) 

1,936 

2,051 

2,687 

3,702 

6,573 

(3,192) 

(3,239) 

(159,309) 

114,155 

22,066 

(2,665) 

3,034 

2,712 

6,730 

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale agreements 

(551) 

36,468 

(21,933) 

Available-for-sale debt securities: 

Proceeds from sales 
Prepayments and maturities 
Purchases 

Held-to-maturity debt securities: 
Paydowns and maturities 
Purchases 

Equity securities, not held for trading: 

Proceeds from sales and capital returns 
Purchases 

Loans: 

Loans originated by banking subsidiaries, net of principal collected 
Proceeds from sales of loans originally classified as held for investment 
Purchases of loans 
Principal collected on nonbank entities’ loans 
Loans originated by nonbank entities 

Other, net (2) 

Net cash provided (used) by investing activities 

Cash flows from financing activities: 
Net change in: 
Deposits 
Short-term borrowings 

Long-term debt: 

Proceeds from issuance 
Repayment 
Preferred stock: 

Proceeds from issuance 
Redeemed 
Cash dividends paid 

Common stock: 

Repurchased 
Cash dividends paid 

Other, net (2) 

Net cash used by financing activities 

Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period 

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period 

Supplemental cash flow disclosures: 

Cash paid for interest 

Cash paid for income taxes, net 

17,958 

75,701 

(110,431) 

79,517 
(71,245) 

4,933 
(7,680) 

(28,809) 
31,847 
(389) 
8,985 
(11,237) 
3,782 

(7,619) 

78,582 
(24,590) 

1,275 
(47,134) 

5,756 
(6,675) 
(1,205) 

(14,464) 
(2,422) 
(361) 

(11,238) 

(30,382) 

264,612 

234,230 

4,384 

3,166 

$ 

$ 

48,638 

78,174 

(91,545) 

36,641 
(46,755) 

12,187 
(8,677) 

53,718 
9,359 
(1,313) 
7,927 
(13,052) 
784 

122,554 

81,755 
(45,513) 

38,136 
(65,347) 

3,116 
(3,602) 
(1,290) 

(3,415) 
(4,852) 
(231) 

(1,243) 

123,362 

141,250 

264,612 

8,414 

1,175 

9,386 

46,542 

(57,015) 

13,684 
(8,649) 

6,143 
(6,865) 

(23,698) 
12,038 
(2,033) 
3,912 

(5,274) 
4,131 

(29,631) 

36,137 
(1,275) 

53,381 
(60,996) 

— 
(1,550) 
(1,391) 

(24,533) 
(8,198) 
(711) 

(9,136) 

(32,037) 

173,287 

141,250 

18,834 

7,493 

(1) 

(2) 

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income housing tax credit investments and elected to change the presentation of investment tax credits related to solar 
energy investments. Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). 
Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements. See Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) for noncash activities. 

94 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Financial Statements 

-See the Glossary of Acronyms at the end of this Report for terms used throughout the Financial Statements and related Notes. 

Note 1:  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies 

Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services 
company. We provide banking, investment and mortgage 
products and services, as well as consumer and commercial 
finance, through banking locations and offices, the internet and 
other distribution channels to individuals, businesses and 
institutions in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and in 
countries outside the U.S. When we refer to “Wells Fargo,” “the 
Company,” “we,” “our” or “us,” we mean Wells Fargo & Company 
and Subsidiaries (consolidated). Wells Fargo & Company (the 
Parent) is a financial holding company and a bank holding 
company. We also hold a majority interest in a real estate 
investment trust, which has publicly traded preferred stock 
outstanding. 

Our accounting and reporting policies conform with U.S. 
generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and practices in 
the financial services industry. To prepare the financial 
statements in conformity with GAAP, management must make 
estimates based on assumptions about future economic and 
market conditions (for example, unemployment, market liquidity, 
real estate prices, etc.) that affect the reported amounts of 
assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, 
income and expenses during the reporting period and the related 
disclosures. Although our estimates contemplate current 
conditions and how we expect them to change in the future, it is 
reasonably possible that actual conditions could be worse than 
anticipated in those estimates, which could materially affect our 
results of operations and financial condition. Management has 
made significant estimates in several areas, including: 
• 

allowance for credit losses (Note 4 (Loans and Related 
Allowance for Credit Losses)); 
valuations of residential mortgage servicing rights (MSRs) 
(Note 8 (Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities) and 
Note 9 (Mortgage Banking Activities)); 
valuations of financial instruments (Note 17 (Fair Values of 
Assets and Liabilities)); 
liabilities for contingent litigation losses (Note 15 (Legal 
Actions)); 
income taxes; and 
goodwill impairment (Note 10 (Intangible Assets)). 

• 

• 

• 

• 
• 

Change in Accounting Policies 
In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting 
method for low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) investments 
from the equity method of accounting to the proportional 
amortization method. Under the proportional amortization 
method, the investments are carried at amortized cost and 
amortized in proportion to the tax credits received. The 
amortization of the investments and the related tax impacts are 
recognized in income tax expense. Previously, we recognized the 
amortization of the investments in other noninterest income and 
the related tax impacts were recognized in income tax expense. 
We determined that the proportional amortization method is 
preferable because it better aligns the financial statement 
presentation with the economic impact of these investments, 
which generate tax credits over the lives of the investments. 
Adoption of the proportional amortization method was applied 
retrospectively, to the earliest period presented, which resulted 
in a cumulative-effect adjustment to reduce retained earnings by 
$448 million as of January 1, 2019. 

In second quarter 2021, we also elected to change the 
presentation of investment tax credits related to solar energy 
investments, which are accounted for under the deferral method. 
We reclassified the investment tax credits on our consolidated 
balance sheet from accrued expenses and other liabilities to a 
reduction of the carrying value of the investment balances. We 
also reclassified the investment tax credits, which are recognized 
over time, from income tax expense to interest income for solar 
energy leases or noninterest income for solar energy equity 
investments. We determined that this presentation is preferable 
because it better reflects the financial statement presentation of 
the investment tax credits as an integral component of the 
investments. The change in accounting policy was adopted 
retrospectively to January 1, 2019. 

Table 1.1 presents the impact of the accounting policy 
changes for LIHTC investments and solar energy investments to 
our consolidated statements of income and consolidated balance 
sheet. There was no material impact to the consolidated 
statement of cash flows. 

Actual results could differ from those estimates. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

95 

Note 1:  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

Table 1.1:  Impact of the Accounting Policy Changes for LIHTC Investments and Solar Energy Investments 

($ in millions, except per share amounts) 

As reported 

LIHTC 

Solar 

As revised 

As reported 

LIHTC 

Solar 

As revised 

Year ended December 31, 2020 

Year ended December 31, 2019 

Effect of accounting 
policy changes ($) 

Effect of accounting
policy changes ($) 

Selected Income Statement Data 

Interest income – loans 

Noninterest income 

Income tax expense (benefit) 

Net income 

Earnings per common share 

Diluted earnings per common share 

$ 

34,109 

32,505 

(3,005) 

3,301 

0.42 

0.41 

— 

1,507 

1,431 

76 

0.01 

0.02 

121 

296 

417 

— 

— 

— 

34,230 

34,308 

(1,157) 

3,377 

0.43 

0.43 

Selected Balance Sheet Data 

Equity securities 

Accrued expenses and other liabilities 

Retained earnings 

44,146 

37,832 

4,157 

19,549 

4.08 

4.05 

— 

1,486 

1,321 

166 

0.04 

0.04 

72 

211 

283 

— 

— 

— 

44,218 

39,529 

5,761 

19,715 

4.12 

4.09 

At December 31, 2020 

Effect of accounting
policy changes ($) 

As reported 

LIHTC 

Solar 

As revised 

$ 

62,260 

76,404 

162,890 

(275) 

(67) 

(207) 

(1,977) 

(1,977) 

60,008 

74,360 

— 

162,683 

ASU 2020-01 clarifies the accounting for equity securities upon 
transition between the measurement alternative and equity 
method. The Update also clarifies for forward contracts and 
options to purchase equity securities an entity need not consider 
whether upon settlement of the forward contract or option if the 
equity securities would be accounted for by the equity method or 
the fair value option. We adopted this Update in first quarter 
2021. The Update did not have a material impact on our 
consolidated financial statements. 

ASU 2019-12 provides narrow scope simplifications and 
improvements to the general principles in ASC Topic 740 – 
Income Taxes related to intraperiod tax allocation, basis 
differences when there are changes in ownership of foreign 
investments and interim periods income tax accounting for year 
to date losses that exceed anticipated annual losses. We adopted 
this Update in first quarter 2021. The Update did not have a 
material impact on our consolidated financial statements. 

Accounting Standards Adopted in 2021 
In 2021, we adopted the following new accounting guidance: 
• 

Accounting Standards Update (ASU or Update) 2021-01 – 
Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Scope 
ASU 2020-08 – Codification Improvements to Subtopic 
310-20, Receivables – Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs 
ASU 2020-01 – Investments – Equity Securities (Topic 321), 
Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 
323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Clarifying the 
Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815 (a 
consensus of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) 
Emerging Issues Task Force) 
ASU 2019-12 – Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the 
Accounting for Income Taxes 

• 

• 

• 

ASU 2021-01 clarifies the scope of Topic 848 to include 
derivatives affected by changes in interest rates for margining, 
discounting, or contract price alignment as part of the market-
wide transition to new reference rates (commonly referred to as 
the “discounting transition”), even if such reference rates do not 
reference the London Interbank Offered Rate or another rate 
that is expected to be discontinued as a result of reference rate 
reform. The Update also clarifies other aspects of the relief 
provided in Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 848. We 
adopted this Update in first quarter 2021 on a prospective basis, 
and the guidance will be followed until the Update terminates on 
December 31, 2022. The Update did not have a material impact 
on our consolidated financial statements. 

ASU 2020-08 clarifies the accounting for purchased callable debt 
securities carried at a premium and was issued to correct an 
unintended application of ASU 2017-08 – Receivables— 
Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20): 
Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities, 
which requires amortization of such premiums to the earliest 
call date, but was not clear for the method to be used for 
instruments with multiple call dates. The Update now specifies 
that such premiums are amortized to the next call date and 
requires reassessment throughout the life of the instruments 
with multiple call dates. We adopted this Update in first 
quarter 2021. The Update did not have a material impact on our 
consolidated financial statements. 

96 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
Table 1.2 summarizes financial assets and liabilities by form 

and measurement accounting model. 

Table 1.2:  Accounting Model for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities 

Balance sheet caption 

Measurement model(s) 

Financial statement Note reference 

Cash and due from banks 

Interest-earning deposits with banks 

Amortized cost 

Amortized cost 

Note 28:  Regulatory Capital Requirements and Other Restrictions 

Note 28:  Regulatory Capital Requirements and Other Restrictions 

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale  Amortized cost 

agreements 

N/A 

Debt securities: 

Trading 

Available-for-sale 

Held-to-maturity 

Loans held for sale 

Loans 

Derivative assets and liabilities 

Equity securities: 

Marketable 

Nonmarketable 

Other assets 

Deposits 

Short-term borrowings 

FV-NI (1) 

FV-OCI (2) 

Amortized cost 

FV-NI (1) 
LOCOM (3) 

Amortized cost 

FV-NI (1) 
FV-OCI (2) 

FV-NI (1) 

FV-NI (1) 
Equity method 
Proportional amortization method
Cost method 
Measurement alternative 

Amortized cost (4) 

Amortized cost 

Amortized cost 

Accrued expenses and other liabilities 

Amortized cost (5) 

Note 2:  Trading Activities
Note 17:  Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities 

Note 3:  Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities
Note 17:  Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities 

Note 3:  Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities 

Note 2:  Trading Activities 
Note 17:  Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities 

Note 4:  Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses 

Note 2:  Trading Activities 
Note 6:  Equity Securities
Note 16:  Derivatives 
Note 17:  Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities 

Note 2:  Trading Activities 
Note 6:  Equity Securities
Note 17:  Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities 

Note 6:  Equity Securities 
Note 17:  Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities 

Note 5:  Leasing Activity 
Note 7:  Premises, Equipment, and Other Assets 
Note 11:  Deposits 

N/A 

Note 2:  Trading Activities 
Note 5:  Leasing Activity
Note 17:  Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities 

Long-term debt 

Amortized cost 

Note 12:  Long-Term Debt 

FV-NI represents the fair value through net income accounting model. 
FV-OCI represents the fair value through other comprehensive income accounting model. 
LOCOM represents the lower of cost or fair value accounting model. 

(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4)  Other assets are generally measured at amortized cost, except for bank-owned life insurance which is measured at cash surrender value. 
(5) 

Accrued expenses and other liabilities are generally measured at amortized cost, except for short-sale trading liabilities which are measured at FV-NI. 

Consolidation 
Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of 
the Parent and our subsidiaries in which we have a controlling 
financial interest. When our consolidated subsidiaries follow 
specialized industry accounting, that accounting is retained in 
consolidation. 

We are also a variable interest holder in certain entities in 

which equity investors do not have the characteristics of a 
controlling financial interest or where the entity does not have 
enough equity at risk to finance its activities without additional 
subordinated financial support from other parties (collectively 
referred to as variable interest entities (VIEs)). Our variable 
interest arises from contractual, ownership or other monetary 
interests in the entity, which change with fluctuations in the fair 
value of the entity’s net assets. We consolidate a VIE if we are the 
primary beneficiary, which is when we have both the power to 
direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIE and a 
variable interest that could potentially be significant to the VIE. 
To determine whether or not a variable interest we hold could 
potentially be significant to the VIE, we consider both qualitative 
and quantitative factors regarding the nature, size and form of 
our involvement with the VIE. We assess whether or not we are 
the primary beneficiary of a VIE on an ongoing basis.

 Significant intercompany accounts and transactions are 
eliminated in consolidation. When we have significant influence 

over operating and financing decisions for a company but do not 
own a majority of the voting equity interests, we account for the 
investment using the equity method of accounting, which 
requires us to recognize our proportionate share of the 
company’s earnings. If we do not have significant influence, we 
account for the equity security under the fair value method, cost 
method or measurement alternative. 

Noncontrolling interests represent the portion of net 

income and equity attributable to third-party owners of 
consolidated subsidiaries that are not wholly-owned by Wells 
Fargo. Substantially all of our noncontrolling interests relate to 
our affiliated venture capital and private equity businesses. 

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash 
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash include cash on hand, 
cash items in transit, and amounts due from or held with other 
depository institutions. See Note 28 (Regulatory Capital 
Requirements and Other Restrictions) for additional information 
on the restrictions on cash and cash equivalents. 

Trading Activities 
We engage in trading activities to accommodate the investment 
and risk management activities of our customers. These 
activities predominantly occur in our Corporate and Investment 

Wells Fargo & Company 

97 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 1:  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

Banking reportable operating segment. Trading assets and 
liabilities include debt securities, equity securities, loans held 
for sale, derivatives and short sales, which are reported within 
our consolidated balance sheet based on the accounting 
classification of the instrument. In addition, debt securities that 
are held for investment purposes that we have elected to 
account for under the fair value method, are classified as trading. 

Our trading assets and liabilities are carried on our 
consolidated balance sheet at fair value with changes in fair 
value recognized in net gains on trading and securities within 
noninterest income. Interest income and interest expense are 
recognized in net interest income. 

Customer accommodation trading activities include our 
actions as an intermediary to buy and sell financial instruments 
and market-making activities. We also take positions to manage 
our exposure to customer accommodation activities. We hold 
financial instruments for trading in long positions, as well as short 
positions, to facilitate our trading activities. As an intermediary, 
we interact with market buyers and sellers to facilitate the 
purchase and sale of financial instruments to meet the 
anticipated or current needs of our customers. For example, we 
may purchase or sell a derivative to a customer who wants to 
manage interest rate risk exposure. We typically enter into an 
offsetting derivative or security position to manage our exposure 
to the customer transaction. We earn income based on the 
transaction price difference between the customer transaction 
and the offsetting position, which is reflected in earnings where 
the fair value changes and related interest income and expense of 
the positions are recorded. 

Our market-making activities include taking long and short 

trading positions to facilitate customer order flow. These 
activities are typically executed on a short-term basis. As a 
market-maker we earn income due to: (1) the difference 
between the price paid or received for the purchase and sale of 
the security (bid-ask spread), (2) the net interest income of the 
positions, and (3) the changes in fair value of the trading 
positions held on our consolidated balance sheet. Additionally, we 
may enter into separate derivative or security positions to 
manage our exposure related to our long and short trading 
positions taken in our market-making activities. Income earned 
on these market-making activities are reflected in earnings 
where the fair value changes and related interest income and 
expense of the positions are recorded. 

Debt Securities 
Our investments in debt securities that are not held for trading 
purposes are classified as either debt securities available-for-sale 
(AFS) or held-to-maturity (HTM). 

Investments in debt securities for which the Company does 

not have the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity are 
classified as AFS. AFS debt securities are measured at fair value, 
with unrealized gains and losses reported in cumulative other 
comprehensive income (OCI). The amount reported in OCI is net 
of the allowance for credit losses (ACL) and applicable income 
taxes. Investments in debt securities for which the Company has 
the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity are classified as 
HTM. HTM debt securities are measured at amortized cost, net 
of ACL. 

INTEREST INCOME AND GAIN/LOSS RECOGNITION  Unamortized 
premiums and discounts are recognized in interest income over 
the contractual life of the security using the effective interest 
method, except for purchased callable debt securities carried at a 
premium. For purchased callable debt securities carried at a 
premium, the premium is amortized into interest income to the 

next call date using the effective interest method. As principal 
repayments are received on securities (e.g., mortgage-backed 
securities (MBS)), a proportionate amount of the related 
premium or discount is recognized in income so that the 
effective interest rate on the remaining portion of the security 
continues unchanged. 

We recognize realized gains and losses on the sale of debt 

securities in net gains on trading and securities within 
noninterest income using the specific identification method. 

IMPAIRMENT AND CREDIT LOSSES  Unrealized losses on AFS debt 
securities are driven by a number of factors, including changes in 
interest rates and credit spreads which impact most types of 
debt securities, and prepayment rates which impact MBS and 
collateralized loan obligations (CLO). Additional considerations 
for certain types of AFS debt securities include: 
•  Debt securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies, 

including federal agency MBS, are not impacted by credit 
movements given the explicit or implicit guarantees 
provided by the U.S. government. 

•  Debt securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions are 
most impacted by changes in the relationship between 
municipal and term funding credit curves rather than by 
changes in the credit quality of the underlying securities. 
Structured securities, such as MBS and CLO, are also 
impacted by changes in projected collateral losses of assets 
underlying the security. 

• 

For AFS debt securities where fair value is less than 

amortized cost basis, we recognize impairment in earnings if we 
have the intent to sell the security or if it is more likely than not 
that we will be required to sell the security before recovery of its 
amortized cost basis. Impairment is recognized in net gains on 
trading and securities within noninterest income equal to the 
difference between the amortized cost basis, net of ACL, and the 
fair value of the AFS debt security. Following the recognition of 
this impairment, the AFS debt security’s new amortized cost 
basis is fair value. 

For AFS debt securities where fair value is less than 

amortized cost basis where we did not recognize impairment in 
earnings, we record an ACL as of the balance sheet date to the 
extent unrealized loss is due to credit losses. See the “Allowance 
for Credit Losses” section in this Note for our accounting policies 
relating to the ACL for debt securities, which also includes debt 
securities classified as HTM. 

TRANSFERS BETWEEN CATEGORIES OF DEBT SECURITIES  Upon 
transfer of a debt security from the AFS to HTM classification, 
the amortized cost is reset to fair value adjusted for any ACL 
previously recorded under the AFS debt security model. 
Unrealized gains or losses at the transfer date continue to be 
reported in cumulative OCI. The cumulative OCI balance is 
amortized into earnings over the same period as the unamortized 
premiums and discounts using the effective interest method. 
Any ACL previously recorded under the AFS debt security model 
is reversed and an ACL under the HTM debt security model is re-
established. The reversal and re-establishment of the ACL are 
recorded in provision for credit losses. 

NONACCRUAL AND PAST DUE, AND CHARGE-OFF POLICIES  We 
generally place debt securities on nonaccrual status using factors 
similar to those described for loans. When we place a debt 
security on nonaccrual status, we reverse the accrued unpaid 
interest receivable against interest income and suspend the 
amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts. If the 

98 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
  
  
ultimate collectability of the principal is in doubt on a nonaccrual 
debt security, any cash collected is first applied to reduce the 
security’s amortized cost basis to zero, followed by recovery of 
amounts previously charged off, and subsequently to interest 
income. Generally, we return a debt security to accrual status 
when all delinquent interest and principal become current under 
the contractual terms of the security and collectability of 
remaining principal and interest is no longer doubtful. 
Our debt securities are considered past due when 

contractually required principal or interest payments have not 
been made on the due dates. 

Our charge-off policy for debt securities are similar to those 
described for loans. Subsequent to charge-off, the debt security 
will be designated as nonaccrual and follow the process described 
above for any cash received. 

Securities Purchased and Sold Agreements 
Securities purchased under resale agreements and securities sold 
under repurchase agreements are accounted for as collateralized 
financing transactions and are recorded at the acquisition or sale 
price plus accrued interest. We monitor the fair value of 
securities purchased and sold as well as the collateral pledged and 
received. Additional collateral is pledged or returned to maintain 
the appropriate collateral position for the transactions. These 
financing transactions do not create material credit risk given the 
collateral provided and the related monitoring process. We 
include securities sold under repurchase agreements in short-
term borrowings on our consolidated balance sheet. At 
December 31, 2021 and 2020, short-term borrowings were 
primarily comprised of securities sold under repurchase 
agreements. 

Loans Held for Sale 
Loans held for sale (LHFS) generally includes commercial and 
residential mortgage loans originated or purchased for sale in the 
securitization or whole loan market. We have elected the fair 
value option for a majority of residential LHFS (see Note 17 (Fair 
Values of Assets and Liabilities)). The remaining residential LHFS 
are held at the lower of cost or fair value (LOCOM) and are 
measured on a pool level basis. 

Commercial LHFS are generally held at LOCOM and are 

measured on an individual loan basis. We have elected the fair 
value option for certain commercial loans included in LHFS that 
are used in market-making activities for our trading business. 
Gains and losses on residential and commercial mortgage 
LHFS are generally recorded in mortgage banking noninterest 
income. Gains and losses on trading LHFS are recognized in net 
gains from trading activities. Gains and losses on other LHFS are 
recognized in other noninterest income. Direct loan origination 
costs and fees for LHFS under the fair value option are 
recognized in earnings at origination. For LHFS recorded at 
LOCOM, direct loan origination costs and fees are deferred at 
origination and are recognized in earnings at time of sale. 
Interest income on LHFS is calculated based upon the note rate 
of the loan and is recorded in interest income. 

When a determination is made at the time of commitment 
to originate loans as held for investment, it is our intent to hold 
these loans to maturity or for the foreseeable future, subject to 
periodic review under our management evaluation processes, 
including corporate asset/liability management. If subsequent 
changes occur, including changes in interest rates, our business 
strategy, or other market conditions, we may change our 
intent to hold these loans. When management makes this 
determination, we immediately transfer these loans to the LHFS 
portfolio at LOCOM. 

Loans 
Loans are reported at their outstanding principal balances net of 
any unearned income, cumulative charge-offs, unamortized 
deferred fees and costs on originated loans and unamortized 
premiums or discounts on purchased loans. 

Unearned income, deferred fees and costs, and discounts 

and premiums are amortized to interest income over the 
contractual life of the loan using the effective interest method. 
Loan commitment fees collected at closing are deferred and 
amortized to noninterest income on a straight-line basis over the 
commitment period if loan funding is unlikely. Upon funding, 
deferred loan commitment fees are amortized to interest income 
over the contractual life of the loan. 

Loans also include financing leases where we are the lessor. 

See the “Leasing Activity” section in this Note for our accounting 
policy for leases. 

NONACCRUAL AND PAST DUE LOANS  We generally place loans on 
nonaccrual status when: 
• 

the full and timely collection of interest or principal becomes 
uncertain (generally based on an assessment of the 
borrower’s financial condition and the adequacy of collateral, 
if any), such as in bankruptcy or other circumstances; 
they are 90 days (120 days with respect to residential 
mortgage loans) past due for interest or principal, unless the 
loan is both well-secured and in the process of collection or 
the loan is in an active payment deferral as a result of the 
COVID-19 pandemic; 
part of the principal balance has been charged off; or 
for junior lien mortgage loans, we have evidence that the 
related first lien mortgage may be 120 days past due or in 
the process of foreclosure regardless of the junior lien 
delinquency status. 

• 

• 
• 

Credit card loans are not placed on nonaccrual status, but are 

generally fully charged off when the loan reaches 180 days past 
due. 

When we place a loan on nonaccrual status, we reverse the 
accrued unpaid interest receivable against interest income and 
suspend amortization of any net deferred fees. If the ultimate 
collectability of the recorded loan balance is in doubt on a 
nonaccrual loan, the cost recovery method is used and cash 
collected is applied to first reduce the carrying value of the loan 
to zero and then as a recovery of prior charge-offs. Otherwise, 
interest income may be recognized to the extent cash is received. 
Generally, we return a loan to accrual status when all delinquent 
interest and principal become current under the terms of the 
loan agreement and collectability of remaining principal and 
interest is no longer doubtful. 

We may re-underwrite modified loans at the time of a 
restructuring to determine if there is sufficient evidence of 
sustained repayment capacity based on the borrower’s financial 
strength, including documented income, debt to income ratios 
and other factors. If the borrower has demonstrated 
performance under the previous terms and the underwriting 
process shows the capacity to continue to perform under the 
restructured terms, the loan will generally remain in accruing 
status. When a loan classified as a troubled debt restructuring 
(TDR) performs in accordance with its modified terms, the loan 
either continues to accrue interest (for performing loans) or will 
return to accrual status after the borrower demonstrates a 
sustained period of performance (generally six consecutive 
months of payments, or equivalent, inclusive of consecutive 
payments made prior to the modification). Loans will be placed 
on nonaccrual status and a corresponding charge-off is recorded 

Wells Fargo & Company 

99 

Note 1:  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

if the re-underwriting did not include an evaluation of the 
borrower's ability to repay or we believe it is probable that 
principal and interest contractually due under the modified terms 
of the agreement will not be collectible. 

Our loans are considered past due when contractually 
required principal or interest payments have not been made on 
the due dates. 

LOAN CHARGE-OFF POLICIES  For commercial loans, we generally 
fully charge off or charge down to net realizable value (fair value 
of collateral, less estimated costs to sell) for loans secured by 
collateral when: 
•  management judges the loan to be uncollectible; 
• 

repayment is deemed to be protracted beyond reasonable 
time frames; 
the loan has been classified as a loss by either our internal 
loan review process or our banking regulatory agencies; 
the customer has filed bankruptcy and the loss becomes 
evident owing to a lack of assets; 
the loan is 180 days past due unless both well-secured and in 
the process of collection; or 
the loan is probable of foreclosure, and we have received an 
appraisal of less than the recorded loan balance. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

For consumer loans, we fully charge off or charge down to 

net realizable value when deemed uncollectible due to 
bankruptcy or other factors, or no later than reaching a defined 
number of days past due, as follows: 
• 

Residential mortgage loans – We generally charge down to 
net realizable value when the loan is 180 days past due and 
fully charge-off when the loan exceeds extended 
delinquency dates. 
Auto loans – We generally fully charge off when the loan is 
120 days past due. 
Credit card loans – We generally fully charge off when the 
loan is 180 days past due. 

• 

• 

•  Unsecured loans – We generally fully charge off when the 

loan is 120 days past due. 

•  Unsecured lines – We generally fully charge off when the 

loan is 180 days past due. 

•  Other secured loans – We generally fully or partially charge 
down to net realizable value when the loan is 120 days past 
due. 

TROUBLED DEBT RESTRUCTURINGS  In situations where, for 
economic or legal reasons related to a borrower’s financial 
difficulties, we grant a concession for other than an insignificant 
period of time to the borrower that we would not otherwise 
consider, the related loan is classified as a troubled debt 
restructuring (TDR). These modified terms may include interest 
rate reductions, principal forgiveness, term extensions, payment 
forbearance and other actions intended to minimize our 
economic loss and to avoid foreclosure or repossession of the 
collateral, if applicable. For modifications where we forgive 
principal, the entire amount of such principal forgiveness is 
immediately charged off. If the underwriting for a TDR 
modification did not include an evaluation of the borrower's 
ability to repay, the loan is deemed collateral dependent. Other 
than resolutions such as foreclosures, sales and transfers to held-
for-sale, we may remove loans held for investment from TDR 
classification, but only if they have been refinanced or 
restructured at market terms and qualify as a new loan. 

TROUBLED DEBT RESTRUCTURINGS AND OTHER RELIEF RELATED 
TO COVID-19  The Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security 

Act (the CARES Act) and the Interagency Statement on Loan 
Modifications and Reporting for Financial Institutions Working with 
Customers Affected by the Coronavirus (Revised) issued by federal 
regulators in April 2020 (the Interagency Statement) provide 
optional, temporary relief from accounting for certain loan 
modifications as TDRs. Based on guidance in the CARES Act and 
Interagency Statement, modifications related to the adverse 
effects of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) that meet 
certain criteria are exempt from TDR classification. Additionally, 
we elected to apply the lease modification relief provided by the 
FASB for leases accounted for under ASC 842, Leases, that were 
modified due to COVID-19 and met certain criteria so as to not 
require a new lease classification test upon modification. During 
2021, we continued to apply the TDR relief provided by the 
CARES Act and Interagency Statement for eligible COVID-
related residential mortgage loan modifications. The TDR relief 
provided by the CARES Act guidance is no longer available after 
January 1, 2022; however, certain COVID-related lending 
accommodations may continue to be eligible for TDR relief under 
the Interagency Statement. 

For COVID-related modifications in the form of payment 
deferrals or payment forbearance, delinquency status will not 
advance and loans that were accruing at the time the relief is 
provided will generally not be placed on nonaccrual status during 
the deferral period. Interest accrued during payment deferrals or 
payment forbearance may be included in the principal balance of 
the loans and charge-offs will generally be based on delinquency 
status after the loan exits the deferral or forbearance period. 

FORECLOSED ASSETS  Foreclosed assets obtained through our 
lending activities primarily include real estate. Generally, loans 
have been written down to their net realizable value prior to 
foreclosure. Any further reduction to their net realizable value is 
recorded with a charge to the ACL at foreclosure. We allow up to 
90 days after foreclosure to finalize determination of net 
realizable value. Thereafter, changes in net realizable value are 
recorded to noninterest expense. The net realizable value of 
these assets is reviewed and updated periodically depending on 
the type of property. Certain government-guaranteed mortgage 
loans upon foreclosure are included in accounts receivable, not 
foreclosed assets. These receivables were loans insured by the 
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or guaranteed by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and are measured based on 
the balance expected to be recovered from the FHA or VA. 

Allowance for Credit Losses 
The ACL is management’s estimate of the current expected life-
time credit losses in the loan portfolio and unfunded credit 
commitments, at the balance sheet date, excluding loans and 
unfunded credit commitments carried at fair value or held for 
sale. Additionally, we maintain an ACL for AFS and HTM debt 
securities, other financing receivables measured at amortized 
cost, and other off-balance sheet credit exposures. While we 
attribute portions of the allowance to specific financial asset 
classes (loan and debt security portfolios), loan portfolio 
segments (commercial and consumer) or major security type, the 
entire ACL is available to absorb credit losses of the Company. 
Our ACL process involves procedures to appropriately 

consider the unique risk characteristics of our financial asset 
classes, portfolio segments, and major security types. For each 
loan portfolio segment and each major HTM debt security type, 
losses are estimated collectively for groups of loans or securities 
with similar risk characteristics. For loans and securities that do 
not share similar risk characteristics with other financial assets, 
the losses are estimated individually, which generally includes our 

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Wells Fargo & Company 

 
 
 
nonperforming large commercial loans and non-accruing HTM 
debt securities. For AFS debt securities, losses are estimated at 
the individual security level. 

Our ACL amounts are influenced by a variety of factors, 

including changes in loan and debt security volumes, portfolio 

credit quality, and general economic conditions. General 
economic conditions are forecasted using economic variables 
which will create volatility as those variables change over time. 
See Table 1.3 for key economic variables used for our loan 
portfolios. 

Table 1.3:  Key Economic Variables 

Loan Portfolio 

Total commercial 

Residential mortgage 

Other consumer (including credit card, auto, and other consumer) 

Our approach for estimating expected life-time credit losses 

for loans and debt securities includes the following key 
components: 
• 

An initial loss forecast period of two years for all portfolio 
segments and classes of financing receivables and off-
balance-sheet credit exposures. This period reflects 
management’s expectation of losses based on forward-
looking economic scenarios over that time. We forecast 
multiple economic scenarios that generally include a base 
scenario with an optimistic (upside) and one or more 
pessimistic (downside) scenarios, which are weighted by 
management to estimate future credit losses. 
Long-term average loss expectations estimated by reverting 
to the long-term average, on a linear basis, for each of the 
economic variables forecasted during the initial loss forecast 
period. These long-term averages are based on observations 
over multiple economic cycles. The reversion period, which 
may be up to two years, is assessed on a quarterly basis. 
The remaining contractual term of a loan is adjusted for 
expected prepayments and certain expected extensions, 
renewals, or modifications. We extend the contractual term 
when we are not able to unconditionally cancel contractual 
renewals or extension options. We also incorporate any 
scenarios where we reasonably expect to provide an 
extension through a TDR. Credit card loans have 
indeterminate maturities, which requires that we determine 
a contractual life by estimating the application of future 
payments to the outstanding loan amount. 

• 

• 

•  Utilization of discounted cash flow (DCF) methods to 

measure credit impairment for loans modified in a troubled 
debt restructuring, unless they are collateral dependent and 
measured at the fair value of the collateral. The DCF 
methods obtain estimated life-time credit losses using the 
initial and historical mean loss forecast periods described 
above. 
For AFS debt securities and certain beneficial interests 
classified as HTM, we utilize DCF methods to measure the 
ACL, which incorporate expected credit losses using the 
conceptual components described above. For most HTM 
debt securities, the ACL is measured using an expected loss 
model, similar to the methodology used for loans. 

• 

Key economic variables 

•  Gross domestic product 
•  Commercial real estate asset prices, where applicable 
•  Unemployment rate 

•  Home price index 
•  Unemployment rate 

•  Unemployment rate 

previously charged off. For financial assets with an ACL 
estimated using DCF methods, changes in the ACL due to the 
passage of time are recorded in interest income. The ACL for AFS 
debt securities reflects the amount of unrealized loss related to 
expected credit losses, limited by the amount that fair value is 
less than the amortized cost basis (fair value floor) and cannot 
have an associated negative allowance. 

For certain financial assets, such as residential real estate 

loans guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage 
Association (GNMA), an agency of the federal government, U. S. 
Treasury and Agency mortgage-backed debt securities and 
certain sovereign debt securities, the Company has not 
recognized an ACL as our expectation of nonpayment of the 
amortized cost basis, based on historical losses, adjusted for 
current and forecasted conditions, is zero. 

A financial asset is collateral-dependent when the borrower 
is experiencing financial difficulty and repayment is expected to 
be provided substantially through the sale or operation of the 
collateral. When a collateral-dependent financial asset is 
probable of foreclosure, we will measure the ACL based on the 
fair value of the collateral. If we intend to sell the underlying 
collateral, we will measure the ACL based on the collateral’s net 
realizable value (fair value of collateral, less estimated costs to 
sell). In most situations, based on our charge-off policies, we will 
immediately write-down the financial asset to the fair value of 
the collateral or net realizable value. For consumer loans, 
collateral-dependent financial assets may have collateral in the 
form of residential real estate, autos or other personal assets. For 
commercial loans, collateral-dependent financial assets may have 
collateral in the form of commercial real estate or other business 
assets. 

We do not generally record an ACL for accrued interest 

receivables because uncollectible accrued interest is reversed 
through interest income in a timely manner in line with our non-
accrual and past due policies for loans and debt securities. For 
consumer credit card and certain consumer lines of credit, we 
include an ACL for accrued interest and fees since these loans are 
neither placed on nonaccrual status nor written off until the loan 
is 180 days past due. Accrued interest receivables are included in 
other assets, except for certain revolving loans, such as credit 
card loans. 

The ACL for financial assets held at amortized cost is a 

valuation account that is deducted from, or added to, the 
amortized cost basis of the financial assets to present the net 
amount expected to be collected. When credit expectations 
change, the valuation account is adjusted with changes reported 
in provision for credit losses. If amounts previously charged off 
are subsequently expected to be collected, we may recognize a 
negative allowance, which is limited to the amount that was 

COMMERCIAL LOAN PORTFOLIO SEGMENT ACL METHODOLOGY  
Generally, commercial loans, which include net investments in 
lease financing, are assessed for estimated losses by grading each 
loan using various risk factors as identified through periodic 
reviews. Our estimation approach for the commercial portfolio 
reflects the estimated probability of default in accordance with 
the borrower’s financial strength and the severity of loss in the 
event of default, considering the quality of any underlying 

Wells Fargo & Company 

101 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 1:  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

collateral. Probability of default, loss severity at the time of 
default, and exposure at default are statistically derived through 
historical observations of default and losses after default within 
each credit risk rating. These estimates are adjusted as 
appropriate for risks identified from current and forecasted 
economic conditions and credit quality trends. Unfunded credit 
commitments are evaluated based on a conversion factor to 
derive a funded loan equivalent amount. The estimated 
probability of default and loss severity at the time of default are 
applied to the funded loan equivalent amount to estimate losses 
for unfunded credit commitments. 

CONSUMER LOAN PORTFOLIO SEGMENT ACL METHODOLOGY  For 
consumer loans, we determine the allowance using a pooled 
approach based on the individual risk characteristics of the loans 
within those pools. Quantitative modeling methodologies that 
estimate probability of default, loss severity at the time of 
default and exposure at default are typically leveraged to 
estimate expected loss. These methodologies pool loans, 
generally by product types with similar risk characteristics, such 
as residential real estate mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. 
As appropriate and to achieve greater accuracy, we may further 
stratify selected portfolios by sub-product, risk pool, loss type, 
geographic location and other predictive characteristics. We use 
attributes such as delinquency status, Fair Isaac Corporation 
(FICO) scores, and loan-to-value ratios (where applicable) in the 
development of our consumer loan models, in addition to home 
price trends, unemployment trends, and other economic 
variables that may influence the frequency and severity of losses 
in the consumer portfolio. 

OTHER QUALITATIVE FACTORS  The ACL includes amounts for 
qualitative factors which may not be adequately reflected in our 
loss models. These amounts represent management’s judgment 
of risks in the processes and assumptions used in establishing the 
ACL. Generally, these amounts are established at a granular level 
below our loan portfolio segments. We also consider economic 
environmental factors, modeling assumptions and performance, 
process risk, and other subjective factors, including industry 
trends and emerging risk assessments. 

OFF-BALANCE SHEET CREDIT EXPOSURES  Our off-balance sheet 
credit exposures include unfunded loan commitments (generally 
in the form of revolving lines of credit), financial guarantees not 
accounted for as insurance contracts or derivatives, including 
standby letters of credit, and other similar instruments. For off-
balance sheet credit exposures, we recognize an ACL associated 
with the unfunded amounts. We do not recognize an ACL for 
commitments that are unconditionally cancelable at our 
discretion. Additionally, we recognize an ACL for financial 
guarantees that create off-balance sheet credit exposure, such as 
loans sold with credit recourse and factoring guarantees. ACL for 
off-balance sheet credit exposures are reported as a liability in 
accrued expenses and other liabilities on our consolidated 
balance sheet. 

OTHER FINANCIAL ASSETS  Other financial assets are evaluated 
for expected credit losses. These other financial assets include 
accounts receivable for fees, receivables from government-
sponsored entities, such as Federal National Mortgage 
Association (FNMA) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage 
Corporation (FHLMC), and GNMA, and other accounts 
receivables from high-credit quality counterparties, such as 
central clearing counterparties. Many of these financial assets are 
generally not expected to have an ACL as there is a zero loss 

expectation (for example, government guarantee) or no 
historical credit losses. Some financial assets, such as loans to 
employees, maintain an ACL that is presented on a net basis with 
the related amortized cost amounts in other assets on our 
consolidated balance sheet. Given the nature of these financial 
assets, provision for credit losses is not recognized separately 
from the regular income or expense associated with these 
financial assets. 

Securities purchased under resale agreements are generally 
over-collateralized by securities or cash and are generally short-
term in nature. We have elected the practical expedient for these 
financial assets given collateral maintenance provisions. These 
provisions require that we monitor the collateral value and 
customers are required to replenish collateral, if needed. 
Accordingly, we generally do not maintain an ACL for these 
financial assets. 

Purchased Credit Deteriorated Financial Assets 
Financial assets acquired that are of poor credit quality and with 
more than an insignificant evidence of credit deterioration since 
their origination or issuance are purchased credit deteriorated 
(PCD) assets. PCD assets include HTM and AFS debt securities 
and loans. PCD assets are recorded at their purchase price plus an 
ACL estimated at the time of acquisition. Under this approach, 
there is no provision for credit losses recognized at acquisition; 
rather, there is a gross-up of the purchase price of the financial 
asset for the estimate of expected credit losses and a 
corresponding ACL recorded. Changes in estimates of expected 
credit losses after acquisition are recognized as provision for 
credit losses in subsequent periods. In general, interest income 
recognition for PCD financial assets is consistent with interest 
income recognition for the similar non-PCD financial asset. 

Leasing Activity 
AS LESSOR  We lease equipment to our customers under 
financing or operating leases. Financing leases are presented in 
loans and are recorded at the discounted amounts of lease 
payments receivable plus the estimated residual value of the 
leased asset. Leveraged leases, which are a form of financing 
leases, are reduced by related non-recourse debt from third-
party investors. Lease payments receivable reflect contractual 
lease payments adjusted for renewal or termination options that 
we believe the customer is reasonably certain to exercise. The 
residual value reflects our best estimate of the expected sales 
price for the equipment at lease termination based on sales 
history adjusted for recent trends in the expected exit markets. 
Many of our leases allow the customer to extend the lease at 
prevailing market terms or purchase the asset for fair value at 
lease termination. 

Our allowance for loan losses for financing leases considers 

both the collectability of the lease payments receivable as well as 
the estimated residual value of the leased asset. We typically 
purchase residual value insurance on our financing leases so that 
our risk of loss at lease termination will be less than 10% of the 
initial value of the lease. In addition, we have several channels for 
re-leasing or marketing those assets. 

In connection with a lease, we may finance the customer’s 

purchase of other products or services from the equipment 
vendor and allocate the contract consideration between the use 
of the asset and the purchase of those products or services based 
on information obtained from the vendor. Amounts allocated to 
financing of vendor products or services are reported in loans as 
commercial and industrial loans, rather than as lease financing. 

Our primary income from financing leases is interest income 

recognized using the effective interest method. Variable lease 

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revenues, such as reimbursement for property taxes associated 
with the leased asset, are included in lease income within 
noninterest income. 

Operating lease assets are presented in other assets, net of 

accumulated depreciation. Periodic depreciation expense is 
recorded on a straight-line basis to the estimated residual value 
over the estimated useful life of the leased asset. On a periodic 
basis, operating lease assets are reviewed for impairment and an 
impairment loss is recognized if the carrying amount of 
operating lease assets exceeds fair value and is not recoverable. 
The carrying amount of leased assets is deemed not recoverable 
if it exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to 
result from the lease payments and the estimated residual value 
upon the eventual disposition of the equipment. Depreciation 
expense for operating lease assets is included in other 
noninterest expense. Impairment charges for operating lease 
assets are included in other noninterest income. 

Operating lease rental income for leased assets is recognized 
in lease income within noninterest income on a straight-line basis 
over the lease term. Variable revenues on operating leases 
include reimbursements of costs, including property taxes, which 
fluctuate over time, as well as rental revenue based on usage. For 
leases of railcars, revenue for maintenance services provided 
under the lease is recognized in lease income. 

We elected to exclude from revenues and expenses any sales 

tax incurred on lease payments which are reimbursed by the 
lessee. Substantially all of our leased assets are protected against 
casualty loss through third-party insurance. 

AS LESSEE  We enter into lease agreements to obtain the right to 
use assets for our business operations, substantially all of which 
are real estate. Lease liabilities and right-of-use (ROU) assets are 
recognized when we enter into operating or financing leases and 
represent our obligations and rights to use these assets over the 
period of the leases and may be re-measured for certain 
modifications, resolution of certain contingencies involving 
variable consideration, or our exercise of options (renewal, 
extension, or termination) under the lease. 

Operating lease liabilities include fixed and in-substance 

fixed payments for the contractual duration of the lease, 
adjusted for renewals or terminations which were considered 
probable of exercise when measured. The lease payments are 
discounted using a rate determined when the lease is recognized. 
As we typically do not know the discount rate implicit in the 
lease, we estimate a discount rate that we believe approximates a 
collateralized borrowing rate for the estimated duration of the 
lease. The discount rate is updated when re-measurement events 
occur. The related operating lease ROU assets may differ from 
operating lease liabilities due to initial direct costs, deferred or 
prepaid lease payments and lease incentives. 

We present operating lease liabilities in accrued expenses 
and other liabilities and the related operating lease ROU assets in 
other assets. The amortization of operating lease ROU assets 
and the accretion of operating lease liabilities are reported 
together as fixed lease expense and are included in occupancy 
expense within noninterest expense. The fixed lease expense is 
recognized on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease. 
Some of our operating leases include variable lease 
payments which are periodic adjustments of our payments for 
the use of the asset based on changes in factors such as 
consumer price indices, fair market value rents, tax rates imposed 
by taxing authorities, or lessor cost of insurance. To the extent 
not included in operating lease liabilities and operating lease ROU 
assets, these variable lease payments are recognized as incurred 
in net occupancy expense within noninterest expense. 

For substantially all of our leased assets, we account for 
consideration paid under the contract for maintenance or other 
services as lease payments. In addition, for certain asset classes, 
we have elected to exclude leases with original terms of less 
than one year from the operating lease ROU assets and lease 
liabilities. The related short-term lease expense is included in net 
occupancy expense. 

Finance lease liabilities are presented in long-term debt and 
the associated finance ROU assets are presented in premises and 
equipment. 

Securitizations and Beneficial Interests 
Securitizations are transactions in which financial assets are sold 
to a Special Purpose Entity (SPE), which then issues beneficial 
interests collateralized by the transferred financial assets. 
Beneficial interests are generally issued in the form of senior and 
subordinated interests, and in some cases, we may obtain 
beneficial interests issued by the SPE. Additionally, from time to 
time, we may re-securitize certain financial assets in a new 
securitization transaction. See Note 8 (Securitizations and 
Variable Interest Entities) for additional information about our 
involvement with SPEs. 

The assets and liabilities transferred to a SPE are excluded 

from our consolidated balance sheet if the transfer qualifies as a 
sale and we are not required to consolidate the SPE. 

For transfers of financial assets recorded as sales, we 
recognize and initially measure at fair value all assets obtained 
(including beneficial interests or mortgage servicing rights) and 
all liabilities incurred. We record a gain or loss in noninterest 
income for the difference between assets obtained (net of 
liabilities incurred) and the carrying amount of the assets sold. 
Beneficial interests obtained from, and liabilities incurred in, 
securitizations with off-balance sheet entities may include debt 
and equity securities, loans, MSRs, derivative assets and 
liabilities, other assets, and other obligations such as liabilities for 
mortgage repurchase losses or long-term debt and are 
accounted for as described within this Note. 

Mortgage Servicing Rights 
We recognize MSRs resulting from a sale or securitization of 
loans that we originate (asset transfers) or through a direct 
purchase of such rights. We initially record all of our MSRs at fair 
value. Subsequently, residential loan MSRs are carried at fair 
value. Commercial MSRs are subsequently measured at LOCOM. 
The valuation and sensitivity of MSRs is discussed further in Note 
8 (Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities), Note 9 
(Mortgage Banking Activities) and Note 17 (Fair Values of Assets 
and Liabilities). 

For MSRs carried at fair value, changes in fair value are 
reported in mortgage banking noninterest income in the period 
in which the change occurs. MSRs subsequently measured at 
LOCOM are amortized in proportion to, and over the period of, 
estimated net servicing income. The amortization of MSRs is 
reported in mortgage banking noninterest income, analyzed 
monthly and adjusted to reflect changes in prepayment rates, as 
well as other factors. 

MSRs accounted for at LOCOM are periodically evaluated 

for impairment based on the fair value of those assets. For 
purposes of impairment evaluation and measurement, we 
stratify MSRs based on the predominant risk characteristics of 
the underlying loans, including investor and product type. If, by 
individual stratum, the carrying amount of these MSRs exceeds 
fair value, a valuation allowance is established. The valuation 
allowance is adjusted as the fair value changes. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

103 

  
 
Note 1:  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

Premises and Equipment 
Premises and equipment are carried at cost less accumulated 
depreciation and amortization. We use the straight-line method 
of depreciation and amortization. Estimated useful lives range up 
to 40 years for buildings, up to 10 years for furniture and 
equipment, and the shorter of the estimated useful life (up to 
8 years) or the lease term for leasehold improvements. 

Goodwill and Identifiable Intangible Assets 
Goodwill is recorded for business combinations when the 
purchase price is higher than the fair value of the acquired net 
assets, including identifiable intangible assets. 

We assess goodwill for impairment at a reporting unit level 
on an annual basis or more frequently in certain circumstances. 
We have determined that our reporting units are at the 
reportable operating segment level or one level below. We 
identify the reporting units based on how the segments and 
reporting units are managed, taking into consideration the 
economic characteristics, nature of the products and services, 
and customers of the segments and reporting units. We allocate 
goodwill to applicable reporting units based on their relative fair 
value at the time we acquire a business and when we have a 
significant business reorganization. If we sell a business, a portion 
of goodwill is included with the carrying amount of the divested 
business. 

We have the option of performing a qualitative assessment 
of goodwill. We may also elect to bypass the qualitative test and 
proceed directly to a quantitative test. If we perform a qualitative 
assessment of goodwill to test for impairment and conclude it is 
more likely than not that a reporting unit’s fair value is greater 
than its carrying amount, quantitative tests are not required. 
However, if we determine it is more likely than not that a 
reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying amount, we 
complete a quantitative assessment to determine if there is 
goodwill impairment. We apply various quantitative valuation 
methodologies, including discounted cash flow and earnings 
multiple approaches, to determine the estimated fair value, 
which is compared with the carrying value of each reporting unit. 
A goodwill impairment loss is recognized if the fair value is less 
than the carrying amount, including goodwill. The goodwill 
impairment loss is limited to the amount of goodwill allocated to 
the reporting unit. We recognize impairment losses as a charge 
to other noninterest expense and a reduction to the carrying 
value of goodwill. Subsequent reversals of goodwill impairment 
are prohibited. 

We amortize customer relationship intangible assets on an 

accelerated basis over useful lives not exceeding 10 years. We 
review intangible assets for impairment whenever events or 
changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts 
may not be recoverable. Impairment is indicated if the sum of 
undiscounted estimated future net cash flows is less than the 
carrying value of the asset. Impairment is permanently 
recognized by writing down the asset to the extent that the 
carrying value exceeds the estimated fair value. 

Derivatives and Hedging Activities 
DERIVATIVES  We recognize all derivatives on our consolidated 
balance sheet at fair value. On the date we enter into a derivative 
contract, we categorize the derivative as either an accounting 
hedge, economic hedge or part of our customer accommodation 
trading and other portfolio. 

Accounting hedges are either fair value or cash flow hedges. 

Fair value hedges represent the hedge of the fair value of a 
recognized asset or liability or an unrecognized firm 
commitment, including hedges of foreign currency exposure. 

Cash flow hedges represent the hedge of a forecasted 
transaction or the variability of cash flows to be paid or received 
related to a recognized asset or liability. 

Economic hedges and customer accommodation trading and 

other derivatives do not qualify for, or we have elected not to 
apply, hedge accounting. Economic hedges are derivatives we use 
to manage interest rate, foreign currency and certain other risks 
associated with our non-trading activities. Customer 
accommodation trading and other derivatives primarily 
represents derivatives related to our trading business activities. 
We report changes in the fair values of these derivatives in 
noninterest income. 

FAIR VALUE HEDGES  We record changes in the fair value of the 
derivative in income, except for certain derivatives in which a 
portion is recorded to OCI. We record basis adjustments to the 
amortized cost of the hedged asset or liability due to the changes 
in fair value related to the hedged risk with the offset recorded in 
earnings. We present derivative gains or losses in the same 
income statement category as the hedged asset or liability, as 
follows: 
• 

For fair value hedges of interest rate risk, amounts are 
reflected in net interest income; 
For hedges of foreign currency risk, amounts representing 
the fair value changes less the accrual for periodic cash flow 
settlements are reflected in noninterest income. The 
periodic cash flow settlements are reflected in net interest 
income; 
For hedges of both interest rate risk and foreign currency 
risk, amounts representing the fair value change less the 
accrual for periodic cash flow settlements is attributed to 
both net interest income and noninterest income. The 
periodic cash flow settlements are reflected in net interest 
income. 

• 

• 

The entire derivative gain or loss is included in the 
assessment of hedge effectiveness for all fair value hedge 
relationships, except for hedges of foreign-currency 
denominated AFS debt securities and long-term debt liabilities 
hedged with cross-currency swaps. The change in fair value of 
these swaps attributable to cross-currency basis spread changes 
is excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness. The 
initial fair value of the excluded component is amortized to net 
interest income and the difference between changes in fair value 
of the excluded component and the amount recorded in earnings 
is recorded in OCI. 

CASH FLOW HEDGES  We record changes in the fair value of the 
derivative in OCI. We subsequently reclassify gains and losses 
from these changes in fair value from OCI to earnings in the same 
period(s) that the hedged transaction affects earnings and in the 
same income statement category as the hedged item. For cash 
flow hedges of interest rate risk associated with floating-rate 
commercial loans and long-term debt and for cash flow hedges 
of foreign currency risk associated with fixed-rate long-term 
debt, these amounts are reflected in net interest income. The 
entire gain or loss on these derivatives is included in the 
assessment of hedge effectiveness. 

DOCUMENTATION AND EFFECTIVENESS ASSESSMENT FOR 
ACCOUNTING HEDGES  For fair value and cash flow hedges 
qualifying for hedge accounting, we formally document at 
inception the relationship between hedging instruments and 
hedged items, our risk management objective, strategy and our 
evaluation of effectiveness for our hedge transactions. This 

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process includes linking all derivatives designated as fair value or 
cash flow hedges to specific assets and liabilities on our 
consolidated balance sheet or to specific forecasted transactions. 
We assess hedge effectiveness using regression analysis, both at 
inception of the hedging relationship and on an ongoing basis. 
For fair value hedges, the regression analysis involves regressing 
the periodic change in fair value of the hedging instrument 
against the periodic changes in fair value of the asset or liability 
being hedged due to changes in the hedged risk(s). For cash flow 
hedges, the regression analysis involves regressing the periodic 
changes in fair value of the hedging instrument against the 
periodic changes in fair value of a hypothetical derivative. The 
hypothetical derivative has terms that identically match and 
offset the cash flows of the forecasted transaction being hedged 
due to changes in the hedged risk(s). The initial assessment for 
fair value and cash flow hedges includes an evaluation of the 
quantitative measures of the regression results used to validate 
the conclusion of high effectiveness. Periodically, as required, we 
also formally assess whether the derivative we designated in 
each hedging relationship is expected to be and has been highly 
effective in offsetting changes in fair values or cash flows of the 
hedged item using the regression analysis method. 

DISCONTINUING HEDGE ACCOUNTING  We discontinue hedge 
accounting prospectively when (1) a derivative is no longer highly 
effective in offsetting changes in the fair value or cash flows of a 
hedged item, (2) a derivative expires or is sold, terminated or 
exercised, (3) we elect to discontinue the designation of a 
derivative as a hedge, or (4) in a cash flow hedge, a derivative is 
de-designated because it is no longer probable that a forecasted 
transaction will occur. 

When we discontinue fair value hedge accounting, we no 
longer adjust the previously hedged asset or liability for changes 
in fair value. The remaining cumulative adjustments to the 
hedged item and accumulated amounts reported in OCI are 
accounted for in the same manner as other components of the 
carrying amount of the asset or liability. For example, for financial 
debt instruments such as AFS debt securities, loans or long-term 
debt, these amounts are amortized into net interest income over 
the remaining life of the asset or liability similar to other 
amortized cost basis adjustments. If the hedged item is 
derecognized, the accumulated amounts reported in OCI are 
immediately reclassified to net interest income. If the derivative 
continues to be held after fair value hedge accounting ceases, we 
carry the derivative on the consolidated balance sheet at its fair 
value with changes in fair value included in noninterest income. 
When we discontinue cash flow hedge accounting and it is 

probable that the forecasted transaction will occur, the 
accumulated amount reported in OCI at the de-designation date 
continues to be reported in OCI until the forecasted transaction 
affects earnings at which point the related OCI amount is 
reclassified to net interest income. If cash flow hedge accounting 
is discontinued and it is probable the forecasted transaction will 
no longer occur, the accumulated gains and losses reported in 
OCI at the de-designation date is immediately reclassified to 
noninterest income. If the derivative continues to be held after 
cash flow hedge accounting ceases, we carry the derivative on our 
consolidated balance sheet at its fair value with changes in fair 
value included in noninterest income. 

EMBEDDED DERIVATIVES  We may purchase or originate financial 
instruments that contain an embedded derivative. At inception 
of the financial instrument, we assess (1) if the economic 
characteristics of the embedded derivative are not clearly and 
closely related to the economic characteristics of the host 

contract, (2) if the financial instrument that embodies both the 
embedded derivative and the host contract is not measured at 
fair value with changes in fair value reported in earnings, and (3) if 
a separate instrument with the same terms as the embedded 
instrument would meet the definition of a derivative. If the 
embedded derivative meets all of these conditions, we separate 
it from the hybrid contract by recording the bifurcated derivative 
at fair value and the remaining host contract at the difference 
between the basis of the hybrid instrument and the fair value of 
the bifurcated derivative. The bifurcated derivative is carried at 
fair value with changes recorded in noninterest income and 
reported within our consolidated balance sheet as a derivative 
asset or liability. The accounting for the remaining host contract 
is the same as other assets and liabilities of a similar type and 
reported within our consolidated balance sheet based upon the 
accounting classification of the instrument. 

COUNTERPARTY CREDIT RISK AND NETTING  By using derivatives, 
we are exposed to counterparty credit risk, which is the risk that 
counterparties to the derivative contracts do not perform as 
expected. If a counterparty fails to perform, our counterparty 
credit risk is equal to the amount reported as a derivative asset 
on our consolidated balance sheet. The amounts reported as a 
derivative asset are derivative contracts in a gain position, and to 
the extent subject to legally enforceable master netting 
arrangements, net of derivatives in a loss position with the same 
counterparty and cash collateral received. We minimize 
counterparty credit risk through credit approvals, limits, 
monitoring procedures, executing master netting arrangements 
and obtaining collateral, where appropriate. Counterparty credit 
risk related to derivatives is considered in determining fair value 
and our assessment of hedge effectiveness. To the extent 
derivatives subject to master netting arrangements meet the 
applicable requirements, including determining the legal 
enforceability of the arrangement, it is our policy to present 
derivative balances and related cash collateral amounts net on 
our consolidated balance sheet. We incorporate adjustments to 
reflect counterparty credit risk (credit valuation adjustments 
(CVA)) in determining the fair value of our derivatives. CVA, 
which considers the effects of enforceable master netting 
agreements and collateral arrangements, reflects market-based 
views of the credit quality of each counterparty. We estimate 
CVA based on observed credit spreads in the credit default swap 
market and indices indicative of the credit quality of the 
counterparties to our derivatives. 

Cash collateral exchanged related to our interest rate 
derivatives, and certain commodity and equity derivatives, with 
centrally cleared counterparties is recorded as a reduction of the 
derivative fair value asset and liability balances, as opposed to 
separate non-derivative receivables or payables. This cash 
collateral, also referred to as variation margin, is exchanged 
based upon derivative fair value changes, typically on a one-day 
lag. For additional information on our derivatives and hedging 
activities, see Note 16 (Derivatives). 

Equity Securities 
Equity securities exclude investments that represent a 
controlling interest in the investee. Marketable equity securities 
have readily determinable fair values and include, but are not 
limited to securities used in our trading activities. Marketable 
equity securities are recorded at fair value with realized and 
unrealized gains and losses recognized in net gains on trading and 
securities in noninterest income. Dividend income from 
marketable equity securities is recognized in interest income. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

105 

 
Note 1:  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

Nonmarketable equity securities do not have readily 
determinable fair values. These securities are accounted for 
under one of the following accounting methods: 
• 

Fair value through net income: This method is an election. 
The securities are recorded at fair value with unrealized gains 
or losses reflected in noninterest income; 
Equity method: This method is applied when we have the 
ability to exert significant influence over the investee. The 
securities are recorded at cost and adjusted for our share of 
the investee’s earnings or losses, less any dividends received 
and/or impairments. Equity method adjustments for our 
share of the investee’s earnings or losses are recognized in 
other noninterest income and dividends are recognized as a 
reduction of the investment carrying value; 
Proportional amortization method: This method is applied to 
certain low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) investments. 
The investments are carried at amortized cost and 
amortized in proportion to the tax credits received. The 
amortization of the investments and the related tax impacts 
are recognized in income tax expense; 
Cost method: This method is required for specific securities, 
such as Federal Reserve Bank stock and Federal Home Loan 
Bank stock. These securities are held at amortized cost less 
any impairments; 

• 

• 

• 

•  Measurement alternative: This method is followed by all 

remaining nonmarketable equity securities. These securities 
are initially recorded at cost and are remeasured to fair value 
as of the date of an orderly observable transaction of the 
same or similar security of the same issuer. These securities 
are also adjusted for impairments. 

All realized and unrealized gains and losses, including 
impairment losses, from nonmarketable equity securities are 
recognized in net gains on trading and securities in noninterest 
income. Dividend income from all nonmarketable equity 
securities, other than equity method securities, is recognized in 
interest income. 

Our review for impairment for nonmarketable equity 

securities not carried at fair value includes an analysis of the facts 
and circumstances of each security, the intent or requirement to 
sell the security, the expectations of cash flows, capital needs and 
the viability of its business model. When the fair value of an 
equity method or cost method investment is less than its 
carrying value, we write-down the asset to fair value when we 
consider declines in value to be other than temporary. When the 
fair value of an investment accounted for using the 
measurement alternative is less than its carrying value, we write-
down the asset to fair value, without the consideration of 
recovery. 

Pension Accounting 
We sponsor a frozen noncontributory qualified defined benefit 
retirement plan, the Wells Fargo & Company Cash Balance Plan 
(Cash Balance Plan), which covers eligible employees of 
Wells Fargo. We also sponsor nonqualified defined benefit plans 
that provide supplemental defined benefit pension benefits to 
certain eligible employees. We account for our defined benefit 
pension plans using an actuarial model. Principal assumptions 
used in determining the net periodic pension cost and the 
pension obligation include the discount rate, the expected long-
term rate of return on plan assets and projected mortality rates. 
A single weighted-average discount rate is used to estimate 

the present value of our future pension benefit obligations. We 
determine the discount rate using a yield curve derived from a 
broad-based population of high-quality corporate bonds with 

maturity dates that closely match the estimated timing of the 
expected benefit payments. 

On December 31, 2021, we changed the method used to 
estimate the interest cost component of pension expense for our 
principal defined benefit and postretirement plans to the full 
yield curve approach. The full yield curve approach aligns specific 
spot rates along the yield curve to the projected benefit payment 
cash flows. This change does not affect the measurement of our 
pension obligation as the change in interest cost is offset in the 
actuarial gain (loss). We accounted for this change prospectively 
as a change in estimate to our pension expense. Previously, we 
estimated the interest cost component utilizing a single 
weighted-average discount rate. We made this change to 
improve the correlation between the yield curve and the 
projected benefit payment cash flows. 

Our determination of the reasonableness of our expected 

long-term rate of return on plan assets is highly quantitative by 
nature. We evaluate the current asset allocations and expected 
returns under two sets of conditions: (1) projected returns using 
several forward-looking capital market assumptions, and (2) 
historical returns for the main asset classes, which allows us to 
capture multiple economic cycles. We place greater emphasis on 
the forward-looking return and risk assumptions than on 
historical results. We use the resulting projections to derive a 
baseline expected rate of return and risk level for the Cash 
Balance Plan’s prescribed asset mix. 

Mortality rate assumptions are based on mortality tables 

published by the Society of Actuaries adjusted to reflect our 
specific experience. 

At year end, we re-measure our defined benefit plan 
liabilities and related plan assets and recognize any resulting 
actuarial gain or loss in OCI. We generally amortize net actuarial 
gain or loss in excess of a 5% corridor from accumulated OCI into 
net periodic pension cost over the estimated average remaining 
participation period, which at December 31, 2021, is 19 years. 
See Note 21 (Employee Benefits and Other Expenses) for 
additional information on our pension accounting. 

Income Taxes 
We file income tax returns in the jurisdictions in which we 
operate and evaluate income tax expense in two components: 
current and deferred income tax expense. Current income tax 
expense represents our estimated taxes to be paid or refunded 
for the current period and includes income tax expense related to 
uncertain tax positions. Uncertain tax positions that meet the 
more likely than not recognition threshold are measured to 
determine the amount of benefit to recognize. An uncertain tax 
position is measured at the largest amount of benefit that 
management believes has a greater than 50% likelihood of 
realization upon settlement. Tax benefits not meeting our 
realization criteria represent unrecognized tax benefits. 

Deferred income taxes are based on the balance sheet 
method and deferred income tax expense results from changes 
in deferred tax assets and liabilities between periods. Under the 
balance sheet method, the net deferred tax asset or liability is 
based on the tax effects of the differences between the book and 
tax basis of assets and liabilities, and enacted changes in tax rates 
and laws are recognized in the period in which they occur. 
Deferred tax assets are recognized subject to management’s 
judgment that realization is more likely than not. A valuation 
allowance reduces deferred tax assets to the realizable amount. 
See Note 23 (Income Taxes) to Financial Statements in this 
Report for a further description of our provision for income taxes 
and related income tax assets and liabilities. 

106 

Wells Fargo & Company 

We classify our assets and liabilities measured at fair value 

based upon a three-level hierarchy that assigns the highest 
priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets and the 
lowest priority to unobservable inputs. The three levels are as 
follows: 
• 

Level 1 – Valuation is based upon quoted prices for identical 
instruments traded in active markets. 
Level 2 – Valuation is based upon quoted prices for similar 
instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or 
similar instruments in markets that are not active, and 
model-based valuation techniques for which all significant 
assumptions are observable in the market. 
Level 3 – Valuation is generated from techniques that use 
significant assumptions that are not observable in the 
market. These unobservable assumptions reflect our 
estimates of assumptions that market participants would 
use in pricing the asset or liability. Valuation techniques 
include use of discounted cash flow models, market 
comparable pricing, option pricing models, and similar 
techniques. 

• 

• 

We monitor the availability of observable market data to 
assess the appropriate classification of financial instruments 
within the fair value hierarchy and transfers between Level 1, 
Level 2, and Level 3 accordingly. Observable market data includes 
but is not limited to quoted prices and market transactions. 
Changes in economic conditions or market liquidity generally will 
drive changes in availability of observable market data. Changes 
in availability of observable market data, which also may result in 
changing the valuation technique used, are generally the cause of 
transfers between Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. The amounts 
reported as transfers represent the fair value as of the beginning 
of the quarter in which the transfer occurred. 

See Note 17 (Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities) for a more 
detailed discussion of the valuation methodologies that we apply 
to our assets and liabilities. 

Stock-Based Compensation 
We have stock-based employee compensation plans as more 
fully discussed in Note 19 (Common Stock and Stock Plans). Our 
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan provides awards for 
employee services in the form of incentive and nonqualified 
stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted shares, 
restricted share rights (RSRs), performance share awards (PSAs) 
and stock awards without restrictions. Stock options have not 
been issued in the last three years and no stock options were 
outstanding at December 31, 2021 and 2020. 

Stock-based awards are measured at fair value on the grant 

date. The cost is recognized in personnel expense, net of actual 
forfeitures, in our consolidated statement of income normally 
over the vesting period of the award; awards with graded vesting 
are expensed on a straight-line method. Awards to employees 
who are retirement eligible at the grant date are subject to 
immediate expensing upon grant. Awards to employees who 
become retirement eligible before the final vesting date are 
expensed between the grant date and the date the employee 
becomes retirement eligible. Except for retirement and other 
limited circumstances, RSRs are canceled when employment 
ends. 

PSAs and certain RSRs granted in 2019 and 2020 included 

discretionary conditions that can result in forfeiture and are 
measured at fair value initially and subsequently until the 
discretionary conditions end. For these awards, the associated 
compensation expense fluctuates with changes in our stock 
price. Awards granted in 2021 no longer included these 
discretionary conditions and are not adjusted for subsequent 
changes in stock price. For PSAs, compensation expense also 
fluctuates based on the estimated outcome of meeting the 
performance conditions. The total expense that will be 
recognized on these awards is finalized upon the completion of 
the performance period (the determination of which awards will 
vest is a combination of performance conditions and discretion). 

Earnings Per Common Share 
We compute earnings per common share by dividing net income 
applicable to common stock (net income less dividends on 
preferred stock and the excess of consideration transferred over 
carrying value of preferred stock redeemed, if any) by the 
average number of common shares outstanding during the 
period. We compute diluted earnings per common share using 
net income applicable to common stock and adding the effect of 
common stock equivalents (e.g., restricted share rights) that are 
dilutive to the average number of common shares outstanding 
during the period. 

Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities 
Fair value represents the price that would be received to sell an 
asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction 
between market participants at the measurement date. Fair 
value is based on an exit price notion that maximizes the use of 
observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs. 

We measure our assets and liabilities at fair value when we 
are required to record them at fair value, when we have elected 
the fair value option, and to fulfill fair value disclosure 
requirements. Assets and liabilities are recorded at fair value on a 
recurring or nonrecurring basis. Assets and liabilities that are 
recorded at fair value on a recurring basis require a fair value 
measurement at each reporting period. Assets and liabilities that 
are recorded at fair value on a nonrecurring basis are adjusted to 
fair value only as required through the application of an 
accounting method such as LOCOM, the measurement 
alternative, or write-downs of individual assets. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

107 

Note 1:  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

Supplemental Cash Flow Information 
Significant noncash activities are presented in Table 1.4. 

Table 1.4:  Supplemental Cash Flow Information 

(in millions) 

Available-for-sale debt securities purchased from securitization of LHFS (1) 

$ 

Held-to-maturity debt securities purchased from securitization of LHFS (1) 

Transfers from loans to LHFS 

Transfers from available-for-sale debt securities to held-to-maturity debt securities 

Operating lease ROU assets acquired with operating lease liabilities (2) 

2021 

3,096 

20,265 

19,297 

55,993 

530 

Year ended December 31, 

2020 

21,768 

9,912 

19,975 

31,815 

658 

2019 

— 

289 

6,453 

13,833 

5,804 

(1) 

(2) 

Predominantly represents agency mortgage-backed securities purchased upon settlement of the sale and securitization of our conforming residential mortgage loans. See Note 8 (Securitizations 
and Variable Interest Entities) for additional information. 
Includes amounts attributable to new leases and changes from modified leases. The year ended December 31, 2019, balance also includes $4.9 billion from adoption of ASU 2016-02 – Leases 
(Topic 842). 

Subsequent Events 
We have evaluated the effects of events that have occurred 
subsequent to December 31, 2021, and there have been no 
material events that would require recognition in our 2021 
consolidated financial statements or disclosure in the Notes to 
the consolidated financial statements. 

108 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
  
 
 
Note 2:  Trading Activities 

Table 2.1 presents a summary of our trading assets and liabilities 
measured at fair value through earnings. 

Table 2.1:  Trading Assets and Liabilities 

(in millions) 

Trading assets: 

Debt securities 

Equity securities 

Loans held for sale 

Gross trading derivative assets 

Netting (1) 

Total trading derivative assets 

Total trading assets 

Trading liabilities: 

Short sale 

Gross trading derivative liabilities 

Netting (1) 

Total trading derivative liabilities 

Total trading liabilities 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

$ 

$ 

88,265 

27,476 

3,242 

48,325 

(28,146) 

20,179 

139,162 

20,685 

42,449 

(33,978) 

8,471 

29,156 

75,095 

23,032 

1,015 

58,767 

(34,301) 

24,466 

123,608 

22,441 

53,285 

(39,444) 

13,841 

36,282 

(1) 

Represents balance sheet netting for trading derivative asset and liability balances, and trading portfolio level counterparty valuation adjustments. 

Table 2.2 provides a summary of the net interest income 

earned from trading securities, and net gains and losses due to 
the realized and unrealized gains and losses from trading 
activities. 

Net interest income also includes dividend income on 
trading securities and dividend expense on trading securities we 
have sold, but not yet purchased. 

Table 2.2:  Net Interest Income and Net Gains (Losses) on Trading Activities 

(in millions) 

Interest income: 

Debt securities 

Equity securities 

Loans held for sale 

Total interest income 

Less: Interest expense 

Net interest income 

Net gains (losses) from trading activities (1): 

Debt securities 

Equity securities 

Loans held for sale 

Derivatives (2) 

Total net gains from trading activities 

Total trading-related net interest and noninterest income 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

$ 

$ 

2,086 

441 

40 

2,567 

405 

2,162 

(1,796) 

4,491 

54 

(2,465) 

284 

2,446 

2,530 

366 

30 

2,926 

442 

2,484 

2,697 

(630) 

28 

(923) 

1,172 

3,656 

3,130 

579 

78 

3,787 

525 

3,262 

1,053 

4,795 

12 

(4,867) 

993 

4,255 

(1) 
(2) 

Represents realized gains (losses) from our trading activities and unrealized gains (losses) due to changes in fair value of our trading positions. 
Excludes economic hedging of mortgage banking and asset/liability management activities, for which hedge results (realized and unrealized) are reported with the respective hedged activities. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

109 

  
  
  
 
Note 3:  Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities 

Table 3.1 provides the amortized cost, net of the allowance for 
credit losses (ACL) for debt securities, and fair value by major 
categories of available-for-sale (AFS) debt securities, which are 
carried at fair value, and held-to-maturity (HTM) debt securities, 
which are carried at amortized cost, net of the ACL. The net 
unrealized gains (losses) for AFS debt securities are reported as a 
component of cumulative other comprehensive income (OCI), 
net of the ACL and applicable income taxes. Information on debt 
securities held for trading is included in Note 2 (Trading 
Activities). 

Outstanding balances exclude accrued interest receivable on 
AFS and HTM debt securities, which are included in other assets. 
See Note 7 (Premises, Equipment and Other Assets) for 
additional information on accrued interest receivable. Amounts 
considered to be uncollectible are reversed through interest 
income. The interest income reversed for the years ended 2021 
and 2020 was insignificant. 

Table 3.1:  Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities Outstanding 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Available-for-sale debt securities: 

Amortized 
cost, net (1) 

Gross 
unrealized gains 

Gross 
unrealized losses 

Fair value 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

$ 

39,668 

Non-U.S. government securities 

Securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions (2) 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Non-agency mortgage-backed securities (3) 

Collateralized loan obligations 

Other debt securities 

Total available-for-sale debt securities 

Held-to-maturity debt securities: 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

Securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Non-agency mortgage-backed securities (3) 

Collateralized loan obligations 

Other debt securities 

Total held-to-maturity debt securities 

Total 

December 31, 2020 

Available-for-sale debt securities: 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

Non-U.S. government securities 

Securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions (2) 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Non-agency mortgage-backed securities (3) 

Collateralized loan obligations 

Other debt securities 

Total available-for-sale debt securities 

Held-to-maturity debt securities: 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

Securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Non-agency mortgage-backed securities (3) 

Collateralized loan obligations 

Total held-to-maturity debt securities 

71 

16,618 

104,661 

4,515 

5,713 

4,217 

175,463 

16,544 

32,689 

188,909 

1,082 

31,067 

1,731 

272,022 

$ 

447,485 

$ 

21,954 

16,816 

19,263 

134,838 

3,745 

9,058 

9,859 

215,533 

47,295 

25,860 

115,437 

890 

16,238 

205,720 

Total 

$ 

421,253 

185 

— 

350 

1,807 

32 

2 

259 

2,635 

599 

847 

1,882 

31 

194 

17 

3,570 

6,205 

205 

— 

224 

4,260 

30 

4 

399 

5,122 

1,472 

938 

4,182 

51 

148 

6,791 

11,913 

(192) 

— 

(51) 

(582) 

(15) 

(7) 

(7) 

(854) 

(318) 

(61) 

(2,807) 

(18) 

(2) 

— 

(3,206) 

(4,060) 

— 

(3) 

(81) 

(28) 

(46) 

(44) 

(61) 

(263) 

(170) 

(5) 

(21) 

(8) 

— 

(204) 

(467) 

39,661 

71 

16,917 

105,886 

4,532 

5,708 

4,469 

177,244 

16,825 

33,475 

187,984 

1,095 

31,259 

1,748 

272,386 

449,630 

22,159 

16,813 

19,406 

139,070 

3,729 

9,018 

10,197 

220,392 

48,597 

26,793 

119,598 

933 

16,386 

212,307 

432,699 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

Represents amortized cost of the securities, net of the ACL of $8 million and $28 million related to AFS debt securities and $96 million and $41 million related to HTM debt securities at 
December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 
Includes investments in tax-exempt preferred debt securities issued by investment funds or trusts that predominantly invest in tax-exempt municipal securities. The amortized cost, net of the ACL, 
and fair value of these types of securities, was $5.2 billion at December 31, 2021, and $5.0 billion at December 31, 2020. 
Predominantly consists of commercial mortgage-backed securities at both December 31, 2021 and 2020. 

110 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 3.2 details the breakout of purchases of and transfers 

to HTM debt securities by major category of security. 

Table 3.2:  Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities Purchases and Transfers 

(in millions) 

Purchases of held-to-maturity debt securities (1): 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

Securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Non-agency mortgage-backed securities 

Collateralized loan obligations 

$ 

Total purchases of held-to-maturity debt securities 

Transfers from available-for-sale debt securities to held-to-maturity debt securities: 

Securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Collateralized loan obligations 

Other debt securities 

Total transfers from available-for-sale debt securities to held-to-maturity debt securities 

$ 

(1) 

Inclusive of securities purchased but not yet settled and noncash purchases from securitization of loans held for sale (LHFS). 

Table 3.3 shows the composition of interest income, 
provision for credit losses, and gross realized gains and losses 
from sales and impairment write-downs included in earnings 
related to AFS and HTM debt securities (pre-tax). 

Table 3.3:  Income Statement Impacts for Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

— 

5,198 

76,010 

235 

9,379 

90,822 

2,954 

41,298 

10,003 

1,738 

55,993 

3,016 

1,906 

51,320 

126 

688 

57,056 

10,721 

5,522 

15,572 

— 

31,815 

757 

1,583 

6,610 

288 

— 

9,238 

5,912 

7,921 

— 

— 

13,833 

(in millions) 

Interest income (1): 

Available-for-sale 

Held-to-maturity 

Total interest income 

Provision for credit losses (2): 

Available-for-sale 

Held-to-maturity 

Total provision for credit losses 

Realized gains and losses (3): 

Gross realized gains 

Gross realized losses 

Impairment write-downs 

Net realized gains 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

$ 

$ 

2,808 

4,359 

7,167 

(2) 

54 

52 

571 

(10) 

(8) 

553 

4,992 

3,712 

8,704 

89 

35 

124 

931 

(43) 

(15) 

873 

8,092 

3,733 

11,825 

— 

— 

— 

227 

(24) 

(63) 

140 

(1) 
(2) 
(3) 

Excludes interest income from trading debt securities, which is disclosed in Note 2 (Trading Activities). 
Prior to our adoption of CECL on January 1, 2020, the provision for credit losses from debt securities was not applicable and is therefore presented as $0 for 2019. 
Realized gains and losses relate to AFS debt securities. There were no realized gains or losses from HTM debt securities in all periods presented. 

Credit Quality 
We monitor credit quality of debt securities by evaluating various 
attributes and utilize such information in our evaluation of the 
appropriateness of the ACL for debt securities. The credit quality 
indicators that we most closely monitor include credit ratings 
and delinquency status and are based on information as of our 
financial statement date. 

CREDIT RATINGS  Credit ratings express opinions about the credit 
quality of a debt security. We determine the credit rating of a 
security according to the lowest credit rating made available by 
national recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs). 
Debt securities rated investment grade, that is those with ratings 
similar to BBB-/Baa3 or above, as defined by NRSROs, are 
generally considered by the rating agencies and market 

participants to be low credit risk. Conversely, debt securities 
rated below investment grade, labeled as “speculative grade” by 
the rating agencies, are considered to be distinctively higher 
credit risk than investment grade debt securities. For debt 
securities not rated by NRSROs, we determine an internal credit 
grade of the debt securities (used for credit risk management 
purposes) equivalent to the credit ratings assigned by major 
credit agencies. Substantially all of our debt securities were rated 
by NRSROs at December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020. 
Table 3.4 shows the percentage of fair value of AFS debt 
securities and amortized cost of HTM debt securities determined 
to be rated investment grade, inclusive of securities rated based 
on internal credit grades. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

111 

  
 
  
 
  
Note 3:  Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities (continued) 

Available-for-Sale 

Held-to-Maturity 

Fair value  % investment grade 

Amortized cost  % investment grade 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

177,244 

99% 

272,118 

145,547 

16,917 

5,708 

9,072 

100% 

99 

100 

88 

205,453 

32,704 

31,128 

2,833 

220,392 

99% 

205,761 

161,229 

19,406 

9,018 

30,739 

100% 

99 

100 

93 

162,732 

25,870 

16,255 

904 

99% 

100% 

100 

100 

64 

99% 

100% 

100 

100 

6 

Table 3.4:  Investment Grade Debt Securities 

($ in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Total portfolio (1) 

Breakdown by category: 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies (2) 

Securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions 

Collateralized loan obligations (3) 

All other debt securities (4) 

December 31, 2020 

Total portfolio (1) 

Breakdown by category: 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies (2) 

Securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions 

Collateralized loan obligations (3) 

All other debt securities (4) 

(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 

98% and 92% were rated AA- and above at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 
Includes federal agency mortgage-backed securities. 
100% and 98% were rated AA- and above at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 
Includes non-U.S. government, non-agency mortgage-backed, and all other debt securities. 

DELINQUENCY STATUS AND NONACCRUAL DEBT SECURITIES  Debt 
security issuers that are delinquent in payment of amounts due 
under contractual debt agreements have a higher probability of 
recognition of credit losses. As such, as part of our monitoring of 
the credit quality of the debt security portfolio, we consider 
whether debt securities we own are past due in payment of 
principal or interest payments and whether any securities have 
been placed into nonaccrual status. 

Debt securities that are past due and still accruing were 

insignificant at both December 31, 2021 and 2020. The carrying 
value of debt securities in nonaccrual status was insignificant at 
both December 31, 2021 and 2020. Charge-offs on debt 
securities were insignificant for the years ended December 31, 
2021 and 2020. 

Purchased debt securities with credit deterioration (PCD) 
are not considered to be in nonaccrual status, as payments from 
issuers of these securities remain current. PCD securities were 
insignificant for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. 

112 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Unrealized Losses of Available-for-Sale Debt Securities 
Table 3.5 shows the gross unrealized losses and fair value of AFS 
debt securities by length of time those individual securities in 
each category have been in a continuous loss position. Debt 
securities on which we have recorded credit impairment are 

categorized as being “less than 12 months” or “12 months or 
more” in a continuous loss position based on the point in time 
that the fair value declined to below the amortized cost basis, net 
of allowance for credit losses. 

Table 3.5:  Gross Unrealized Losses and Fair Value – Available-for-Sale Debt Securities 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Available-for-sale debt securities: 

Less than 12 months 

12 months or more 

Total 

Gross 
unrealized 
losses 

Fair value 

Gross 
unrealized 
losses 

Fair value 

Gross 
unrealized 
losses 

Fair value 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

$ 

(192) 

24,418 

Non-U.S. government securities 

Securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Non-agency mortgage-backed securities 

Collateralized loan obligations 

Other debt securities 

— 

(36) 

(334) 

(4) 

(3) 

— 

— 

2,308 

40,695 

1,966 

1,619 

— 

— 

— 

(15) 

(248) 

(11) 

(4) 

(7) 

— 

— 

532 

9,464 

543 

1,242 

624 

(192) 

24,418 

— 

(51) 

(582) 

(15) 

(7) 

(7) 

— 

2,840 

50,159 

2,509 

2,861 

624 

Total available-for-sale debt securities 

$ 

(569) 

71,006 

(285) 

12,405 

(854) 

83,411 

December 31, 2020 

Available-for-sale debt securities: 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

$ 

Non-U.S. government securities 

Securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Non-agency mortgage-backed securities 

Collateralized loan obligations 

Other debt securities 

— 

(3) 

(51) 

(27) 

(28) 

(27) 

(16) 

— 

16,812 

3,681 

11,310 

1,366 

5,082 

647 

— 

— 

(30) 

(1) 

(18) 

(17) 

(45) 

Total available-for-sale debt securities 

$ 

(152) 

38,898 

(111) 

— 

— 

1,101 

316 

534 

1,798 

1,604 

5,353 

— 

(3) 

(81) 

(28) 

(46) 

(44) 

(61) 

— 

16,812 

4,782 

11,626 

1,900 

6,880 

2,251 

(263) 

44,251 

We have assessed each debt security with gross unrealized 

For descriptions of the factors we consider when analyzing 

losses included in the previous table for credit impairment. As 
part of that assessment we evaluated and concluded that we do 
not intend to sell any of the debt securities, and that it is more 
likely than not that we will not be required to sell, prior to 
recovery of the amortized cost basis. We evaluate, where 
necessary, whether credit impairment exists by comparing the 
present value of the expected cash flows to the debt securities’ 
amortized cost basis. Credit impairment is recorded as an ACL for 
debt securities. 

debt securities for impairment as well as methodology and 
significant inputs used to measure credit losses, see Note 1 
(Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) in this Report. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

113 

  
 
 
 
 
 
Note 3:  Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities (continued) 

Contractual Maturities 
Table 3.6 and Table 3.7 show the remaining contractual 
maturities, amortized cost, net of the ACL, fair value and 
weighted average effective yields of AFS and HTM debt 
securities, respectively. The remaining contractual principal 

maturities for mortgage-backed securities (MBS) do not 
consider prepayments. Remaining expected maturities will differ 
from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the 
right to prepay obligations before the underlying mortgages 
mature. 

Table 3.6:  Contractual Maturities – Available-for-Sale Debt Securities 

By remaining contractual maturity ($ in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Available-for-sale debt securities (1): 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Non-U.S. government securities 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Non-agency mortgage-backed securities 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Collateralized loan obligations 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Other debt securities 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Total available-for-sale debt securities 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Total 

Within 
one year 

After 
one year
through
five years 

After 
five years
through 
ten years 

After 
ten years 

$ 

39,668 

39,661 

0.79% 

$ 

71 

71 

0.33% 

$ 

16,618 

16,917 

1.92% 

$ 

104,661 

105,886 

2.53% 

$ 

$ 

$ 

4,515 

4,532 

1.93% 

5,713 

5,708 

1.42% 

4,217 

4,469 

1.61% 

$ 

175,463 

177,244 

2.00% 

— 

— 

— 

3 

3 

1.49 

696 

697 

1.22 

1 

1 

2.40 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

98 

97 

1.56 

798 

798 

1.26 

18,787 

18,739 

0.34 

18,874 

18,768 

1.16 

68 

68 

0.28 

2,115 

2,135 

1.10 

219 

228 

3.17 

— 

— 

— 

23 

23 

2.22 

419 

419 

1.27 

— 

— 

— 

5,719 

5,713 

1.38 

2,665 

2,742 

2.30 

143 

142 

2.32 

5,212 

5,207 

1.41 

1,063 

1,065 

1.46 

2,007 

2,154 

1.44 

— 

— 

— 

8,088 

8,372 

2.58 

101,776 

102,915 

2.53 

4,372 

4,390 

1.92 

478 

478 

1.45 

2,637 

2,888 

1.72 

21,631 

21,612 

0.46 

33,676 

33,637 

1.34 

119,358 

121,197 

2.47 

(1)  Weighted average yields displayed by maturity bucket are weighted based on amortized cost without effect for any related hedging derivatives and are shown pre-tax. 

114 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 3.7:  Contractual Maturities – Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities 

By remaining contractual maturity ($ in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Held-to-maturity debt securities (1): 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Non-agency mortgage-backed securities 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Collateralized loan obligations 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Other debt securities 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Total held-to-maturity debt securities 

Amortized cost, net 

Fair value 

Weighted average yield 

Total 

Within 
one year 

After 
one year
through
five years 

After 
five years
through 
ten years 

After 
ten years 

$ 

16,544 

16,825 

2.17% 

$ 

32,689 

33,475 

2.10% 

$ 

188,909 

187,984 

2.15% 

$ 

1,082 

1,095 

2.99% 

$ 

31,067 

31,259 

1.53% 

1,731 

1,748 

4.51% 

$ 

350 

350 

1.55 

1,338 

1,350 

2.34 

— 

— 

— 

15 

15 

1.55 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

12,410 

12,889 

2.37 

3,243 

3,307 

1.31 

— 

— 

— 

13 

13 

2.90 

— 

— 

— 

764 

767 

4.13 

$ 

272,022 

272,386 

2.09% 

1,703 

1,715 

2.17 

16,430 

16,976 

2.24 

— 

— 

— 

2,126 

2,191 

2.59 

— 

— 

— 

29 

30 

3.16 

13,019 

13,153 

1.60 

967 

981 

4.81 

16,141 

16,355 

1.92 

3,784 

3,586 

1.57 

25,982 

26,627 

2.15 

188,909 

187,984 

2.15 

1,025 

1,037 

3.00 

18,048 

18,106 

1.48 

— 

— 

— 

237,748 

237,340 

2.09 

(1)  Weighted average yields displayed by maturity bucket are weighted based on amortized cost and are shown pre-tax. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

115 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 4:  Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses 

Table 4.1 presents total loans outstanding by portfolio segment 
and class of financing receivable. Outstanding balances include 
unearned income, net deferred loan fees or costs, and 
unamortized discounts and premiums. These amounts were less 
than 1% of our total loans outstanding at December 31, 2021, 
and December 31, 2020. 

Outstanding balances exclude accrued interest receivable on 
loans, except for certain revolving loans, such as credit card loans. 

See Note 7 (Premises, Equipment and Other Assets) for 
additional information on accrued interest receivable. Amounts 
considered to be uncollectible are reversed through interest 
income. During 2021, we reversed accrued interest receivable of 
$44 million for our commercial portfolio segment and 
$175 million for our consumer portfolio segment, compared with 
$43 million and $195 million, respectively, for 2020. 

Table 4.1:  Loans Outstanding 

(in millions) 

Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer 

Total loans 

Our non-U.S. loans are reported by respective class of 
financing receivable in the table above. Substantially all of our 
non-U.S. loan portfolio is commercial loans. Table 4.2 presents 
total non-U.S. commercial loans outstanding by class of financing 
receivable. 

Table 4.2:  Non-U.S. Commercial Loans Outstanding 

(in millions) 

Non-U.S. commercial loans: 

Commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total non-U.S. commercial loans 

December 31, 

2021 

2020 

$ 

350,436 

127,733 

20,092 

14,859 

318,805 

121,720 

21,805 

16,087 

513,120 

478,417 

242,270 

276,674 

16,618 

38,453 

56,659 

28,274 

382,274 

$ 

895,394 

23,286 

36,664 

48,187 

24,409 

409,220 

887,637 

December 31, 

2021 

2020 

$ 

77,365 

63,128 

7,070 

1,582 

680 

7,278 

1,603 

629 

$ 

86,697 

72,638 

Loan Concentrations 
Loan concentrations may exist when there are amounts loaned to 
borrowers engaged in similar activities or similar types of loans 
extended to a diverse group of borrowers that would cause them 
to be similarly impacted by economic or other conditions. 
Commercial and industrial loans and lease financing to borrowers 
in the financial institutions except banks industry represented 
16% and 13% of total loans at December 31, 2021 and 2020, 
respectively. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, we did not have 
concentrations representing 10% or more of our total loan 
portfolio in the commercial real estate (CRE) portfolios (real 
estate mortgage and real estate construction) by state or 
property type. Residential mortgage loans to borrowers in the 
state of California represented 12% of total loans at both 
December 31, 2021 and 2020. These California loans are 

generally diversified among the larger metropolitan areas in 
California, with no single area consisting of more than 4% of total 
loans at both December 31, 2021 and 2020. We continuously 
monitor changes in real estate values and underlying economic or 
market conditions for all geographic areas of our residential 
mortgage portfolio as part of our credit risk management 
process. 

Some of our residential mortgage loans include an interest-
only feature as part of the loan terms. These interest-only loans 
were approximately 3% of total loans at both December 31, 2021 
and 2020. Substantially all of these interest-only loans at 
origination were considered to be prime or near prime. We do not 
offer option adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) products, nor do 
we offer variable-rate mortgage products with fixed payment 

116 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
amounts, commonly referred to within the financial services 
industry as negative amortizing mortgage loans. 

Loan Purchases, Sales, and Transfers 
Table 4.3 presents the proceeds paid or received for purchases 
and sales of loans and transfers from loans held for investment 

Table 4.3:  Loan Purchases, Sales, and Transfers 

(in millions) 

Purchases 

Sales 

Transfers (to)/from LHFS 

Commercial 

Consumer 

$ 

380 

(2,534) 

(1,550) 

6 

(188) 

(55) 

Commitments to Lend 
A commitment to lend is a legally binding agreement to lend to a 
customer, usually at a stated interest rate, if funded, and for 
specific purposes and time periods. We generally require a fee to 
extend such commitments. Certain commitments are subject to 
loan agreements with covenants regarding the financial 
performance of the customer or borrowing base formulas on an 
ongoing basis that must be met before we are required to fund 
the commitment. We may reduce or cancel consumer 
commitments, including home equity lines and credit card lines, 
in accordance with the contracts and applicable law. For 
unconditionally cancelable commitments at our discretion, we do 
not recognize an ACL. 

We may, as a representative for other lenders, advance 

funds or provide for the issuance of letters of credit under 
syndicated loan or letter of credit agreements. Any advances are 
generally repaid in less than a week and would normally require 
default of both the customer and another lender to expose us to 
loss. The unfunded amount of these temporary advance 
arrangements totaled approximately $90.2 billion at 
December 31, 2021. 

We issue commercial letters of credit to assist customers in 
purchasing goods or services, typically for international trade. At 
December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, we had $1.5 billion 
and $1.3 billion, respectively, of outstanding issued commercial 
letters of credit. We also originate multipurpose lending 
commitments under which borrowers have the option to draw on 
the facility for different purposes in one of several forms, 
including a standby letter of credit. See Note 13 (Guarantees and 
Other Commitments) for additional information on standby 
letters of credit. 

When we enter into commitments, we are exposed to credit 

risk. The maximum credit risk for these commitments will 
generally be lower than the contractual amount because a 
significant portion of these commitments are not funded. We 
manage the potential risk in commitments to lend by limiting the 
total amount of commitments, both by individual customer and 
in total, by monitoring the size and maturity structure of these 
commitments and by applying the same credit standards for 
these commitments as for all of our credit activities. 

to mortgages/loans held for sale. The table excludes loans for 
which we have elected the fair value option and government 
insured/guaranteed residential mortgage – first lien loans 
because their loan activity normally does not impact the ACL. 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

Total 

386 

(2,722) 

(1,605) 

Commercial 

Consumer 

1,310 

(4,141) 

(1,294) 

6 

(114) 

(11,198) 

2020 

Total 

1,316 

(4,255) 

(12,492) 

For loans and commitments to lend, we generally require 

collateral or a guarantee. We may require various types of 
collateral, including commercial and consumer real estate, autos, 
other short-term liquid assets such as accounts receivable or 
inventory and long-lived assets, such as equipment and other 
business assets. Collateral requirements for each loan or 
commitment may vary based on the loan product and our 
assessment of a customer’s credit risk according to the specific 
credit underwriting, including credit terms and structure. 
The contractual amount of our unfunded credit 

commitments, including unissued standby and commercial 
letters of credit, is summarized by portfolio segment and class of 
financing receivable in Table 4.4. The table excludes the issued 
standby and commercial letters of credit and temporary advance 
arrangements described above. 

Table 4.4:  Unfunded Credit Commitments 

(in millions) 

Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Other consumer 

Total consumer 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

$  404,292 

378,167 

11,515 

19,943 

7,993 

15,650 

435,750 

401,810 

32,992 

27,447 

31,530 

32,820 

130,743 

121,096 

59,789 

49,179 

250,971 

234,625 

Total unfunded credit commitments 

$  686,721 

636,435 

Wells Fargo & Company 

117 

  
 
 
  
Note 4:  Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses (continued) 

Allowance for Credit Losses 
Table 4.5 presents the allowance for credit losses (ACL) for loans, 
which consists of the allowance for loan losses and the allowance 
for unfunded credit commitments. The ACL for loans decreased 

$5.9 billion from December 31, 2020, reflecting better portfolio 
credit quality and continued improvements in current and 
forecasted economic conditions. 

Table 4.5:  Allowance for Credit Losses for Loans 

($ in millions) 

Balance, beginning of year 

Cumulative effect from change in accounting policies (1) 

Allowance for purchased credit-deteriorated (PCD) loans (2) 

Balance, beginning of year, adjusted 

Provision for credit losses 

Interest income on certain loans (3) 

Loan charge-offs: 

Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer 

Total loan charge-offs 

Loan recoveries: 

Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer 

Total loan recoveries 

Net loan charge-offs 

Other 

Balance, end of year 

Components: 

Allowance for loan losses 

Allowance for unfunded credit commitments 

Allowance for credit losses 

Net loan charge-offs as a percentage of average total loans 

Allowance for loan losses as a percentage of total loans 

Allowance for credit losses for loans as a percentage of total loans 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

$ 

19,713 

— 

— 

19,713 

(4,207) 

(145) 

(517) 

(98) 

(1) 

(46) 

(662) 

(167) 

(93) 

(1,189) 

(497) 

(423) 

(2,369) 

(3,031) 

299 

45 

1 

22 

367 

114 

163 

389 

316 

108 

1,090 

1,457 

(1,574) 

1 

$ 

13,788 

$ 

12,490 

1,298 

$ 

13,788 

0.18  % 

1.39 

1.54 

2020 

10,456 

(1,337) 

8 

9,127 

14,005 

(153) 

(1,440) 

(302) 

— 

(107) 

(1,849) 

(90) 

(88) 

(1,504) 

(536) 

(458) 

(2,676) 

(4,525) 

201 

19 

19 

20 

259 

95 

143 

365 

266 

108 

977 

1,236 

(3,289) 

23 

19,713 

18,516 

1,197 

19,713 

0.35 

2.09 

2.22 

(1) 
(2) 

(3) 

Represents the overall decrease in our ACL for loans as a result of our adoption of CECL on January 1, 2020. 
Represents the allowance estimated for purchased credit-impaired (PCI) loans that automatically became PCD loans with the adoption of CECL. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of 
Significant Accounting Policies) in this Report. 
Loans with an allowance measured by discounting expected cash flows using the loan’s effective interest rate over the remaining life of the loan recognize changes in allowance attributable to the 
passage of time as interest income. 

118 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 4.6 summarizes the activity in the ACL by our 

commercial and consumer portfolio segments. 

Table 4.6:  Allowance for Credit Losses for Loans Activity by Portfolio Segment 

(in millions) 

Balance, beginning of year 

Cumulative effect from change in accounting policies (1) 

Allowance for purchased credit-deteriorated (PCD) loans (2) 

Balance, beginning of year, adjusted 

Provision for credit losses 

Interest income on certain loans (3) 

Loan charge-offs 

Loan recoveries 

Net loan charge-offs 

Other 

Balance, end of year 

Year ended December 31, 

Commercial 

Consumer 

2021 

Total 

Commercial 

Consumer 

$ 

11,516 

8,197 

19,713 

— 

— 

11,516 

(3,373) 

(58) 

(662) 

367 

(295) 

1 

— 

— 

— 

— 

8,197 

19,713 

(834) 

(87) 

(2,369) 

1,090 

(1,279) 

— 

(4,207) 

(145) 

(3,031) 

1,457 

(1,574) 

1 

6,245 

(2,861) 

— 

3,384 

9,770 

4,211 

1,524 

8 

5,743 

4,235 

(61) 

(92) 

(1,849) 

(2,676) 

259 

977 

(1,590) 

(1,699) 

13 

10 

2020 

Total 

10,456 

(1,337) 

8 

9,127 

14,005 

(153) 

(4,525) 

1,236 

(3,289) 

23 

$ 

7,791 

5,997 

13,788 

11,516 

8,197 

19,713 

(1) 
(2) 

(3) 

Represents the overall decrease in our ACL for loans as a result of our adoption of CECL on January 1, 2020. 
Represents the allowance estimated for PCI loans that automatically became PCD loans with the adoption of CECL. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting 
Policies) in this Report. 
Loans with an allowance measured by discounting expected cash flows using the loan’s effective interest rate over the remaining life of the loan recognize changes in allowance attributable to the 
passage of time as interest income. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

119 

  
 
 
 
Note 4:  Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses (continued) 

Credit Quality 
We monitor credit quality by evaluating various attributes and 
utilize such information in our evaluation of the appropriateness 
of the ACL for loans. The following sections provide the credit 
quality indicators we most closely monitor. The credit quality 
indicators are generally based on information as of our financial 
statement date. 

COMMERCIAL CREDIT QUALITY INDICATORS  We manage a 
consistent process for assessing commercial loan credit quality. 
Commercial loans are generally subject to individual risk 
assessment using our internal borrower and collateral quality 

ratings, which is our primary credit quality indicator. Our ratings 
are aligned to regulatory definitions of pass and criticized 
categories with the criticized segmented among special mention, 
substandard, doubtful and loss categories. 

Table 4.7 provides the outstanding balances of our 
commercial loan portfolio by risk category and credit quality 
information by origination year for term loans. Revolving loans 
may convert to term loans as a result of a contractual provision in 
the original loan agreement or if modified in a troubled 
debt restructuring (TDR). At December 31, 2021, we had 
$485.4 billion and $27.8 billion of pass and criticized commercial 
loans, respectively. 

Table 4.7:  Commercial Loan Categories by Risk Categories and Vintage 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Commercial and industrial 

Pass 

Criticized 

Total commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Pass 

Criticized 

Total real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Pass 

Criticized 

Total real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Pass 

Criticized 

Total lease financing 

2021 

2020 

2019 

2018 

2017 

Prior 

Term loans by origination year 

Revolving 
loans 
converted to 
term loans 

Revolving 
loans 

$  65,562 

15,193 

1,657 

67,219 

884 

16,077 

38,196 

3,462 

41,658 

15,929 

1,119 

17,048 

5,895 

510 

6,405 

4,100 

284 

4,384 

4,058 

266 

4,324 

3,012 

246 

3,258 

20,553 

1,237 

21,790 

19,013 

2,975 

21,988 

4,549 

586 

5,135 

2,547 

282 

2,829 

7,400 

1,256 

8,656 

12,618 

1,834 

14,452 

2,167 

234 

2,401 

1,373 

184 

1,557 

3,797 

685 

4,482 

7,451 

875 

8,326 

379 

68 

447 

838 

86 

924 

13,985 

211,452 

551 

5,528 

14,536 

216,980 

16,026 

2,421 

18,447 

329 

7 

336 

1,805 

102 

1,907 

5,411 

400 

5,811 

1,042 

— 

1,042 

— 

— 

— 

679 

17 

696 

3 

— 

3 

2 

— 

2 

— 

— 

— 

Total 

338,621 

11,815 

350,436 

114,647 

13,086 

127,733 

18,421 

1,671 

20,092 

13,675 

1,184 

14,859 

Total commercial loans 

$  119,666 

40,707 

51,742 

27,066 

14,179 

35,226 

223,833 

701 

513,120 

2020 

2019 

2018 

2017 

2016 

Prior 

Term loans by origination year 

Revolving 
loans 
converted to 
term loans 

Revolving 
loans 

Total 

December 31, 2020 

Commercial and industrial 

Pass 

Criticized 

Total commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Pass 

Criticized 

Total real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Pass 

Criticized 

Total real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Pass 

Criticized 

Total lease financing 

$  56,915 

1,404 

58,319 

22,444 

2,133 

24,577 

5,242 

449 

5,691 

3,970 

308 

4,278 

34,040 

1,327 

35,367 

26,114 

2,544 

28,658 

6,574 

452 

7,026 

3,851 

433 

4,284 

15,936 

1,357 

17,293 

18,679 

1,817 

20,496 

4,771 

527 

5,298 

2,176 

372 

2,548 

7,274 

972 

8,246 

11,113 

1,287 

12,400 

1,736 

4 

1,740 

1,464 

197 

1,661 

4,048 

672 

4,720 

11,582 

1,625 

13,207 

477 

113 

590 

1,199 

108 

1,307 

4,738 

333 

5,071 

14,663 

2,082 

16,745 

235 

10 

245 

1,924 

85 

2,009 

177,107 

11,534 

188,641 

997 

151 

301,055 

17,750 

1,148 

318,805 

5,152 

479 

5,631 

1,212 

— 

1,212 

— 

— 

— 

6 

— 

6 

3 

— 

3 

— 

— 

— 

109,753 

11,967 

121,720 

20,250 

1,555 

21,805 

14,584 

1,503 

16,087 

Total commercial loans 

$  92,865 

75,335 

45,635 

24,047 

19,824 

24,070 

195,484 

1,157 

478,417 

120 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
  
Table 4.8 provides past due information for commercial 
loans, which we monitor as part of our credit risk management 
practices; however, delinquency is not a primary credit quality 
indicator for commercial loans. Payment deferral activities 

Table 4.8:  Commercial Loan Categories by Delinquency Status 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

By delinquency status: 

instituted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic could continue 
to delay the recognition of delinquencies for customers who 
otherwise would have moved into past due status. 

Commercial 
and 
industrial 

Real 
estate 
mortgage 

Real 
estate 
construction 

Lease 
financing 

Total 

Current-29 days past due (DPD) and still accruing 

$ 

348,033 

126,184 

19,900 

14,568 

508,685 

30-89 DPD and still accruing 

90+ DPD and still accruing 

Nonaccrual loans 

Total commercial loans 

December 31, 2020 

By delinquency status: 

Current-29 DPD and still accruing 

30-89 DPD and still accruing 

90+ DPD and still accruing 

Nonaccrual loans 

Total commercial loans 

1,217 

206 

980 

285 

29 

1,235 

179 

— 

13 

143 

— 

148 

1,824 

235 

2,376 

$ 

350,436 

127,733 

20,092 

14,859 

513,120 

$ 

315,493 

119,561 

21,532 

15,595 

472,181 

575 

39 

2,698 

347 

38 

1,774 

224 

1 

48 

233 

— 

259 

1,379 

78 

4,779 

$ 

318,805 

121,720 

21,805 

16,087 

478,417 

CONSUMER CREDIT QUALITY INDICATORS  We have various classes 
of consumer loans that present unique credit risks. Loan 
delinquency, FICO credit scores and loan-to-value (LTV) for 
residential mortgage loans are the primary credit quality 
indicators that we monitor and utilize in our evaluation of the 
appropriateness of the ACL for the consumer loan portfolio 
segment. 

Many of our loss estimation techniques used for the ACL for 
loans rely on delinquency-based models; therefore, delinquency 
is an important indicator of credit quality in the establishment of 
our ACL for consumer loans. 

Table 4.9 provides the outstanding balances of our 
consumer loan portfolio by delinquency status. Credit quality 
information is provided with the year of origination for term 
loans. Revolving loans may convert to term loans as a result of a 
contractual provision in the original loan agreement or if 
modified in a TDR. The revolving loans converted to term loans in 
the credit card loan category represent credit card loans with 
modified terms that require payment over a specific term. 

Payment deferral activities instituted in response to the 
COVID-19 pandemic could continue to delay the recognition of 
delinquencies for customers who otherwise would have moved 
into past due status. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

121 

  
 
 
Note 4:  Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses (continued) 

Table 4.9:  Consumer Loan Categories by Delinquency Status and Vintage 

2021 

2020 

2019 

2018 

2017 

Prior 

Term loans by origination year 

Revolving 
loans 
converted 
to term 
loans 

Revolving 
loans 

Total 

$  69,994 

41,527 

24,887 

7,660 

13,734 

61,576 

129 

10 

— 

1 

— 

14 

27 

7 

1 

16 

62 

30 

2 

1 

2 

72 

12 

— 

1 

2 

71 

24 

3 

5 

1 

92 

418 

126 

53 

63 

1,294 

134 

209 

349 

364 

12,088 

5,248 

14 

7 

4 

4 

36 

— 

1,673 

226,299 

29 

15 

9 

14 

683 

170 

74 

103 

156 

1,783 

— 

13,158 

70,148 

41,774 

25,203 

8,095 

14,223 

75,618 

5,313 

1,896 

242,270 

28 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

28 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

20 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

20 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

30 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1 

31 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

26 

— 

— 

1 

— 

— 

27 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

21 

1 

— 

— 

— 

— 

22 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

29,246 

12,412 

220 

69 

31 

— 

— 

193 

67 

27 

1 

— 

8,476 

165 

53 

22 

1 

— 

3,271 

1,424 

714 

81 

25 

9 

— 

— 

46 

14 

6 

— 

— 

57 

21 

8 

— 

— 

29,566 

12,700 

8,717 

3,386 

1,490 

800 

700 

10 

4 

3 

5 

40 

10,883 

4,426 

16,134 

29 

10 

4 

7 

59 

46 

21 

12 

14 

86 

35 

20 

26 

217 

317 

762 

10,992 

4,736 

16,618 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

37,686 

192 

37,878 

176 

118 

98 

165 

— 

38,243 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

7 

5 

5 

1 

— 

210 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

183 

123 

103 

166 

— 

38,453 

55,543 

762 

249 

103 

2 

— 

56,659 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

By delinquency status: 

Current-29 DPD 

30-59 DPD 

60-89 DPD 

90-119 DPD 

120-179 DPD 

180+ DPD 

Government insured/guaranteed

loans (1) 

Total residential mortgage – first 

lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

By delinquency status: 

Current-29 DPD 

30-59 DPD 

60-89 DPD 

90-119 DPD 

120-179 DPD 

180+ DPD 

Total residential mortgage – junior 

lien 

Credit cards 

By delinquency status: 

Current-29 DPD 

30-59 DPD 

60-89 DPD 

90-119 DPD 

120-179 DPD 

180+ DPD 

Total credit cards 

Auto 

By delinquency status: 

Current-29 DPD 

30-59 DPD 

60-89 DPD 

90-119 DPD 

120-179 DPD 

180+ DPD 

Total auto 

Other consumer 

By delinquency status: 

Current-29 DPD 

30-59 DPD 

60-89 DPD 

90-119 DPD 

120-179 DPD 

180+ DPD 

2,221 

716 

703 

203 

107 

125 

23,988 

143 

28,206 

3 

2 

1 

— 

— 

2 

1 

1 

— 

— 

3 

2 

2 

— 

— 

1 

1 

1 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2 

1 

— 

— 

1 

10 

5 

4 

8 

1 

4 

1 

— 

2 

9 

25 

13 

9 

10 

11 

Total other consumer 

2,227 

720 

710 

206 

107 

129 

Total consumer loans 

$  101,969 

55,214 

34,661 

11,714 

15,842 

77,309 

24,016 

78,564 

159 

28,274 

7,001 

382,274 

(continued on following page) 

122 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
(continued from previous page) 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2020 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

By delinquency status: 

Current-29 DPD 

30-59 DPD 

60-89 DPD 

90-119 DPD 

120-179 DPD 

180+ DPD 

Government insured/guaranteed

loans (1) 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

By delinquency status: 

Current-29 DPD 

30-59 DPD 

60-89 DPD 

90-119 DPD 

120-179 DPD 

180+ DPD 

Total residential mortgage – junior 

lien 

Credit cards 

By delinquency status: 

Current-29 DPD 

30-59 DPD 

60-89 DPD 

90-119 DPD 

120-179 DPD 

180+ DPD 

Total credit cards 

Auto 

By delinquency status: 

Current-29 DPD 

30-59 DPD 

60-89 DPD 

90-119 DPD 

120-179 DPD 

180+ DPD 

Total auto 

Other consumer 

By delinquency status: 

Current-29 DPD 

30-59 DPD 

60-89 DPD 

90-119 DPD 

120-179 DPD 

180+ DPD 

2020 

2019 

2018 

2017 

2016 

Prior 

Term loans by origination year 

Revolving 
loans 
converted 
to term 
loans 

Revolving 
loans 

Total 

$ 

53,298 

43,297 

14,761 

24,619 

30,533 

67,960 

6,762 

1,719 

242,949 

111 

88 

232 

3 

3 

215 

76 

10 

11 

4 

1 

36 

6 

5 

1 

4 

639 

904 

67 

12 

8 

3 

11 

79 

13 

7 

5 

15 

750 

305 

197 

151 

758 

1,076 

25,796 

2,367 

33,019 

25,039 

95,160 

52 

56 

26 

17 

21 

— 

66 

68 

33 

29 

145 

1,237 

558 

519 

213 

958 

— 

30,240 

6,934 

2,060 

276,674 

Total residential mortgage – first lien 

53,950 

44,038 

15,717 

22 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

22 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

39 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

39 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

39 

1 

1 

— 

— 

— 

41 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

37 

1 

— 

1 

— 

— 

39 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

31 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1 

32 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

19,625 

14,561 

120 

32 

13 

— 

— 

183 

60 

26 

1 

— 

6,307 

114 

36 

14 

— 

— 

3,459 

80 

25 

9 

— 

— 

2,603 

107 

35 

12 

— 

— 

1,115 

15,366 

5,434 

22,083 

22 

11 

7 

9 

25 

113 

154 

45 

36 

29 

160 

271 

84 

77 

155 

297 

437 

137 

122 

210 

1,189 

15,743 

6,181 

23,286 

35,612 

255 

35,867 

243 

167 

144 

208 

— 

12 

10 

10 

3 

— 

255 

177 

154 

211 

— 

36,374 

290 

36,664 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

19 

10 

8 

10 

3 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

162 

10 

6 

3 

4 

6 

47,252 

650 

204 

80 

1 

— 

48,187 

24,287 

49 

28 

20 

14 

11 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

697 

46 

16 

6 

— 

— 

3 

1 

1 

— 

2 

200 

19,790 

14,831 

6,471 

3,573 

2,757 

765 

1,406 

1,383 

577 

261 

2 

1 

1 

— 

— 

7 

5 

4 

— 

— 

5 

3 

2 

— 

— 

2 

1 

1 

— 

— 

59 

1 

1 

— 

— 

— 

61 

193 

20,246 

Total other consumer 

1,410 

1,399 

587 

265 

Total consumer loans 

$ 

75,172 

60,307 

22,816 

29,673 

35,869 

97,314 

20,296 

79,347 

191 

24,409 

8,722 

409,220 

(1) 

Represents loans whose repayments are predominantly insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Loans insured/guaranteed 
by the FHA/VA and 90+ DPD totaled $5.7 billion and $11.1 billion at December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively. 

Of the $2.7 billion of consumer loans not government 

insured/guaranteed that are 90 days or more past due at 
December 31, 2021, $424 million was accruing, compared with 

$2.7 billion past due and $612 million accruing at December 31, 
2020. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

123 

 
 
 
 
 
Total residential mortgage – first lien 

70,148 

41,774 

25,203 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Note 4:  Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses (continued) 

We obtain Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) scores at loan 

origination and the scores are generally updated at least 
quarterly, except in limited circumstances, including compliance 
with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). FICO scores are not 
available for certain loan types or may not be required if we deem 
it unnecessary due to strong collateral and other borrower 
attributes. Substantially all loans not requiring a FICO score are 

Table 4.10:  Consumer Loan Categories by FICO and Vintage 

securities-based loans originated by our retail brokerage 
business. 

Table 4.10 provides the outstanding balances of our 
consumer loan portfolio by FICO score. Substantially all of the 
scored consumer portfolio has an updated FICO score of 680 or 
above. 

2021 

2020 

2019 

2018 

2017 

Prior 

Term loans by origination year 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

By FICO: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

800+ 

760-799 

720-759 

680-719 

640-679 

600-639 

< 600 

No FICO available 

Government insured/guaranteed loans (1) 

800+ 

760-799 

720-759 

680-719 

640-679 

600-639 

< 600 

No FICO available 

Total residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

800+ 

760-799 

720-759 

680-719 

640-679 

600-639 

< 600 

No FICO available 

Total credit card 

Auto 

800+ 

760-799 

720-759 

680-719 

640-679 

600-639 

< 600 

No FICO available 

Total auto 

Other consumer 

800+ 

760-799 

720-759 

680-719 

640-679 

600-639 

< 600 

No FICO available 

FICO not required 

Total other consumer 

Total consumer loans 

(continued on following page) 

$ 

35,935 

23,645 

7,842 

1,986 

449 

101 

15 

161 

14 

27,396 

9,814 

3,083 

876 

233 

63 

13 

162 

134 

16,583 

5,412 

1,980 

645 

187 

46 

24 

117 

209 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

28 

28 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

4,688 

4,967 

4,789 

5,005 

4,611 

3,118 

2,372 

16 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

20 

20 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,983 

2,123 

2,104 

2,282 

1,824 

1,114 

1,236 

34 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

31 

31 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,680 

1,586 

1,503 

1,441 

1,025 

617 

853 

12 

5,153 

1,464 

642 

283 

89 

31 

19 

65 

349 

8,095 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

27 

27 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

690 

586 

583 

526 

369 

243 

376 

13 

9,430 

2,485 

1,137 

501 

129 

41 

41 

95 

364 

14,223 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

22 

22 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

318 

234 

241 

218 

160 

117 

193 

9 

29,566 

12,700 

8,717 

3,386 

1,490 

450 

502 

461 

349 

170 

42 

18 

235 

— 

2,227 

162 

147 

134 

95 

44 

13 

12 

113 

— 

720 

128 

117 

115 

99 

55 

19 

22 

155 

— 

710 

34 

33 

38 

37 

21 

9 

11 

23 

— 

206 

8 

7 

9 

9 

6 

3 

3 

62 

— 

107 

$  101,969 

55,214 

34,661 

11,714 

15,842 

77,309 

762 

10,992 

4,736 

16,618 

Revolving
loans 
converted 
to term 
loans 

Revolving
loans 

2,554 

1,073 

646 

393 

188 

102 

114 

243 

— 

469 

265 

238 

206 

146 

89 

124 

359 

— 

Total 

135,015 

54,667 

21,845 

8,572 

3,272 

1,508 

1,433 

2,800 

13,158 

5,313 

1,896 

242,270 

5,512 

2,154 

1,462 

881 

325 

160 

164 

334 

1,481 

828 

790 

633 

338 

208 

215 

243 

7,181 

3,092 

2,382 

1,632 

728 

407 

422 

774 

4,247 

6,053 

8,475 

9,136 

5,850 

2,298 

2,067 

117 

1 

7 

26 

50 

47 

31 

47 

1 

4,248 

6,060 

8,501 

9,186 

5,897 

2,329 

2,114 

118 

38,243 

210 

38,453 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,343 

819 

714 

630 

328 

117 

114 

1,236 

18,715 

24,016 

78,564 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

22 

19 

22 

22 

17 

9 

12 

36 

— 

159 

7,001 

9,467 

9,583 

9,326 

9,583 

8,088 

5,301 

5,217 

94 

56,659 

2,194 

1,666 

1,511 

1,256 

649 

216 

197 

1,870 

18,715 

28,274 

382,274 

37,495 

10,509 

6,277 

3,682 

1,851 

1,035 

1,083 

1,598 

12,088 

75,618 

188 

110 

130 

118 

65 

39 

43 

69 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

108 

87 

106 

111 

99 

92 

187 

10 

800 

47 

22 

18 

15 

8 

4 

5 

10 

— 

129 

124 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total residential mortgage – first lien 

53,950 

44,038 

15,717 

25,796 

33,019 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

(continued from previous page) 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2020 

By FICO: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

800+ 

760-799 

720-759 

680-719 

640-679 

600-639 

< 600 

No FICO available 

Government insured/guaranteed loans (1) 

800+ 

760-799 

720-759 

680-719 

640-679 

600-639 

< 600 

No FICO available 

Total residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

800+ 

760-799 

720-759 

680-719 

640-679 

600-639 

< 600 

No FICO available 

Total credit card 

Auto 

800+ 

760-799 

720-759 

680-719 

640-679 

600-639 

< 600 

No FICO available 

Total auto 

Other consumer 

800+ 

760-799 

720-759 

680-719 

640-679 

600-639 

< 600 

No FICO available 

FICO not required 

Total other consumer 

Total consumer loans 

2020 

2019 

2018 

2017 

2016 

Prior 

Term loans by origination year 

$ 

29,365 

28,652 

17,154 

5,274 

1,361 

376 

55 

14 

136 

215 

9,866 

3,290 

1,084 

287 

56 

29 

135 

639 

9,911 

2,908 

1,189 

490 

148 

44 

36 

87 

904 

17,416 

4,380 

1,829 

678 

192 

56 

44 

125 

1,076 

22,215 

4,955 

2,106 

831 

226 

92 

66 

161 

2,367 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

22 

22 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2,875 

3,036 

3,162 

3,534 

3,381 

2,208 

1,581 

13 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

39 

39 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2,606 

2,662 

2,514 

2,542 

1,948 

1,165 

1,357 

37 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

41 

41 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,211 

1,122 

1,095 

1,066 

763 

479 

730 

5 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

39 

39 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

731 

579 

576 

545 

395 

274 

463 

10 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

32 

32 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

452 

349 

395 

400 

334 

276 

533 

18 

19,790 

14,831 

6,471 

3,573 

2,757 

353 

342 

262 

156 

71 

18 

13 

195 

— 

287 

279 

258 

213 

112 

36 

41 

173 

— 

1,410 

$ 

75,172 

1,399 

60,307 

94 

93 

107 

99 

59 

22 

30 

83 

— 

35 

29 

35 

36 

21 

9 

12 

88 

— 

587 

265 

10 

10 

11 

11 

7 

4 

5 

3 

— 

61 

22,816 

29,673 

35,869 

97,314 

1,189 

15,743 

6,181 

23,286 

Revolving
loans 
converted 
to term 
loans 

Revolving
loans 

3,391 

1,361 

879 

520 

241 

127 

162 

253 

— 

493 

274 

265 

221 

154 

106 

175 

372 

— 

Total 

151,883 

51,741 

21,833 

9,588 

4,009 

1,965 

2,315 

3,100 

30,240 

6,934 

2,060 

276,674 

7,973 

3,005 

2,093 

1,233 

503 

241 

254 

441 

1,819 

1,032 

1,034 

854 

493 

299 

374 

276 

10,085 

4,214 

3,334 

2,270 

1,099 

607 

704 

973 

3,860 

5,438 

7,897 

8,854 

5,657 

2,242 

2,416 

10 

1 

7 

29 

60 

64 

46 

82 

1 

3,861 

5,445 

7,926 

8,914 

5,721 

2,288 

2,498 

11 

36,374 

290 

36,664 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2,249 

1,110 

915 

798 

415 

151 

161 

1,248 

13,249 

20,296 

79,347 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

21 

16 

26 

31 

23 

13 

18 

43 

— 

191 

8,722 

7,979 

7,829 

7,840 

8,192 

6,915 

4,489 

4,850 

93 

48,187 

3,120 

1,913 

1,644 

1,368 

718 

261 

287 

1,849 

13,249 

24,409 

409,220 

40,440 

10,843 

7,001 

4,403 

2,385 

1,429 

1,789 

1,831 

25,039 

95,160 

293 

177 

207 

183 

103 

67 

76 

83 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

104 

81 

98 

105 

94 

87 

186 

10 

765 

71 

34 

30 

24 

10 

8 

7 

16 

— 

200 

(1) 

Represents loans whose repayments are predominantly insured by the FHA or guaranteed by the VA. 

LTV refers to the ratio comparing the loan’s unpaid principal 
balance to the property’s collateral value. Combined LTV (CLTV) 
refers to the combination of first lien mortgage and junior lien 
mortgage (including unused line amounts for credit line 
products) ratios. We obtain LTVs and CLTVs using a cascade 
approach which first uses values provided by automated 
valuation models (AVMs) for the property. If an AVM is not 

available, then the value is estimated using the original appraised 
value adjusted by the change in Home Price Index (HPI) for the 
property location. If an HPI is not available, the original appraised 
value is used. The HPI value is normally the only method 
considered for high value properties, generally with an original 
value of $1 million or more, as the AVM values have proven less 
accurate for these properties. Generally, we obtain available LTVs 

Wells Fargo & Company 

125 

 
 
 
 
Note 4:  Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses (continued) 

and CLTVs on a quarterly basis. Certain loans do not have an LTV 
or CLTV due to a lack of industry data availability and portfolios 
acquired from or serviced by other institutions. 

Table 4.11 shows the most updated LTV and CLTV 

distribution of the residential mortgage – first lien and residential 
mortgage – junior lien loan portfolios. 

Table 4.11:  Consumer Loan Categories by LTV/CLTV and Vintage 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

By LTV: 

0-60% 

60.01-80% 

80.01-100% 

100.01-120% (1) 

> 120% (1) 

No LTV available 

Government insured/guaranteed loans (2) 

2021 

2020 

2019 

2018 

2017 

Prior 

Term loans by origination year 

Revolving 
loans 
converted 
to term 
loans 

Revolving 
loans 

Total 

$  26,618 

42,893 

486 

10 

5 

122 

14 

22,882 

18,188 

437 

31 

10 

92 

134 

16,063 

8,356 

474 

24 

10 

67 

209 

5,310 

2,234 

147 

11 

4 

40 

349 

11,030 

57,880 

4,348 

1,644 

145,775 

2,647 

134 

7 

3 

38 

364 

5,017 

339 

48 

35 

211 

12,088 

674 

157 

33 

14 

87 

— 

188 

42 

8 

3 

11 

— 

80,197 

2,216 

172 

84 

668 

13,158 

Total residential mortgage – first lien 

70,148 

41,774 

25,203 

8,095 

14,223 

75,618 

5,313 

1,896 

242,270 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

By CLTV: 

0-60% 

60.01-80% 

80.01-100% 

100.01-120% (1) 

> 120% (1) 

No CLTV available 

Total residential mortgage – junior lien 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

28 

28 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

20 

20 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

31 

31 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

27 

27 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

22 

22 

475 

172 

55 

13 

3 

44 

762 

Total 

$  70,176 

41,794 

25,234 

8,122 

14,245 

76,380 

2020 

2019 

2018 

2017 

2016 

Prior 

Term loans by origination year 

December 31, 2020 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

By LTV: 

0-60% 

60.01-80% 

80.01-100% 

100.01-120% (1) 

> 120% (1) 

No LTV available 

Government insured/guaranteed loans (2) 

$  16,582 

34,639 

2,332 

41 

31 

110 

215 

15,449 

24,736 

2,975 

106 

41 

92 

639 

6,065 

7,724 

900 

45 

16 

63 

904 

Total residential mortgage – first lien 

53,950 

44,038 

15,717 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

21,097 

59,291 

13,190 

10,745 

654 

40 

19 

72 

8,970 

441 

41 

16 

87 

1,076 

25,796 

2,367 

33,019 

By CLTV: 

0-60% 

60.01-80% 

80.01-100% 

100.01-120% (1) 

> 120% (1) 

No CLTV available 

Total residential mortgage – junior lien 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

22 

22 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

39 

39 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

41 

41 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

39 

39 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

32 

32 

Total 

$  53,972 

44,077 

15,758 

25,835 

33,051 

9,333 

1,003 

168 

78 

248 

25,039 

95,160 

548 

335 

187 

59 

15 

45 

1,189 

96,349 

7,949 

2,329 

554 

104 

35 

21 

10,992 

16,305 

3,588 

12,012 

823 

241 

42 

13 

29 

3,324 

850 

159 

51 

222 

4,736 

16,618 

6,632 

258,888 

Revolving 
loans 
converted 
to term 
loans 

Revolving 
loans 

Total 

4,971 

1,323 

425 

117 

44 

54 

— 

1,587 

138,232 

326 

100 

26 

8 

13 

— 

97,796 

8,830 

584 

253 

739 

30,240 

6,934 

2,060 

276,674 

8,626 

5,081 

1,507 

376 

128 

25 

15,743 

22,677 

3,742 

1,554 

641 

156 

50 

38 

12,916 

6,970 

2,335 

591 

193 

281 

6,181 

8,241 

23,286 

299,960 

(1) 
(2) 

Reflects total loan balances with LTV/CLTV amounts in excess of 100%. In the event of default, the loss content would generally be limited to only the amount in excess of 100% LTV/CLTV. 
Represents loans whose repayments are predominantly insured by the FHA or guaranteed by the VA. 

126 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
NONACCRUAL LOANS  Table 4.12 provides loans on nonaccrual 
status. In connection with our adoption of CECL, nonaccrual loans 
may have an ACL or a negative allowance for credit losses from 
expected recoveries of amounts previously written off. Payment 

deferral activities instituted in response to the COVID-19 
pandemic could continue to delay the recognition of 
delinquencies for customers who otherwise would have moved 
into nonaccrual status. 

Table 4.12:  Nonaccrual Loans 

(in millions) 

Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 

$ 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage- first lien 

Residential mortgage- junior lien 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer 

Total nonaccrual loans 

$ 

Nonaccrual loans 

Nonaccrual loans without related 
allowance for credit losses (1) 

Year ended December 31, 

Amortized cost 

Recognized interest income 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

2021 

2020 

980 

1,235 

13 

148 

2,376 

3,803 

801 

198 

34 

4,836 

7,212 

2,698 

1,774 

48 

259 

4,779 

2,957 

754 

202 

36 

3,949 

8,728 

190 

66 

5 

9 

270 

2,722 

497 

— 

— 

3,219 

3,489 

382 

93 

15 

16 

506 

1,908 

461 

— 

— 

2,369 

2,875 

97 

66 

3 

— 

166 

122 

53 

34 

3 

212 

378 

78 

31 

6 

— 

115 

151 

52 

20 

3 

226 

341 

(1)  Nonaccrual loans may not have an allowance for credit losses if the loss expectations are zero given solid collateral value. 

LOANS IN PROCESS OF FORECLOSURE  Our recorded investment in 
consumer mortgage loans collateralized by residential real estate 
property that are in process of foreclosure was $694 million and 
$2.1 billion at December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, 
respectively, which included $583 million and $1.7 billion, 
respectively, of loans that are government insured/guaranteed. 
Under the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau guidelines, we 
do not commence the foreclosure process on residential 
mortgage loans until after the loan is 120 days delinquent. 
Foreclosure procedures and timelines vary depending on whether 
the property address resides in a judicial or non-judicial state. 
Judicial states require the foreclosure to be processed through 
the state’s courts while non-judicial states are processed without 
court intervention. Foreclosure timelines vary according to state 
law. In connection with our actions to support customers during 
the COVID-19 pandemic, we have suspended certain mortgage 
foreclosure activities. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

127 

  
  
Note 4:  Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses (continued) 

LOANS 90 DAYS OR MORE PAST DUE AND STILL ACCRUING  Certain 
loans 90 days or more past due are still accruing, because they 
are (1) well-secured and in the process of collection or (2) 
residential mortgage or consumer loans exempt under regulatory 
rules from being classified as nonaccrual until later delinquency, 
usually 120 days past due. 

Table 4.13 shows loans 90 days or more past due and still 
accruing by class for loans not government insured/guaranteed. 

Table 4.13:  Loans 90 Days or More Past Due and Still Accruing 

$ 

$ 

$ 

($ in millions) 

Total: 

Less: FHA insured/VA guaranteed (1) 

Total, not government insured/

guaranteed 

By segment and class, not government insured/

guaranteed: 

Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer 

Dec 31, 
2021 

5,358 

4,699 

Dec 31, 
2020 

7,041 

6,351 

659 

690 

206 

29 

— 

235 

37 

12 

269 

88 

18 

424 

39 

38 

1 

78 

135 

19 

365 

65 

28 

612 

690 

Total, not government insured/

guaranteed 

$ 

659 

(1) 

Represents loans whose repayments are Predominantly insured by the FHA or guaranteed 
by the VA. 

TROUBLED DEBT RESTRUCTURINGS (TDRs)  When, for economic or 
legal reasons related to a borrower’s financial difficulties, we 
grant a concession for other than an insignificant period of time 
to a borrower that we would not otherwise consider, the related 
loan is classified as a TDR, the balance of which totaled 
$10.2 billion and $14.5 billion at December 31, 2021 and 2020, 
respectively. We do not consider loan resolutions such as 
foreclosure or short sale to be a TDR. In addition, COVID-related 
modifications are generally not classified as TDRs due to the 
relief under the CARES Act and the Interagency Statement. For 
additional information on the TDR relief, see Note 1 (Summary 
of Significant Accounting Policies) in this Report. 

We may require some consumer borrowers experiencing 
financial difficulty to make trial payments generally for a period 
of three to four months, according to the terms of a planned 
permanent modification, to determine if they can perform 
according to those terms. These arrangements represent trial 
modifications, which we classify and account for as TDRs. While 
loans are in trial payment programs, their original terms are not 
considered modified and they continue to advance through 
delinquency status and accrue interest according to their original 
terms. 

Commitments to lend additional funds on loans whose 
terms have been modified in a TDR amounted to $431 million 
and $489 million at December 31, 2021, and December 31, 
2020, respectively. 

Table 4.14 summarizes our TDR modifications for the 
periods presented by primary modification type and includes the 
financial effects of these modifications. For those loans that 
modify more than once, the table reflects each modification that 
occurred during the period. Loans that both modify and are paid 
off or written-off within the period, as well as changes in 
recorded investment during the period for loans modified in prior 
periods, are not included in the table. 

128 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 4.14:  TDR Modifications 

($ in millions) 

Year ended December 31, 2021 
Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 
Real estate mortgage 
Real estate construction 
Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 
Residential mortgage – junior lien 
Credit card 
Auto 
Other consumer 
Trial modifications (5) 

Total consumer 

Total 

Year ended December 31, 2020 
Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 
Real estate mortgage 
Real estate construction 
Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 
Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 
Other consumer 
Trial modifications (5) 

Total consumer 

Total 

Year ended December 31, 2019 
Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 
Real estate mortgage 
Real estate construction 
Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 
Residential mortgage – junior lien 
Credit card 
Auto 
Other consumer 
Trial modifications (5) 

Total consumer 

Total 

Primary modification type (1) 

Financial effects of modifications 

Principal 
forgiveness 

Interest 
rate 
reduction 

Other 
concessions (2) 

Total 

Charge-
offs (3) 

Weighted 
average 
interest 
rate 
reduction 

Recorded 
investment 
related to 
interest rate 
reduction (4) 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

2 

41 

— 

— 

43 

— 

— 

— 

1 

— 

— 

1 

44 

24 

— 

10 

— 

34 

— 
— 
— 
4 
— 
— 

4 

38 

13 
— 

13 
— 

26 

— 
— 
— 
8 
1 
— 

9 

35 

$ 

9 

15 

— 

— 

24 

57 

13 

106 

4 

18 

— 

198 

222 

47 

34 

1 

— 

82 

14 
11 
272 
6 
23 
— 

326 

408 

90 
38 

1 
— 

129 

13 
37 
376 
9 
51 
— 

486 

615 

$ 

879 

256 

3 

7 

890 

312 

3 

7 

1,145 

1,212 

1,286 

1,343 

38 

— 

131 

1 
(3) 

1,453 

2,598 

2,971 

677 

7 

1 

51 

106 

136 

19 
(3) 

1,652 

2,864 

3,042 

711 

18 

1 

3,656 

3,772 

4,156 
121 
— 
166 
34 
3 

4,480 

8,136 

1,286 
417 

32 
2 

4,170 
132 
272 
176 
57 
3 

4,810 

8,582 

1,389 
455 

46 
2 

1,737 

1,892 

978 
87 
— 
51 
7 
13 

1,136 

2,873 

991 
124 
376 
68 
59 
13 

1,631 

3,523 

20 

— 

— 

— 

20 

2 

1 

— 

54 

— 

— 

57 

77 

162 

5 

— 

— 

167 

4 
3 
— 
93 
1 
— 

101 

268 

0.81% 

$ 

1.28 

— 

— 

1.11 

1.60 

2.64 

19.12 

3.82 

11.83 

— 

12.01 

10.84% 

$ 

0.74% 

$ 

1.00 

4.29 

— 

0.90 

1.76 
2.45 
14.12 
4.65 
8.28 
— 

11.80 

9.73% 

$ 

$ 

104 

0.40% 

$ 

— 
— 
— 

104 

2 
3 
— 
29 
— 
— 

34 

0.69 
1.00 
— 

0.49 

2.04 
2.35 
12.91 
4.86 
8.07 
— 

10.19 

138 

8.33% 

$ 

9 

14 

— 

— 

23 

57 

13 

106 

4 

18 

— 

198 

221 

48 

34 

1 

— 

83 

39 
12 
272 
6 
23 
— 

352 

435 

90 

38 
1 
— 

129 

68 
39 
376 
9 
52 
— 

544 

673 

(1) 

Amounts represent the recorded investment in loans after recognizing the effects of the TDR, if any. TDRs may have multiple types of concessions, but are presented only once in the first 
modification type based on the order presented in the table above. The reported amounts include loans remodified of $737 million, $1.5 billion and $1.1 billion, for the years ended December 31, 
2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 

(2)  Other concessions include loans with payment (principal and/or interest) deferral, loans discharged in bankruptcy, loan renewals, term extensions and other interest and noninterest adjustments, but 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

exclude modifications that also forgive principal and/or reduce the contractual interest rate. The reported amounts include COVID-related payment deferrals that are new TDRs and exclude COVID-
related payment deferrals previously reported as TDRs given limited current financial effects other than payment deferral. 
Charge-offs include write-downs of the investment in the loan in the period it is contractually modified. The amount of charge-off will differ from the modification terms if the loan has been charged 
down prior to the modification based on our policies. In addition, there may be cases where we have a charge-off/down with no legal principal modification. 
Recorded investment related to interest rate reduction reflects the effect of reduced interest rates on loans with an interest rate concession as one of their concession types, which includes loans 
reported as a principal primary modification type that also have an interest rate concession. 
Trial modifications are granted a delay in payments due under the original terms during the trial payment period. However, these loans continue to advance through delinquency status and accrue 
interest according to their original terms. Any subsequent permanent modification generally includes interest rate related concessions; however, the exact concession type and resulting financial 
effect are usually not known until the loan is permanently modified. Trial modifications for the period are presented net of previously reported trial modifications that became permanent in the 
current period. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

129 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 4:  Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses (continued) 

Table 4.15 summarizes permanent modification TDRs that 

have defaulted in the current period within 12 months of their 
permanent modification date. We are reporting these defaulted 

TDRs based on a payment default definition of 90 days past due 
for the commercial portfolio segment and 60 days past due for 
the consumer portfolio segment. 

Table 4.15:  Defaulted TDRs 

(in millions) 

Commercial: 

Commercial and industrial 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial 

Consumer: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer 

Total 

Recorded investment of defaults 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

$ 

132 

34 

— 

1 

167 

12 

1 

25 

43 

3 

84 

$ 

251 

677 

128 

— 

1 

806 

34 

12 

72 

32 

5 

155 

961 

111 

48 

17 

— 

176 

41 

13 

88 

12 

8 

162 

338 

130 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
Note 5:  Leasing Activity 

The information below provides a summary of our leasing 
activities as a lessor and lessee. 

As a Lessor 
Table 5.1 presents the composition of our leasing revenue and 
Table 5.2 provides the components of our investment in lease 
financing. Noninterest income on leases, included in Table 5.1 is 
included in other noninterest income on our consolidated 
statement of income. Lease expense, included in other 
noninterest expense on our consolidated statement of income, 
was $867 million, $1.0 billion, and $1.2 billion for the years ended 
December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 

In 2021, we observed that a decline in the market led to 

continued weakening demand for certain rail cars used for the 
transportation of coal products. We expect that both utilization 
and rental rates for these leased rail cars may remain low in 
future periods and, therefore, we recognized an impairment 
charge related to these leased rail cars of $268 million in fourth 
quarter 2021 in other noninterest income. The current fair value 
of the leased assets was determined based upon third-party 
market appraisals. We believe no other classes of rail cars were 
impaired as of December 31, 2021. Additional impairment may 
result in the future based on changing economic and market 
conditions affecting the long-term demand and utility of specific 
types of rail cars. Our rail car leasing business is in Corporate for 
our operating segment disclosures. For additional information on 
the accounting for impairment of operating lease assets, see 
Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). 

Our net investment in financing and sales-type leases 
included $1.0 billion and $1.7 billion of leveraged leases at 
December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

As shown in Table 7.2, included in Note 7 (Premises, 

Equipment and Other Assets), we had $6.2 billion and $7.4 billion 
in operating lease assets at December 31, 2021 and 2020, 
respectively, which was net of $3.1 billion of accumulated 
depreciation for both periods. Depreciation expense for the 
operating lease assets was $604 million, $755 million and 
$848 million in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 

Table 5.3 presents future lease payments owed by our 

lessees. 

Table 5.3:  Maturities of Lease Receivables 

(in millions) 

2022 

2023 

2024 

2025 

2026 

Thereafter 

December 31, 2021 

Direct financing and 
sales- type leases 

Operating leases 

$ 

4,465 

3,194 

2,077 

1,222 

588 

1,210 

546 

394 

277 

187 

100 

171 

Total lease receivables 

$ 

12,756 

1,675 

As a Lessee 
Substantially all of our leases are operating leases. Table 5.4 
presents balances for our operating leases. 

Table 5.1:  Leasing Revenue 

(in millions) 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

Table 5.4:  Operating Lease Right-of-Use (ROU) Assets and Lease 
Liabilities 

Interest income on lease financing (1) 

$  683 

853 

941 

Other lease revenues: 

Variable revenues on lease financing 

Fixed revenues on operating leases 

Variable revenues on operating leases 

Other lease-related revenues (2) 

101 

995 

64 

(164) 

107 

98 

1,169 

1,393 

47 

(78) 

66 

57 

(in millions) 

ROU assets 

Lease liabilities 

Dec 31, 2021  Dec 31, 2020 

$ 

3,805 

4,476 

4,306 

4,962 

Table 5.5 provides the composition of our lease costs, which 

are predominantly included in net occupancy expense. 

Noninterest income on leases 

996 

1,245 

1,614 

Total leasing revenue 

$  1,679 

2,098 

2,555 

Table 5.5:  Lease Costs 

(1) 

(2) 

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change the presentation of investment tax credits 
related to solar energy investments. Prior period balances have been revised to conform 
with the current period presentation. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of 
Significant Accounting Policies). 
Includes net gains (losses) on disposition of assets leased under operating leases or lease 
financings, and impairment charges. 

Table 5.2:  Investment in Lease Financing 

(in millions) 

Lease receivables 

Residual asset values 

Unearned income 

Lease financing 

Dec 31, 2021  Dec 31, 2020 

$ 

12,756 

3,721 

(1,618) 

$ 

14,859 

14,210 

3,810 

(1,933) 

16,087 

(in millions) 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

Fixed lease expense – operating leases 

$  1,048 

1,149 

1,212 

Variable lease expense 

Other (1) 

Total lease costs 

289 

(93) 

299 

(77) 

314 

(68) 

$  1,244 

1,371 

1,458 

(1) 

Predominantly includes gains recognized from sale leaseback transactions and sublease 
rental income. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

131 

  
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
Note 5:  Leasing Activity (continued) 

Table 5.6 provides the future lease payments under 

operating leases as well as information on the remaining average 
lease term and discount rate as of December 31, 2021. 

Table 5.6:  Lease Payments on Operating Leases 

(in millions, except for weighted averages) 

Dec 31, 2021 

2022 

2023 

2024 

2025 

2026 

Thereafter 

Total lease payments 

Less: imputed interest 

Total operating lease liabilities 

Weighted average remaining lease term (in years) 

Weighted average discount rate 

$ 

$ 

948 

952 

793 

609 

471 

1,111 

4,884 

408 

4,476 

6.5 

2.6  % 

Our operating leases predominantly expire within the next 

15 years, with the longest lease expiring in 2105. We do not 
include renewal or termination options in the establishment of 
the lease term when we are not reasonably certain that we will 
exercise them. As of December 31, 2021, we had additional 
operating leases commitments of $39 million, predominantly for 
real estate, which leases had not yet commenced. These leases 
are expected to commence during 2022 and have lease terms of 
1 year to 11 years. 

132 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
  
 
  
Note 6:  Equity Securities 

Table 6.1 provides a summary of our equity securities by business 
purpose and accounting method. 

Table 6.1:  Equity Securities 

(in millions) 

Held for trading at fair value: 

Marketable equity securities (1) 

Not held for trading: 

Fair value: 

Marketable equity securities 

Nonmarketable equity securities (2) 

Total equity securities at fair value 

Equity method: 

Private equity 

Tax-advantaged renewable energy 

New market tax credit and other 

Total equity method 

Other methods: 

Low-income housing tax credit investments 

Private equity (3) 

Federal Reserve Bank stock and other at cost (4) 

Total equity securities not held for trading 

Total equity securities 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

$ 

27,476 

23,032 

2,578 

9,044 

11,622 

3,077 

4,740 

379 

8,196 

12,314 

9,694 

3,584 

45,410 

72,886 

$ 

1,564 

9,413 

10,977 

2,960 

3,481 

409 

6,850 

11,353 

4,208 

3,588 

36,976 

60,008 

(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 

Represents securities held as part of our customer accommodation trading activities. For additional information on these activities, see Note 2 (Trading Activities). 
Substantially all of these securities are economically hedged with equity derivatives. 
Represents nonmarketable equity securities accounted for under the measurement alternative, which were predominantly securities associated with our affiliated venture capital business. 
Substantially all relates to investments in Federal Reserve Bank stock at both December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020. 

Realized Gains and Losses Not Held for Trading 
Table 6.2 provides a summary of the net gains and losses from 
equity securities not held for trading, which excludes equity 
method adjustments for our share of the investee’s earnings or 

losses that are recognized in other noninterest income. Gains and 
losses for securities held for trading are reported in net gains on 
trading and securities. 

Table 6.2:  Net Gains (Losses) from Equity Securities Not Held for Trading 

(in millions) 

Net gains (losses) from equity securities carried at fair value: 

Marketable equity securities 

Nonmarketable equity securities 

Total equity securities carried at fair value 

Net gains (losses) from nonmarketable equity securities not carried at fair value (1): 

Impairment write-downs 

Net unrealized gains (2)(3) 

Net realized gains on sale (3) 

Total nonmarketable equity securities not carried at fair value 

Net gains (losses) from economic hedge derivatives 

Total net gains (losses) from equity securities not held for trading 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

$ 

$ 

(202) 

(188) 

(390) 

(121) 

4,862 

1,581 

6,322 

495 

6,427 

63 

1,414 

1,477 

(1,655) 

1,651 

359 

355 

(1,167) 

665 

1,067 

2,413 

3,480 

(245) 

567 

1,161 

1,483 

(2,120) 

2,843 

(1) 

(2) 
(3) 

Includes impairment write-downs, net unrealized gains, and net realized gains on sale related to private equity and venture capital investments in consolidated portfolio companies, which are not 
reported in equity securities on our consolidated balance sheet. 
Includes unrealized gains (losses) due to observable price changes from equity securities accounted for under the measurement alternative. 
During the year ended December 31, 2021, we recognized $442 million of gains (including $293 million of unrealized gains) related to the partial sale of a nonmarketable equity investment to an 
unrelated third-party that resulted in the deconsolidation of a consolidated portfolio company. Our retained investment in nonmarketable equity securities of the formerly consolidated portfolio 
company was remeasured to fair value. For information about the technique and inputs used in the remeasurement, see Note 17 (Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities). 

Wells Fargo & Company 

133 

  
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Note 6:  Equity Securities (continued) 

Measurement Alternative 
Table 6.3 provides additional information about the impairment 
write-downs and observable price changes from nonmarketable 

equity securities accounted for under the measurement 
alternative. Gains and losses related to these adjustments are 
also included in Table 6.2. 

Table 6.3:  Net Gains (Losses) from Measurement Alternative Equity Securities 

(in millions) 

Net gains (losses) recognized in earnings during the period: 

Gross unrealized gains due to observable price changes 

Gross unrealized losses due to observable price changes 

Impairment write-downs 

Realized net gains from sale 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

$ 

4,569 

— 

(109) 

456 

1,651 

— 

(954) 

38 

735 

584 

(17) 

(116) 

163 

614 

Total net gains recognized during the period 

$ 

4,916 

Table 6.4 presents cumulative carrying value adjustments to 

nonmarketable equity securities accounted for under the 
measurement alternative that were still held at the end of each 
reporting period presented. 

Table 6.4:  Measurement Alternative Cumulative Gains (Losses) 

(in millions) 

Cumulative gains (losses): 

Gross unrealized gains due to observable price changes 

Gross unrealized losses due to observable price changes 

Impairment write-downs 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

$ 

6,278 

(3) 

(821) 

2,356 

(25) 

(969) 

973 

(42) 

(134) 

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Investments 
We invest in affordable housing projects that qualify for the low-
income housing tax credit (LIHTC), which are designed to 
promote private development of low-income housing. These 
investments typically generate a return through the realization 
of tax credits and other tax benefits. Table 6.5 summarizes the 
amortization of the investments and the related tax credits and 
other tax benefits that are recognized in income tax expense/ 
(benefit) on our consolidated statement of income. We are 

periodically required to provide additional financial support 
during the investment period. A liability is recognized for 
unfunded commitments that are both legally binding and 
probable of funding. These commitments are predominantly 
funded within three years of initial investment. Our liability for 
these unfunded commitments was $4.9 billion at December 31, 
2021, and $4.2 billion at December 31, 2020. This liability for 
unfunded commitments is included in long-term debt on our 
consolidated balance sheet. 

Table 6.5:  LIHTC Investments (1) 

(in millions) 

Proportional amortization of investments 

Tax credits and other tax benefits 

Net expense/(benefit) recognized within income tax expense 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

1,545 

(1,783) 

(238) 

$ 

$ 

2020 

1,407 

(1,639) 

(232) 

2019 

1,276 

(1,490) 

(214) 

(1) 

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income housing tax credit investments. Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period 
presentation. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). 

134 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
Note 7:  Premises, Equipment and Other Assets 

Table 7.1 presents the components of premises and equipment. 

Table 7.2 presents the components of other assets. 

Table 7.1:  Premises and Equipment 

Table 7.2:  Other Assets 

(in millions) 

Land 

Buildings 

Furniture and equipment 

Leasehold improvements 

Finance lease ROU assets 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

(in millions) 

$ 

1,759 

9,442 

7,420 

2,597 

32 

1,808 

9,504 

7,449 

2,597 

32 

Total premises and equipment 

21,250 

21,390 

Less: Accumulated depreciation and 

amortization 

12,679 

Net book value, premises and equipment 

$ 

8,571 

12,495 

8,895 

Corporate/bank-owned life insurance 

Accounts receivable (1) 

Interest receivable: 

AFS and HTM debt securities 

Loans 

Trading and other 

Operating lease assets (lessor) 

Operating lease ROU assets (lessee) 

Customer relationship and other amortized 
intangibles 

Depreciation and amortization expense for premises and 

Foreclosed assets 

equipment was $1.4 billion in 2021, 2020 and 2019. 

Dispositions of premises and equipment resulted in net 
gains of $74 million, $71 million and $82 million in 2021, 2020 
and 2019, respectively, included in other noninterest expense. 

Due from customers on acceptances 

Other (2) 

Total other assets 

Dec 31, 
2021 

$  20,619 

20,831 

Dec 31, 
2020 

20,380 

38,116 

1,360 

1,950 

305 

6,182 

3,805 

211 

112 

155 

1,368 

2,838 

415 

7,391 

4,306 

328 

159 

268 

11,729 

$  67,259 

11,768 

87,337 

(1) 

(2) 

Primarily includes derivatives clearinghouse receivables, trade date receivables, and servicer 
advances. 
Primarily includes income tax receivables, prepaid expenses, and private equity and venture 
capital investments in consolidated portfolio companies. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

135 

  
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
Note 8:  Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities 

Involvement with Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) 
In the normal course of business, we enter into various types of 
on- and off-balance sheet transactions with special purpose 
entities (SPEs), which are corporations, trusts, limited liability 
companies or partnerships that are established for a limited 
purpose. SPEs are often formed in connection with securitization 
transactions whereby financial assets are transferred to an SPE. 
SPEs formed in connection with securitization transactions are 
generally considered variable interest entities (VIEs). The VIE 
may alter the risk profile of the asset by entering into derivative 
transactions or obtaining credit support, and issues various 
forms of interests in those assets to investors. When we transfer 
financial assets from our consolidated balance sheet to a VIE in 
connection with a securitization, we typically receive cash and 
sometimes other interests in the VIE as proceeds for the assets 
we transfer. In certain transactions with VIEs, we may retain the 
right to service the transferred assets and repurchase the 
transferred assets if the outstanding balance of the assets falls 
below the level at which the cost to service the assets exceed the 
benefits. In addition, we may purchase the right to service loans 
transferred to a VIE by a third party. 

In connection with our securitization or other VIE activities, 
we have various forms of ongoing involvement with VIEs, which 
may include: 
• 

underwriting securities issued by VIEs and subsequently 
making markets in those securities; 
providing credit enhancement on securities issued by VIEs 
through the use of letters of credit or financial guarantees; 
entering into other derivative contracts with VIEs; 
holding senior or subordinated interests in VIEs; 
acting as servicer or investment manager for VIEs; 
providing administrative or trustee services to VIEs; and 
providing seller financing to VIEs. 

• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Loan Sales and Securitization Activity 
We periodically transfer consumer and commercial loans and 
other types of financial assets in securitization and whole loan 
sale transactions. 

MORTGAGE LOANS SOLD TO U.S. GOVERNMENT SPONSORED 
ENTITIES AND TRANSACTIONS WITH GINNIE MAE  In the normal 
course of business we sell originated and purchased residential 
and commercial mortgage loans to government-sponsored 
entities (GSEs). These loans are generally transferred into 
securitizations sponsored by the GSEs, which provide certain 
credit guarantees to investors and servicers. We also transfer 
mortgage loans into securitizations pursuant to Government 
National Mortgage Association (GNMA) guidelines which are 
insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or 
guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 
Mortgage loans eligible for securitization with the GSEs or 
GNMA are considered conforming loans. The GSEs or GNMA 
design the structure of these securitizations, sponsor the 
involved VIEs, and have power over the activities most significant 
to the VIE. 

We account for loans transferred in conforming mortgage 
loan securitization transactions as sales and do not consolidate 
the VIEs as we are not the primary beneficiary. In exchange for 
the transfer of loans, we typically receive securities issued by the 
VIEs which we sell to third parties for cash or hold for investment 
purposes as HTM or AFS securities. We also retain servicing 
rights on the transferred loans. As a servicer, we retain the option 

to repurchase loans from GNMA loan securitization pools, which 
becomes exercisable when three scheduled loan payments 
remain unpaid by the borrower. During the years ended 
December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, we repurchased loans of 
$4.6 billion, $30.3 billion, and $6.3 billion, respectively, which 
predominantly represented repurchases of government insured 
loans. We recorded assets and related liabilities of $107 million 
and $176 million at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, 
where we did not exercise our option to repurchase eligible loans. 
Upon transfers of loans, we also provide indemnification for 

losses incurred due to material breaches of contractual 
representations and warranties, as well as other recourse 
arrangements. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, our liability for 
these repurchase and recourse arrangements was $173 million 
and $221 million, respectively, and the maximum exposure to 
loss was $13.3 billion and $13.7 billion, respectively. 

Off-balance sheet mortgage loans sold or securitized 

presented in Table 8.3 are predominantly loans securitized by the 
GSEs and GNMA. See Note 9 (Mortgage Banking Activities) for 
additional information about residential and commercial 
servicing rights, advances and servicing fees. Substantially all 
residential servicing activity is related to assets transferred to 
GSE and GNMA securitizations. 

NONCONFORMING MORTGAGE LOAN SECURITIZATIONS  In the 
normal course of business, we sell nonconforming residential and 
commercial mortgage loans in securitization transactions that 
we design and sponsor. Nonconforming mortgage loan 
securitizations do not involve a government credit guarantee, 
and accordingly, beneficial interest holders are subject to credit 
risk of the underlying assets held by the securitization VIE. We 
typically originate the transferred loans, account for the transfers 
as sales and do not consolidate the VIE. We also typically retain 
the right to service the loans and may hold other beneficial 
interests issued by the VIEs, such as debt securities held for 
investment purposes. Our servicing role related to 
nonconforming commercial mortgage loan securitizations is 
limited to primary or master servicer and the most significant 
decisions impacting the performance of the VIE are generally 
made by the special servicer or the controlling class security 
holder. For our residential nonconforming mortgage loan 
securitizations accounted for as sales, we either do not hold 
variable interests that we consider potentially significant or are 
not the primary servicer for a majority of the VIE assets. 

WHOLE LOAN SALE TRANSACTIONS  We also sell whole loans to 
VIEs where we have continuing involvement in the form of 
financing. We account for these transfers as sales, and do not 
consolidate the VIEs as we do not have the power to direct the 
most significant activities of the VIEs. 

Table 8.1 presents information about transfers of assets during 
the period for which we recorded the transfers as sales and have 
continuing involvement with the transferred assets. In 
connection with these transfers, we received proceeds and 
recorded servicing assets, securities, and loans. Each of these 
interests are initially measured at fair value. Servicing rights are 
classified as Level 3 measurements, and generally securities are 
classified as Level 2. Substantially all transfers were related to 
residential mortgage securitizations with the GSEs or GNMA and 
resulted in no gain or loss because the loans are already 
measured at fair value on a recurring basis. Additionally, we may 
transfer certain government insured loans that we previously 

136 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
  
 
repurchased. These loans are carried at the lower of cost or 
market, and we recognize gains on such transfers when the 

market value is greater than the carrying value of the loan when 
it is sold. 

Table 8.1:  Transfers with Continuing Involvement 

(in millions) 

Assets sold 

Proceeds from transfer (1) 

Net gains (losses) on sale 

Continuing involvement (2): 

Servicing rights recognized 

Securities recognized (3) 

Loans recognized 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

Residential 
mortgages 

Commercial 
mortgages 

Residential 
mortgages 

Commercial 
mortgages 

Residential 
mortgages 

Commercial 
mortgages 

$ 

157,063 

157,852 

789 

$ 

1,636 

23,188 

926 

18,247 

18,563 

316 

166 

173 

— 

177,441 

177,478 

37 

1,808 

31,567 

— 

11,744 

12,034 

290 

161 

112 

— 

142,469 

142,535 

66 

1,896 

— 

— 

18,191 

18,521 

330 

161 

289 

— 

(1) 
(2) 
(3) 

Represents cash proceeds and the fair value of non-cash beneficial interests recognized at securitization settlement. 
Represents assets or liabilities recognized at securitization settlement date related to our continuing involvement in the transferred assets. 
Represents debt securities obtained at securitization settlement held for investment purposes that are classified as available-for-sale or held-to-maturity, which predominantly relate to agency 
securities. Excludes trading debt securities held temporarily for market-marking purposes, which are sold to third parties at or shortly after securitization settlement, of $40.7 billion, $37.6 billion, 
and $41.9 billion, during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 

RESECURITIZATION ACTIVITIES  We enter into resecuritization 
transactions as part of our trading activities to accommodate the 
investment and risk management activities of our customers. In 
resecuritization transactions, we transfer trading debt securities 
to VIEs in exchange for new beneficial interests that are sold to 
third parties at or shortly after securitization settlement. This 
activity is performed for customers seeking a specific return or 
risk profile. Substantially all of our transactions involve the 
resecuritization of conforming mortgage-backed securities 
issued by the GSEs or GNMA. We do not consolidate the 
resecuritization VIEs as we share in the decision-making power 
with third parties and do not hold significant economic interests 
in the VIEs other than for market-making activities. We 
transferred $39.6 billion, $77.2 billion, and $27.9 billion of 
securities to re-securitization VIEs during the years ended 
December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. These 
amounts are not included in Table 8.1. Related total VIE assets 
were $117.7 billion and $130.4 billion at December 31, 2021 and 
2020, respectively. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020 we held 
$817 million and $1.5 billion of securities, respectively, including 
$607 million and $1.1 billion related to resecuritizations 
transacted during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, 
respectively. 

In the normal course of business we purchase certain 
non-agency securities at initial securitization or subsequently in 
the secondary market, which we hold for investment. We also 
provide seller financing in the form of loans. During the years 
ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, we received 
cash flows of $686 million, $198 million, and $275 million, 
respectively, related to principal and interest payments on these 
securities and loans, which exclude cash flows related to trading 
activities and to the sale of our student loan portfolio. 

Table 8.2 presents the key weighted-average assumptions 
we used to initially measure residential MSRs recognized during 
the periods presented. 

Table 8.2:  Residential Mortgage Servicing Rights 

Prepayment rate (1) 

Discount rate 

Cost to service ($ per loan) 

$ 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

13.7  % 

5.9 

91 

2020 

15.4 

6.5 

96 

2019 

12.8 

7.5 

101 

(1) 

Includes a blend of prepayment speeds and expected defaults. Prepayment speeds are 
influenced by mortgage interest rates as well as our estimation of drivers of borrower 
behavior. 

See Note 17 (Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities) and 
Note 9 (Mortgage Banking Activities) for additional information 
on key economic assumptions for residential MSRs. 

SALE OF STUDENT LOAN PORTFOLIO  In the year ended 
December 31, 2021, we sold $9.5 billion of student loans, 
servicing-released. For the same period, we received $9.9 billion 
in proceeds from the sales and recognized $355 million of gains, 
which are included in other noninterest income on our 
consolidated statement of income. In connection with the sales, 
we provided $3.8 billion of collateralized loan financing to a third-
party sponsored VIE, and received cash flows of $3.8 billion which 
fully repaid these loans. We do not consolidate the VIE as we do 
not have power over the significant activities of the entity. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

137 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Note 8:  Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities (continued) 

Loans Serviced for Others 
Table 8.3 presents information about loans that we sold or 
securitized in which we have ongoing involvement as servicer. 
These are primarily residential mortgage loans sold to the GSEs 
or GNMA. Delinquent loans include loans 90 days or more past 
due and loans in bankruptcy, regardless of delinquency status. 

Table 8.3:  Loans Serviced for Others 

For loans sold or securitized where servicing is our only form of 
continuing involvement, we generally experience a loss only if we 
were required to repurchase a delinquent loan or foreclosed asset 
due to a breach in representations and warranties associated 
with our loan sale or servicing contracts. 

(in millions) 

Commercial 

Residential 

Total off-balance sheet sold or securitized loans (3) 

Total loans 

Delinquent loans and foreclosed 
assets (1) 

Year ended December 31, 

Net charge-offs (2) 

Dec 31, 2021 

Dec 31, 2020 

Dec 31, 2021 

Dec 31, 2020 

2021 

2020 

$ 

$ 

120,962 

690,813 

811,775 

114,134 

818,886 

933,020 

1,923 

10,714 

12,637 

2,217 

29,962 

32,179 

143 

22 

165 

136 

78 

214 

(1) 
Includes $403 million and $394 million of commercial foreclosed assets and $129 million and $204 million of residential foreclosed assets at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 
(2)  Net charge-offs exclude loans sold to FNMA, FHLMC and GNMA as we do not service or manage the underlying real estate upon foreclosure and, as such, do not have access to net charge-off 

(3) 

information. 
At December 31, 2021 and 2020, the table includes total loans of $736.8 billion and $864.8 billion, delinquent loans of $10.2 billion and $28.5 billion, and foreclosed assets of $100 million and 
$152 million, respectively, for FNMA, FHLMC and GNMA. 

Transactions with Unconsolidated VIEs 
MORTGAGE LOAN SECURITIZATIONS  Table 8.4 includes 
nonconforming mortgage loan securitizations where we 
originate and transfer the loans to the unconsolidated 
securitization VIEs that we sponsor. For additional information 
about these VIEs, see the “Loan Sales and Securitization Activity” 
section within this Note. Nonconforming mortgage loan 
securitizations also include commercial mortgage loan 
securitizations sponsored by third parties where we did not 
originate or transfer the loans but serve as master servicer and 
invest in securities that could be potentially significant to the 
VIE. 

Conforming loan securitization and resecuritization 
transactions involving the GSEs and GNMA are excluded from 
Table 8.4 because we are not the sponsor or we do not have 
power over the activities most significant to the VIEs. 
Additionally, due to the nature of the guarantees provided by the 
GSEs and the FHA and VA, our credit risk associated with these 
VIEs is limited. For additional information about conforming 
mortgage loan securitizations and resecuritizations, see the 
“Loan Sales and Securitization Activity” and “Resecuritization 
Activities” sections within this Note. 

TAX CREDIT STRUCTURES  We co-sponsor and make investments 
in affordable housing projects that are designed to generate a 
return primarily through the realization of federal tax credits. The 
projects are typically managed by project sponsors who have the 
power over the VIE’s assets. In some instances, our investments 
in these structures may require that we fund future capital 
commitments at the discretion of the project sponsors. 

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE LOANS  We may transfer purchased 
industrial development bonds and GSE credit enhancements to 
VIEs in exchange for beneficial interests. We may also acquire 
such beneficial interests in transactions where we do not act as a 
transferor. We own all of the beneficial interests and may also 
service the underlying mortgages that serve as collateral to the 
bonds. Prior to first quarter 2021, we consolidated certain VIEs 
as we controlled the key decisions. During first quarter 2021, we 
amended those structures such that we no longer control the key 
decisions of the VIEs. The GSEs have the power to direct the 
servicing and workout activities of the VIE in the event of a 
default. As a result, we deconsolidated the VIEs during first 
quarter 2021, and recognized the beneficial interests at fair value 
on our consolidated balance sheet. 

OTHER VIE STRUCTURES  We engage in various forms of 
structured finance arrangements with other VIEs, including 
collateralized debt obligations, asset-backed finance structures 
and other securitizations collateralized by asset classes other 
than mortgages. Collateral may include rental properties, asset-
backed securities, student loans and mortgage loans. We may 
participate in structuring or marketing the arrangements, as well 
as provide financing, service one or more of the underlying 
assets, or enter into derivatives with the VIEs. We may also 
receive fees for those services. We are not the primary 
beneficiary of these structures because we do not have power to 
direct the most significant activities of the VIEs. 

138 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
Table 8.4 provides a summary of our exposure to the 
unconsolidated VIEs described above, which includes 
investments in securities, loans, guarantees, liquidity 
agreements, commitments and certain derivatives. We exclude 
certain transactions with unconsolidated VIEs when our 
continuing involvement is temporary or administrative in nature 
or insignificant in size. 

In Table 8.4, “Total VIE assets” represents the remaining 
principal balance of assets held by unconsolidated VIEs using the 
most current information available. “Carrying value” is the 
amount in our consolidated balance sheet related to our 
involvement with the unconsolidated VIEs. “Maximum exposure 
to loss” is determined as the carrying value of our investment in 
the VIEs excluding the unconditional repurchase options that 
have not been exercised, plus the remaining undrawn liquidity 
and lending commitments, the notional amount of net written 
derivative contracts, and generally the notional amount of, or 
stressed loss estimate for, other commitments and guarantees. 

Debt, guarantees and other commitments include amounts 

related to loans sold that we may be required to repurchase, or 
otherwise indemnify or reimburse the investor or insurer for 
losses incurred, due to material breach of contractual 
representations and warranties as well as other retained recourse 
arrangements. The maximum exposure to loss for material 
breach of contractual representations and warranties represents 
a stressed case estimate we utilize for determining stressed case 
regulatory capital needs and is considered to be a remote 
scenario. 

“Maximum exposure to loss” represents estimated loss that 
would be incurred under severe, hypothetical circumstances, for 
which we believe the possibility is extremely remote, such as 
where the value of our interests and any associated collateral 
declines to zero, without any consideration of recovery or offset 
from any economic hedges. Accordingly, this disclosure is not an 
indication of expected loss. 

Table 8.4:  Unconsolidated VIEs 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Total 
VIE assets 

Loans 

Debt 
securities (1) 

Equity
securities 

All other  Debt and other 
liabilities 
assets (2) 

Net assets 

Carrying value – asset (liability) 

Nonconforming mortgage loan securitizations 

$  146,482 

Tax credit structures 

Commercial real estate loans 

Other 

Total 

44,528 

5,489 

3,196 

$  199,695 

Nonconforming mortgage loan securitizations 

$ 

— 

1,904 

5,481 

531 

7,916 

Loans 

— 

1,904 

5,481 

531 

2,620 

— 

— 

3 

— 

12,322 

— 

62 

2,623 

12,384 

694 

— 

8 

49 

751 

— 

(4,941) 

— 

(1) 

3,314 

9,285 

5,489 

644 

(4,942) 

18,732 

Maximum exposure to loss 

Debt 
securities (1) 

Equity
securities 

All other 
assets (2) 

2,620 

— 

— 

3 

— 

12,322 

— 

62 

Debt, 
guarantees,
and other 
commitments 

27 

3,730 

710 

229 

Total 
exposure 

3,341 

17,956 

6,199 

874 

4,696 

28,370 

Carrying value – asset (liability) 

694 

— 

8 

49 

751 

$ 

7,916 

2,623 

12,384 

Total 
VIE assets 

Loans 

Debt 
securities (1) 

Equity
securities 

All other  Debt and other 
liabilities 
assets (2) 

Net assets 

Nonconforming mortgage loan securitizations 

$  127,717 

41,125 

— 

1,991 

— 

1,760 

— 

89 

2,303 

— 

— 

— 

— 

11,362 

— 

51 

$  170,833 

1,849 

2,303 

11,413 

606 

— 

— 

62 

668 

— 

(4,202) 

— 

(1) 

2,909 

8,920 

— 

201 

(4,203) 

12,030 

Maximum exposure to loss 

Debt, 
guarantees,
and other 
commitments 

34 

3,108 

— 

230 

Total 
exposure 

2,944 

16,230 

— 

432 

3,372 

19,606 

607 

— 

— 

62 

669 

Debt 
securities (1) 

Equity
securities 

All other 
assets (2) 

Loans 

— 

1,760 

— 

89 

2,303 

— 

— 

— 

— 

11,362 

— 

51 

$ 

1,849 

2,303 

11,413 

Nonconforming mortgage loan securitizations 

$ 

(1) 
(2) 

Includes $352 million and $310 million of securities classified as trading at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 
All other assets includes mortgage servicing rights, derivative assets, and other assets (predominantly servicing advances). 

Wells Fargo & Company 

139 

Tax credit structures 

Commercial real estate loans 

Other 

Total 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2020 

Tax credit structures 

Commercial real estate loans 

Other 

Total 

Tax credit structures 

Commercial real estate loans 

Other 

Total 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 8:  Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities (continued) 

Consolidated VIEs 
We consolidate VIEs where we are the primary beneficiary. We 
are the primary beneficiary of the following structure types: 

COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL LOANS AND LEASES  We securitize 
dealer floor plan loans and leases in a revolving master trust 
entity and hold the subordinated notes and residual equity 
interests. As servicer and residual interest holder, we control the 
key decisions of the trust and consolidate the entity. The total 
VIE assets held by the master trust represent a majority of the 
total VIE assets presented for this category in Table 8.5. In a 
separate transaction structure, we also provide the majority of 
debt and equity financing to an SPE that engages in lending and 
leasing to specific vendors and service the underlying collateral. 

OTHER VIE STRUCTURES  Other VIEs are primarily related to 
municipal tender option bond (MTOB) transactions and 
nonconforming mortgage loan securitizations that we sponsor. 
MTOBs are vehicles to finance the purchase of municipal bonds 
through the issuance of short-term debt to investors. Our 

Table 8.5:  Transactions with Consolidated VIEs 

involvement with MTOBs includes serving as the residual interest 
holder, which provides control over the key decisions of the VIE, 
as well as the remarketing agent or liquidity provider related to 
the debt issued to investors. We also securitize nonconforming 
mortgage loans, in which our involvement includes servicer of the 
underlying assets and holder of subordinate or senior securities 
issued by the VIE. 

Table 8.5 presents a summary of financial assets and liabilities of 
our consolidated VIEs. The carrying value represents assets and 
liabilities recorded on our consolidated balance sheet. Carrying 
values of assets are presented using GAAP measurement 
methods, which may include fair value, credit impairment or 
other adjustments, and therefore in some instances will differ 
from “Total VIE assets.” 

On our consolidated balance sheet, we separately disclose 

(1) the consolidated assets of certain VIEs that can only be used 
to settle the liabilities of those VIEs, and (2) the consolidated 
liabilities of certain VIEs for which the VIE creditors do not have 
recourse to Wells Fargo. 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Commercial and industrial loans and leases 

Commercial real estate loans (4) 

Other 

Total consolidated VIEs 

December 31, 2020 

Commercial and industrial loans and leases 

Commercial real estate loans (4) 

Other 

Total 
VIE assets 

Loans 

Debt 
securities (1) 

All other 
assets (2) 

Long-term
debt 

All other 
liabilities (3) 

Carrying value – asset (liability) 

$ 

$ 

$ 

7,013 

— 

516 

7,529 

6,987 

5,369 

1,627 

4,099 

— 

377 

4,476 

5,005 

5,357 

507 

— 

— 

71 

71 

— 

— 

967 

967 

231 

— 

3 

234 

223 

12 

75 

310 

— 

— 

(149) 

(149) 

— 

— 

(203) 

(203) 

(188) 

— 

(71) 

(259) 

(200) 

— 

(900) 

(1,100) 

Total consolidated VIEs 

$ 

13,983 

10,869 

(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 

Includes $269 million of securities classified as trading at December 31, 2020. There were no securities classified as trading at December 31, 2021. 
All other assets includes cash and due from banks, Interest-earning deposits with banks, derivative assets, equity securities, and other assets. 
All other liabilities includes short-term borrowings, derivative liabilities, and accrued expenses and other liabilities. 
For structure description, see the “Transactions with Unconsolidated VIEs” section within this Note. These consolidated VIEs were deconsolidated in first quarter 2021. 

Other Transactions 
In addition to the transactions included in the previous tables, we 
have used wholly-owned trust preferred security VIEs to issue 
debt securities or preferred equity exclusively to third-party 
investors. As the sole assets of the VIEs are receivables from us, 
we do not consolidate the VIEs even though we own all of the 
voting equity shares of the VIEs, have fully guaranteed the 
obligations of the VIEs, and may have the right to redeem the 
third-party securities under certain circumstances. See Note 12 
(Long-Term Debt) and Note 18 (Preferred Stock) for additional 
information about trust preferred securities. 

Certain money market funds are also excluded from the 
previous tables because they are exempt from the consolidation 
analysis. We voluntarily waived a portion of our management 
fees for these money market funds to maintain a minimum level 
of daily net investment income. The amount of fees waived was 
insignificant in the years ending December 31, 2021, 2020 and 
2019. 

140 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 9:  Mortgage Banking Activities 

Mortgage banking activities consist of residential and 
commercial mortgage originations, sales and servicing. 

We apply the amortization method to commercial MSRs and 

apply the fair value method to residential MSRs. The amortized 

cost of commercial MSRs was $1.3 billion for both periods, with 
an estimated fair value of $1.5 billion and $1.4 billion at 
December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Table 9.1 presents 
the changes in MSRs measured using the fair value method. 

Table 9.1:  Analysis of Changes in Fair Value MSRs 

(in millions) 

Fair value, beginning of period 

Servicing from securitizations or asset transfers (1) 

Sales and other (2) 

Net additions 

Changes in fair value: 

Due to valuation inputs or assumptions: 

Mortgage interest rates (3) 

Servicing and foreclosure costs (4) 

Discount rates 

Prepayment estimates and other (5) 

Net changes in valuation inputs or assumptions 

Changes due to collection/realization of expected cash flows (6) 

Total changes in fair value 

Fair value, end of period 

2021 

6,125 

1,645 

(8) 

1,637 

Year ended December 31, 

2020 

11,517 

1,708 

(32) 

1,676 

2019 

14,649 

1,933 

(286) 

1,647 

1,625 

(3,946) 

(2,406) 

(9) 

(56) 

(390) 

1,170 

(2,012) 

(842) 

6,920 

(175) 

27 

(599) 

(4,693) 

(2,375) 

(7,068) 

6,125 

48 

145 

(356) 

(2,569) 

(2,210) 

(4,779) 

11,517 

$ 

$ 

(1) 

(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
(5) 
(6) 

Includes impacts associated with exercising cleanup calls on securitizations and our right to repurchase delinquent loans from GNMA loan securitization pools. MSRs may increase upon repurchase 
due to servicing liabilities associated with these delinquent GNMA loans. 
Includes sales and transfers of MSRs, which can result in an increase in MSRs if related to portfolios with servicing liabilities. 
Includes prepayment rate changes as well as other valuation changes due to changes in mortgage interest rates. 
Includes costs to service and unreimbursed foreclosure costs. 
Represents other changes in valuation model inputs or assumptions including prepayment rate estimation changes that are independent of mortgage interest rate changes. 
Represents the reduction in the MSR fair value for the cash flows expected to be collected during the period, net of income accreted due to the passage of time. 

Table 9.2 provides key economic assumptions and sensitivity 

of the current fair value of residential MSRs to immediate 
adverse changes in those assumptions. Amounts for residential 
MSRs include purchased servicing rights as well as servicing 

Table 9.2:  Economic Assumptions and Sensitivity of Residential MSRs 

rights resulting from the transfer of loans. See Note 17 (Fair 
Values of Assets and Liabilities) for additional information on key 
economic assumptions for residential MSRs. 

($ in millions, except cost to service amounts) 

Fair value of interests held 

Expected weighted-average life (in years) 

Key economic assumptions: 

Prepayment rate assumption (1) 

Impact on fair value from 10% adverse change 

Impact on fair value from 25% adverse change 

Discount rate assumption 

Impact on fair value from 100 basis point increase 

Impact on fair value from 200 basis point increase 

Cost to service assumption ($ per loan) 

Impact on fair value from 10% adverse change 

Impact on fair value from 25% adverse change 

Dec 31, 
2021 

$  6,920 

4.7 

Dec 31, 
2020 

6,125 

3.7 

$ 

$ 

14.7  % 

356 

834 

6.4  % 

276 

529 

106 

165 

411 

19.9 

434 

1,002 

5.8 

229 

440 

130 

181 

454 

(1) 

Includes a blend of prepayment speeds and expected defaults. Prepayment speeds are influenced by mortgage interest rates as well as our estimation of drivers of borrower behavior. 

The sensitivities in the preceding table are hypothetical and 
caution should be exercised when relying on this data. Changes in 
value based on variations in assumptions generally cannot be 
extrapolated because the relationship of the change in the 
assumption to the change in value may not be linear. Also, the 
effect of a variation in a particular assumption on the value of the 
other interests held is calculated independently without changing 

any other assumptions. In reality, changes in one factor may 
result in changes in others, which might magnify or counteract 
the sensitivities. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

141 

  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Note 9:  Mortgage Banking Activities  (continued) 

We present the components of our managed servicing 

portfolio in Table 9.3 at unpaid principal balance for loans 
serviced and subserviced for others and at book value for owned 
loans serviced. 

Table 9.3:  Managed Servicing Portfolio 

(in billions) 

Residential mortgage servicing: 

Serviced and subserviced for others 

Owned loans serviced 

Total residential servicing 

Commercial mortgage servicing: 

Serviced and subserviced for others 

Owned loans serviced 

Total commercial servicing 

Total managed servicing portfolio 

Total serviced for others, excluding subserviced for others 

MSRs as a percentage of loans serviced for others 

Weighted average note rate (mortgage loans serviced for others) 

At December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, we had 
servicer advances, net of an allowance for uncollectible amounts, 
of $3.2 billion and $3.4 billion, respectively. As the servicer of 
loans for others, we advance certain payments of principal, 
interest, taxes, insurance, and default-related expenses which are 
generally reimbursed within a short timeframe from cash flows 
from the trust, GSEs, insurer or borrower. The credit risk related 
to these advances is limited since the reimbursement is generally 
senior to cash payments to investors. We also advance payments 
of taxes and insurance for our owned loans which are collectible 

Table 9.4:  Mortgage Banking Noninterest Income 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

$ 

718 

276 

994 

597 

130 

727 

$ 

$ 

1,721 

1,304 

0.63  % 

3.82 

859 

323 

1,182 

583 

123 

706 

1,888 

1,431 

0.52 

4.03 

from the borrower. We maintain an allowance for uncollectible 
amounts for advances on loans serviced for others that may not 
be reimbursed if the payments were not made in accordance with 
applicable servicing agreements or if the insurance or servicing 
agreements contain limitations on reimbursements. Servicing 
advances on owned loans are charged-off when deemed 
uncollectible. 

Table 9.4 presents the components of mortgage banking 

noninterest income. 

(in millions) 

Servicing fees: 

Contractually specified servicing fees, late charges and ancillary fees 

$ 

Unreimbursed direct servicing costs (1) 

Servicing fees 

Amortization (2) 

Changes due to collection/realization of expected cash flows (3) 

Net servicing fees 

Changes in fair value of MSRs due to valuation inputs or assumptions (4) 

Net derivative gains (losses) from economic hedges (5) 

Market-related valuation changes to MSRs, net of hedge results 

Total net servicing income 

Net gains on mortgage loan originations/sales (6) 

Total mortgage banking noninterest income 

(A) 

(B) 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

2,801 

(332) 

2,469 

(225) 

(2,012) 

232 

1,170 

(1,208) 

(38) 

194 

4,762 

4,956 

3,250 

(620) 

2,630 

(308) 

(2,375) 

(53) 

(4,693) 

4,607 

(86) 

(139) 

3,632 

3,493 

3,660 

(403) 

3,257 

(274) 

(2,210) 

773 

(2,569) 

2,318 

(251) 

522 

2,193 

2,715 

Total changes in fair value of MSRs carried at fair value 

(A)+(B) 

$ 

(842) 

(7,068) 

(4,779) 

(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
(5) 
(6) 

Includes costs associated with foreclosures, unreimbursed interest advances to investors, and other interest costs. 
Includes a $41 million reversal of impairment recorded in 2021 on the commercial amortized MSRs. Also, includes a $37 million impairment recorded in 2020 on the commercial amortized MSRs. 
Represents the reduction in the MSR fair value for the cash flows expected to be collected during the period, net of income accreted due to the passage of time. 
Refer to the analysis of changes in fair value MSRs presented in Table 9.1 in this Note for more detail. 
See Note 16 (Derivatives) for additional discussion and detail on economic hedges. 
Includes net gains (losses) of $1.2 billion, $(1.8) billion and $(141) million at December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, related to derivatives used as economic hedges of mortgage loans held 
for sale and derivative loan commitments. 

142 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 10:  Intangible Assets 

Table 10.1 presents the gross carrying value of intangible assets 
and accumulated amortization. 

Table 10.1:  Intangible Assets 

(in millions) 

Amortized intangible assets (1): 

MSRs (2) 

Customer relationship and other intangibles 

Total amortized intangible assets 

Unamortized intangible assets: 

MSRs (carried at fair value) 

Goodwill 

Trademark 

Gross carrying 
value 

Accumulated 
amortization 

Net carrying 
value 

Gross carrying 
value 

Accumulated 
amortization 

Net carrying 
value 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

$ 

$ 

$ 

4,794 

842 

5,636 

6,920 

25,180 

14 

(3,525) 

(631) 

(4,156) 

1,269 

211 

1,480 

4,612 

879 

5,491 

6,125 

26,392 

14 

(3,300) 

(551) 

(3,851) 

1,312 

328 

1,640 

(1) 
(2) 

Balances are excluded commencing in the period following full amortization. 
Includes a $4 million and $37 million valuation allowance recorded for amortized MSRs at December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively. See Note 9 (Mortgage Banking Activities) for 
additional information on MSRs. 

Table 10.2 provides the current year and estimated future 

amortization expense for amortized intangible assets. We based 
our projections of amortization expense shown below on existing 

asset balances at December 31, 2021. Future amortization 
expense may vary from these projections. 

Table 10.2:  Amortization Expense for Intangible Assets 

(in millions) 

 Year ended December 31, 2021 (actual) 

Estimate for year ended December 31, 

2022 

2023 

2024 

2025 

2026 

Amortized MSRs 

Customer 
relationship and 
other intangibles 

$ 

$ 

225 

246 

213 

187 

163 

130 

80 

59 

51 

41 

33 

27 

Total 

305 

305 

264 

228 

196 

157 

In 2021, we announced agreements to sell Wells Fargo Asset 
Management (WFAM) and our Corporate Trust Services business 
and transferred the associated goodwill from the Wealth and 
Investment Management operating segment and the 
Commercial Banking operating segment, respectively, to 
Corporate. In fourth quarter 2021, we completed the sales of 
WFAM and our Corporate Trust Services business. We recorded 

net gains of $674 million and $269 million, respectively, in 
noninterest income from these sales, which are subject to certain 
post-closing adjustments and earn-out provisions. Also in 2021, 
we removed goodwill in connection with our sales of our student 
loan portfolio and our Canadian equipment finance business. 

Table 10.3 shows the allocation of goodwill to our reportable 

operating segments. 

Table 10.3:  Goodwill 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2019 

Foreign currency translation 

Transfers of goodwill 

December 31, 2020 

Foreign currency translation 

Transfers of goodwill 

Divestitures 

December 31, 2021 

Consumer 
Banking and 
Lending 

$ 

16,685 

— 

(267) 

$ 

16,418 

— 

— 

— 

$ 

16,418 

Wholesale 
Banking 

Commercial 
Banking 

Corporate and 
Investment 
Banking 

Wealth and 
Investment 
Management 

Corporate 

8,429 

— 

(8,429) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2 

3,016 

3,018 

— 

(80) 

— 

— 

— 

5,375 

5,375 

— 

— 

— 

2,938 

5,375 

1,276 

— 

— 

1,276 

— 

(932) 

— 

344 

— 

— 

305 

305 

— 

1,012 

(1,212) 

105 

Consolidated 
Company 

26,390 

2 

— 

26,392 

— 

— 

(1,212) 

25,180 

Wells Fargo & Company 

143 

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
Note 11:  Deposits 

Table 11.1 presents a summary of the time certificates of 
deposit (CDs) and other time deposits issued by domestic and 
non-U.S. offices in denominations in excess of $250,000. 

Table 11.1:  Time Deposits 

(in millions) 

Total domestic and Non-U.S. 

Time deposits $250,000 or more 

December 31, 

2021 

$ 

30,012 

5,527 

2020 

52,807 

9,033 

The contractual maturities of time deposits are presented in 

Table 11.2. 

Table 11.2:  Contractual Maturities of Time Deposits 

(in millions) 

2022 

2023 

2024 

2025 

2026 

Thereafter 

Total 

$ 

December 31, 2021 

20,816 

5,427 

2,159 

582 

143 

885 

$ 

30,012 

Demand deposit overdrafts of $153 million and $326 million 

were included as loan balances at December 31, 2021 and 2020, 
respectively. 

144 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
  
  
 
 
 
Note 12:  Long-Term Debt 

We issue long-term debt denominated in multiple currencies, 
primarily in U.S. dollars. Our issuances have both fixed and 
floating interest rates. As a part of our overall interest rate risk 
management strategy, we often use derivatives to manage our 
exposure to interest rate risk. We also use derivatives to manage 
our exposure to foreign currency risk. As a result, substantially all 
of the long-term debt presented below is hedged in a fair value 
or cash flow hedge relationship. 

Table 12.1 presents a summary of our long-term debt 
carrying values, reflecting unamortized debt discounts and 
premiums, and hedge basis adjustments, where applicable. See 
Note 16 (Derivatives) for additional information on qualifying 
hedge contracts. The interest rates displayed represent the 
range of contractual rates in effect at December 31, 2021. These 
interest rates do not include the effects of any associated 
derivatives designated in a hedge accounting relationship. 

Table 12.1:  Long-Term Debt 

(in millions) 

Wells Fargo & Company (Parent only) 

Senior 

Fixed-rate notes 

Floating-rate notes 

FixFloat notes 

Structured notes (1) 

Total senior debt – Parent 

Subordinated 

Fixed-rate notes (2) 

Total subordinated debt – Parent 

Junior subordinated 

Fixed-rate notes 

Floating-rate notes 

Total junior subordinated debt – Parent (3) 

Total long-term debt – Parent (2) 

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and other bank entities (Bank) 

Senior 

Fixed-rate notes 

Floating-rate notes 

FixFloat notes 

Fixed-rate advances – Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) 

Structured notes (1) 

Finance leases 

Total senior debt – Bank 

Subordinated 

Fixed-rate notes 

Total subordinated debt – Bank 

Junior subordinated 

Floating-rate notes 

Total junior subordinated debt – Bank (3) 

Long-term debt issued by VIE – Floating rate 

Mortgage notes and other debt (4) 

Total long-term debt – Bank 

(continued on following page) 

Maturity date(s) 

Stated interest rate(s) 

December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2022-2045 

2022-2048 

2024-2051 

0.38-6.75% 

$ 

62,525 

0.00-1.36% 

0.81-5.01% 

5,535 

43,010 

5,874 

84,892 

13,736 

43,917 

8,081 

116,944 

150,626 

2023-2046 

3.45-7.57% 

2029-2036 

2027 

5.95-7.95% 

0.62-1.12% 

2038-2053 

0.00% 

2022-2029 

1.13-17.78% 

2023-2038 

5.25-7.74% 

2027 

2037 

2022-2059 

0.73-0.77% 

0.24-0.25% 

0.24-9.03% 

27,970 

27,970 

1,041 

331 

1,372 

29,874 

29,874 

1,382 

330 

1,712 

146,286 

182,212 

— 

116 

— 

— 

307 

26 

449 

5,387 

5,387 

388 

388 

149 

6,485 

$ 

12,858 

7,644 

3,747 

2,841 

31 

792 

28 

15,083 

5,775 

5,775 

375 

375 

203 

5,694 

27,130 

Wells Fargo & Company 

145 

  
 
  
Note 12:  Long-Term Debt (continued) 

(continued from previous page) 

(in millions) 

Other consolidated subsidiaries 

Senior 

Fixed-rate notes 

Structured notes (1) 

Total senior debt – Other consolidated subsidiaries 

Mortgage notes and other 

Total long-term debt – Other consolidated subsidiaries 

Total long-term debt 

Maturity date(s) 

Stated interest rate(s) 

2023 

3.46%  $ 

December 31, 

2021 

2020 

398 

1,147 

1,545 

— 

1,545 

1,390 

2,186 

3,576 

32 

3,608 

$ 

160,689 

212,950 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

Included in the table are certain structured notes that have coupon or repayment terms linked to the performance of debt or equity securities, an embedded equity, commodity, or currency index, or 
basket of indices accounted for separately from the note as a free-standing derivative, and the maturity may be accelerated based on the value of a referenced index or security. For additional 
information on embedded derivatives, see the “Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments” section in Note 16 (Derivatives). In addition, a major portion consists of zero coupon notes where 
interest is paid as part of the final redemption amount. 
Includes fixed-rate subordinated notes issued by the Parent at a discount of $123 million and $126 million in 2021 and 2020, respectively, and debt issuance costs of $2 million in both 2021 and 
2020, to effect a modification of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., notes. These subordinated notes are carried at their par amount on the consolidated balance sheet of the Parent presented in Note 27 
(Parent-Only Financial Statements). In addition, Parent long-term debt presented in Note 27 also includes affiliate related issuance costs of $329 million and $384 million in 2021 and 2020, 
respectively. 
Includes $388 million and $704 million of junior subordinated debentures held by unconsolidated wholly-owned trust preferred security VIEs at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. In both 
2021 and 2020, we liquidated certain of our trust preferred security VIEs. As part of these liquidations, junior subordinated debentures that were held by the trusts with a total carrying value of 
$332 million and $1.4 billion, respectively, were distributed to third-party investors. See Note 8 (Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities) for additional information about trust preferred 
security VIEs. 
Primarily relates to unfunded commitments for LIHTC investments. For additional information, see Note 6 (Equity Securities). 

The aggregate carrying value of long-term debt that 

matures (based on contractual payment dates) as of 
December 31, 2021, in each of the following five years and 
thereafter is presented in Table 12.2. 

Table 12.2:  Maturity of Long-Term Debt 

(in millions) 

Wells Fargo & Company (Parent Only) 

Senior notes 

Subordinated notes 

Junior subordinated notes 

2022 

2023 

2024 

2025 

2026 

Thereafter 

Total 

December 31, 2021 

$ 

13,050 

— 

— 

8,045 

3,653 

— 

11,871 

14,554 

19,173 

740 

— 

1,077 

2,932 

— 

— 

50,251 

19,568 

1,372 

116,944 

27,970 

1,372 

Total long-term debt – Parent 

13,050 

11,698 

12,611 

15,631 

22,105 

71,191 

146,286 

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and other bank entities (Bank) 

Senior notes 

Subordinated notes 

Junior subordinated notes 

Securitizations and other bank debt 

Total long-term debt – Bank 

Other consolidated subsidiaries 

Senior notes 

Total long-term debt – Other consolidated subsidiaries 

28 

— 

— 

2,506 

2,534 

187 

187 

3 

1,045 

— 

1,290 

2,338 

500 

500 

3 

— 

— 

955 

958 

105 

105 

190 

163 

— 

253 

606 

423 

423 

86 

— 

— 

125 

211 

224 

224 

139 

4,179 

388 

1,505 

6,211 

106 

106 

449 

5,387 

388 

6,634 

12,858 

1,545 

1,545 

Total long-term debt 

$ 

15,771 

14,536 

13,674 

16,660 

22,540 

77,508 

160,689 

As part of our long-term and short-term borrowing 

arrangements, we are subject to various financial and operational 
covenants. Some of the agreements under which debt has been 
issued have provisions that may limit the merger or sale of 
certain subsidiary banks and the issuance of capital stock or 
convertible securities by certain subsidiary banks. At 
December 31, 2021, we were in compliance with all the 
covenants. 

146 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Note 13:  Guarantees and Other Commitments 

Guarantees are contracts that contingently require us to make 
payments to a guaranteed party based on an event or a change in 
an underlying asset, liability, rate or index. Guarantees are 
generally in the form of standby and direct pay letters of credit, 

written options, recourse obligations, and other types of similar 
arrangements. Table 13.1 shows carrying value, maximum 
exposure to loss on our guarantees and the related non-
investment grade amounts. 

Table 13.1:  Guarantees – Carrying Value and Maximum Exposure to Loss 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Standby letters of credit 

Direct pay letters of credit 

Written options (1) 

Loans and LHFS sold with recourse (2) 

Exchange and clearing house guarantees 

Other guarantees and indemnifications (3) 

Total guarantees 

December 31, 2020 

Standby letters of credit 

Direct pay letters of credit 

Written options (1) 

Loans and LHFS sold with recourse (2) 

Exchange and clearing house guarantees 

Other guarantees and indemnifications (3) 

$ 

$ 

$ 

Carrying 
value of 
obligation 
(asset) 

Expires in one 
year or less 

Expires after 
one year 
through three 
years 

Expires after 
three years 
through five 
years 

Expires after 
five years 

119 

6 

(280) 

20 

— 

— 

13,816 

1,597 

12,107 

71 

— 

797 

5,260 

2,137 

4,575 

943 

— 

2 

1,572 

1,283 

513 

3,610 

— 

12 

460 

4 

36 

8,650 

8,100 

263 

Maximum exposure to loss 

Non-
investment 
grade 

6,939 

1,373 

13,645 

11,268 

— 

756 

Total 

21,108 

5,021 

17,231 

13,274 

8,100 

1,074 

(135) 

28,388 

12,917 

6,990 

17,513 

65,808 

33,981 

156 

18 

(538) 

33 

— 

— 

11,977 

2,256 

12,735 

177 

— 

734 

4,962 

2,746 

7,972 

819 

— 

1 

1,897 

531 

889 

1,870 

— 

1 

433 

39 

58 

9,723 

5,510 

1,414 

19,269 

5,572 

21,654 

12,589 

5,510 

2,150 

7,528 

1,102 

13,394 

10,332 

— 

590 

Total guarantees 

$ 

(331) 

27,879 

16,500 

5,188 

17,177 

66,744 

32,946 

(1)  Written options, which are in the form of derivatives, are also included in the derivative disclosures in Note 16 (Derivatives). Carrying value net asset position is a result of certain deferred premium 

(2) 
(3) 

option trades. 
Represents recourse provided, predominantly to the GSEs, on loans sold under various programs and arrangements. 
Includes indemnifications provided to certain third-party clearing agents. Estimated maximum exposure to loss was $216 million and $1.4 billion with related collateral of $2.3 billion and $1.2 billion 
as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

STANDBY LETTERS OF CREDIT  We issue standby letters of credit, 
which include performance and financial guarantees, for 
customers in connection with contracts between our customers 
and third parties. We also originate multipurpose lending 
commitments under which borrowers have the option to draw on 
the facility in one of several forms, including as a standby letter 
of credit. Standby letters of credit are conditional lending 
commitments where we are obligated to make payment to a 
third party on behalf of a customer if the customer fails to meet 
their contractual obligations. Total maximum exposure to loss 
includes the portion of multipurpose lending facilities for which 
we have issued standby letters of credit under the commitments. 

DIRECT PAY LETTERS OF CREDIT  We issue direct pay letters of 
credit to serve as credit enhancements for certain bond 
issuances. Beneficiaries (bond trustees) may draw upon these 
instruments to make scheduled principal and interest payments, 
redeem all outstanding bonds because a default event has 
occurred, or for other reasons as permitted by the agreement. 

“Maximum exposure to loss” and “Non-investment grade” 

are required disclosures under GAAP. Maximum exposure to loss 
represents the estimated loss that would be incurred under an 
assumed hypothetical circumstance, despite what we believe is a 
remote possibility, where the value of our interests and any 
associated collateral declines to zero. Maximum exposure to loss 
estimates in Table 13.1 do not reflect economic hedges or 
collateral we could use to offset or recover losses we may incur 
under our guarantee agreements. Accordingly, this required 
disclosure is not an indication of expected loss. We believe the 
carrying value is more representative of our exposure to loss than 
maximum exposure to loss. The carrying value represents the fair 
value of the guarantee, if any, and also includes an ACL for 
guarantees, if applicable. In determining the ACL for guarantees, 
we consider the credit risk of the related contingent obligation. 
Non-investment grade represents those guarantees on 
which we have a higher risk of performance under the terms of 
the guarantee. If the underlying assets under the guarantee are 
non-investment grade (that is, an external rating that is below 
investment grade or an internal credit default grade that is 
equivalent to a below investment grade external rating), we 
consider the risk of performance to be high. Internal credit 
default grades are determined based upon the same credit 
policies that we use to evaluate the risk of payment or 
performance when making loans and other extensions of credit. 
Credit quality indicators we usually consider in evaluating risk of 
payments or performance are described in Note 4 (Loans and 
Related Allowance for Credit Losses). 

Wells Fargo & Company 

147 

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 13:  Guarantees and Other Commitments (continued) 

WRITTEN OPTIONS  We enter into certain derivative contracts 
that have the characteristics of a guarantee. These contracts 
include written put options that give the counterparty the right 
to sell to us an underlying instrument held by the counterparty at 
a specified price by a specified date. They also include certain 
written options that require us to make a payment for increases 
in fair value of assets held by the counterparty. These written 
option contracts generally permit or require net settlement. 
While these derivative transactions expose us to risk if the option 
is exercised, we manage this risk by entering into offsetting 
trades or by taking short positions in the underlying instrument. 
We offset market risk related to options written to customers 
with cash securities or other offsetting derivative transactions. 
Additionally, for certain of these contracts, we require the 
counterparty to pledge the underlying instrument as collateral 
for the transaction. Our ultimate obligation under written 
options is based on future market conditions and is only 
quantifiable at settlement. See Note 16 (Derivatives) for 
additional information regarding written derivative contracts. 

LOANS AND LHFS SOLD WITH RECOURSE  In certain sales and 
securitizations of loans, including mortgage loans, we provide 
recourse to the buyer whereby we are required to indemnify the 
buyer for any loss on the loan up to par value plus accrued 
interest. We provide recourse, predominantly to GSEs, on loans 
sold under various programs and arrangements. Substantially all 
of these programs and arrangements require that we share in the 
loans’ credit exposure for their remaining life by providing 
recourse to the GSE, up to 33.33% of actual losses incurred on a 
pro-rata basis in the event of borrower default. Under the 
remaining recourse programs and arrangements, if certain 
events occur within a specified period of time from transfer date, 
we have to provide limited recourse to the buyer to indemnify 
them for losses incurred for the remaining life of the loans. The 
maximum exposure to loss reported in Table 13.1 represents the 
outstanding principal balance of the loans sold or securitized that 
are subject to recourse provisions or the maximum losses per the 
contractual agreements. However, we believe the likelihood of 
loss of the entire balance due to these recourse agreements is 
remote, and amounts paid can be recovered in whole or in part 
from the sale of collateral. We also provide representation and 
warranty guarantees on loans sold under the various recourse 
programs and arrangements. Our loss exposure relative to these 
guarantees is separately considered and provided for, as 
necessary, in determination of our liability for loan repurchases 
due to breaches of representation and warranties. 

EXCHANGE AND CLEARING HOUSE GUARANTEES  We are members 
of several securities and derivatives exchanges and clearing 
houses, both in the U.S. and in countries outside the U.S., that we 
use to clear our trades and those of our customers. It is common 
that all members in these organizations are required to 
collectively guarantee the performance of other members and of 
the organization. Our obligations under the guarantees are 
generally a pro-rata share based on either a fixed amount or a 
multiple of the guarantee fund we are required to maintain with 
these organizations. Some membership rules require members 
to assume a pro-rata share of losses resulting from another 
member’s default or from non-member default losses after 
applying the guarantee fund. We have not recorded a liability for 
these arrangements as of the dates presented in Table 13.1 
because we believe the likelihood of loss is remote. 

OTHER GUARANTEES AND INDEMNIFICATIONS  We have 
contingent performance arrangements related to various 
customer relationships and lease transactions. We are required 
to pay the counterparties to these agreements if third parties 
default on certain obligations. 

Under certain factoring arrangements, we may be required 

to purchase trade receivables from third parties, if receivable 
debtors default on their payment obligations. 

We use certain third-party clearing agents to clear and settle 

transactions on behalf of some of our institutional brokerage 
customers. We indemnify the clearing agents against loss that 
could occur for non-performance by our customers on 
transactions that are not sufficiently collateralized. Transactions 
subject to the indemnifications may include customer obligations 
related to the settlement of margin accounts and short 
positions, such as written call options and securities borrowing 
transactions. 

We enter into other types of indemnification agreements in 

the ordinary course of business under which we agree to 
indemnify third parties against any damages, losses and 
expenses incurred in connection with legal and other proceedings 
arising from relationships or transactions with us. These 
relationships or transactions include those arising from service as 
a director or officer of the Company, underwriting agreements 
relating to our securities, acquisition agreements and various 
other business transactions or arrangements. Because the extent 
of our obligations under these agreements depends entirely 
upon the occurrence of future events, we are unable to 
determine our potential future liability under these agreements. 
We do, however, record a liability for residential mortgage loans 
that we expect to repurchase pursuant to various 
representations and warranties. 

MERCHANT PROCESSING SERVICES  We provide debit and credit 
card transaction processing services through payment networks 
directly for merchants and as a sponsor for merchant processing 
servicers, including our joint venture with a third party that is 
accounted for as an equity method investment. In our role as the 
merchant acquiring bank, we have a potential obligation in 
connection with payment and delivery disputes between the 
merchant and the cardholder that are resolved in favor of the 
cardholder. If we are unable to collect the amounts from the 
merchant, we incur a loss for the refund to the cardholder. We 
are secondarily obligated to make a refund for transactions 
involving sponsored merchant processing servicers. We generally 
have a low likelihood of loss in connection with our merchant 
processing services because most products and services are 
delivered when purchased and amounts are generally refunded 
when items are returned to the merchant. In addition, we may 
reduce our risk in connection with these transactions by 
withholding future payments and requiring cash or other 
collateral. In 2021, we processed card network transaction 
volume of $1.7 trillion as a merchant acquiring bank, and related 
losses, including those from our joint venture entity, were 
immaterial. 

148 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
 
 
 
  
 
GUARANTEES OF SUBSIDIARIES  In the normal course of business, 
the Parent may provide counterparties with guarantees related 
to its subsidiaries’ obligations. These obligations are included in 
the Company’s consolidated balance sheet or are reflected as 
off-balance sheet commitments, and therefore, the Parent has 
not recognized a separate liability for these guarantees. 
The Parent fully and unconditionally guarantees the 

payment of principal, interest, and any other amounts that may 
be due on securities that its 100% owned finance subsidiary, 
Wells Fargo Finance LLC, may issue. These securities are not 
guaranteed by any other subsidiary of the Parent. The 
guaranteed liabilities were $1.2 billion and $2.3 billion at 
December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. These guarantees 
rank on parity with all of the Parent’s other unsecured and 
unsubordinated indebtedness. The assets of the Parent consist 
primarily of equity in its subsidiaries, and the Parent is a separate 
and distinct legal entity from its subsidiaries. As a result, the 
Parent’s ability to address claims of holders of these debt 
securities against the Parent under the guarantee depends on 
the Parent’s receipt of dividends, loan payments and other funds 
from its subsidiaries. If any of the Parent’s subsidiaries becomes 
insolvent, the direct creditors of that subsidiary will have a prior 
claim on that subsidiary’s assets. The rights of the Parent and the 
rights of the Parent’s creditors will be subject to that prior claim 
unless the Parent is also a direct creditor of that subsidiary. For 
additional information regarding other restrictions on the 
Parent’s ability to receive dividends, loan payments and other 
funds from its subsidiaries, see Note 28 (Regulatory Capital 
Requirements and Other Restrictions). 

OTHER COMMITMENTS  To meet the financing needs of our 
customers, we may enter into commitments to purchase debt 
and equity securities to provide capital for their funding, liquidity 
or other future needs. As of both December 31, 2021 and 2020, 
we had commitments to purchase debt securities of $18 million 
and commitments to purchase equity securities of $2.4 billion 
and $3.2 billion, respectively. 

As part of maintaining our memberships in certain clearing 

organizations, we are required to stand ready to provide liquidity 
to sustain market clearing activity in the event unforeseen 
events occur or are deemed likely to occur. Certain of these 
obligations are guarantees of other members’ performance and 
accordingly are included in Table 13.1 in Other guarantees and 
indemnifications. 

Also, we have commitments to purchase loans and securities 

under resale agreements from certain counterparties, including 
central clearing organizations. The amount of our unfunded 
contractual commitments was $11.0 billion and $12.0 billion as 
of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

Given the nature of these commitments, they are excluded 

from Table 4.4 (Unfunded Credit Commitments) in Note 4 
(Loans and Related Allowance for Credit Losses). 

Wells Fargo & Company 

149 

  
  
 
 
 
Repledged third-party owned debt and equity securities 

$ 

Note 14:  Pledged Assets and Collateral 

Pledged Assets 
Table 14.1 provides the carrying amount of on-balance sheet 
pledged assets and the fair value of other pledged collateral. 
Other pledged collateral is collateral we have received from third 
parties, have the right to repledge and is not recognized on our 
consolidated balance sheet. 

TRADING RELATED ACTIVITY  Our trading businesses may pledge 
debt and equity securities in connection with securities sold 
under agreements to repurchase (repurchase agreements) and 
securities lending arrangements. The collateral that we pledge 
related to our trading activities may include our own collateral as 
well as collateral that we have received from third parties and 
have the right to repledge. All of the collateral we pledge related 
to trading activity is eligible to be repledged or sold by the 
secured party. 

NON-TRADING RELATED ACTIVITY  As part of our liquidity 
management strategy, we may pledge loans, debt securities, and 

Table 14.1:  Pledged Assets 

(in millions) 

Related to trading activities: 

Trading debt securities and other 

Equity securities 

Total pledged assets related to trading activities 

Related to non-trading activities: 

Loans 

Debt securities: 

Available-for-sale 

Held-to-maturity 

Other financial assets 

Total pledged assets related to non-trading activities 

Related to VIEs: 

Consolidated VIE assets 

Loans eligible for repurchase from GNMA securitizations 

Total pledged assets related to VIEs 

Total pledged assets 

Securities Financing Activities 
We enter into resale and repurchase agreements and securities 
borrowing and lending agreements (collectively, “securities 
financing activities”) typically to finance trading positions 
(including securities and derivatives), acquire securities to cover 
short trading positions, accommodate customers’ financing 
needs, and settle other securities obligations. These activities are 
conducted through our broker-dealer subsidiaries and, to a lesser 
extent, through other bank entities. Our securities financing 
activities primarily involve high-quality, liquid securities such as 
U.S. Treasury securities and government agency securities and, 
to a lesser extent, less liquid securities, including equity 
securities, corporate bonds and asset-backed securities. We 
account for these transactions as collateralized financings in 
which we typically receive or pledge securities as collateral. We 
believe these financing transactions generally do not have 
material credit risk given the collateral provided and the related 
monitoring processes. 

other financial assets to secure trust and public deposits, 
borrowings and letters of credit from the Federal Home Loan 
Bank (FHLB) and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System (FRB) and for other purposes as required or permitted by 
law or insurance statutory requirements. Substantially all of the 
non-trading activity pledged collateral is not eligible to be 
repledged or sold by the secured party. 

VIE RELATED  We pledge assets in connection with various types 
of transactions entered into with VIEs. These pledged assets can 
only be used to settle the liabilities of those entities. 

We also have loans recorded on our consolidated balance 

sheet which represent certain delinquent loans that are eligible 
for repurchase from GNMA loan securitizations. See Note 8 
(Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities) for additional 
information on consolidated VIE assets. 

Dec 31, 
2021 

31,087 

14,216 

984 

46,287 

Dec 31, 
2020 

44,765 

19,572 

470 

64,807 

288,698 

344,220 

65,198 

13,843 

1,600 

369,339 

4,781 

109 

4,890 

57,289 

17,290 

230 

419,029 

12,146 

179 

12,325 

$ 

420,516 

496,161 

OFFSETTING OF SECURITIES FINANCING ACTIVITIES  Table 14.2 
presents resale and repurchase agreements subject to master 
repurchase agreements (MRA) and securities borrowing and 
lending agreements subject to master securities lending 
agreements (MSLA). Collateralized financings, and those with a 
single counterparty, are presented net on our consolidated 
balance sheet, provided certain criteria are met that permit 
balance sheet netting. The majority of transactions subject to 
these agreements do not meet those criteria and thus are not 
eligible for balance sheet netting. 

Collateral we pledged consists of non-cash instruments, 
such as securities or loans, and is not netted on the consolidated 
balance sheet against the related liability. Collateral we received 
includes securities or loans and is not recognized on our 
consolidated balance sheet. Collateral pledged or received may 
be increased or decreased over time to maintain certain 
contractual thresholds, as the assets underlying each 
arrangement fluctuate in value. Generally, these agreements 
require collateral to exceed the asset or liability recognized on 

150 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
the balance sheet. The following table includes the amount of 
collateral pledged or received related to exposures subject to 
enforceable MRAs or MSLAs. While these agreements are 
typically over-collateralized, U.S. GAAP requires disclosure in this 
table to limit the reported amount of such collateral to the 

amount of the related recognized asset or liability for each 
counterparty. 

In addition to the amounts included in Table 14.2, we also 
have balance sheet netting related to derivatives that is disclosed 
in Note 16 (Derivatives). 

Table 14.2:  Offsetting – Securities Financing Activities 

(in millions) 

Assets: 

Resale and securities borrowing agreements 

Gross amounts recognized 

Gross amounts offset in consolidated balance sheet (1) 

Net amounts in consolidated balance sheet (2) 

Collateral not recognized in consolidated balance sheet (3) 

Net amount (4) 

Liabilities: 

Repurchase and securities lending agreements 

Gross amounts recognized 

Gross amounts offset in consolidated balance sheet (1) 

Net amounts in consolidated balance sheet (5) 

Collateral pledged but not netted in consolidated balance sheet (6) 

Net amount (4) 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

103,140 

(14,074) 

89,066 

(88,330) 

736 

35,043 

(14,074) 

20,969 

(20,820) 

149 

92,446 

(11,513) 

80,933 

(80,158) 

775 

57,622 

(11,513) 

46,109 

(45,819) 

290 

(1) 
(2) 

(3) 

(4) 
(5) 
(6) 

Represents recognized amount of resale and repurchase agreements with counterparties subject to enforceable MRAs that have been offset in the consolidated balance sheet. 
Includes $66.2 billion and $65.6 billion classified on our consolidated balance sheet in federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale agreements at December 31, 2021, and December 31, 
2020, respectively. Also includes securities purchased under long-term resale agreements (generally one year or more) classified in loans, which totaled $22.9 billion and $15.3 billion, at 
December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively. 
Represents the fair value of collateral we have received under enforceable MRAs or MSLAs, limited in the table above to the amount of the recognized asset due from each counterparty. At 
December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, we have received total collateral with a fair value of $124.4 billion and $108.5 billion, respectively, all of which we have the right to sell or repledge. 
These amounts include securities we have sold or repledged to others with a fair value of $28.8 billion and $36.1 billion at December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively. 
Represents the amount of our exposure (assets) or obligation (liabilities) that is not collateralized and/or is not subject to an enforceable MRA or MSLA. 
Amount is classified in short-term borrowings on our consolidated balance sheet. 
Represents the fair value of collateral we have pledged, related to enforceable MRAs or MSLAs, limited in the table above to the amount of the recognized liability owed to each counterparty. At 
December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, we have pledged total collateral with a fair value of $35.9 billion and $59.2 billion, respectively, substantially all of which may be sold or repledged by the 
counterparty. 

REPURCHASE AND SECURITIES LENDING AGREEMENTS  Securities 
sold under repurchase agreements and securities lending 
arrangements are effectively short-term collateralized 
borrowings. In these transactions, we receive cash in exchange 
for transferring securities as collateral and recognize an 
obligation to reacquire the securities for cash at the transaction’s 
maturity. These types of transactions create risks, including 
(1) the counterparty may fail to return the securities at maturity, 
(2) the fair value of the securities transferred may decline below 
the amount of our obligation to reacquire the securities, and 
therefore create an obligation for us to pledge additional 
amounts, and (3) the counterparty may accelerate the maturity 
on demand, requiring us to reacquire the security prior to 
contractual maturity. We attempt to mitigate these risks in 
various ways. Our collateral primarily consists of highly liquid 
securities. In addition, we underwrite and monitor the financial 
strength of our counterparties, monitor the fair value of 
collateral pledged relative to contractually required repurchase 
amounts, and monitor that our collateral is properly returned 
through the clearing and settlement process in advance of our 
cash repayment. Table 14.3 provides the gross amounts 
recognized on the consolidated balance sheet (before the effects 
of offsetting) of our liabilities for repurchase and securities 
lending agreements disaggregated by underlying collateral type. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

151 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 14:  Pledged Assets and Collateral (continued) 

Table 14.3:  Gross Obligations by Underlying Collateral Type 

(in millions) 

Repurchase agreements: 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

Securities of U.S. States and political subdivisions 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Non-agency mortgage-backed securities 

Corporate debt securities 

Asset-backed securities 

Equity securities 

Other 

Total repurchases 

Securities lending arrangements: 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Corporate debt securities 

Equity securities (1) 

Other 

Total securities lending 

Dec 31, 
2021 

$ 

14,956 

1 

3,432 

809 

8,899 

358 

919 

409 

29,783 

33 

17 

80 

5,050 

80 

5,260 

35,043 

Dec 31, 
2020 

22,922 

4 

15,353 

1,069 

9,944 

1,054 

1,500 

336 

52,182 

64 

23 

79 

5,189 

85 

5,440 

57,622 

Total repurchases and securities lending 

$ 

(1) 

Equity securities are generally exchange traded and represent collateral received from third parties that has been repledged. We received the collateral through either margin lending agreements or 
contemporaneous securities borrowing transactions with other counterparties. 

Table 14.4 provides the contractual maturities of our gross 
obligations under repurchase and securities lending agreements. 

Table 14.4:  Contractual Maturities of Gross Obligations 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Repurchase agreements 

Securities lending arrangements 

Total repurchases and securities lending (1) 

December 31, 2020 

Repurchase agreements 

Securities lending arrangements 

Total repurchases and securities lending (1) 

Overnight/ 
continuous 

Up to 30 days 

30-90 days 

>90 days 

Total gross 
obligation 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

16,452 

4,810 

21,262 

36,946 

4,690 

41,636 

3,570 

— 

3,570 

5,251 

400 

5,651 

4,276 

— 

4,276 

5,100 

350 

5,450 

5,485 

450 

5,935 

4,885 

— 

4,885 

29,783 

5,260 

35,043 

52,182 

5,440 

57,622 

(1) 

Securities lending is executed under agreements that allow either party to terminate the transaction without notice, while repurchase agreements have a term structure to them that technically 
matures at a point in time. The overnight/continuous repurchase agreements require election of both parties to roll the trade rather than the election to terminate the arrangement as in securities 
lending. 

152 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
  
 
 
Note 15:  Legal Actions 

Wells Fargo and certain of our subsidiaries are involved in a 
number of judicial, regulatory, governmental, arbitration, and 
other proceedings or investigations concerning matters arising 
from the conduct of our business activities, and many of those 
proceedings and investigations expose Wells Fargo to potential 
financial loss or other adverse consequences. These proceedings 
and investigations include actions brought against Wells Fargo 
and/or our subsidiaries with respect to corporate-related 
matters and transactions in which Wells Fargo and/or our 
subsidiaries were involved. In addition, Wells Fargo and our 
subsidiaries may be requested to provide information to or 
otherwise cooperate with government authorities in the conduct 
of investigations of other persons or industry groups. 

We establish accruals for legal actions when potential losses 

associated with the actions become probable and the costs can 
be reasonably estimated. For such accruals, we record the 
amount we consider to be the best estimate within a range of 
potential losses that are both probable and estimable; however, if 
we cannot determine a best estimate, then we record the low 
end of the range of those potential losses. There can be no 
assurance as to the ultimate outcome of legal actions, including 
the matters described below, and the actual costs of resolving 
legal actions may be substantially higher or lower than the 
amounts accrued for those actions. 

ATM ACCESS FEE LITIGATION  In October 2011, plaintiffs filed a 
putative class action, Mackmin, et al. v. Visa, Inc. et al., against 
Wells Fargo & Company, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Visa, 
MasterCard, and several other banks in the United States District 
Court for the District of Columbia. Plaintiffs allege that the Visa 
and MasterCard requirement that if an ATM operator charges an 
access fee on Visa and MasterCard transactions, then that fee 
cannot be greater than the access fee charged for transactions 
on other networks, violates antitrust rules. Plaintiffs seek treble 
damages, restitution, injunctive relief, and attorneys’ fees where 
available under federal and state law. Two other antitrust cases 
that make similar allegations were filed in the same court, but 
these cases did not name Wells Fargo as a defendant. On 
February 13, 2013, the district court granted defendants’ 
motions to dismiss the three actions. Plaintiffs appealed the 
dismissals and, on August 4, 2015, the United States Court of 
Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated the district 
court’s decisions and remanded the three cases to the district 
court for further proceedings. On June 28, 2016, the United 
States Supreme Court granted defendants’ petitions for writ of 
certiorari to review the decisions of the United States Court of 
Appeals for the District of Columbia. On November 17, 2016, the 
United States Supreme Court dismissed the petitions as 
improvidently granted, and the three cases returned to the 
district court for further proceedings. In November 2021, the 
district court granted preliminary approval of an agreement 
pursuant to which the Company will pay $20.8 million in order to 
resolve the cases. 

AUTOMOBILE LENDING MATTERS  On April 20, 2018, the Company 
entered into consent orders with the Office of the Comptroller of 
the Currency (OCC) and the Consumer Financial Protection 
Bureau (CFPB) to resolve, among other things, investigations by 
the agencies into the Company’s compliance risk management 
program and its past practices involving certain automobile 
collateral protection insurance (CPI) policies and certain 
mortgage interest rate lock extensions. The consent orders 

require remediation to customers and the payment of a total of 
$1.0 billion in civil money penalties to the agencies. In July 2017, 
the Company announced a plan to remediate customers who 
may have been financially harmed due to issues related to 
automobile CPI policies purchased through a third-party vendor 
on their behalf. Multiple putative class actions alleging, among 
other things, unfair and deceptive practices relating to these CPI 
policies, were filed against the Company and consolidated into 
one multi-district litigation in the United States District Court 
for the Central District of California. As previously disclosed, the 
Company entered into a settlement to resolve the multi-district 
litigation. Shareholders also filed a putative securities fraud class 
action against the Company and its executive officers alleging 
material misstatements and omissions of CPI-related 
information in the Company’s public disclosures. In January 2020, 
the court dismissed this action as to all defendants except the 
Company and a former executive officer and limited the action to 
two alleged misstatements. In addition, the Company is subject 
to a class action in the United States District Court for the 
Central District of California alleging that customers are entitled 
to refunds related to the unused portion of guaranteed 
automobile protection (GAP) waiver or insurance agreements 
between the customer and dealer and, by assignment, the lender. 
In November 2021, the court granted final approval of an 
agreement pursuant to which the Company agreed to pay 
$45 million and make certain changes to its GAP refund practices 
in order to settle the action. Allegations related to the CPI and 
GAP programs were among the subjects of a shareholder 
derivative lawsuit in the United States District Court for the 
Northern District of California, which has been dismissed. In 
addition, federal and state government agencies, including the 
CFPB, have undertaken formal or informal inquiries, 
investigations, or examinations regarding these and other issues 
related to the origination, servicing, and collection of consumer 
auto loans, including related insurance products. As previously 
disclosed, the Company entered into an agreement to resolve 
investigations by state attorneys general. 

COMMERCIAL LENDING SHAREHOLDER LITIGATION  In October and 
November 2020, plaintiffs filed two putative securities fraud 
class actions, which were consolidated into one lawsuit pending in 
the United States District Court for the Northern District of 
California alleging that the Company and certain of its current 
and former officers made false and misleading statements or 
omissions regarding, among other things, the Company’s 
commercial lending underwriting practices, the credit quality of 
its commercial credit portfolios, and the value of its commercial 
loans, collateralized loan obligations and commercial mortgage-
backed securities. 

COMPANY 401(K) PLAN REGULATORY INVESTIGATIONS  Federal 
government agencies, including the United States Department 
of Labor, are reviewing certain transactions associated with the 
Employee Stock Ownership Plan feature of the Company’s 
401(k) plan, including the manner in which the 401(k) plan 
purchased certain securities used in connection with the 
Company’s contributions to the 401(k) plan. 

CONSENT ORDER DISCLOSURE LITIGATION  Wells Fargo 
shareholders have brought a putative securities fraud class action 
in the United States District Court for the Southern District of 
New York alleging that the Company and certain of its current 
and former executive officers and directors made false or 

Wells Fargo & Company 

153 

  
 
  
Note 15:  Legal Actions (continued) 

misleading statements regarding the Company’s efforts to 
comply with the February 2018 consent order with the Federal 
Reserve Board and the April 2018 consent orders with the CFPB 
and OCC. Allegations related to the Company’s efforts to comply 
with these three consent orders were also among the subjects of 
a shareholder derivative lawsuit filed in the United States District 
Court for the Northern District of California. On February 4, 
2022, the district court granted the Company's motion to 
dismiss the shareholder derivative lawsuit. 

CONSUMER DEPOSIT ACCOUNT RELATED REGULATORY 
INVESTIGATIONS  The CFPB is conducting an investigation into 
whether customers were unduly harmed by the Company’s 
historical practices associated with the freezing (and, in many 
cases, closing) of consumer deposit accounts after the Company 
detected suspected fraudulent activity (by third parties or 
account holders) that affected those accounts. The CFPB is also 
investigating certain of the Company’s past disclosures to 
customers regarding the minimum qualifying debit card usage 
required for customers to receive a waiver of monthly service 
fees on certain consumer deposit accounts. 

INTERCHANGE LITIGATION  Plaintiffs representing a class of 
merchants have filed putative class actions, and individual 
merchants have filed individual actions, against Wells Fargo Bank, 
N.A., Wells Fargo & Company, Wachovia Bank, N.A., and 
Wachovia Corporation regarding the interchange fees associated 
with Visa and MasterCard payment card transactions. Visa, 
MasterCard, and several other banks and bank holding 
companies are also named as defendants in these actions. These 
actions have been consolidated in the United States District 
Court for the Eastern District of New York. The amended and 
consolidated complaint asserts claims against defendants based 
on alleged violations of federal and state antitrust laws and seeks 
damages, as well as injunctive relief. Plaintiff merchants allege 
that Visa, MasterCard, and payment card issuing banks unlawfully 
colluded to set interchange rates. Plaintiffs also allege that 
enforcement of certain Visa and MasterCard rules and alleged 
tying and bundling of services offered to merchants are 
anticompetitive. Wells Fargo and Wachovia, along with other 
defendants and entities, are parties to Loss and Judgment 
Sharing Agreements, which provide that they, along with other 
entities, will share, based on a formula, in any losses from the 
Interchange Litigation. On July 13, 2012, Visa, MasterCard, and 
the financial institution defendants, including Wells Fargo, signed 
a memorandum of understanding with plaintiff merchants to 
resolve the consolidated class action and reached a separate 
settlement in principle of the consolidated individual actions. The 
settlement payments to be made by all defendants in the 
consolidated class and individual actions totaled approximately 
$6.6 billion before reductions applicable to certain merchants 
opting out of the settlement. The class settlement also provided 
for the distribution to class merchants of 10 basis points of 
default interchange across all credit rate categories for a period 
of eight consecutive months. The district court granted final 
approval of the settlement, which was appealed to the United 
States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit by settlement 
objector merchants. Other merchants opted out of the 
settlement and are pursuing several individual actions. On 
June 30, 2016, the Second Circuit vacated the settlement 
agreement and reversed and remanded the consolidated action 
to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of 
New York for further proceedings. On November 23, 2016, prior 
class counsel filed a petition to the United States Supreme Court, 
seeking review of the reversal of the settlement by the Second 

Circuit, and the Supreme Court denied the petition on March 27, 
2017. On November 30, 2016, the district court appointed lead 
class counsel for a damages class and an equitable relief class. 
The parties have entered into a settlement agreement to resolve 
the money damages class claims pursuant to which defendants 
will pay a total of approximately $6.2 billion, which includes 
approximately $5.3 billion of funds remaining from the 2012 
settlement and $900 million in additional funding. The 
Company’s allocated responsibility for the additional funding is 
approximately $94.5 million. The court granted final approval of 
the settlement on December 13, 2019, which was appealed to 
the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit by 
settlement objector merchants. On September 27, 2021, the 
district court granted the plaintiffs’ motion for class certification 
in the equitable relief case. Several of the opt-out and direct 
action litigations have been settled while others remain pending. 

MORTGAGE LENDING MATTERS  Plaintiffs representing a class of 
mortgage borrowers have filed separate putative class actions, 
Hernandez v. Wells Fargo, et al., Coordes v. Wells Fargo, et al., Ryder 
v. Wells Fargo, Liguori v. Wells Fargo, and Dore v. Wells Fargo, 
against Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., in the United States District 
Court for the Northern District of California, the United States 
District Court for the District of Washington, the United States 
District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, the United 
States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and 
the United States District Court for the Western District of 
Pennsylvania, respectively. Plaintiffs allege that Wells Fargo 
improperly denied mortgage loan modifications or repayment 
plans to customers in the foreclosure process due to the 
overstatement of foreclosure attorneys’ fees that were included 
for purposes of determining whether a customer in the 
foreclosure process qualified for a mortgage loan modification or 
repayment plan. In March 2020, the Company entered into an 
agreement pursuant to which the Company paid $18.5 million to 
resolve the claims of the initial certified class in the Hernandez 
case, which was approved by the district court in October 2020. 
The Hernandez settlement was subsequently reopened to include 
additional borrowers who the Company determined should have 
been included in the settlement class because the Company 
identified a population of additional borrowers during the 
relevant class period whose loans had not previously been 
reviewed for inclusion in the original population of impacted 
customers. In June 2021, the Company entered into an 
agreement pursuant to which the Company will pay an additional 
approximately $22 million to resolve the Hernandez case, which 
was approved by the district court in January 2022. In July 2021, 
the Company entered into an agreement in the Ryder case 
pursuant to which the Company will pay $12 million to cover 
other impacted borrowers who were not included in the 
Hernandez case, which was approved by the district court in 
January 2022. The Dore, Coordes, and Liguori cases have been 
voluntarily dismissed. In addition, federal and state government 
agencies, including the CFPB, have undertaken formal or informal 
inquiries or investigations regarding these and other mortgage 
servicing matters. On September 9, 2021, the OCC assessed a 
$250 million civil money penalty against the Company regarding 
loss mitigation activities in the Company’s Home Lending 
business and insufficient progress in addressing requirements 
under the OCC’s April 2018 consent order. In addition, on 
September 9, 2021, the Company entered into a consent order 
with the OCC requiring the Company to improve the execution, 
risk management, and oversight of loss mitigation activities in its 
Home Lending business. 

154 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
NOMURA/NATIXIS MORTGAGE-RELATED LITIGATION  In August 
2014 and August 2015, Nomura Credit & Capital Inc. (Nomura) 
and Natixis Real Estate Holdings, LLC (Natixis) filed a total of 
seven third-party complaints against Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., in 
New York state court. In the underlying first-party actions, 
Nomura and Natixis have been sued for alleged breaches of 
representations and warranties made in connection with 
residential mortgage-backed securities sponsored by them. In 
the third-party actions, Nomura and Natixis allege that 
Wells Fargo, as master servicer, primary servicer or securities 
administrator, failed to notify Nomura and Natixis of their own 
breaches, failed to properly oversee the primary servicers, and 
failed to adhere to accepted servicing practices. Natixis 
additionally alleges that Wells Fargo failed to perform default 
oversight duties. Wells Fargo has asserted counterclaims alleging 
that Nomura and Natixis failed to provide Wells Fargo notice of 
their representation and warranty breaches. 

OFAC RELATED INVESTIGATION  The Company has self-identified 
an issue whereby certain foreign banks utilized a Wells Fargo 
software-based solution to conduct import/export trade-related 
financing transactions with countries and entities prohibited by 
the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States 
Department of the Treasury. We do not believe any funds related 
to these transactions flowed through accounts at Wells Fargo as 
a result of the aforementioned conduct. The Company has made 
voluntary self-disclosures to OFAC and is cooperating with an 
inquiry from the United States Department of Justice 
(Department of Justice). 

RETAIL SALES PRACTICES MATTERS  Federal and state government 
agencies, including the Department of Justice and the United 
States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), have 
undertaken formal or informal inquiries or investigations arising 
out of certain retail sales practices of the Company that were the 
subject of settlements with the CFPB, the OCC, and the Office of 
the Los Angeles City Attorney announced by the Company on 
September 8, 2016. On February 21, 2020, the Company entered 
into an agreement with the Department of Justice to resolve the 
Department of Justice’s criminal investigation into the 
Company’s retail sales practices, as well as a separate agreement 
to resolve the Department of Justice’s civil investigation. As part 
of the Department of Justice criminal settlement, no charges will 
be filed against the Company provided the Company abides by all 
the terms of the agreement. The Department of Justice criminal 
settlement also includes the Company’s agreement that the 
facts set forth in the settlement document constitute sufficient 
facts for the finding of criminal violations of statutes regarding 
bank records and personal information. On February 21, 2020, 
the Company also entered into an order to resolve the SEC’s 
investigation arising out of the Company’s retail sales practices. 
The SEC order contains a finding, to which the Company 
consented, that the facts set forth include violations of Section 
10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 
thereunder. As part of the resolution of the Department of 
Justice and SEC investigations, the Company made payments 
totaling $3.0 billion. The Company has also entered into 
agreements to resolve other government agency investigations, 
including investigations by the state attorneys general. In 
addition, a number of lawsuits were filed by non-governmental 
parties seeking damages or other remedies related to these retail 
sales practices. As previously disclosed, the Company entered 
into various settlements to resolve these lawsuits. 

RMBS TRUSTEE LITIGATION  In December 2014, Phoenix Light SF 
Limited and certain related entities and the National Credit Union 
Administration (NCUA) filed complaints in the United States 
District Court for the Southern District of New York against 
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., alleging claims against the Company in its 
capacity as trustee for a number of residential mortgage-backed 
securities (RMBS) trusts. Complaints raising similar allegations 
have been filed by Commerzbank AG in the Southern District of 
New York and by IKB International and IKB Deutsche 
Industriebank in New York state court. In each case, the plaintiffs 
allege that Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as trustee, caused losses to 
investors, and plaintiffs assert causes of action based upon, 
among other things, the trustee’s alleged failure to notify and 
enforce repurchase obligations of mortgage loan sellers for 
purported breaches of representations and warranties, notify 
investors of alleged events of default, and abide by appropriate 
standards of care following alleged events of default. The 
Company previously settled two class actions with similar 
allegations that were filed in November 2014 and December 
2016 by institutional investors in the Southern District of New 
York and New York state court, respectively. In addition, Park 
Royal I LLC and Park Royal II LLC have filed complaints that were 
consolidated in New York state court alleging Wells Fargo Bank, 
N.A., as trustee, failed to take appropriate actions upon learning 
of defective mortgage loan documentation. In March 2021, the 
Company entered into an agreement to resolve the case filed by 
the NCUA. 

SEMINOLE TRIBE TRUSTEE LITIGATION  The Seminole Tribe of 
Florida filed a complaint in Florida state court alleging that 
Wells Fargo, as trustee, charged excess fees in connection with 
the administration of a minor’s trust and failed to invest the 
assets of the trust prudently. The complaint was later amended 
to include three individual current and former beneficiaries as 
plaintiffs and to remove the Tribe as a party to the case. In 
December 2016, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the 
amended complaint on the grounds that the Tribe is a necessary 
party and that the individual beneficiaries lack standing to bring 
claims. The motion was denied in June 2018. The case is pending 
trial. 

OUTLOOK  As described above, the Company establishes accruals 
for legal actions when potential losses associated with the 
actions become probable and the costs can be reasonably 
estimated. The high end of the range of reasonably possible 
potential losses in excess of the Company’s accrual for probable 
and estimable losses was approximately $2.9 billion as of 
December 31, 2021. The outcomes of legal actions are 
unpredictable and subject to significant uncertainties, and it is 
inherently difficult to determine whether any loss is probable or 
even possible. It is also inherently difficult to estimate the 
amount of any loss and there may be matters for which a loss is 
probable or reasonably possible but not currently estimable. 
Accordingly, actual losses may be in excess of the established 
accrual or the range of reasonably possible loss. Based on 
information currently available, advice of counsel, available 
insurance coverage, and established reserves, Wells Fargo 
believes that the eventual outcome of the actions against 
Wells Fargo and/or its subsidiaries will not, individually or in the 
aggregate, have a material adverse effect on Wells Fargo’s 
consolidated financial condition. However, it is possible that the 
ultimate resolution of a matter, if unfavorable, may be material 
to Wells Fargo’s results of operations for any particular period. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

155 

  
 
Note 16:  Derivatives 

We use derivatives to manage exposure to market risk, including 
interest rate risk, credit risk and foreign currency risk, and to 
assist customers with their risk management objectives. We 
designate certain derivatives as hedging instruments in 
qualifying hedge accounting relationships (fair value or cash flow 
hedges). Our remaining derivatives consist of economic hedges 
that do not qualify for hedge accounting and derivatives held for 
customer accommodation trading or other purposes. 

Risk Management Derivatives 
Our asset/liability management approach to interest rate, 
foreign currency and certain other risks includes the use of 
derivatives, which are typically designated as fair value or cash 
flow hedges, or economic hedges. We use derivatives to help 
minimize significant, unplanned fluctuations in earnings, fair 
values of assets and liabilities, and cash flows caused by interest 
rate, foreign currency and other market risk volatility. This 
approach involves modifying the repricing characteristics of 
certain assets and liabilities so that changes in interest rates, 
foreign currency and other exposures, which may cause the 
hedged assets and liabilities to gain or lose fair value, do not have 
a significant adverse effect on the net interest margin, cash flows 
and earnings. In a fair value or economic hedge, the effect of 
change in fair value will generally be offset by the unrealized gain 
or loss on the derivatives linked to the hedged assets and 
liabilities. In a cash flow hedge, where we manage the variability 
of cash payments due to interest rate or foreign currency 
fluctuations by the effective use of derivatives linked to hedged 
assets and liabilities, the hedged asset or liability is not adjusted 
and the unrealized gain or loss on the derivative is recorded in 
other comprehensive income. 

Customer Accommodation Trading 
We also use various derivatives, including interest rate, 
commodity, equity, credit and foreign exchange contracts, as an 
accommodation to our customers as part of our trading 
businesses. These derivative transactions, which involve 
engaging in market-making activities or acting as an 
intermediary, are conducted in an effort to help customers 
manage their market risks. We usually offset our exposure from 
such derivatives by entering into other financial contracts, such 
as separate derivative or security transactions. These customer 
accommodations and any offsetting derivatives are treated as 
customer accommodation trading and other derivatives in our 
disclosures. Additionally, embedded derivatives that are required 
to be accounted for separately from their host contracts are 
included in the customer accommodation trading and other 
derivatives disclosures, as applicable. 

We mention derivative instruments within several other 
Notes in this Report. For additional information on Derivatives, 
refer to the following areas: 
•  Note 1:  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies 
•  Note 2:  Trading Activities 
•  Note 6:  Equity Securities 
•  Note 8:  Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities 
•  Note 9:  Mortgage Banking Activities 
•  Note 12:  Long-Term Debt 
•  Note 13:  Guarantees and Other Commitments 
•  Note 14:  Pledged Assets and Collateral 
•  Note 17:  Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities 
•  Note 25:  Other Comprehensive Income 
•  Note 27:  Parent-Only Financial Statements 

156 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
Table 16.1 presents the total notional or contractual 

amounts and fair values for our derivatives. Derivative 
transactions can be measured in terms of the notional amount, 
but this amount is not recorded on our consolidated balance 

sheet and is not, when viewed in isolation, a meaningful measure 
of the risk profile of the instruments. The notional amount is 
generally not exchanged, but is used only as the basis on which 
interest and other payments are determined. 

Table 16.1:  Notional or Contractual Amounts and Fair Values of Derivatives 

(in millions) 

amount 

assets 

liabilities 

amount 

assets 

liabilities 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

Notional or 

Fair value 

Notional or 

Fair value 

contractual 

Derivative 

Derivative 

contractual 

Derivative 

Derivative 

Derivatives designated as hedging instruments 

Interest rate contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Total derivatives designated as qualifying hedging instruments 

Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments 

$ 

153,993 

24,949 

Economic hedges: 

Interest rate contracts 

Equity contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Credit contracts 

Subtotal 

Customer accommodation trading and other derivatives: 

Interest rate contracts 

Commodity contracts 

Equity contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Credit contracts 

Subtotal 

Total derivatives not designated as hedging instruments 

Total derivatives before netting 

Netting 

Total 

142,234 

26,263 

28,192 

290 

7,976,534 

76,642 

321,863 

560,049 

38,318 

2,212 

281 

2,493 

40 

1,493 

395 

7 

1,935 

20,286 

5,965 

16,278 

5,912 

39 

48,480 

50,415 

52,908 

327 

669 

996 

41 

1,194 

88 

— 

1,323 

184,090 

47,331 

261,159 

25,997 

47,106 

73 

17,435 

7,947,941 

65,790 

280,195 

412,879 

34,329 

2,417 

17,827 

5,915 

43 

43,637 

44,960 

45,956 

3,212 

1,381 

4,593 

341 

1,363 

331 

31 

2,066 

32,510 

2,036 

17,522 

6,891 

64 

59,023 

61,089 

65,682 

789 

607 

1,396 

344 

490 

1,515 

— 

2,349 

25,169 

1,543 

21,516 

6,034 

58 

54,320 

56,669 

58,065 

(31,430) 

(36,532) 

$ 

21,478 

9,424 

(39,836) 

(41,556) 

25,846 

16,509 

Table 16.2 provides information on the fair values of 
derivative assets and liabilities subject to enforceable master 
netting arrangements, the balance sheet netting adjustments 
and the resulting net fair value amount recorded on our 
consolidated balance sheet, as well as the non-cash collateral 
associated with such arrangements. We execute substantially 
all of our derivative transactions under master netting 
arrangements and reflect all derivative balances and related cash 
collateral subject to enforceable master netting arrangements on 
a net basis within our consolidated balance sheet. We determine 
the balance sheet netting adjustments based on the terms 
specified within each master netting arrangement, which are 

determined at the counterparty level. We do not net non-cash 
collateral that we receive and pledge on our consolidated balance 
sheet. For disclosure purposes, we present “Total Derivatives, 
net” which represents the aggregate of our net exposure to each 
counterparty after considering the balance sheet and disclosure-
only netting adjustments. We manage derivative exposure by 
monitoring the credit risk associated with each counterparty 
using counterparty-specific credit risk limits, using master 
netting arrangements and obtaining collateral. In addition to the 
netting amounts included in the table, we also have balance sheet 
netting related to resale and repurchase agreements that are 
disclosed within Note 14 (Pledged Assets and Collateral). 

Wells Fargo & Company 

157 

  
Note 16:  Derivatives (continued) 

Table 16.2:  Fair Values of Derivative Assets and Liabilities 

(in millions) 

 Interest rate contracts 

Over-the-counter (OTC) 

OTC cleared 

Exchange traded 

Total interest rate contracts 

 Commodity contracts 

OTC 

Exchange traded 

Total commodity contracts 

 Equity contracts 

OTC 

Exchange traded 

Total equity contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

OTC 

Total foreign exchange contracts 

Credit contracts 

OTC 

Total credit contracts 

Derivative Assets 

Derivative Liabilities 

Derivative Assets 

Derivative Liabilities 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

$ 

20,067 

168 

52 

20,287 

5,040 

557 

5,597 

6,132 

7,493 

13,625 

6,335 

6,335 

32 

32 

16,654 

192 

28 

16,874 

1,249 

1,047 

2,296 

9,730 

6,086 

15,816 

6,221 

6,221 

31 

31 

30,958 

1,156 

11 

32,125 

1,498 

287 

1,785 

7,747 

4,759 

12,506 

8,088 

8,088 

55 

55 

24,048 

1,099 

27 

25,174 

1,009 

452 

1,461 

11,068 

4,733 

15,801 

7,603 

7,603 

43 

43 

Total derivatives subject to enforceable master netting arrangements, 

gross 

 Less: Gross amounts offset 

Counterparty netting (1) 

Cash collateral netting 

Total derivatives subject to enforceable master netting arrangements, 

net 

Derivatives not subject to enforceable master netting arrangements 

Total derivatives recognized in consolidated balance sheet, net 

Non-cash collateral not offset 

Total Derivatives, net (2) 

$ 

45,876 

41,238 

54,559 

50,082 

(27,172) 

(4,258) 

14,446 

7,032 

21,478 

(1,432) 

20,046 

(27,046) 

(9,486) 

4,706 

4,718 

9,424 

(412) 

9,012 

(34,304) 

(5,532) 

14,723 

11,123 

25,846 

(2,157) 

23,689 

(34,106) 

(7,450) 

8,526 

7,983 

16,509 

(3,588) 

12,921 

(1) 

(2) 

Represents amounts with counterparties subject to enforceable master netting arrangements that have been offset in our consolidated balance sheet, including portfolio level counterparty valuation 
adjustments related to customer accommodation and other trading derivatives. Counterparty valuation adjustments related to derivative assets were $284 million and $399 million and debit 
valuation adjustments related to derivative liabilities were $158 million and $201 million as of December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively, and were primarily related to interest rate 
contracts. 
Prior period balances have been conformed to current period presentation. 

Fair Value and Cash Flow Hedges 
For fair value hedges, we use interest rate swaps to convert 
certain of our fixed-rate long-term debt and time certificates of 
deposit to floating rates to hedge our exposure to interest rate 
risk. We also enter into cross-currency swaps, cross-currency 
interest rate swaps and forward contracts to hedge our exposure 
to foreign currency risk and interest rate risk associated with the 
issuance of non-U.S. dollar denominated long-term debt. In 
addition, we use interest rate swaps, cross-currency swaps, 
cross-currency interest rate swaps and forward contracts to 
hedge against changes in fair value of certain investments in 
available-for-sale debt securities due to changes in interest rates, 
foreign currency rates, or both. For certain fair value hedges of 
foreign currency risk, changes in fair value of cross-currency 
swaps attributable to changes in cross-currency basis spreads are 
excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness and 
recorded in other comprehensive income. See Note 25 (Other 
Comprehensive Income) for the amounts recognized in other 
comprehensive income. 

For cash flow hedges, we use interest rate swaps to hedge 
the variability in interest payments received on certain floating-
rate commercial loans, and paid on certain floating-rate debt due 
to changes in the contractually specified interest rate. We also 
use cross-currency swaps to hedge variability in interest 
payments on fixed-rate foreign currency-denominated long-
term debt due to changes in foreign exchange rates. 

We estimate $32 million pre-tax of deferred net losses 
related to cash flow hedges in OCI at December 31, 2021, will be 
reclassified into net interest income during the next twelve 
months. The deferred losses expected to be reclassified into net 
interest income are primarily related to discontinued hedges of 
floating rate loans. For cash flow hedges as of December 31, 
2021, we are hedging our foreign currency exposure to the 
variability of future cash flows for all forecasted transactions for 
a maximum of 9 years. For additional information on our 
accounting hedges, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant 
Accounting Policies). 

158 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 16.3 and Table 16.4 show the net gains (losses) related 

to derivatives in fair value and cash flow hedging relationships, 
respectively. 

Table 16.3:  Gains (Losses) Recognized on Fair Value Hedging Relationships 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) recognized on fair value hedges 

$ 

(183) 

286 

2,005 

(in millions) 

Year ended December 31, 2021 

Total amounts presented in the consolidated statement of income and other 

comprehensive income 

Interest contracts 

Amounts related to interest settlements on derivatives 

Recognized on derivatives 

Recognized on hedged items 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) on interest rate contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Amounts related to interest settlements on derivatives 

Recognized on derivatives 

Recognized on hedged items 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) on foreign exchange contracts 

Year ended December 31, 2020 

Total amounts presented in the consolidated statement of income and other 

comprehensive income 

Interest contracts 

Amounts related to interest settlements on derivatives 

Recognized on derivatives 

Recognized on hedged items 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) on interest rate contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Amounts related to interest settlements on derivatives 

Recognized on derivatives 

Recognized on hedged items 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) on foreign exchange contracts 

Net interest income 

Noninterest 
income 

Debt 
securities 

Deposits 

Long-term
debt 

Other 

Total 
recorded in 
net income 

Derivative 
gains
(losses) 

Total 
recorded in 
OCI 

Derivative 
gains
(losses) 

$ 

9,253 

(388) 

(3,173) 

3,734 

N/A 

212 

(253) 

1,129 

(1,117) 

(241) 

57 

4 

(3) 

58 

289 

(336) 

333 

286 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2,136 

(6,351) 

6,288 

2,073 

10 

(516) 

438 

(68) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(99) 

82 

(17) 

(17) 

2,172 

(5,558) 

5,504 

2,118 

67 

(611) 

517 

(27) 

2,091 

— 

— 

81 

81 

81 

$ 

11,234 

(2,804) 

(4,471) 

3,847 

N/A 

198 

(338) 

(1,261) 

1,317 

(282) 

52 

(1) 

2 

53 

503 

161 

(151) 

513 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,704 

6,691 

(6,543) 

1,852 

(139) 

261 

(201) 

(79) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,591 

(1,575) 

16 

16 

1,869 

5,591 

(5,377) 

2,083 

(87) 

1,851 

(1,774) 

(10) 

2,073 

— 

— 

(31) 

(31) 

(31) 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) recognized on fair value hedges 

$ 

(229) 

513 

1,773 

Year ended December 31, 2019 

Total amounts presented in the consolidated statement of income and other 

$ 

14,955 

(8,635) 

(7,350) 

7,457 

N/A 

275 

comprehensive income 

Interest contracts 

Amounts related to interest settlements on derivatives 

Recognized on derivatives 

Recognized on hedged items 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) on interest rate contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Amounts related to interest settlements on derivatives 

Recognized on derivatives 

Recognized on hedged items 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) on foreign exchange contracts 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) recognized on fair value hedges 

$ 

— 

(2,082) 

2,096 

58 

463 

169 

5,001 

(442) 

(4,910) 

14 

35 

(5) 

6 

36 

50 

79 

— 

— 

— 

— 

79 

260 

(483) 

308 

(289) 

(464) 

(204) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(358) 

350 

(8) 

(8) 

227 

3,382 

(3,256) 

353 

(448) 

(55) 

67 

(436) 

(83) 

— 

— 

(3) 

(3) 

(3) 

Wells Fargo & Company 

159 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 16:  Derivatives (continued) 

Table 16.4:  Gains (Losses) Recognized on Cash Flow Hedging Relationships 

(in millions) 

Year ended December 31, 2021 

Net interest income 

Loans 

Long-
term debt 

Total 
recorded 
in net 
income 

Total 
recorded 
in OCI 

Derivative  Derivative 
gains
(losses) 

gains
(losses) 

Total amounts presented in the consolidated statement of income and other comprehensive income 

$  28,634 

(3,173) 

N/A 

212 

Interest rate contracts: 

Realized gains (losses) (pre-tax) reclassified from OCI into net income 

Net unrealized gains (losses) (pre-tax) recognized in OCI 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) on interest rate contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts: 

Realized gains (losses) (pre-tax) reclassified from OCI into net income 

Net unrealized gains (losses) (pre-tax) recognized in OCI 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) on foreign exchange contracts 

(137) 

N/A 

(137) 

— 

N/A 

— 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) recognized on cash flow hedges 

$ 

(137) 

Year ended December 31, 2020 

— 

N/A 

— 

(6) 

N/A 

(6) 

(6) 

(137) 

N/A 

(137) 

(6) 

N/A 

(6) 

(143) 

137 

7 

144 

6 

(19) 

(13) 

131 

Total amounts presented in the consolidated statement of income and other comprehensive income 

$  34,230 

(4,471) 

N/A 

198 

Interest rate contracts: 

Realized gains (losses) (pre-tax) reclassified from OCI into net income 

Net unrealized gains (losses) (pre-tax) recognized in OCI 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) on interest rate contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts: 

Realized gains (losses) (pre-tax) reclassified from OCI into net income 

Net unrealized gains (losses) (pre-tax) recognized in OCI 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) on foreign exchange contracts 

(215) 

N/A 

(215) 

— 

N/A 

— 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) recognized on cash flow hedges 

$ 

(215) 

Year ended December 31, 2019 

4 

N/A 

4 

(8) 

N/A 

(8) 

(4) 

(211) 

N/A 

(211) 

(8) 

N/A 

(8) 

211 

— 

211 

8 

10 

18 

(219) 

229 

Total amounts presented in the consolidated statement of income and other comprehensive income 

$  44,218 

(7,350) 

N/A 

275 

Interest rate contracts: 

Realized gains (losses) (pre-tax) reclassified from OCI into net income 

Net unrealized gains (losses) (pre-tax) recognized in OCI 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) on interest rate contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts: 

Realized gains (losses) (pre-tax) reclassified from OCI into net income 

Net unrealized gains (losses) (pre-tax) recognized in OCI 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) on foreign exchange contracts 

(291) 

N/A 

(291) 

— 

N/A 

— 

Total gains (losses) (pre-tax) recognized on cash flow hedges 

$ 

(291) 

1 

N/A 

1 

(9) 

N/A 

(9) 

(8) 

(290) 

N/A 

(290) 

(9) 

N/A 

(9) 

290 

— 

290 

9 

(21) 

(12) 

(299) 

278 

160 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
Table 16.5 shows the carrying amount and associated 
cumulative basis adjustment related to the application of hedge 
accounting that is included in the carrying amount of hedged 
assets and liabilities in fair value hedging relationships. 

Table 16.5:  Hedged Items in Fair Value Hedging Relationship 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Available-for-sale debt securities (4) 

Deposits 

Long-term debt 

December 31, 2020 

Available-for-sale debt securities (4) 

Deposits 

Long-term debt 

Hedged items currently designated 

Hedged items no longer designated 

Carrying amount of assets/ 
(liabilities) (1)(2) 

Hedge accounting 
basis adjustment  Carrying amount of assets/ 
(liabilities) (2) 

assets/(liabilities) (3) 

Hedge accounting basis 
adjustment 
assets/(liabilities) 

$ 

$ 

24,144 

(10,187) 

(138,801) 

29,538 

(22,384) 

(156,907) 

(559) 

(144) 

(5,192) 

827 

(477) 

(12,466) 

17,962 

— 

— 

17,091 

— 

(14,468) 

965 

— 

— 

1,111 

— 

31 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

Does not include the carrying amount of hedged items where only foreign currency risk is the designated hedged risk. The carrying amount excluded for debt securities is $873 million and for long-
term debt is $(2.7) billion as of December 31, 2021, and $17.6 billion for debt securities and $(4.7) billion for long-term debt as of December 31, 2020. 
Represents the full carrying amount of the hedged asset or liability item as of the balance sheet date, except for circumstances in which only a portion of the asset or liability was designated as the 
hedged item in which case only the portion designated is presented. 
The balance includes $136 million and $188 million of debt securities and long-term debt cumulative basis adjustments as of December 31, 2021, respectively, and $205 million and $130 million of 
debt securities and long-term debt cumulative basis adjustments as of December 31, 2020, respectively, on terminated hedges whereby the hedged items have subsequently been re-designated 
into existing hedges. 
Carrying amount represents the amortized cost. 

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments 
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments include 
economic hedges and derivatives entered into for customer 
accommodation trading purposes. 

We use economic hedge derivatives to manage our exposure 

to interest rate risk, equity price risk, foreign currency risk, and 
credit risk. We also use economic hedge derivatives to mitigate 
the periodic earnings volatility caused by mismatches between 
the changes in fair value of the hedged item and hedging 
instrument recognized on our fair value accounting hedges. 
In second quarter 2020, we entered into arrangements to 
transition the economic hedges of our deferred compensation 
plan liabilities from equity securities to derivative instruments. 
Changes in the fair values of derivatives used to economically 
hedge the deferred compensation plan are reported in personnel 
expense. 

Mortgage Banking Activities 
We use economic hedge derivatives in our mortgage banking 
business to hedge the risk of changes in the fair value of 
(1) certain residential MSRs measured at fair value, (2) residential 
mortgage LHFS, (3) derivative loan commitments, and (4) other 
interests held. The types of derivatives used include swaps, 
swaptions, constant maturity mortgages, forwards, Eurodollar 
and Treasury futures and options contracts. Loan commitments 
for mortgage loans that we intend to sell are considered 
derivatives. Residential MSRs, derivative loan commitments, 
certain residential mortgage LHFS, and our economic hedge 
derivatives are carried at fair value with changes in fair value 
included in mortgage banking noninterest income. See Note 9 
(Mortgage Banking Activities) for additional information on this 
economic hedging activity and mortgage banking income. 

Customer Accommodation Trading and Other 
For customer accommodation trading purposes, we use swaps, 
futures, forwards, spots and options to assist our customers in 
managing their own risks, including interest rate, commodity, 
equity, foreign exchange, and credit contracts. These derivatives 
are not linked to specific assets and liabilities on the consolidated 
balance sheet or to forecasted transactions in an accounting 
hedge relationship and, therefore, do not qualify for hedge 
accounting. We also enter into derivatives for risk management 
that do not otherwise qualify for hedge accounting. They are 
carried at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in 
noninterest income. 

Customer accommodation trading and other derivatives also 

include embedded derivatives that are required to be accounted 
for separately from their host contract. We periodically issue 
hybrid long-term notes and CDs where the performance of the 
hybrid instrument note is linked to an equity, commodity or 
currency index, or basket of such indices. These notes contain 
explicit terms that affect some or all of the cash flows or the 
value of the note in a manner similar to a derivative instrument 
and therefore are considered to contain an “embedded” 
derivative instrument. The indices on which the performance of 
the hybrid instrument is calculated are not clearly and closely 
related to the host debt instrument. The “embedded” derivative 
is separated from the host contract and accounted for as a 
derivative. Additionally, we may invest in hybrid instruments that 
contain embedded derivatives, such as credit derivatives, that are 
not clearly and closely related to the host contract. In such 
instances, we either elect fair value option for the hybrid 
instrument or separate the embedded derivative from the host 
contract and account for the host contract and derivative 
separately. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

161 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 16:  Derivatives (continued) 

Table 16.6 shows the net gains (losses), recognized by 
income statement lines, related to derivatives not designated as 
hedging instruments. 

Table 16.6:  Gains (Losses) on Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

(in millions) 

Year ended December 31, 2021 

Net gains (losses) recognized on economic hedges derivatives: 

Interest contracts (1) 

Equity contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Credit contracts 

Subtotal 

Net gains (losses) recognized on customer accommodation trading 

and other derivatives: 

Interest contracts 

Commodity contracts 

Equity contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Credit contracts 

Subtotal 

Net gains (losses) recognized related to derivatives not designated as

hedging instruments 

Year ended December 31, 2020 

Net gains (losses) recognized on economic hedges derivatives: 

Interest contracts (1) 

Equity contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Credit contracts 

Subtotal 

Net gains (losses) recognized on customer accommodation trading and 

other derivatives: 

Interest contracts 

Commodity contracts 

Equity contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Credit contracts 

Subtotal 

Net gains (losses) recognized related to derivatives not designated as 

hedging instruments 

Year ended December 31, 2019 

Net gains (losses) recognized on economic hedges derivatives: 

Interest contracts (1) 

Equity contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Credit contracts 

Subtotal 

Net gains (losses) recognized on customer accommodation trading and 

other derivatives: 

Interest contracts 

Commodity contracts 

Equity contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Credit contracts 

Subtotal 

Mortgage banking 

Net gains on 
trading and 
securities 

Other 

Total 

Personnel expense 

Noninterest income 

Noninterest 
expense 

(51) 

— 

— 

— 

(51) 

62 

— 

— 

— 

— 

62 

11 

— 

495 

— 

— 

495 

1,217 

133 

(4,549) 

827 

(93) 

(11) 

(1) 

335 

(12) 

311 

— 

— 

(62) 

494 

335 

(12) 

755 

1,279 

133 

(444) 

(4,993) 

— 

— 

827 

(93) 

(2,465) 

(444) 

(2,847) 

— 

(611) 

— 

— 

(611) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(1,970) 

(133) 

(2,092) 

(611) 

2,787 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(1,167) 

— 

— 

2,787 

(1,167) 

1,964 

(1,021) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,964 

4,751 

2,177 

— 

— 

— 

446 

(436) 

89 

(1) 

(923) 

(2,090) 

— 

(2,120) 

— 

— 

2,177 

(2,120) 

418 

— 

— 

— 

— 

418 

(95) 

164 

(4,863) 

47 

(120) 

(4,867) 

2,694 

(1,192) 

(455) 

14 

1,061 

943 

446 

(770) 

89 

(1) 

707 

— 

(778) 

— 

— 

(778) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,768 

(778) 

(93) 

(25) 

(455) 

14 

(559) 

— 

— 

(334) 

— 

— 

(334) 

(893) 

1 

(2) 

(77) 

(5) 

(83) 

— 

— 

2,178 

(2,122) 

(77) 

(5) 

(26) 

323 

164 

(484) 

(5,347) 

— 

— 

47 

(120) 

(484) 

(4,933) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Net gains (losses) recognized related to derivatives not designated as 

hedging instruments 

$ 

2,595 

(6,987) 

(567) 

(4,959) 

(1)  Mortgage banking amounts for the years ended 2021, 2020 and 2019 are comprised of gains (losses) of $(1.2) billion, $4.6 billion and $2.3 billion related to derivatives used as economic hedges of 

MSRs measured at fair value offset by gains (losses) of $1.2 billion, $(1.8) billion and $(141) million related to derivatives used as economic hedges of mortgage loans held for sale and derivative loan 
commitments. 

162 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Credit Derivatives 
Credit derivative contracts are arrangements whose value is 
derived from the transfer of credit risk of a reference asset or 
entity from one party (the purchaser of credit protection) to 
another party (the seller of credit protection). We use credit 
derivatives to assist customers with their risk management 
objectives predominantly by purchasing and selling credit 
protection on corporate debt obligations through the use of 
credit default swaps or through risk participation swaps to help 
manage counterparty exposure. We would be required to 
perform under the credit derivatives we sold in the event of 
default by the referenced obligors. Events of default include 
events such as bankruptcy, capital restructuring or lack of 
principal and/or interest payment. 

Table 16.7 provides details of sold credit derivatives. 

Table 16.7:  Sold Credit Derivatives 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Credit default swaps 

Risk participation swaps 

Total credit derivatives 

December 31, 2020 (1) 

Credit default swaps 

Risk participation swaps 

Total credit derivatives 

Notional amount 

Protection sold – 
non-investment 
grade 

Protection sold 

$ 

$ 

8,033 

6,756 

14,789 

5,707 

6,378 

12,085 

1,982 

6,012 

7,994 

1,805 

6,262 

8,067 

(1) 

Prior period balances have been conformed to current period presentation. 

Protection sold represents the estimated maximum 
exposure to loss that would be incurred, if upon an event of 
default, the value of our interests and any associated collateral 
declined to zero, and does not take into consideration any of 
recovery value from the referenced obligation or offset from 
collateral held or any economic hedges. 

The amounts under non-investment grade represent the 
notional amounts of those credit derivatives on which we have a 
higher risk of being required to perform under the terms of the 
credit derivative and are a function of the underlying assets. 

We consider the credit risk to be low if the underlying assets 

under the credit derivative have an external rating that is 
investment grade. If an external rating was not available, we 
classified the credit derivative as non-investment grade. 
Our maximum exposure to sold credit derivatives is 
managed through posted collateral and purchased credit 
derivatives with identical or similar reference positions in order 
to achieve our desired credit risk profile. The credit risk 
management is designed to provide an ability to recover a 
significant portion of any amounts that would be paid under sold 
credit derivatives. 

Credit-Risk Contingent Features 
Certain of our derivative contracts contain provisions whereby if 
the credit rating of our debt were to be downgraded by certain 
major credit rating agencies, the counterparty could demand 
additional collateral or require termination or replacement of 
derivative instruments in a net liability position. Table 16.8 
illustrates our exposure to OTC bilateral derivative contracts with 
credit-risk contingent features, collateral we have posted, and 
the additional collateral we would be required to post if the credit 
rating of our debt was downgraded below investment grade. 

Table 16.8:  Credit-Risk Contingent Features 

(in billions) 

Net derivative liabilities with credit-risk 

contingent features 

$ 

Collateral posted 

Additional collateral to be posted upon a below 

investment grade credit rating (1) 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

12.2 

11.0 

1.2 

10.5 

9.0 

1.5 

(1) 

Any credit rating below investment grade requires us to post the maximum amount of 
collateral. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

163 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Note 17:  Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities 

We use fair value measurements to record fair value adjustments 
to certain assets and liabilities and to fulfill fair value disclosure 
requirements. Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value on a 
recurring basis, such as derivatives, residential MSRs, and trading 
or AFS debt securities, are presented in Table 17.1 in this Note. 
Additionally, from time to time, we record fair value adjustments 
on a nonrecurring basis. These nonrecurring adjustments 
typically involve application of lower of cost or fair value 
(LOCOM) accounting, write-downs of individual assets or 
application of the measurement alternative for nonmarketable 
equity securities. Assets recorded at fair value on a nonrecurring 
basis are presented in Table 17.4 in this Note. We provide in 
Table 17.8 estimates of fair value for financial instruments that 
are not recorded at fair value, such as loans and debt liabilities 
carried at amortized cost. 

FAIR VALUE HIERARCHY  We classify our assets and liabilities 
recorded at fair value as either Level 1, 2, or 3 in the fair value 
hierarchy. The highest priority (Level 1) is assigned to valuations 
based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets and the 
lowest priority (Level 3) is assigned to valuations based on 
significant unobservable inputs. See Note 1 (Summary of 
Significant Accounting Policies) in this Report for a detailed 
description of the fair value hierarchy. 

In the determination of the classification of financial 
instruments in Level 2 or Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, we 
consider all available information, including observable market 
data, indications of market liquidity and orderliness, and our 
understanding of the valuation techniques and significant inputs 
used. This determination is ultimately based upon the specific 
facts and circumstances of each instrument or instrument 
category and judgments are made regarding the significance of 
the unobservable inputs to the instruments’ fair value 
measurement in its entirety. If unobservable inputs are 
considered significant, the instrument is classified as Level 3. 
We do not classify nonmarketable equity securities in the 
fair value hierarchy if we use the non-published net asset value 
(NAV) per share (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient to 
measure fair value. Marketable equity securities with published 
NAVs are classified in the fair value hierarchy. 

Assets 
TRADING DEBT SECURITIES  Trading debt securities are recorded 
at fair value on a recurring basis. These securities are valued using 
internal trader prices that are subject to price verification 
procedures, which includes comparing against multiple 
independent pricing sources, including prices obtained from 
third-party pricing services. These services compile prices from 
various sources and may apply matrix pricing for similar securities 
when no price is observable. We review pricing methodologies 
provided by pricing services to determine if observable market 
information is being used versus unobservable inputs. When 
evaluating the appropriateness of an internal trader price, 
compared with pricing service prices, considerations include the 
range and quality of pricing service prices in addition to 
observable trade data. Pricing service prices are used to ensure 
the reasonableness of a trader price; however, valuing financial 
instruments involves judgments acquired from knowledge of a 
particular market. If a trader asserts that a third-party pricing 
service price is not reflective of fair value, justification for using 
the trader price, including recent sales activity where possible, 
must be provided to and approved by the appropriate levels of 

management. Substantially all of our trading debt securities are 
recorded using internal trader prices. 

AVAILABLE-FOR-SALE DEBT SECURITIES  AFS debt securities are 
recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. Fair value 
measurement for AFS debt securities is based upon various 
sources of market pricing. Where available, we use quoted prices 
in active markets. When instruments are traded in secondary 
markets and quoted prices in active markets do not exist for such 
securities, we use prices obtained from third-party pricing 
services and, to a lesser extent, may use prices obtained from 
independent broker-dealers (brokers), collectively vendor prices. 
Substantially all of our AFS debt securities are recorded using 
vendor prices. See the “Level 3 Asset and Liability Valuation 
Processes – Vendor Developed Valuations” section in this Note 
for additional discussion of our processes when using vendor 
prices to record fair value of AFS debt securities, which includes 
those classified as Level 2 or Level 3 within the fair value 
hierarchy. 

When vendor prices are deemed inappropriate, they may be 
adjusted based on other market data or internal models. We also 
use internal models when no vendor prices are available. Internal 
models use discounted cash flow techniques or market 
comparable pricing techniques. 

LOANS HELD FOR SALE (LHFS)  LHFS generally includes 
commercial and residential mortgage loans originated for sale in 
the securitization or whole loan market. A majority of residential 
LHFS and our portfolio of commercial LHFS in our trading 
business are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. The 
remaining LHFS are held at LOCOM which may be written down 
to fair value on a nonrecurring basis. Fair value for LHFS that are 
not part of our trading business is based on quoted market 
prices, where available, or the prices for other mortgage whole 
loans with similar characteristics. We may use securitization 
prices that are adjusted for typical securitization activities 
including servicing value, portfolio composition, market 
conditions and liquidity. Fair value for LHFS in our trading 
business is based on pending transactions when available. Where 
market pricing data or pending transactions are not available, we 
use a discounted cash flow model to estimate fair value. 

LOANS  Although loans are recorded at amortized cost, we record 
nonrecurring fair value adjustments to reflect write-downs that 
are based on the observable market price of the loan or current 
appraised value of the collateral less costs to sell. 

MORTGAGE SERVICING RIGHTS (MSRs)  Residential MSRs are 
carried at fair value on a recurring basis. Commercial MSRs are 
carried at LOCOM and may be written down to fair value on a 
nonrecurring basis. MSRs do not trade in an active market with 
readily observable prices. We determine the fair value of MSRs 
using a valuation model that estimates the present value of 
expected future net servicing income. The model incorporates 
assumptions that market participants use in estimating future 
net servicing income cash flows, including estimates of 
prepayment rates (including housing price volatility for 
residential MSRs), discount rates, default rates, cost to service 
(including delinquency and foreclosure costs), escrow account 
earnings, contractual servicing fee income, ancillary income and 
late fees. 

164 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
  
 
  
  
DERIVATIVES  Derivatives are recorded at fair value on a recurring 
basis. The fair value of exchange-traded derivatives, which 
include certain equity option contracts, are primarily measured 
using available quoted market prices. The fair value of non-
exchange-traded derivatives, which predominantly relate to 
derivatives traded in over-the-counter (OTC) markets, are 
measured using internal valuation techniques, as quoted market 
prices are not always readily available. Valuation techniques and 
inputs to internal models depend on the type of derivative and 
nature of the underlying rate, price or index upon which the value 
of the derivative is based. Key inputs can include yield curves, 
credit curves, foreign exchange rates, prepayment rates, 
volatility measurements and correlation of certain of these 
inputs. 

EQUITY SECURITIES  Marketable equity securities and certain 
nonmarketable equity securities that we have elected to account 
for at fair value are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. Our 
remaining nonmarketable equity securities are accounted for 
using the equity method, cost method or measurement 
alternative and can be subject to nonrecurring fair value 
adjustments to record impairment. Additionally, the carrying 
value of equity securities accounted for under the measurement 
alternative is also remeasured to fair value upon the occurrence 
of orderly observable transactions of the same or similar 
securities of the same issuer. 

We use quoted prices to determine the fair value of 

marketable equity securities, as the securities are publicly traded. 
Quoted prices are typically not available for nonmarketable 
equity securities. We therefore use other methods, generally 
market comparable pricing techniques, to determine fair value 
for such securities. We use all available information in making this 
determination, which includes observable transaction prices for 
the same or similar security, prices from third-party pricing 
services, broker quotes, trading multiples of comparable public 
companies, and discounted cash flow models. Where 
appropriate, we make adjustments to observed market data to 
reflect the comparative differences between the market data 
and the attributes of our equity security, such as differences with 
public companies and other investment-specific considerations 
like liquidity, marketability or differences in terms of the 
instruments. 

OTHER ASSETS  Although other assets are generally recorded at 
amortized cost, we record nonrecurring fair value adjustments to 
reflect impairments or the impact of certain lease modifications. 
Other assets subject to nonrecurring fair value measurements 
include operating lease ROU assets and foreclosed assets. Fair 
value is generally based upon independent market prices or 
appraised values less costs to sell, or the use of a discounted cash 
flow model. 

Liabilities 
SHORT-SALE TRADING LIABILITIES  Short-sale trading liabilities in 
our trading business are recorded at fair value on a recurring 
basis and are measured using quoted prices in active markets, 
where available. When quoted prices for the same instruments 
are not available or markets are not active, fair values are 
estimated using recent trades of similar securities. 

Level 3 Asset and Liability Valuation Processes 
We generally determine fair value of our Level 3 assets and 
liabilities by using internal models and, to a lesser extent, prices 
obtained from vendors. Our valuation processes vary depending 
on which approach is utilized. 

INTERNAL MODEL VALUATIONS  Certain Level 3 fair value 
estimates are based on internal models, such as discounted cash 
flow or market comparable pricing techniques. Some of the 
inputs used in these valuations are unobservable. Unobservable 
inputs are generally derived from or can be correlated to historic 
performance of similar portfolios or previous market trades in 
similar instruments where particular unobservable inputs may be 
implied. We attempt to correlate each unobservable input to 
historical experience and other third-party data where available. 
Internal models are subject to review prescribed within our 
model risk management policies and procedures, which include 
model validation. Model validation helps ensure our models are 
appropriate for their intended use and appropriate controls exist 
to help mitigate risk of invalid valuations. Model validation 
assesses the adequacy and appropriateness of our models, 
including reviewing its key components, such as inputs, 
processing components, logic or theory, output results and 
supporting model documentation. Validation also includes 
ensuring significant unobservable model inputs are appropriate 
given observable market transactions or other market data 
within the same or similar asset classes. 

We also have ongoing monitoring procedures in place for our 

Level 3 assets and liabilities that use internal valuation models. 
These procedures, which are designed to provide reasonable 
assurance that models continue to perform as expected, include: 
ongoing analysis and benchmarking to market transactions 
• 
and other independent market data (including pricing 
vendors, if available); 
back-testing of modeled fair values to actual realized 
transactions; and 
review of modeled valuation results against expectations, 
including review of significant or unusual fluctuations in 
value. 

• 

• 

We update model inputs and methodologies periodically to 

reflect these monitoring procedures. Additionally, existing 
models are subject to periodic reviews and we perform full model 
revalidations as necessary. 

Internal valuation models are subject to ongoing review by 
the appropriate principal line of business or enterprise function 
and monitoring oversight by Independent Risk Management. 
Independent Risk Management, through its Model Risk function, 
provides independent oversight of model risk management, and 
its responsibilities include governance, validation, periodic review, 
and monitoring of model risk across the Company and providing 
periodic reports to management and the Board’s Risk 
Committee. 

VENDOR-DEVELOPED VALUATIONS  We routinely obtain pricing 
from third-party vendors to value our assets or liabilities. In 
certain limited circumstances, this includes assets and liabilities 
that we classify as Level 3. We have processes in place to approve 
and periodically review third-party vendors to ensure information 
obtained and valuation techniques used are appropriate. This 
review may consist of, among other things, obtaining and 
evaluating control reports issued and pricing methodology 
materials distributed. We monitor and review vendor prices on an 
ongoing basis to ensure the fair values are reasonable and in line 
with market experience in similar asset classes. While the inputs 
used to determine fair value are not provided by the pricing 
vendors, and therefore unavailable for our review, we perform 
one or more of the following procedures to validate the pricing 
information and determine appropriate classification within the 
fair value hierarchy: 
• 

comparison to other pricing vendors (if available); 

Wells Fargo & Company 

165 

 
  
 
 
 
Note 17:  Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (continued) 

• 
• 

• 

• 

variance analysis of prices; 
corroboration of pricing by reference to other independent 
market data, such as market transactions and relevant 
benchmark indices; 
review of pricing by Company personnel familiar with market 
liquidity and other market-related conditions; and 
investigation of prices on a specific instrument-by-
instrument basis. 

Assets and Liabilities Recorded at Fair Value on a 
Recurring Basis 
Table 17.1 presents the balances of assets and liabilities recorded 
at fair value on a recurring basis. 

Table 17.1:  Fair Value on a Recurring Basis 

(in millions) 

Trading debt securities: 

Level 1 

Level 2 

Level 3 

Total 

Level 1 

Level 2 

Level 3 

Total 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

$ 

27,607 

Collateralized loan obligations 

Corporate debt securities 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Non-agency mortgage-backed securities 

Other debt securities 

Total trading debt securities 

Available-for-sale debt securities: 

Securities of U.S. Treasury and federal agencies 

Non-U.S. government securities 

Securities of U.S. states and political subdivisions 

Federal agency mortgage-backed securities 

Non-agency mortgage-backed securities 

Collateralized loan obligations 

Other debt securities 

— 

— 
— 
— 

— 

27,607 

39,661 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Total available-for-sale debt securities 

39,661 

Loans held for sale 

Mortgage servicing rights (residential) 

Derivative assets (gross): 

Interest rate contracts 

Commodity contracts 

Equity contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Credit contracts 

Total derivative assets (gross) 

Equity securities: 

Marketable 

Nonmarketable (1) 

Total equity securities 

— 

— 

52 

— 

6,402 

8 

— 

6,462 

29,968 

— 

29,968 

2,249 

655 

9,987 

40,350 

1,531 

5,645 

60,417 

— 

71 

16,832 

105,886 

4,522 

5,708 

4,378 

137,397 

14,862 

— 

22,296 

5,902 

9,350 

6,573 

32 

44,153 

82 

57 

139 

— 

211 

18 

— 

11 

1 

241 

— 

— 

85 

— 

10 

— 

91 

29,856 

$ 

32,060 

866 

10,005 

40,350 

1,542 

5,646 

88,265 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

32,060 

39,661 

22,159 

71 

16,917 

105,886 

4,532 

5,708 

4,469 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

38 

3,197 

534 

10,696 

23,549 

1,039 

3,847 

42,862 

— 

16,813 

19,182 

139,070 

3,697 

9,018 

7,421 

186 

177,244 

22,197 

195,201 

1,033 

6,920 

190 

63 

2,019 

7 

14 

15,895 

6,920 

22,538 

5,965 

17,771 

6,588 

46 

— 

— 

11 

— 

4,888 

19 

— 

17,572 

— 

35,590 

1,997 

12,384 

8,573 

45 

— 

148 

13 

— 

12 

— 

173 

— 

— 

224 

— 

32 

— 

2,738 

2,994 

1,234 

6,125 

462 

39 

1,613 

11 

50 

35,257 

682 

10,709 

23,549 

1,051 

3,847 

75,095 

22,159 

16,813 

19,406 

139,070 

3,729 

9,018 

10,197 

220,392 

18,806 

6,125 

36,063 

2,036 

18,885 

8,603 

95 

2,293 

52,908 

4,918 

58,589 

2,175 

65,682 

4 

8,906 

8,910 

30,054 

8,963 

39,017 

23,995 

10 

24,005 

596 

21 

617 

5 

9,228 

9,233 

24,596 

9,259 

33,855 

Total assets prior to derivative netting 

$ 

103,698 

256,968 

19,583 

380,249 

$ 

83,180 

314,841 

21,934 

419,955 

Derivative netting (2) 

Total assets after derivative netting 

(31,430) 

348,819 

Derivative liabilities (gross): 

Interest rate contracts 

Commodity contracts 

Equity contracts 

Foreign exchange contracts 

Credit contracts 

Total derivative liabilities (gross) 

Short-sale trading liabilities 

$ 

(28) 

— 

(5,820) 

(8) 

— 

(5,856) 

(15,436) 

Total liabilities prior to derivative netting 

$ 

(21,292) 

Derivative netting (2) 

Total liabilities after derivative netting 

(17,712) 

(2,351) 

(10,753) 

(6,654) 

(40) 

(37,510) 

(5,249) 

(42,759) 

(39,836) 

380,119 

(26,302) 

(1,543) 

(22,006) 

(8,156) 

(58) 

(63) 

(66) 

(2,448) 

(10) 

(3) 

(17,803)  $ 

(2,417) 

(19,021) 

(6,672) 

(43) 

(27) 

— 

(4,860) 

(10) 

— 

(26,259) 

(1,503) 

(15,219) 

(8,134) 

(49) 

(16) 

(40) 

(1,927) 

(12) 

(9) 

(2,590) 

(45,956) 

(4,897) 

(51,164) 

(2,004) 

(58,065) 

— 

(20,685) 

(15,292) 

(7,149) 

— 

(22,441) 

(2,590) 

(66,641)  $ 

(20,189) 

(58,313) 

(2,004) 

(80,506) 

36,532 

(30,109) 

41,556 

(38,950) 

(1) 

(2) 

Excludes $81 million and $154 million of nonmarketable equity securities as of December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively, that are measured at fair value using non-published NAV 
per share (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient that are not classified in the fair value hierarchy. 
Represents balance sheet netting of derivative asset and liability balances, related cash collateral and portfolio level counterparty valuation adjustments. See Note 16 (Derivatives) for additional 
information. 

166 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Level 3 Assets and Liabilities Recorded at Fair Value 
on a Recurring Basis 
Table 17.2 presents the changes in Level 3 assets and 
liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis. 

Table 17.2:  Changes in Level 3 Fair Value Assets and Liabilities on a Recurring Basis 

Balance, 
beginning 
of period 

Net gains/ 
(losses) (1) 

Purchases (2) 

Sales 

Settlements 

Transfers 
into 
Level 3 (3) 

Transfers 
out of 
Level 3 (4) 

Balance, 
end of 
period 

Net unrealized 
gains (losses)
related to 
assets and 
liabilities held 
at period end  (5) 

(in millions) 

Year ended December 31, 2021 

Trading debt securities 

$ 

Available-for-sale debt securities 

Loans held for sale 

Mortgage servicing rights (residential) (8) 

Net derivative assets and liabilities: 

Interest rate contracts 

Equity contracts 

Other derivative contracts 

Total derivative contracts 

Equity securities 

Year ended December 31, 2020 

Trading debt securities 

$ 

Available-for-sale debt securities 

Loans held for sale 

173 

2,994 

1,234 

6,125 

446 

(314) 

39 

171 

9,233 

223 

1,565 

1,214 

7 

21 

(25) 

(842) 

27 

(468) 

(114) 

(555) 

(267) 

(53) 

(34) 

(96) 

Mortgage servicing rights (residential) (8) 

11,517 

(7,068) 

Net derivative assets and liabilities: 

Interest rate contracts 

Equity contracts 

Other derivative contracts 

Total derivative contracts 

Equity securities 

Year ended December 31, 2019 

Trading debt securities 

$ 

Available-for-sale debt securities 

Loans held for sale 

214 

(269) 

(5) 

(60) 

7,850 

290 

2,044 

1,057 

2,074 

(316) 

(63) 

1,695 

1,369 

(31) 

(6) 

56 

518 

809 

477 

1,645 

— 

— 

3 

3 

1 

600 

43 

1,312 

1,707 

— 

— 

8 

8 

2 

391 

475 

356 

Mortgage servicing rights (residential) (8) 

14,649 

(4,779) 

1,933 

Net derivative assets and liabilities: 

Interest rate contracts 

Equity contracts 

Other derivative contracts 

Total derivative contracts 

25 

(17) 

13 

21 

585 

(571) 

(176) 

(162) 

Equity securities 

5,468 

2,383 

— 

— 

13 

13 

— 

(448) 

(112) 

(534) 

(8) 

— 

— 

(3) 

(3) 

(68) 

(589) 

(68) 

(586) 

(32) 

— 

— 

3 

3 

— 

(385) 

(9) 

(237) 

(286) 

— 

— 

(12) 

(12) 

(1) 

(12) 

(278) 

(377) 

— 

(340) 

379 

77 

116 

— 

(12) 

(263) 

(323) 

1 

(1,842) 

298 

73 

(1,471) 

— 

(34) 

(743) 

(263) 

— 

(396) 

292 

132 

28 

— 

34 

353 

394 

— 

(5) 

(228) 

— 

(233) 

11 

115 

2,255 

1,927 

— 

— 

(22) 

22 

— 

23 

1 

6 

354 

— 

— 

6 

2 

8 

12 

(31) 

(3,601) 

(136) 

— 

(1) 

202 

3 

204 

— 

(111) 

(504) 

(2,214) 

— 

— 

(5) 

1 

(4) 

241 

186 

1,033 

6,920 

127 

(429) 

5 

(297) 

8,910 

173 

2,994 

1,234 

6,125 

446 

(314) 

39 

171 

(11) 

9,233 

(9) 

(202) 

(109) 

— 

— 

21 

23 

44 

223 

1,565 

1,214 

11,517 

214 

(269) 

(5) 

(60) 

(12) 

7,850 

(8)  (6) 

(4)  (6) 

(26)  (7) 

1,170  (7) 

(75) 

(266) 

(36) 

(377)  (9) 

(316)  (6) 

(36)  (6) 

1 

(6) 

(38)  (7) 

(4,693)  (7) 

334 

(19) 

11 

326 

(9) 

1,370 

(6) 

(31)  (6) 

(4)  (6) 

51 

(7) 

(2,569)  (7) 

249 

(186) 

12 

75 

(9) 

2,386 

(6) 

(1) 

(2) 
(3) 
(4) 

(5) 

(6) 
(7) 
(8) 
(9) 

Includes net gains (losses) included in both net income and other comprehensive income. All amounts represent net gains (losses) included in net income except for $41 million, $0 million, and $(40) 
million included in other comprehensive income from AFS debt securities for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 
Includes originations of mortgage servicing rights and loans held for sale. 
All assets and liabilities transferred into Level 3 were previously classified within Level 2. 
All assets and liabilities transferred out of Level 3 are classified as Level 2, except for $1.8 billion of AFS debt securities that were transferred to HTM debt securities during fourth quarter 2021 and 
$153 million of AFS debt securities that were transferred to loans during third quarter 2019. 
Includes net unrealized gains (losses) related to assets and liabilities held at period end included in both net income and other comprehensive income. All amounts represent net unrealized gains 
(losses) included in net income except for $(1) million and $57 million included in other comprehensive income from AFS debt securities for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, 
respectively. 
Included in net gains on trading and securities in the consolidated statement of income. 
Included in mortgage banking income in the consolidated statement of income. 
For additional information on the changes in mortgage servicing rights, see Note 9 (Mortgage Banking Activities). 
Included in mortgage banking income, net gains on trading and securities, and other noninterest income in the consolidated statement of income. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

167 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 17:  Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (continued) 

Table 17.3 provides quantitative information about the 
valuation techniques and significant unobservable inputs used in 
the valuation of our Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair 
value on a recurring basis. 

The significant unobservable inputs for Level 3 assets 
inherent in the fair values obtained from third-party vendors are 
not included in the table, as the specific inputs applied are not 

provided by the vendor (see discussion in the “Level 3 Asset and 
Liability Valuation Processes” section within this Note regarding 
vendor-developed valuations). 

Weighted averages of inputs are calculated using 

outstanding unpaid principal balance for cash instruments, such 
as loans and securities, and notional amounts for derivative 
instruments. 

Table 17.3: Valuation Techniques – Recurring Basis 

Fair Value 
Level 3 

Valuation Technique 

Significant 
Unobservable Input 

Range of Inputs 

Weighted
Average 

($ in millions, except cost to service amounts) 

December 31, 2021 

Trading and available-for-sale debt securities 

$ 

Loans held for sale 

136 

11 

280 

1,033 

Discounted cash flow 

Vendor priced 

Discount rate 

0.4 

-

12.5 

% 

Market comparable pricing 

Comparability adjustment 

(30.2)  -

Discounted cash flow 

Default rate 

Discount rate 

Loss severity 

Prepayment rate 

Mortgage servicing rights (residential) 

6,920 

Discounted cash flow 

Cost to service per loan (1) 

$ 

Discount rate 

Prepayment rate (2) 

12.5 

Net derivative assets and (liabilities): 

Interest rate contracts 

87 

Discounted cash flow 

Default rate 

Loss severity 

Prepayment rate 

Interest rate contracts: derivative loan 

commitments 

Equity contracts 

40 

253 

(682) 

Discounted cash flow 

Fall-out factor 

Initial-value servicing 

Discounted cash flow 

Conversion factor 

Option model 

Weighted average life 

Correlation factor 

Volatility factor 

Nonmarketable equity securities 

8,906 

Market comparable pricing 

Comparability adjustment 

Insignificant Level 3 assets, net of liabilities 

9 

Total Level 3 assets, net of liabilities 

$ 

16,993  (3) 

December 31, 2020 

Trading and available-for-sale debt securities 

$ 

2,126 

Discounted cash flow 

Discount rate 

0.4 

-

14.7 

% 

Loans held for sale 

759 

173 

109 

1,234 

Vendor priced 

Market comparable pricing 

Comparability adjustment 

Market comparable pricing 

Discounted cash flow 

Multiples 

Default rate 

Discount rate 

Loss severity 

Prepayment rate 

Mortgage servicing rights (residential) 

6,125 

Discounted cash flow 

Cost to service per loan (1) 

$ 

Discount rate 

Net derivative assets and (liabilities): 

Interest rate contracts 

206 

Discounted cash flow 

Default rate 

Loss severity 

Prepayment rate 

Prepayment rate (2) 

14.3 

Interest rate contracts: derivative loan 

commitments 

Equity contracts 

240 

220 

(534) 

Discounted cash flow 

Fall-out factor 

Initial-value servicing 

(51.6)  -

268.0 

 bps 

Discounted cash flow 

Conversion factor 

Option model 

Weighted average life 

Correlation factor 

Volatility factor 

Nonmarketable equity securities 

9,228 

Market comparable pricing 

Comparability adjustment 

Insignificant Level 3 assets, net of liabilities 

44 

Total Level 3 assets, net of liabilities 

$ 

19,930 

(3) 

(1) 
(2) 
(3) 

The high end of the range of inputs is for servicing modified loans. For non-modified loans the range is $54 - $199 at December 31, 2021, and $63 - $252 at December 31, 2020. 
Includes a blend of prepayment speeds and expected defaults. Prepayment speeds are influenced by mortgage interest rates as well as our estimation of drivers of borrower behavior. 
Consists of total Level 3 assets of $19.6 billion and $21.9 billion and total Level 3 liabilities of $2.6 billion and $2.0 billion, before netting of derivative balances, at December 31, 2021 and 2020, 
respectively. 

168 

Wells Fargo & Company 

0.0 

1.6 

0.0 

7.5 

54 

5.8 

0.0 

50.0 

2.8 

1.0 

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

% 

% 

19.2 

29.2 

11.9 

46.9 

18.2 

585 

8.8 

21.1 

5.0 

50.0 

22.0 

99.0 

(74.8)  -

(10.2)  -

0.5  -

(77.0)  -

6.5 

-

(21.6)  -

146.0 

bps 

% 

yrs 

% 

0.0 

2.0 

99.0 

72.0 

(7.7) 

(39.8)  -

7.2x  -

0.3 

12.1x 

0.0 

1.3 

0.0 

8.3 

63 

4.9 

0.0 

50.0 

2.8 

1.0 

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

% 

% 

31.6 

12.0 

32.3 

23.6 

712 

8.3 

22.8 

6.0 

50.0 

22.0 

99.0 

(8.6)  -

0.5  -

(77.0)  -

6.5 

-

(20.3)  -

% 

 yrs 

% 

0.0 

2.0

99.0 

96.6 

(3.2) 

5.5 

(4.6) 

1.2 

5.1 

15.4 

13.1 

106 

6.4 

14.7 

2.1 

50.0 

18.7 

16.8 

50.9 

(9.7) 

1.1 

23.2 

29.1 

(15.5) 

3.6 

(8.4) 

8.0x 

1.7 

4.5 

18.4 

15.1 

130 

5.8 

19.9 

1.7 

50.0 

18.2 

28.8 

65.5 

(8.2) 

1.0 

24.8 

26.4 

(13.8) 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The internal valuation techniques used for our Level 3 assets 

and liabilities, as presented in Table 17.3, are described as 
follows: 
•  Discounted cash flow – Discounted cash flow valuation 

techniques generally consist of developing an estimate of 
future cash flows that are expected to occur over the life of 
an instrument and then discounting those cash flows at a 
rate of return that results in the fair value amount. 
•  Market comparable pricing – Market comparable pricing 

valuation techniques are used to determine the fair value of 
certain instruments by incorporating known inputs, such as 
recent transaction prices, pending transactions, financial 
metrics of comparable companies, or prices of other similar 
investments that require significant adjustment to reflect 
differences in instrument characteristics. 

•  Option model – Option model valuation techniques are 
generally used for instruments in which the holder has a 
contingent right or obligation based on the occurrence of a 
future event, such as the price of a referenced asset going 
above or below a predetermined strike price. Option models 
estimate the likelihood of the specified event occurring by 
incorporating assumptions such as volatility estimates, price 
of the underlying instrument and expected rate of return. 

The unobservable inputs presented in the previous tables are 
those we consider significant to the fair value of the Level 3 asset 
or liability. We consider unobservable inputs to be significant if 
by their exclusion the fair value of the Level 3 asset or liability 
would be impacted by a predetermined percentage change. We 
also consider qualitative factors, such as nature of the 
instrument, type of valuation technique used, and the 
significance of the unobservable inputs relative to other inputs 
used within the valuation. Following is a description of the 
significant unobservable inputs provided in the table. 
• 

Comparability adjustment – is an adjustment made to 
observed market data, such as a transaction price to reflect 
dissimilarities in underlying collateral, issuer, rating, or other 
factors used within a market valuation approach, expressed 
as a percentage of an observed price. 
Conversion Factor – is the risk-adjusted rate in which a 
particular instrument may be exchanged for another 
instrument upon settlement, expressed as a percentage 
change from a specified rate. 
Correlation factor – is the likelihood of one instrument 
changing in price relative to another based on an established 
relationship expressed as a percentage of relative change in 
price over a period over time. 
Cost to service – is the expected cost per loan of servicing a 
portfolio of loans, which includes estimates for 
unreimbursed expenses (including delinquency and 
foreclosure costs) that may occur as a result of servicing 
such loan portfolios. 

• 

• 

• 

•  Default rate – is an estimate of the likelihood of not 
collecting contractual amounts owed expressed as a 
constant default rate (CDR). 

•  Discount rate – is a rate of return used to calculate the 

present value of the future expected cash flow to arrive at 
the fair value of an instrument. The discount rate consists 
of a benchmark rate component and a risk premium 
component. The benchmark rate component, for example, 
OIS, London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or U.S. 
Treasury rates, is generally observable within the market 
and is necessary to appropriately reflect the time value of 
money. The risk premium component reflects the amount 

of compensation market participants require due to the 
uncertainty inherent in the instruments’ cash flows resulting 
from risks such as credit and liquidity. 
Fall-out factor – is the expected percentage of loans 
associated with our interest rate lock commitment portfolio 
that are likely of not funding. 
Initial-value servicing – is the estimated value of the 
underlying loan, including the value attributable to the 
embedded servicing right, expressed in basis points of 
outstanding unpaid principal balance. 
Loss severity – is the estimated percentage of contractual 
cash flows lost in the event of a default. 

• 

• 

• 

•  Multiples – are financial ratios of comparable public 

companies, such as ratios of enterprise value or market value 
of equity to earnings before interest, depreciation, and 
amortization (EBITDA), revenue, net income or book value, 
adjusted to reflect dissimilarities in operational, financial, or 
marketability to the comparable public company used in a 
market valuation approach. 
Prepayment rate – is the estimated rate at which forecasted 
prepayments of principal of the related loan or debt 
instrument are expected to occur, expressed as a constant 
prepayment rate (CPR). 
Volatility factor – is the extent of change in price an item is 
estimated to fluctuate over a specified period of time 
expressed as a percentage of relative change in price over a 
period over time. 

• 

• 

•  Weighted average life – is the weighted average number of 
years an investment is expected to remain outstanding 
based on its expected cash flows reflecting the estimated 
date the issuer will call or extend the maturity of the 
instrument or otherwise reflecting an estimate of the timing 
of an instrument’s cash flows whose timing is not 
contractually fixed. 

Interrelationships and Uncertainty of Inputs Used in 
Recurring Level 3 Fair Value Measurements 
Usage of the valuation techniques presented in Table 17.3 
requires determination of relevant inputs and assumptions, some 
of which represent significant unobservable inputs. Accordingly, 
changes in these unobservable inputs may have a significant 
impact on fair value. 

Certain of these unobservable inputs will (in isolation) have a 

directionally consistent impact on the fair value of the 
instrument for a given change in that input. Alternatively, the fair 
value of the instrument may move in an opposite direction for a 
given change in another input. Where multiple inputs are used 
within the valuation technique of an asset or liability, a change in 
one input in a certain direction may be offset by an opposite 
change in another input having a potentially muted impact to the 
overall fair value of that particular instrument. Additionally, a 
change in one unobservable input may result in a change to 
another unobservable input (that is, changes in certain inputs are 
interrelated to one another), which may counteract or magnify 
the fair value impact. 

DEBT SECURITIES AND LOANS HELD FOR SALE  The internal models 
used to determine fair value for these Level 3 instruments use 
certain significant unobservable inputs within a discounted cash 
flow or market comparable pricing valuation technique. Such 
inputs include discount rate, prepayment rate, default rate, loss 
severity, multiples, and comparability adjustment. 

These Level 3 assets would decrease (increase) in value 
based upon an increase (decrease) in discount rate, default rate 
or loss severity inputs and would generally decrease (increase) in 

Wells Fargo & Company 

169 

 
Note 17:  Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (continued) 

value based upon an increase (decrease) in prepayment rate. 
Conversely, these Level 3 assets would increase (decrease) in 
value based upon an increase (decrease) in multiples. The 
comparability adjustment input may have a positive or negative 
impact on fair value depending on the change in fair value of the 
item the comparability adjustment references. 

Generally, a change in the assumption used for the default 
rate is accompanied by a directionally similar change in the risk 
premium component of the discount rate (specifically, the 
portion related to credit risk) and a directionally opposite change 
in the assumption used for prepayment rates. Unobservable 
inputs for comparability adjustment, multiples, and loss severity 
do not increase or decrease based on movements in the other 
significant unobservable inputs for these Level 3 assets. 

MORTGAGE SERVICING RIGHTS  The discounted cash flow models 
used to determine fair value of Level 3 MSRs utilize certain 
significant unobservable inputs including prepayment rate, 
discount rate and costs to service. An increase in any of these 
unobservable inputs will reduce the fair value of the MSRs and 
alternatively, a decrease in any one of these inputs would result in 
the MSRs increasing in value. Generally, a decrease in discount 
rates increases the value of MSRs, unless accompanied by a 
related update to our prepayment rates. The cost to service 
assumption generally does not increase or decrease based on 
movements in the discount rate or the prepayment rate. The 
sensitivity of our residential MSRs is discussed further in Note 9 
(Mortgage Banking Activities). 

DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS  Level 3 derivative instruments are 
valued using market comparable pricing, option pricing and 
discounted cash flow valuation techniques which use certain 
unobservable inputs to determine fair value. Such inputs consist 
of prepayment rate, default rate, loss severity, initial-value 
servicing, fall-out factor, volatility factor, weighted average life, 
conversion factor, and correlation factor. 

Level 3 derivative assets (liabilities) where we are long the 
underlying would decrease (increase) in value upon an increase 
(decrease) in default rate, fall-out factor, conversion factor, or 
loss severity inputs. Conversely, Level 3 derivative assets 
(liabilities) would generally increase (decrease) in value upon an 

Table 17.4:  Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis 

increase (decrease) in prepayment rate, initial-value servicing, 
weighted average life or volatility factor inputs. The inverse of 
the above relationships would occur for instruments when we are 
short the underlying. The correlation factor input may have a 
positive or negative impact on the fair value of derivative 
instruments depending on the change in fair value of the item 
the correlation factor references. 

Generally, for derivative instruments for which we are 

subject to changes in the value of the underlying referenced 
instrument, a change in the assumption used for default rate is 
accompanied by directionally similar change in the risk premium 
component of the discount rate (specifically, the portion related 
to credit risk) and a directionally opposite change in the 
assumption used for prepayment rates. Unobservable inputs for 
loss severity, initial-value servicing, fall-out factor, volatility 
factor, weighted average life, conversion factor, and correlation 
factor do not increase or decrease based on movements in other 
significant unobservable inputs for these Level 3 instruments. 

NONMARKETABLE EQUITY SECURITIES  Level 3 nonmarketable 
equity securities are valued using a market comparable pricing 
valuation technique, with a comparability adjustment as the 
single significant unobservable input. The comparability 
adjustment input may have a positive or negative impact on fair 
value depending on the change in fair value of the item the 
comparability adjustment references. 

Assets and Liabilities Recorded at Fair Value on a 
Nonrecurring Basis 
We may be required, from time to time, to measure certain 
assets at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in accordance with 
GAAP. These adjustments to fair value usually result from 
application of LOCOM accounting, write-downs of individual 
assets, or application of the measurement alternative for 
nonmarketable equity securities. 

Table 17.4 provides the fair value hierarchy and fair value at 
the date of the nonrecurring fair value adjustment for all assets 
that were still held as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and for 
which a nonrecurring fair value adjustment was recorded during 
the years then ended. 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

(in millions) 

Loans held for sale (1) 

Loans: 

Commercial 

Consumer 

Total loans 

Mortgage servicing rights (commercial) 

Nonmarketable equity securities 

Other assets 

Level 2 

$ 

3,911 

Level 3 

1,407 

476 

380 

856 

— 

6,262 

1,373 

— 

— 

— 

567 

765 

175 

Total 

5,318 

476 

380 

856 

567 

7,027 

1,548 

Total assets at fair value on a nonrecurring basis 

$ 

12,402 

2,914 

15,316 

(1) 

Predominantly consists of commercial mortgages and residential mortgage – first lien loans. 

170 

Wells Fargo & Company 

Level 2 

2,672 

Level 3 

2,945 

1,385 

395 

1,780 

— 

2,397 

1,350 

8,199 

— 

— 

— 

510 

790 

428 

Total 

5,617 

1,385 

395 

1,780 

510 

3,187 

1,778 

4,673 

12,872 

 
 
 
  
 
Table 17.6 provides quantitative information about the 
valuation techniques and significant unobservable inputs used in 
the valuation of our Level 3 assets that are measured at fair value 
on a nonrecurring basis and determined using an internal model. 
The table is limited to financial instruments that had 
nonrecurring fair value adjustments during the periods 
presented. Weighted averages of inputs are calculated using 
outstanding unpaid principal balance for cash instruments, such 
as loans, and carrying value prior to the nonrecurring fair value 
measurement for nonmarketable equity securities. 

Table 17.5 presents the gains (losses) on certain assets held 

at the end of the reporting periods presented for which a 
nonrecurring fair value adjustment was recognized in earnings 
during the respective periods. 

Table 17.5:  Gains (Losses) on Assets with Nonrecurring Fair Value 
Adjustment 

Year ended December 31, 

(in millions) 

Loans held for sale 

Loans: 

Commercial 

Consumer 

Total loans 

Mortgage servicing rights 
(commercial) 

Nonmarketable equity securities (1) 

Premises and equipment (2) 

Other assets (3) 

Total 

2021 

33 

$ 

(230) 

(564) 

(794) 

33 

4,407 

— 

(388) 

2020 

12 

(754) 

(260) 

(1,014) 

(37) 

435 

— 

(469) 

$ 

3,291 

(1,073) 

2019 

11 

(291) 

(207) 

(498) 

— 

322 

(170) 

(84) 

(419) 

(1) 

(2) 
(3) 

Includes impairment of nonmarketable equity securities and observable price changes 
related to nonmarketable equity securities accounted for under the measurement 
alternative. 
Includes the full impairment of certain capitalized software projects. 
Includes impairment of operating lease ROU assets, valuation losses on foreclosed real 
estate and other collateral owned, and impairment of private equity and venture capital 
investments in consolidated portfolio companies. 

Table 17.6:  Valuation Techniques – Nonrecurring Basis 

Fair Value 
Level 3 

Valuation 
Technique (1) 

Significant 
Unobservable Input (1) 

Range of Inputs 
Positive (Negative) 

Weighted 
Average 

($ in millions) 

December 31, 2021 
Loans held for sale (2) 

$ 

1,407 

Discounted cash flow 

Mortgage servicing rights (commercial) 

567 

Discounted cash flow 

Nonmarketable equity securities 

Other assets 

Total 

December 31, 2020 
Loans held for sale (2) 

745 

15 
5 
175 

2,914 

1,628 

$ 

$ 

Market comparable pricing 

Market comparable pricing 
Discounted cash flow 
Discounted cash flow 

Discounted cash flow 

Mortgage servicing rights (commercial) 

1,317 
510 

Market comparable pricing 
Discounted cash flow 

Nonmarketable equity securities (5) 

844 

188 

76 

91 

Market comparable pricing 
Market comparable pricing 
Other 
Discounted cash flow 

Default rate  (3) 

Discount rate 
Loss severity 
Prepayment rate  (4) 

Cost to service per loan 
Discount rate 
Prepayment rate 
Comparability adjustment 

Multiples 
Discount rate 
Discount rate 

Default rate  (3) 

Discount rate 
Loss severity 
Prepayment rate  (4) 

Comparability adjustment 
Cost to service per loan 
Discount rate 
Prepayment rate 
Multiples 
Comparability adjustment 
Company risk factor 
Discount rate 
Company risk factor 
Crude oil prices ($/barrel) 
Natural gas prices ($/MMBtu) 

0.2 
-
0.6 
-
0.4 
-
5.4 
-
150 
-
4.0 
-
0.0 
-
(100.0)  -

2.0x  -
-
10.5 
-
0.2 

0.3 
-
0.6 
-
0.4 
-
8.3 
-
(11.6)  -
-
150 
-
1.9 
0.0 
-
0.1x  -
(100.0)  -

(100.0)  -

10.0 

-

(62.6)  -

42 

2 

-

-

$ 

$ 

$ 

78.3  % 
12.0 
45.6 
100.0 
3,381 

4.5  % 
20.6 
(33.0) 

3.3x 
10.5  % 
4.4 

85.5  % 
11.9 
45.0 
100.0 
(1.8) 
3,377 

1.9  % 
20.0 
10.9x 
(20.0) % 
(20.0) 

20.0 

0.0 

48 

2 

25.6 
3.3 
4.8 
38.9 
2,771 
4.0 
5.5 
(59.0) 

2.8x 
10.5 
2.9 

31.5 
3.0 
8.1 
42.5 
(3.1) 
2,779 
1.9 
5.4 
5.0x 
(61.4) 

(57.7) 

11.5 

(30.3) 

47 

2 

Insignificant Level 3 assets 

Total 

19 

$ 

4,673 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 
(4) 
(5) 

Refer to the narrative following Table 17.3 for a definition of the valuation technique(s) and significant unobservable inputs used in the valuation of loans held for sale, mortgage servicing rights, 
certain nonmarketable equity securities, and other assets. 
Consists of approximately $1.2 billion and $2.6 billion of government insured/guaranteed loans purchased from GNMA-guaranteed mortgage securitizations at December 31, 2021, and 
December 31, 2020, respectively, and approximately $200 million and $300 million of other mortgage loans that are not government insured/guaranteed at December 31, 2021, and December 31, 
2020, respectively. 
Applies only to non-government insured/guaranteed loans. 
Includes the impact on prepayment rate of expected defaults for government insured/guaranteed loans, which impact the frequency and timing of early resolution of loans. 
Includes $417 million of private equity and venture capital investments in consolidated portfolio companies classified in other assets on the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2020. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

171 

 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 17:  Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (continued) 

We typically use a market approach to estimate the fair 

value of our nonmarketable private equity and venture capital 
investments in portfolio companies. The market approach bases 
the fair value measurement on market data (for example, use of 
market comparable pricing techniques) that are used to derive 
the enterprise value of the portfolio company. Market 
comparable pricing techniques may include utilization of 
multiples and recent or anticipated transactions (for example, a 
financing round, merger, acquisition or bankruptcy) involving the 
subject portfolio company, or participants in its industry or 
related industries. Based upon these recent or anticipated 
transactions, current market conditions and other factors 
specific to the issuer, we make adjustments to estimate the 
enterprise value of the portfolio company. As a result of the 
recent market environment, we also utilized other valuation 
techniques. These techniques included the use of company risk 
factors in the estimation of the fair value of certain 
nonmarketable equity securities. The company risk factors are 
based upon entity-specific considerations including the debt and 
liquidity profile, projected cash flow or funding issues as well as 
other factors that may affect the company’s outlook. 

Fair Value Option 
The fair value option is an irrevocable election, generally only 
permitted upon initial recognition of financial assets or liabilities, 
to measure eligible financial instruments at fair value with 
changes in fair value reflected in earnings. We may elect the fair 
value option to align the measurement model with how the 
financial assets or liabilities are managed or to reduce complexity 

Table 17.7:  Fair Value Option 

or accounting asymmetry. Following is a discussion of the 
portfolios for which we elected the fair value option. 

LOANS HELD FOR SALE (LHFS)  LHFS measured at fair value include 
residential mortgage loan originations for which an active 
secondary market and readily available market prices exist to 
reliably support our valuations. Loan origination fees on these 
loans are recorded when earned, and related direct loan 
origination costs are recognized when incurred. We believe fair 
value measurement for LHFS reduces certain timing differences 
and better matches changes in the value of these assets with 
changes in the value of derivatives used as economic hedges for 
these assets. 

Additionally we purchase loans for market-making purposes 

to support the buying and selling demands of our customers in 
our trading business. These loans are generally held for a short 
period of time and managed within parameters of internally 
approved market risk limits. Fair value measurement best aligns 
with our risk management practices. Fair value for these loans is 
generally determined using readily available market data based 
on recent transaction prices for similar loans. 

Table 17.7 reflects differences between the fair value 
carrying amount of the assets for which we have elected the fair 
value option and the contractual aggregate unpaid principal 
amount at maturity. Nonaccrual loans and loans 90 days or more 
past due and still accruing included in LHFS for which we have 
elected the fair value option were insignificant at December 31, 
2021 and 2020. 

(in millions) 

Loans held for sale 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

Fair value 
carrying 
amount 

Aggregate
unpaid 
principal 

Fair value 
carrying 
amount less 
aggregate
unpaid 
principal 

Fair value 
carrying 
amount 

Aggregate 
unpaid
principal 

Fair value 
carrying
amount less 
aggregate
unpaid
principal 

$ 

15,895 

15,750 

145 

18,806 

18,217 

589 

The changes in fair value related to initial measurement and 

subsequent changes in fair value included in earnings for LHFS 
accounted for under the fair value option were $2.0 billion, 
$2.7 billion and $1.1 billion for the years ended December 31, 
2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Substantially all of these 
amounts were included in the mortgage banking noninterest 
income line of the consolidated statement of income. For 
performing loans, instrument-specific credit risk gains or losses 
were derived principally by determining the change in fair value 
of the loans due to changes in the observable or implied credit 
spread. Credit spread is the market yield on the loans less the 
relevant risk-free benchmark interest rate. For nonperforming 
loans, we attribute all changes in fair value to instrument-specific 
credit risk. Gains and losses attributable to instrument-specific 
credit risk related to assets accounted for under the fair value 
option for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 
were insignificant. 

172 

Wells Fargo & Company 

 
  
 
Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments 
Table 17.8 presents a summary of fair value estimates for 
financial instruments that are not carried at fair value on a 
recurring basis. Some financial instruments are excluded from 
the scope of this table, such as certain insurance contracts, 
certain nonmarketable equity securities, and leases. This table 
also excludes assets and liabilities that are not financial 
instruments such as the value of the long-term relationships with 
our deposit, credit card and trust customers, MSRs, premises and 
equipment, goodwill and deferred taxes. 

Table 17.8:  Fair Value Estimates for Financial Instruments 

Loan commitments, standby letters of credit and 
commercial and similar letters of credit are not included in 
Table 17.8. A reasonable estimate of the fair value of these 
instruments is the carrying value of deferred fees plus the 
allowance for unfunded credit commitments, which totaled 
$1.4 billion at both December 31, 2021 and 2020.

 The total of the fair value calculations presented does not 

represent, and should not be construed to represent, the 
underlying fair value of the Company. 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Financial assets 

Carrying 
amount 

Level 1 

Level 2 

Level 3 

Total 

Estimated fair value 

Cash and due from banks (1) 

Interest-earning deposits with banks (1) 

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale agreements (1) 

Held-to-maturity debt securities 

Loans held for sale 

Loans, net (2) 

Nonmarketable equity securities (cost method) 

$ 

24,616 

209,614 

66,223 

272,022 

7,722 

868,278 

3,584 

24,616 

209,452 

— 

16,825 

— 

— 

— 

— 

162 

66,223 

252,717 

6,300 

63,404 

— 

— 

— 

2,844 

1,629 

24,616 

209,614 

66,223 

272,386 

7,929 

820,559 

883,963 

— 

3,646 

3,646 

Total financial assets 

$ 

1,452,059 

250,893 

388,806 

828,678 

1,468,377 

Financial liabilities 

Deposits (3) 

Short-term borrowings 

Long-term debt (4) 

Total financial liabilities 

December 31, 2020 

Financial assets 

Cash and due from banks (1) 

Interest-earning deposits with banks (1) 

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale agreements (1) 

Held-to-maturity debt securities 

Loans held for sale 

Loans, net (2) 

Nonmarketable equity securities (cost method) 

$ 

30,012 

34,409 

160,660 

$ 

225,081 

$ 

28,236 

236,376 

65,672 

205,720 

17,578 

853,595 

3,588 

— 

— 

— 

— 

28,236 

236,258 

— 

48,597 

— 

— 

— 

14,401 

34,409 

166,682 

215,492 

— 

118 

65,672 

162,777 

14,952 

56,270 

— 

15,601 

— 

1,402 

17,003 

— 

— 

— 

933 

3,419 

817,827 

3,632 

30,002 

34,409 

168,084 

232,495 

28,236 

236,376 

65,672 

212,307 

18,371 

874,097 

3,632 

Total financial assets 

$ 

1,410,765 

313,091 

299,789 

825,811 

1,438,691 

Financial liabilities 

Deposits (3) 

Short-term borrowings 

Long-term debt (4) 

Total financial liabilities 

$ 

52,807 

58,999 

212,922 

$ 

324,728 

— 

— 

— 

— 

33,321 

58,999 

219,321 

311,641 

19,940 

— 

1,381 

21,321 

53,261 

58,999 

220,702 

332,962 

(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 

Amounts consist of financial instruments for which carrying value approximates fair value. 
Excludes lease financing with a carrying amount of $14.5 billion and $15.4 billion at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 
Excludes deposit liabilities with no defined or contractual maturity of $1.5 trillion and $1.4 trillion at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 
Excludes obligations under finance leases of $26 million and $28 million at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

173 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 18:  Preferred Stock 

We are authorized to issue 20 million shares of preferred stock 
and 4 million shares of preference stock, both without par value. 
Preferred shares outstanding rank senior to common shares both 
as to dividends and liquidation preference but have no general 
voting rights. We have not issued any preference shares under 
this authorization. If issued, preference shares would be limited 
to one vote per share. Table 18.1 summarizes information about 
our preferred stock including the Employee Stock Ownership 
Plan (ESOP) Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock. 

In January 2021, we issued $3.5 billion of our Preferred 
Stock, Series BB, and in February 2021, we issued $1.05 billion of 

our Preferred Stock, Series CC. In March 2021, we redeemed our 
Preferred Stock, Series I, Series P and Series W, and partially 
redeemed our Preferred Stock, Series N, for an aggregate cost 
of $4.5 billion. In June 2021, we redeemed the remaining 
outstanding shares of our Preferred Stock, Series N, for a cost 
of $350 million. In July 2021, we issued $1.25 billion of our 
Preferred Stock, Series DD. In September 2021, we redeemed 
our Preferred Stock, Series O and Series X, for an aggregate cost 
of $1.8 billion. 

Table 18.1: Preferred Stock 

(in millions, except shares) 

DEP Shares 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

Shares 
authorized 
and 
designated 

Shares 
issued and 
outstanding 

Liquidation
preference 
value 

Carrying 
value 

Shares 
 authorized 
and 
designated 

Shares 
issued and 
outstanding 

Liquidation 
preference 
value 

Carrying 
value 

Dividend Equalization Preferred Shares (DEP) 

97,000 

96,546 

$ 

Series I (1) 

Floating Class A Preferred Stock 

Series L (2) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

97,000 

96,546 

$ 

— 

— 

25,010 

25,010 

2,501 

2,501 

7.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Convertible Class A Preferred Stock 

4,025,000 

3,967,995 

3,968 

3,200 

4,025,000 

3,967,995 

3,968 

3,200 

Series N (3) 

5.20% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

Series O (3) 

5.125% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

Series P (3) 

5.25% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

Series Q 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

30,000 

30,000 

27,600 

26,000 

26,400 

25,000 

750 

650 

625 

750 

650 

625 

5.85% Fixed-to-Floating Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

69,000 

69,000 

1,725 

1,725 

69,000 

69,000 

1,725 

1,725 

Series R 

6.625% Fixed-to-Floating Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

34,500 

33,600 

840 

840 

34,500 

33,600 

840 

840 

Series S 

5.90% Fixed-to-Floating Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

80,000 

80,000 

2,000 

2,000 

80,000 

80,000 

2,000 

2,000 

Series U 

5.875% Fixed-to-Floating Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

80,000 

80,000 

2,000 

2,000 

80,000 

80,000 

2,000 

2,000 

Series W (3) 

5.70% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

Series X (3) 

5.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

Series Y 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

40,000 

40,000 

1,000 

1,000 

46,000 

46,000 

1,150 

1,150 

5.625% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

27,600 

27,600 

690 

690 

27,600 

27,600 

690 

690 

Series Z 

4.75% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

80,500 

80,500 

2,013 

2,013 

80,500 

80,500 

2,013 

2,013 

Series AA 

4.70% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

46,800 

46,800 

1,170 

1,170 

46,800 

46,800 

1,170 

1,170 

Series BB 

3.90% Fixed-Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

140,400 

140,400 

3,510 

3,510 

Series CC 

4.375% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

46,000 

42,000 

1,050 

1,050 

Series DD 

4.25% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock 

50,000 

50,000 

1,250 

1,250 

ESOP (4) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock 

609,434 

609,434 

609 

609 

822,242 

822,242 

822 

822 

Total 

5,386,234 

5,323,875 

$ 

20,825 

20,057 

5,557,652 

5,496,293 

$  21,904 

21,136 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

This issuance has a floating interest rate that is the greater of three-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus 0.93% and 5.56975%. In first quarter 2021, Preferred Stock, Series I, was 
redeemed. Prior to redemption, Preferred Stock, Series I, was related to trust preferred securities. See Note 8 (Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities) for additional information. 
Preferred Stock, Series L, may be converted at any time, at the option of the holder, into 6.3814 shares of our common stock, plus cash in lieu of fractional shares, subject to anti-dilution 
adjustments. 
In first quarter 2021, $400 million of Preferred Stock, Series N, was redeemed and Preferred Stock, Series P and Series W, were fully redeemed; in second quarter 2021, the remaining $350 million of 
Preferred Stock, Series N, was redeemed; in third quarter 2021, Preferred Stock, Series O and Series X, were fully redeemed. 
See the “ESOP Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock” section in this Note for additional information about the liquidation preference for the ESOP Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock. 

174 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ESOP CUMULATIVE CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK  All shares of 
our ESOP Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock (ESOP 
Preferred Stock) were issued to a trustee acting on behalf of the 
Wells Fargo & Company 401(k) Plan (the 401(k) Plan). Dividends 
on the ESOP Preferred Stock are cumulative from the date of 
initial issuance and are payable quarterly at annual rates based 
upon the year of issuance. Each share of ESOP Preferred Stock 
released from the unallocated reserve of the 401(k) Plan is 
converted into shares of our common stock based on the stated 

value of the ESOP Preferred Stock and the then current market 
price of our common stock. The ESOP Preferred Stock is also 
convertible at the option of the holder at any time, unless 
previously redeemed. We have the option to redeem the ESOP 
Preferred Stock at any time, in whole or in part, at a redemption 
price per share equal to the higher of (a) $1,000 per share plus 
accrued and unpaid dividends or (b) the fair market value, as 
defined in the Certificates of Designation for the ESOP Preferred 
Stock. 

Table 18.2:  ESOP Preferred Stock 

(in millions, except shares) 

ESOP Preferred Stock 

$1,000 liquidation preference per share 

2018 

2017 

2016 

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012 

Shares issued and outstanding 

Carrying value 

Adjustable dividend rate 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

Minimum 

Maximum 

189,225 

135,135 

128,380 

68,106 

62,420 

26,168 

— 

221,945  $ 

163,210 

162,450 

92,904 

99,151 

61,948 

20,634 

189 

135 

128 

68 

63 

26 

— 

609 

(646) 

222 

163 

162 

93 

99 

62 

21 

822 

(875) 

7.00  % 

8.00  % 

7.00 

9.30 

8.90 

8.70 

8.50 

10.00 

8.00 

10.30 

9.90 

9.70 

9.50 

11.00 

Total ESOP Preferred Stock (1) 

Unearned ESOP shares (2) 

609,434 

822,242  $ 

$ 

At December 31, 2021 and 2020, additional paid-in capital included $37 million and $53 million, respectively, related to ESOP preferred stock. 

(1) 
(2)  We recorded a corresponding charge to unearned ESOP shares in connection with the issuance of the ESOP Preferred Stock. The unearned ESOP shares are reduced as shares of the ESOP Preferred 

Stock are committed to be released. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

175 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 19:  Common Stock and Stock Plans 

Common Stock 
Table 19.1 presents our reserved, issued and authorized shares of 
common stock at December 31, 2021. 

Table 19.1:  Common Stock Shares 

Dividend reinvestment and common stock purchase plans 

Director plans 

Stock plans (1) 

Convertible securities and warrants 

Total shares reserved 

Shares issued 

Shares not reserved or issued 

Total shares authorized 

Number of shares 

9,190,147 

173,238 

353,806,684 

65,835,437 

429,005,506 

5,481,811,474 

3,089,183,020 

9,000,000,000 

(1) 

Includes employee restricted share rights, performance share awards, 401(k), and deferred 
compensation plans. 

We have a general policy on repurchasing shares to meet 
common stock issuance requirements for our benefit plans, share 
awards, conversion of our convertible securities, acquisitions and 
other corporate purposes. Various factors determine the amount 
and timing of our share repurchases, including our capital 
requirements, the number of shares we expect to issue for 
acquisitions and employee benefit plans, market conditions 
(including the trading price of our stock), and regulatory and legal 
considerations. These factors can change at any time, and there 
can be no assurance as to the number of shares we will 
repurchase or when we will repurchase them. 

Dividend Reinvestment and Common Stock 
Purchase Plans 
Participants in our dividend reinvestment and common stock 
direct purchase plans may purchase shares of our common stock 
at fair market value by reinvesting dividends and/or making 
optional cash payments under the plan’s terms. 

Employee Stock Plans 
We offer stock-based employee compensation plans as 
described below. For additional information on our accounting 
for stock-based compensation plans, see Note 1 (Summary of 
Significant Accounting Policies). 

LONG-TERM INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLANS  We have granted 
restricted share rights (RSRs) and performance share awards 
(PSAs) as our primary long-term incentive awards using our 
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan (LTICP). 

Holders of RSRs and PSAs may be entitled to receive 

additional RSRs and PSAs (dividend equivalents) or cash 
payments equal to the cash dividends that would have been paid 
had the RSRs or PSAs been issued and outstanding shares of 
common stock. RSRs and PSAs granted as dividend equivalents 
are subject to the same vesting schedule and conditions as the 
underlying award. 

Table 19.2 summarizes the major components of stock 
incentive compensation expense and the related recognized tax 
benefit. 

Table 19.2:  Stock Incentive Compensation Expense 

(in millions) 

RSRs 

Performance shares (1) 

Total stock incentive 

compensation expense 

Related recognized tax benefit 

2021 

931 

74 

1,005 

248 

$ 

$ 

$ 

Year ended December 31, 

2020 

732 

(110) 

622 

154 

2019 

1,109 

108 

1,217 

301 

(1) 

Compensation expense fluctuates with the estimated outcome of satisfying performance 
conditions and, for certain awards, changes in our stock price. 

The total number of shares of common stock available for 
grant under the plans at December 31, 2021, was 147 million. 

Restricted Share Rights 
Holders of RSRs are entitled to the related shares of common 
stock at no cost generally vesting over three to five years after 
the RSRs are granted. A summary of the status of our RSRs at 
December 31, 2021, and changes during 2021 is presented in 
Table 19.3. 

Table 19.3:  Restricted Share Rights 

Nonvested at January 1, 2021 

Granted 

Vested 

Canceled or forfeited 

Nonvested at December 31, 2021 

Weighted-
average
grant-date
fair value 

46.30 

32.99 

48.28 

38.76 

37.98 

Number 

46,231,770  $ 

31,143,741 

(21,954,589) 

(3,816,743) 

51,604,179 

The weighted-average grant date fair value of RSRs granted 

during 2020 and 2019 was $42.53 and $49.32, respectively. 
At December 31, 2021, there was $879 million of total 
unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested RSRs. The 
cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average 
period of 2.4 years. The total fair value of RSRs that vested 
during 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $902 million, $981 million and 
$773 million, respectively. 

Performance Share Awards 
Holders of PSAs are entitled to the related shares of common 
stock at no cost subject to the Company’s achievement of 
specified performance criteria over a three-year period. PSAs are 
granted at a target number based on the Company’s 
performance. The number of awards that vest can be adjusted 
downward to zero and upward to a maximum of either 125% or 
150% of target. The awards vest in the quarter after the end of 
the performance period. For PSAs whose performance period 
ended December 31, 2021, the determination of the number of 
performance shares that will vest will occur in first quarter of 
2022 after review of the Company’s performance by the Human 
Resources Committee of the Board. 

176 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
A summary of the status of our PSAs at December 31, 2021, 

and changes during 2021 is in Table 19.4, based on the 
performance adjustments recognized as of December 2021. 

Table 19.4:  Performance Share Awards 

Number 

Weighted-average
grant-date fair value (1) 

Nonvested at January 1, 2021 

Granted 

Vested 

Canceled or forfeited 

5,553,608  $ 

1,414,431  $ 

(791,681)  $ 

(1,493,389)  $ 

Nonvested at December 31, 2021 

4,682,969  $ 

45.45 

32.76 

55.15 

55.95 

36.63 

(1) 

Reflects approval date fair value for grants subject to variable accounting. 

The weighted-average grant date fair value of performance 
awards granted during 2020 and 2019 was $40.39 and $49.26, 
respectively. 

At December 31, 2021, there was $29 million of total 

unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested 
performance awards. The cost is expected to be recognized over 
a weighted-average period of 1.9 years. The total fair value of 
PSAs that vested during 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $31 million, 
$35 million and $82 million, respectively. 

Stock Options 
Stock options have not been issued in the last three years and no 
stock options were outstanding at December 31, 2021 and 2020. 

Table 19.5:  Wells Fargo ESOP Fund 

(in millions, except shares) 

Allocated shares (common) 

Unreleased shares (preferred) 

Conversion value of unreleased ESOP preferred shares 

Fair value of unreleased ESOP preferred shares based on redemption 

Allocated shares (common) 

Unreleased shares (preferred) 

Director Awards 
We granted common stock awards under the LTICP to non-
employee directors elected or re-elected at the annual meeting 
of stockholders and prorated awards to directors who join the 
Board at any other time. Stock awards vest immediately. 

Employee Stock Ownership Plan 
The Wells Fargo & Company 401(k) Plan (401(k) Plan) is a 
defined contribution plan with an Employee Stock Ownership 
Plan (ESOP) feature. The ESOP feature enables the 401(k) Plan 
to borrow money to purchase our preferred or common stock. 
From 1994 through 2018, with the exception of 2009, we loaned 
money to the 401(k) Plan to purchase shares of our ESOP 
preferred stock. As our employer contributions are made to the 
401(k) Plan and are used to make ESOP loan payments, a portion 
of the ESOP preferred stock in the 401(k) Plan is released and 
converted into our common stock shares, which are allocated to 
the 401(k) Plan participants and invested in the Wells Fargo 
ESOP Fund within the 401(k) Plan. Dividends on the common 
stock shares allocated as a result of the release and conversion of 
the ESOP preferred stock reduce retained earnings, and the 
shares are considered outstanding for computing earnings per 
share. Dividends on the unallocated ESOP preferred stock do not 
reduce retained earnings, and the shares are not considered to be 
common stock equivalents for computing earnings per share. 
Table 19.5 presents the information related to the 
Wells Fargo ESOP Fund and the dividends paid to the 401 (K) 
Plan. 

Shares outstanding 

December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

149,638,081 

155,810,091 

138,978,383 

609,434 

822,242 

1,071,418 

$ 

$ 

609 

700 

2021 

74 

66 

822 

990 

1,072 

1,231 

Dividends paid 

Year ended December 31, 

2020 

155 

77 

2019 

233 

101 

Wells Fargo & Company 

177 

  
 
 
  
 
Note 20:  Revenue from Contracts with Customers 

Our revenue includes net interest income on financial 
instruments and noninterest income. Table 20.1 presents our 
revenue by operating segment. For additional description of our 

operating segments, including additional financial information 
and the underlying management accounting process, see 
Note 26 (Operating Segments). 

Table 20.1:  Revenue by Operating Segment 

(in millions) 

Year ended December 31, 2021 

Net interest income (2) 
Noninterest income: 

Deposit-related fees 
Lending-related fees (2) 
Investment advisory and other asset-based fees (3) 
Commissions and brokerage services fees 
Investment banking fees 
Card fees: 

Card interchange and network revenues (4) 
Other card fees (2) 

Total card fees 
Mortgage banking (2) 
Net gains (losses) from trading activities (2) 
Net gains on debt securities (2) 
Net gains (losses) from equity securities (2) 
Lease income (2) 
Other (2) 

Total noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Year ended December 31, 2020 

Net interest income (2) 
Noninterest income: 

Deposit-related fees 
Lending-related fees (2) 
Investment advisory and other asset-based fees (3) 
Commissions and brokerage services fees 
Investment banking fees 
Card fees: 

Card interchange and network revenues (4) 
Other card fees (2) 

Total card fees 
Mortgage banking (2) 
Net gains (losses) from trading activities (2) 
Net gains on debt securities (2) 
Net gains (losses) from equity securities (2) 
Lease income (2) 
Other (2) 

Total noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Year ended December 31, 2019 

Net interest income (2) 
Noninterest income: 

Deposit-related fees 
Lending-related fees (2) 
Investment advisory and other asset-based fees (3) 
Commissions and brokerage services fees 
Investment banking fees 
Card fees: 

Card interchange and network revenues (4) 
Other card fees (2) 

Total card fees 
Mortgage banking (2) 
Net gains (losses) from trading activities (2) 
Net gains (losses) on debt securities (2) 
Net gains from equity securities (2) 
Lease income (2) 
Other (2) 

Total noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Consumer 
Banking and 
Lending 

Commercial 
Banking 

Corporate and 
Investment 
Banking 

Wealth and 
Investment 
Management 

Corporate 

Reconciling 
Items (1) 

Consolidated 
Company 

$ 

22,807 

3,045 

145 

— 

— 
(11) 

3,426 

504 

3,930 

4,490 

— 

— 
(2) 
— 

473 

12,070 

34,877 

23,378 

2,904 
158 
— 
— 
(8) 

2,805 
513 
3,318 

3,224 
1 
6 
10 
— 
1,025 

10,638 

34,016 

25,786 

3,582 
230 
— 
— 

(5) 

2,973 

699 

3,672 

2,314 

2 

— 

4 

— 

2,306 

12,105 

37,891 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

4,960 

1,285 

532 

10 

— 
53 

196 

— 

196 

— 

— 

44 
132 
682 

655 

3,589 

8,549 

6,134 

1,219 
531 
32 
— 
76 

170 
— 
170 

— 
(4) 
— 
(147) 
646 
518 

3,041 

9,175 

7,981 

1,175 
524 
27 
— 

85 

254 

— 

254 

— 
(10) 
4 

115 

931 

616 

3,721 

11,702 

7,410 

1,112 

761 

52 

290 

2,405 

45 

— 

45 

480 

272 

— 

289 

33 

690 

6,429 

13,839 

7,509 

1,062 
684 
95 
315 
1,952 

51 
— 

51 
282 
1,190 
— 
212 
20 
556 

6,419 

13,928 

8,008 

1,029 
710 
62 
292 

1,804 

79 

— 

79 

413 
1,022 
(5) 

297 

22 

717 

6,442 

14,450 

2,570 

28 

8 

9,574 

2,010 

1 

4 

— 

4 
(12) 
21 

— 

79 

— 

63 

11,776 

14,346 

2,988 

27 
9 
8,085 
2,078 
14 

3 
— 

3 
(13) 
25 
— 
(101) 
— 
98 

10,225 

13,213 

3,906 

24 
8 
7,909 
2,170 

6 

6 

— 

6 

(12) 

58 

— 

256 

— 

81 

10,506 

14,412 

(1,541) 

(427) 

35,779 

5 
(1) 
1,375 
(1) 
(94) 

— 

— 

— 
(2) 
(9) 

509 

5,929 

281 

2,044 

10,036 

8,495 

— 
— 
— 
— 
— 

— 

— 

— 

— 
— 
— 

— 

— 

(1,187) 

(1,187) 

(1,614) 

5,475 

1,445 

11,011 

2,299 

2,354 

3,671 

504 

4,175 

4,956 

284 

553 

6,427 

996 

2,738 

42,713 

78,492 

441 

(494) 

39,956 

9 
(1) 
1,651 
(9) 
(169) 

1 
1 

2 
— 
(40) 
867 
691 
579 
1,336 

4,916 

5,357 

2,246 

9 
2 
1,816 
(1) 

(93) 

6 

(1) 

5 

— 

(79) 

141 

2,171 

661 

2,918 

7,550 

9,796 

— 
— 
— 
— 
— 

— 
— 

— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
(931) 

(931) 

(1,425) 

5,221 
1,381 
9,863 
2,384 
1,865 

3,030 
514 

3,544 
3,493 
1,172 
873 
665 
1,245 
2,602 

34,308 

74,264 

(624) 

47,303 

— 
— 
— 
— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 
(795) 

(795) 

(1,419) 

5,819 
1,474 
9,814 
2,461 

1,797 

3,318 

698 

4,016 

2,715 

993 

140 

2,843 

1,614 

5,843 

39,529 

86,832 

(1) 

Taxable-equivalent adjustments related to tax-exempt income on certain loans and debt securities are included in net interest income, while taxable-equivalent adjustments related to income tax 
credits for low-income housing and renewable energy investments are included in noninterest income, in each case with corresponding impacts to income tax expense (benefit). Adjustments are 
included in Corporate, Commercial Banking, and Corporate and Investment Banking and are eliminated to reconcile to the Company’s consolidated financial results. 
These revenues are related to financial assets and liabilities, including loans, leases, securities and derivatives, with additional details included in other footnotes to our financial statements. 

(2) 
(3)  We earned trailing commissions of $1.2 billion, $1.1 billion, and $1.2 billion for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 
(4) 

The cost of credit card rewards and rebates of $1.6 billion, $1.3 billion and $1.5 billion for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, are presented net against the related 
revenues. 

178 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We provide services to customers which have related 

Asset management services include managing and 

performance obligations that we complete to recognize revenue. 
Our revenues are generally recognized either immediately upon 
the completion of our service or over time as we perform 
services. Any services performed over time generally require that 
we render services each period and therefore we measure our 
progress in completing these services based upon the passage of 
time. 

DEPOSIT-RELATED FEES are earned in connection with depository 
accounts for commercial and consumer customers and include 
fees for account charges, overdraft services, cash network fees, 
wire transfer and other remittance fees, and safe deposit box 
fees. Account charges include fees for periodic account 
maintenance activities and event-driven services such as stop 
payment fees. Our obligation for event-driven services is 
satisfied at the time of the event when the service is delivered, 
while our obligation for maintenance services is satisfied over the 
course of each month. Our obligation for overdraft services is 
satisfied at the time of the overdraft. Cash network fees are 
earned for processing ATM transactions, and our obligation is 
completed upon settlement of ATM transactions. Wire transfer 
and other remittance fees consist of fees earned for providing 
funds transfer services and issuing cashier’s checks and money 
orders. Our obligation is satisfied at the time of the performance 
of the funds transfer service or upon issuance of the cashier’s 
check or money order. Safe deposit box fees are generally 
recognized over time as we provide the services. 

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER ASSET-BASED FEES are earned 
for providing brokerage advisory, asset management and trust 
services. 

Fees from advisory account relationships with brokerage 
customers are charged based on a percentage of the market 
value of the client’s assets. Services and obligations related to 
providing investment advice, active management of client assets, 
and assistance with selecting and engaging a third-party advisory 
manager are generally satisfied over a month or quarter. Trailing 
commissions are earned for selling shares to investors and our 
obligation is satisfied at the time shares are sold. However, these 
fees are received and recognized over time during the period the 
customer owns the shares and we remain the broker of record. 
The amount of trailing commissions is variable based on the 
length of time the customer holds the shares and on changes in 
the value of the underlying assets. 

administering assets, including mutual funds, and institutional 
separate accounts. Fees for these services are generally 
determined based on a tiered scale relative to the market value 
of assets under management (AUM). In addition to AUM, we 
have client assets under administration (AUA) that earn various 
administrative fees which are generally based on the extent of 
the services provided to administer the account. Services with 
AUM and AUA-based fees are generally satisfied over time. 

Trust services include acting as a trustee or agent for 
personal trust and agency assets. Obligations for trust services 
are generally satisfied over time; however, obligations for 
activities that are transitional in nature are satisfied at the time 
of the transaction. 

COMMISSIONS AND BROKERAGE SERVICES FEES are earned for 
providing brokerage services. 

Commissions from transactional accounts with brokerage 
customers are earned for executing transactions at the client’s 
direction. Our obligation is generally satisfied upon the execution 
of the transaction and the fees are based on the size and number 
of transactions executed. 

Fees earned from other brokerage services include securities 

clearance, omnibus and networking fees received from mutual 
fund companies in return for providing record keeping and other 
administrative services, and annual account maintenance fees 
charged to customers. Our obligation is satisfied at the time we 
provide the service which is generally at the time of the 
transaction. 

INVESTMENT BANKING FEES are earned for underwriting debt and 
equity securities, arranging syndicated loan transactions and 
performing other advisory services. Our obligation for these 
services is generally satisfied at closing of the transaction. 

CARD FEES include credit and debit card interchange and network 
revenues and various card-related fees. Credit and debit card 
interchange and network revenues are earned on credit and debit 
card transactions conducted through payment networks such as 
Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Our obligation is 
satisfied concurrently with the delivery of services on a daily 
basis. Other card fees represent late fees, cash advance fees, 
balance transfer fees, and annual fees. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

179 

 
 
 
 
Note 21:  Employee Benefits and Other Expenses 

Pension and Postretirement Plans 
We sponsor a frozen noncontributory qualified defined benefit 
retirement plan, the Wells Fargo & Company Cash Balance Plan 
(Cash Balance Plan), which covers eligible employees of 
Wells Fargo. The Cash Balance Plan was frozen on July 1, 2009, 
and no new benefits accrue after that date. 

Prior to July 1, 2009, eligible employees’ Cash Balance Plan 

accounts were allocated a compensation credit based on a 
percentage of their certified compensation; the freeze 
discontinued the allocation of compensation credits after 
June 30, 2009. Investment credits continue to be allocated to 
participants’ accounts based on their accumulated balances. 

We did not make a contribution to our Cash Balance Plan in 

2021. We do not expect that we will be required to make a 
contribution to the Cash Balance Plan in 2022. For the 
nonqualified pension plans and postretirement benefit plans, 
there is no minimum required contribution beyond the amount 
needed to fund benefit payments. 

We recognize settlement losses for our Cash Balance Plan 

based on an assessment of whether lump sum benefit payments 
will, in aggregate for the year, exceed the sum of its annual 
service and interest cost (threshold). Settlement losses of 
$133 million and $121 million were recognized during 2021 and 
2020, respectively, representing the pro rata portion of the net 

Table 21.1:  Changes in Benefit Obligation and Fair Value of Plan Assets 

loss in cumulative other comprehensive income based on the 
percentage reduction in the Cash Balance Plan’s projected 
benefit obligation attributable to 2021 and 2020 lump sum 
payments (included in the “Benefits paid” line in Table 21.1). 
Settlement losses were not recognized in 2019 as lump sum 
payments did not exceed the 2019 threshold. 

Our nonqualified defined benefit plans are unfunded and 
provide supplemental defined benefit pension benefits to certain 
eligible employees. The benefits under these plans were frozen in 
prior years. 

We provide health care and life insurance benefits for certain 
retired employees, and we reserve the right to amend, modify or 
terminate any of the benefits at any time. 

The information set forth in the following tables is based on 

current actuarial reports using the measurement date of 
December 31 for our pension and postretirement benefit plans. 

Table 21.1 presents the changes in the benefit obligation 

and the fair value of plan assets, the funded status, and the 
amounts recognized on the consolidated balance sheet. Changes 
in the benefit obligation for the qualified plans were driven by the 
amounts of benefits paid and changes in the actuarial loss (gain) 
amounts, which primarily reflected changes in the discount rates 
at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

(in millions) 

Change in benefit obligation: 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

Pension benefits 

Pension benefits 

Qualified 

Non-
qualified 

Other 
benefits 

Qualified 

Non-
qualified 

Other 
benefits 

Benefit obligation at beginning of year 

$ 

11,956 

Service cost 

Interest cost 

Plan participants’ contributions 

Actuarial loss (gain) 

Benefits paid 

Settlements, Curtailments, and Amendments 

Foreign exchange impact 

Benefit obligation at end of year 

Change in plan assets: 

Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year 

Actual return on plan assets 

Employer contribution 

Plan participants’ contributions 

Benefits paid 

Settlement 

Foreign exchange impact 

Fair value of plan assets at end of year 

Funded status at end of year 

Amounts recognized on the consolidated balance sheet at end of year: 

Assets 

Liabilities 

$ 

$ 

17 

296 

— 

(414) 

(818) 

(2) 

(3) 

11,032 

12,061 

324 

15 

— 

(818) 

— 

(1) 

11,581 

549 

620 

(71) 

556 

— 

12 

— 

(18) 

(49) 

— 

— 

501 

— 

— 

49 

— 

(49) 

— 

— 

— 

(501) 

— 

(501) 

491 

— 

11 

40 

(34) 

(69) 

— 

— 

439 

549 

25 

5 

40 

(69) 

— 

— 

550 

111 

133 

(22) 

11,116 

14 

325 

— 

1,205 

(706) 

(1) 

3 

11,956 

10,763 

1,291 

712 

— 

(706) 

(1) 

2 

12,061 

105 

181 

(76) 

572 

— 

16 

— 

25 

(57) 

— 

— 

556 

— 

— 

57 

— 

(57) 

— 

— 

— 

(556) 

— 

(556) 

525 

— 

16 

43 

(15) 

(78) 

— 

— 

491 

540 

38 

6 

43 

(78) 

— 

— 

549 

58 

84 

(26) 

180 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
Table 21.2 provides information for pension and 

postretirement plans with benefit obligations in excess of plan 
assets. 

Table 21.2:  Plans with Benefit Obligations in Excess of Plan Assets 

(in millions) 

Projected benefit obligation 

Accumulated benefit obligation 

Fair value of plan assets 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

Pension Benefits 

Other Benefits 

Pension Benefits 

Other Benefits 

$ 

664 

631 

91 

N/A 

22 

— 

715 

684 

82 

N/A 

26 

— 

Table 21.3 presents the components of net periodic benefit 

cost and other comprehensive income (OCI). Service cost is 
reported in personnel expense and all other components of net 

periodic benefit cost are reported in other noninterest expense 
on the consolidated statement of income. 

Table 21.3:  Net Periodic Benefit Cost and Other Comprehensive Income 

(in millions) 

Service cost 

Interest cost 

Expected return on plan assets 

Amortization of net actuarial loss (gain) 

Amortization of prior service credit 

Settlement loss 

Net periodic benefit cost 

Other changes in plan assets and benefit 

obligations recognized in other comprehensive 
income: 

Net actuarial loss (gain) 

Amortization of net actuarial gain (loss) 

Amortization of prior service credit 

Settlement 

Total recognized in other comprehensive income 

Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and 

other comprehensive income 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

December 31, 2019 

Pension benefits 

Pension benefits 

Pension benefits 

Qualified 

Non-
qualified 

Other 
benefits 

Qualified 

Non-
qualified 

Other 
benefits 

Qualified 

Non-
qualified 

Other 
benefits 

$ 

17 

296 

(598) 

140 

— 

134 

(11) 

(142) 

(140) 

— 

(134) 

(416) 

— 

12 

— 

15 

— 

2 

29 

(18) 

(15) 

— 

(2) 

(35) 

— 

11 

(19) 

(20) 

(10) 

— 

(38) 

(40) 

20 

10 

— 

(10) 

14 

325 

(603) 

157 

— 

121 

14 

517 

(157) 

— 

(121) 

239 

$ 

(427) 

(6) 

(48) 

253 

— 

16 

— 

14 

— 

3 

33 

25 

(14) 

— 

(3) 

8 

41 

— 

16 

(21) 

(19) 

(10) 

— 

(34) 

(32) 

19 

10 

— 

(3) 

(37) 

11 

419 

(567) 

148 

— 

— 

11 

38 

(148) 

— 

— 

(110) 

(99) 

— 

22 

— 

10 

— 

2 

34 

49 

(10) 

— 

(2) 

37 

71 

— 

23 

(28) 

(17) 

(10) 

— 

(32) 

(47) 

17 

10 

— 

(20) 

(52) 

Table 21.4 provides the amounts recognized in cumulative 

OCI (pre-tax). 

Table 21.4:  Benefits Recognized in Cumulative OCI 

(in millions) 

Net actuarial loss (gain) 

Net prior service cost (credit) 

Total 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

Pension benefits 

Pension benefits 

Qualified 

3,049 

1 

3,050 

$ 

$ 

Non-
qualified 

Other 
benefits 

159 

— 

159 

(390) 

(126) 

(516) 

Qualified 

3,465 

1 

3,466 

Non-
qualified 

Other 
benefits 

194 

— 

194 

(370) 

(136) 

(506) 

Wells Fargo & Company 

181 

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Note 21:  Employee Benefits and Other Expenses (continued) 

Plan Assumptions 
For additional information on our pension accounting 
assumptions, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting 
Policies). Table 21.5 presents the weighted-average assumptions 
used to estimate the projected benefit obligation. 

Table 21.5:  Weighted-Average Assumptions Used to Estimate Projected Benefit Obligation 

Discount rate 

Interest crediting rate 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

Pension benefits 

Pension benefits 

Qualified 

2.85  % 

2.69 

Non-
qualified 

2.60 

1.25 

Other 
benefits 

2.71 

N/A 

Qualified 

2.46 

2.66 

Non-
qualified 

2.15 

0.87 

Other 
benefits 

2.31 

N/A 

Table 21.6 presents the weighted-average assumptions 
used to determine the net periodic benefit cost, including the 
impact of interim re-measurements as applicable. 

Table 21.6:  Weighted-Average Assumptions Used to Determine Net Periodic Benefit Cost 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

December 31, 2019 

Pension benefits 

Pension benefits 

Pension benefits 

Qualified 

Non-
qualified 

Other 
benefits 

Qualified 

Non-
qualified 

Other 
benefits 

Qualified 

Non-
qualified 

Other 
benefits 

Discount rate 

Interest crediting rate 

Expected return on plan assets 

2.63  % 

2.68 

5.17 

2.32 

1.08 

N/A 

2.31 

N/A 

3.50 

2.95 

2.68 

5.74 

3.12 

1.46 

N/A 

3.10 

N/A 

4.00 

4.30 

3.22 

6.24 

4.10 

2.05 

N/A 

4.24 

N/A 

5.75 

Other benefit plan assets include (1) assets held in a 401(h) 
trust, which are invested with a target mix of 50%-60% equities 
and 40%-50% fixed income, and (2) assets held in the Retiree 
Medical Plan Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association 
(VEBA) trust, which are predominantly invested in fixed income 
securities and cash. Members of the EBRC formally review the 
investment risk and performance of these assets on a quarterly 
basis. 

Projected Benefit Payments 
Future benefits that we expect to pay under the pension and 
other benefit plans are presented in Table 21.7. 

Table 21.7:  Projected Benefit Payments 

(in millions) 

Year ended December 31, 

2022 

2023 

2024 

2025 

2026 

Pension benefits 

Qualified 

Non-
qualified 

Other 
benefits 

$ 

859 

734 

690 

696 

694 

44 

42 

41 

39 

38 

38 

36 

34 

33 

31 

2027-2031 

3,284 

161 

135 

To account for postretirement health care plans, we used 

health care cost trend rates to recognize the effect of expected 
changes in future health care costs due to medical inflation, 
utilization changes, new technology, regulatory requirements 
and Medicare cost shifting. In determining the end of year 
benefit obligation, we assumed an average annual increase of 
approximately 7.50% for health care costs in 2022. This rate is 
assumed to trend down 0.30%-0.40% per year until the trend 
rate reaches an ultimate rate of 4.50% in 2030. The 2021 
periodic benefit cost was determined using an initial annual trend 
rate of 7.80%. This rate was assumed to decrease 0.30%-0.40% 
per year until the trend rate reached an ultimate rate of 4.50% in 
2030. 

Investment Strategy and Asset Allocation 
We seek to achieve the expected long-term rate of return with a 
prudent level of risk, given the benefit obligations of the pension 
plans and their funded status. Our overall investment strategy is 
designed to provide our Cash Balance Plan with a moderate 
amount of long-term growth opportunities while ensuring that 
risk is mitigated through diversification across numerous asset 
classes and various investment strategies, coupled with an 
investment strategy for the fixed income assets that is generally 
designed to approximate the interest rate sensitivity of the Cash 
Balance Plan’s benefit obligations. The Cash Balance Plan 
currently has a target asset allocation mix comprised of the 
following ranges: 75%-85% fixed income, 10%-20% equities, and 
0%-10% in real estate, private equity and other investments. The 
Employee Benefit Review Committee (EBRC), which includes 
several members of senior management, formally reviews the 
investment risk and performance of our Cash Balance Plan on a 
quarterly basis. Annual Plan liability analysis and periodic asset/ 
liability evaluations are also conducted. 

182 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Fair Value of Plan Assets 
Table 21.8 presents the classification of the fair value of the 
pension plan and other benefit plan assets in the fair value 
hierarchy. See Note 17 (Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities) for a 
description of the fair value hierarchy. 

Table 21.8:  Pension and Other Benefit Plan Assets 

Pension plan assets 

Carrying value at year end 

Other benefits plan assets 

Level 1 

Level 2 

Level 3 

Total 

Level 1 

Level 2 

Level 3 

Total 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2021 

Cash and cash equivalents 

Long duration fixed income (1) 

Intermediate (core) fixed income (2) 

High-yield fixed income 

International fixed income 

Domestic large-cap stocks (3) 

Domestic mid-cap stocks 

Domestic small-cap stocks 

Global stocks (4) 

International stocks (5) 

Emerging market stocks 

Real estate 

Hedge funds/absolute return 

Other 

$ 

2 

1,562 

— 

— 

— 

378 

104 

94 

— 

139 

30 

87 

— 

111 

242 

6,827 

429 

134 

83 

57 

60 

6 

204 

216 

96 

28 

54 

45 

— 

1 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1 

— 

9 

244 

8,390 

429 

134 

83 

435 

164 

100 

204 

355 

126 

116 

54 

165 

Plan investments – excluding investments at NAV 

$ 

2,507 

8,481 

11 

10,999 

Investments at NAV (6) 

Net receivables 

Total plan assets 

December 31, 2020 

Cash and cash equivalents 

Long duration fixed income (1) 

Intermediate (core) fixed income (2) 

High-yield fixed income 

International fixed income 

Domestic large-cap stocks (3) 

Domestic mid-cap stocks 

Domestic small-cap stocks 

Global stocks (4) 

International stocks (5) 

Emerging market stocks 

Real estate 

Hedge funds/absolute return 

Other 

533 

49 

$  11,581 

222 

7,124 

333 

232 

136 

889 

337 

222 

417 

701 

267 

179 

150 

248 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1 

— 

2 

— 

9 

$ 

68 

1,032 

154 

6,092 

— 

— 

— 

647 

216 

212 

— 

260 

51 

133 

73 

174 

333 

232 

136 

242 

121 

10 

417 

440 

216 

44 

77 

65 

Plan investments – excluding investments at NAV 

$ 

2,866 

8,579 

12 

11,457 

Investments at NAV (6) 

Net receivables 

Total plan assets 

572 

32 

$  12,061 

40 

— 

— 

— 

— 

11 

— 

— 

— 

11 

— 

— 

— 

6 

68 

46 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

12 

— 

— 

— 

5 

63 

143 

— 

193 

— 

— 

67 

20 

11 

— 

24 

— 

— 

— 

— 

458 

145 

— 

186 

— 

— 

74 

20 

12 

— 

25 

— 

— 

— 

— 

462 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

24 

24 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

24 

24 

183 

— 

193 

— 

— 

78 

20 

11 

— 

35 

— 

— 

— 

30 

550 

— 

— 

550 

191 

— 

186 

— 

— 

74 

20 

12 

— 

37 

— 

— 

— 

29 

549 

— 

— 

549 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

This category includes a diversified mix of assets, which are being managed in accordance with a duration target of approximately 11 years and 12 years for December 31, 2021 and 2020 , 
respectively, and an emphasis on corporate credit bonds combined with investments in U.S. Treasury securities and other U.S. agency and non-agency bonds. 
This category includes assets that are intermediate duration, investment grade bonds held in investment strategies benchmarked to the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index or comparable index, 
including U.S. Treasury securities, agency and non-agency asset-backed bonds and corporate bonds. 
This category covers a broad range of investment styles, including active, enhanced index and passive approaches, as well as style characteristics of value, core and growth emphasized strategies. 
Assets in this category are currently diversified across eight unique investment strategies with no single investment manager strategy representing more than 2.0% of total plan assets in both years. 
This category consists of four and five unique investment strategies for December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, providing exposure to broadly diversified, global equity investments with no 
single strategy representing more than 1.0% and 1.5% of total Plan assets for December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 
This category includes assets diversified across five unique investment strategies providing exposure to companies in developed market, non-U.S. countries with no single strategy representing more 
than 1.5% of total plan assets in both years. 
Consists of certain investments that are measured at fair value using NAV per share (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient and are excluded from the fair value hierarchy. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

183 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 21:  Employee Benefits and Other Expenses (continued) 

Table 21.9 presents the changes in Level 3 pension plan and 

other benefit plan assets measured at fair value. 

Table 21.9:  Fair Value Level 3 Pension and Other Benefit Plan Assets 

(in millions) 

Year ended December 31, 2021 

Pension plan assets 

Other benefits plan assets 

Year ended December 31, 2020 

Pension plan assets 

Other benefits plan assets 

(1) 

Represents unrealized and realized gains (losses). 

VALUATION METHODOLOGIES  Following is a description of the 
valuation methodologies used for assets measured at fair value. 

Cash and Cash Equivalents – includes investments in 
collective investment funds valued at fair value based upon the 
fund’s NAV per share held at year-end. The NAV per share is 
quoted on a private market that is not active; however, the NAV 
per share is based on underlying investments traded on an active 
market. This group of assets also includes investments in 
registered investment companies valued at the NAV per share 
held at year-end and in interest-bearing bank accounts. 
Long Duration, Intermediate (Core), High-Yield, and 

International Fixed Income – includes investments traded on the 
secondary markets; prices are measured by using quoted market 
prices for similar securities, pricing models, and discounted cash 
flow analyses using significant inputs observable in the market 
where available, or a combination of multiple valuation 
techniques. This group of assets also includes highly liquid 
government securities such as U.S. Treasuries, limited 
partnerships valued at the NAV and collective investment funds 
described above. 

Domestic, Global, International and Emerging Market Stocks – 

investments in exchange-traded equity securities are valued at 
quoted market values. This group of assets also includes 
investments in registered investment companies and collective 
investment funds described above. 

Real Estate – includes investments in real estate, which are 
valued at fair value based on an income capitalization valuation 
approach. Market values are estimates, and the actual market 
price of the real estate can only be determined by negotiation 
between independent third parties in sales transactions. This 
group of assets also includes investments in exchange-traded 
equity securities and collective investment funds described 
above. 

Hedge Funds / Absolute Return – includes investments in 
registered investment companies, collective investment funds, 
and limited partnerships, as described above. 

Other – insurance contracts that are stated at cash surrender 

value. This group of assets also includes investments in 
registered investment companies and collective investment 
funds described above. 

The methods described above may produce a fair value 
calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or 
reflective of future fair values. While we believe our valuation 
methods are appropriate and consistent with other market 
participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions 
to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could 
result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date. 

Balance 
beginning
of year 

Gains 
(losses) (1) 

Purchases, 
sales and 
settlements 
(net) 

Transfer into/
(out of) Level 3 

Balance 
end of 
year 

$ 

12 

24 

16 

24 

6 

— 

(1) 

— 

(8) 

— 

(4) 

— 

1 

— 

1 

— 

11 

24 

12 

24 

Defined Contribution Retirement Plans 
We sponsor a qualified defined contribution retirement plan, the 
Wells Fargo & Company 401(k) Plan (401(k) Plan). Under the 
401(k) Plan, after 1 month of service, eligible employees may 
contribute up to 50% of their certified compensation, subject to 
statutory limits. 

Effective January 2021, we implemented the following 
changes to the 401(k) Plan employer contributions: (1) with 
some exceptions, employees with one year of service must be 
employed in a benefit-eligible position on December 15; (2) 
added a new non-discretionary base contribution of 1% of 
certified compensation for employees with annual compensation 
of less than $75,000; (3) replaced the discretionary profit sharing 
contribution with a discretionary contribution for eligible 
employees with annual compensation of less than $150,000; and 
(4) revised the matching contribution vesting and timing. Eligible 
employees are 100% vested in their base and discretionary 
contributions after three years of service. A three-year service 
vesting requirement for matching contributions applies to 
employees hired after December 31, 2020. Base and matching 
contributions are made annually at year-end, and the 
discretionary contribution, if awarded, is made no later than the 
due date for the Company’s federal income tax return (including 
extensions) for the plan year. Additionally, we added installment 
payment options to the existing lump sum and partial lump sum 
distribution options and added optional advisory services. 

Prior to January 2021, eligible employees who completed 

one year of service were eligible to receive the matching 
contributions quarterly, which are dollar for dollar up to 6% of 
certified compensation, and a discretionary profit sharing 
contribution up to 4% of certified compensation, if awarded, paid 
following the plan year. Matching contributions were 100% 
vested, and the discretionary profit sharing contributions 
required three years of vesting service (no change). 

Total defined contribution retirement plan expenses were 

$1.1 billion in each of 2021, 2020 and 2019. 

Other Expenses 
Regulatory Charges and Assessments expense, which is included 
in other noninterest expense, was $842 million, $834 million, and 
$723 million in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and primarily 
consisted of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) 
deposit assessment expense. 

184 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Note 22:  Restructuring Charges 

The Company began pursuing various initiatives to reduce 
expenses and create a more efficient and streamlined 
organization in third quarter 2020. Actions from these initiatives 
may include (i) reorganizing and simplifying business processes 
and structures to improve internal operations and the customer 
experience, (ii) reducing headcount, (iii) optimizing third-party 
spending, including for our technology infrastructure, and (iv) 
rationalizing our branch and administrative locations, which may 
include consolidations and closures. 

Restructuring charges are recorded as a component of 
noninterest expense on our consolidated statement of income. 
Changes in estimates represent reductions of noninterest 
expense based on refinements to previously estimated amounts, 
which reflect recent trends such as higher voluntary employee 
attrition, as well as changes in business activities. 

Table 22.1:  Accruals for Restructuring Charges 

The following costs associated with these initiatives are 

included in restructuring charges. 
• 

Personnel costs – Severance costs associated with 
headcount reductions with payments made over time in 
accordance with our severance plan, as well as payments for 
other employee benefit costs such as incentive 
compensation. 
Facility closure costs – Write-downs and acceleration of 
depreciation and amortization of owned or leased assets for 
branch and administrative locations, as well as related 
decommissioning costs. 

• 

•  Other – Impairment of other assets and costs associated 

with our technology infrastructure. 

Table 22.1 provides details on our restructuring charges. 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2019 

Restructuring charges 

Payments and utilization 

Changes in estimates 

December 31, 2020 

Restructuring charges 

Payments and utilization 

Changes in estimates 

December 31, 2021 

Personnel costs 

Facility closure costs 

$ 

$ 

$ 

— 

1,371 

(105) 

(96) 

1,170 

716 

(683) 

(638) 

565 

— 

80 

(80) 

— 

— 

10 

(4) 

(6) 

— 

Other 

— 

144 

(100) 

— 

44 

— 

(38) 

(6) 

— 

Total 

— 

1,595 

(285) 

(96) 

1,214 

726 

(725) 

(650) 

565 

Wells Fargo & Company 

185 

  
 
  
 
Note 23:  Income Taxes 

Table 23.1 presents the components of income tax expense 
(benefit). 

Table 23.1:  Income Tax Expense (Benefit) (1) 

(in millions) 

Current: 

U.S. Federal 

U.S. State and local 

Non-U.S. 

Total current 

Deferred: 

U.S. Federal 

U.S. State and local 

Non-U.S. 

Total deferred 

Total 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

$ 

5,850 

849 

171 

6,870 

(1,446) 

200 

(46) 

(1,292) 

5,578 

$ 

2,231 

(310) 

211 

2,132 

(2,440) 

(789) 

(60) 

(3,289) 

(1,157) 

6,781 

2,018 

154 

8,953 

(2,331) 

(852) 

(9) 

(3,192) 

5,761 

(1) 

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income housing tax credit investments and elected to change the presentation of investment tax credits related to solar 
energy investments. Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). 

Table 23.2 reconciles the statutory federal income tax rate 

to the effective income tax rate. Our effective tax rate is 
calculated by dividing income tax expense (benefit) by income 

before income tax expense (benefit) less the net income from 
noncontrolling interests. 

Table 23.2:  Effective Income Tax Expense (Benefit) and Rate (1) 

(in millions) 

Amount 

2021 

Rate 

Amount 

2020 

Rate 

Amount 

2019 

Rate 

December 31, 

Statutory federal income tax expense and rate 

$ 

5,697 

21.0  %  $ 

466 

21.0  %  $ 

5,350 

21.0  % 

Change in tax rate resulting from: 

State and local taxes on income, net of federal income tax benefit 

Tax-exempt interest 

Tax credits, net of amortization (2) 

Nondeductible expenses (3) 

Changes in prior year unrecognized tax benefits, inclusive of interest 

Other 

1,046 

(316) 

(1,001) 

368 

(122) 

(94) 

3.9 

(1.2) 

(3.7) 

1.4 

(0.4) 

(0.4) 

65 

(358) 

(626) 

199 

(938) 

35 

2.8 

(16.1) 

(28.2) 

9.0 

(42.2) 

1.6 

944 

(460) 

(530) 

800 

(88) 

(255) 

3.7 

(1.8) 

(2.1) 

3.1 

(0.3) 

(1.0) 

Effective income tax expense (benefit) and rate 

$ 

5,578 

20.6  %  $ 

(1,157) 

(52.1) %  $ 

5,761 

22.6  % 

(1) 

(2) 
(3) 

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income housing tax credit investments and elected to change the presentation of investment tax credits related to solar 
energy investments. Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). 
Includes LIHTC proportional amortization expense, net of tax of $1.2 billion, $1.1 billion and $961 million in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 
Includes nondeductible litigation accruals. Also, includes $155 million of nondeductible goodwill in 2021. 

186 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The tax effects of our temporary differences that gave rise 

We do not intend to distribute earnings of certain non-U.S. 

to significant portions of our deferred tax assets and liabilities 
are presented in Table 23.3. 

Table 23.3:  Net Deferred Taxes (1) 

(in millions) 

Deferred tax assets 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

Allowance for credit losses 

$ 

3,415 

Deferred compensation and employee 

benefits 

Accrued expenses 

Lease liabilities (2) 

Net operating loss and tax credit carry 
forwards 

Other 

3,124 

1,300 

1,142 

382 

1,048 

4,871 

3,225 

1,503 

1,262 

366 

944 

Total deferred tax assets 

10,411 

12,171 

Deferred tax assets valuation allowance 

(267) 

(310) 

Deferred tax liabilities 

Mark to market, net 

Leasing and fixed assets 

Mortgage servicing rights 

Right-of-use assets (2) 

Intangible assets 

Basis difference in investments 

Net unrealized gains on debt securities 

Other 

(3,631) 

(3,523) 

(2,414) 

(948) 

(559) 

(496) 

(278) 

(1,082) 

(4,043) 

(4,163) 

(2,647) 

(1,085) 

(605) 

(1,484) 

(1,056) 

(1,468) 

Total deferred tax liabilities 

(12,931) 

(16,551) 

Net deferred tax liability (3)(4) 

$ 

(2,787) 

(4,690) 

(1) 
Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. 
(2)  We revised prior period balances to separate deferred tax assets and liabilities that were 

previously reported on a net basis. This change had no impact on the net deferred tax 
liability that was previously reported. 
In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income 
housing tax credit investments and elected to change the presentation of investment tax 
credits related to solar energy investments. For additional information, see Note 1 
(Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). As a result of these changes, the net 
deferred tax liability decreased by $68 million at December 31, 2020. 
The net deferred tax liability is included in accrued expenses and other liabilities. 

(3) 

(4) 

Deferred taxes related to net unrealized gains (losses) on 

debt securities, net unrealized gains (losses) on derivatives, 
foreign currency translation, and employee benefit plan 
adjustments are recorded in cumulative OCI. See Note 25 (Other 
Comprehensive Income) for additional information. 

We have determined that a valuation allowance is required 
for 2021 in the amount of $267 million, attributable to deferred 
tax assets in various state and non-U.S. jurisdictions where we 
believe it is more likely than not that these deferred tax assets 
will not be realized due to lack of sources of taxable income, 
limitations on carry back of losses or credits and the inability to 
implement tax planning to realize these deferred tax assets. We 
have concluded that it is more likely than not that the remaining 
deferred tax assets will be realized based on our history of 
earnings, sources of taxable income in carry back periods, and our 
ability to implement tax planning strategies. 

At December 31, 2021, we had net operating loss and tax 

credit carry forwards with related deferred tax assets of 
$382 million. If these carry forwards are not utilized, they will 
mostly expire in varying amounts through December 31, 2041. 

subsidiaries in a taxable manner, and therefore intend to limit 
distributions to non-U.S. earnings previously taxed in the U.S., 
that would qualify for the 100% dividends received deduction, 
and that would not result in any significant state or non-U.S. 
taxes. All other undistributed non-U.S. earnings will continue to 
be permanently reinvested outside the U.S. and the related tax 
liability on these earnings is insignificant. 

Table 23.4 presents the change in unrecognized tax benefits. 

Table 23.4:  Change in Unrecognized Tax Benefits 

Year ended 
December 31, 

(in millions) 

Balance at beginning of year 

Additions: 

For tax positions related to the current year 

For tax positions related to prior years 

Reductions: 

For tax positions related to prior years 

Lapse of statute of limitations 

Settlements with tax authorities 

2021 

$ 

4,826 

441 

259 

(124) 

(164) 

(20) 

2020 

6,996 

52 

263 

(1,820) 

(3) 

(662) 

Balance at end of year 

$ 

5,218 

4,826 

Of the $5.2 billion of unrecognized tax benefits at 

December 31, 2021, approximately $3.7 billion would, if 
recognized, affect the effective tax rate. The remaining 
$1.5 billion of unrecognized tax benefits relates to income tax 
positions on temporary differences. 

We account for interest and penalties related to 
unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax 
expense. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, we have accrued 
approximately $914 million and $951 million, respectively, for 
interest and penalties, net of tax. In 2021 and 2020, we 
recognized income tax expense (benefit), net of tax, of 
$(33) million and $10 million, respectively, related to interest and 
penalties. 

We are subject to U.S. federal income tax as well as income 
tax in numerous state and non-U.S. jurisdictions. We are routinely 
examined by tax authorities in these various jurisdictions. With 
few exceptions, Wells Fargo and its subsidiaries are not subject to 
federal, state, local and non-U.S. income tax examinations for 
taxable years prior to 2011. It is reasonably possible that one or 
more of the examinations or appeals may be resolved within the 
next twelve months resulting in a decrease of up to $1.5 billion of 
our gross unrecognized tax benefits. Table 23.5 summarizes our 
major tax jurisdiction examination status as of December 31, 
2021. 

Table 23.5: Tax Examination Status 

Jurisdiction 

United States 

United States 

California 

New York 

Tax Year(s) 

Status 

2011-2014 

Administrative appeals 

2015-2018 

2015-2016 

2015-2019 

Field examination 

Field examination 

Field examination 

Wells Fargo & Company 

187 

  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Note 24:  Earnings and Dividends Per Common Share 

Table 24.1 shows earnings per common share and diluted 
earnings per common share and reconciles the numerator and 
denominator of both earnings per common share calculations. 

See the Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity and 
Note 19 (Common Stock and Stock Plans) for information about 
stock and options activity. 

Table 24.1:  Earnings Per Common Share Calculations 

(in millions, except per share amounts) 

Wells Fargo net income (1) 

Less: Preferred stock dividends and other (2) 

Wells Fargo net income applicable to common stock (numerator) (1) 

Earnings per common share 

Average common shares outstanding (denominator) 

Per share 

Diluted earnings per common share 

Average common shares outstanding 

Add: 

Stock options (3) 

Restricted share rights (3) 

Diluted average common shares outstanding (denominator) 

Per share 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

21,548 

1,292 

20,256 

2020 

3,377 

1,591 

1,786 

4,061.9 

4.99 

4,118.0 

0.43 

$ 

$ 

$ 

2019 

19,715 

1,612 

18,103 

4,393.1 

4.12 

4,061.9 

4,118.0 

4,393.1 

— 

34.3 

— 

16.2 

0.8 

31.5 

4,096.2 

4,134.2 

4,425.4 

$ 

4.95 

0.43 

4.09 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income housing tax credit investments and elected to change the presentation of investment tax credits related to solar 
energy investments. Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). 
The years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, balance includes $87 million, $301 million and $220 million, respectively, from the elimination of discounts or issuance costs associated with 
redemptions of preferred stock. 
Calculated using the treasury stock method. 

Table 24.2 presents the outstanding securities that were 

anti-dilutive and therefore not included in the calculation of 
diluted earnings per common share. 

Table 24.2:  Outstanding Anti-Dilutive Securities 

(in millions) 

Convertible Preferred Stock, Series L (1) 

Restricted share rights (2) 

(1) 
(2) 

Calculated using the if-converted method. 
Calculated using the treasury stock method. 

Table 24.3 presents dividends declared per common share. 

Table 24.3:  Dividends Declared Per Common Share 

Per common share 

Weighted-average shares 

Year ended Dec

ember 31, 

2020 

25.3 

1.1 

2019 

25.3 

— 

2021 

25.3 

0.2 

2021 

0.60 

$ 

Year ended December 31, 

2020 

1.22 

2019 

1.92 

188 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
Note 25:  Other Comprehensive Income 

Table 25.1 provides the components of other comprehensive 
income (OCI), reclassifications to net income by income 
statement line item, and the related tax effects. 

Table 25.1:  Summary of Other Comprehensive Income 

(in millions)

Debt securities: 

2021 

2020 

Before 
 tax 

Tax 
effect 

Net of 
tax 

Before 
tax 

Tax 
effect 

Net of 
tax 

Before 
tax 

Tax 
effect 

2019 

Net of 
tax 

Year ended December 31, 

Net unrealized gains (losses) arising during the period 

$ (3,070) 

759 

(2,311) 

2,317 

(570) 

1,747 

5,439 

(1,337) 

4,102 

Reclassification of net (gains) losses to net income: 

Interest income on debt securities (1) 

Net gains on debt securities 

Other noninterest income 

Subtotal reclassifications to net income 

Net change 

Derivatives and hedging activities: 

Fair Value Hedges: 

474 

(553) 

(3) 

(82) 

(117) 

134 

1 

18 

357 

532 

(419) 

(873) 

(2) 

(64) 

— 

(341) 

(132) 

213 

— 

81 

400 

263 

(660) 

(140) 

— 

(260) 

(1)

122 

(65) 

34 

— 

(31) 

198 

(106) 

(1) 

91 

(3,152) 

777 

(2,375) 

1,976 

(489) 

1,487 

5,561 

(1,368) 

4,193 

Change in fair value of excluded components on fair value hedges (2) 

81 

(20) 

61 

(31) 

7 

(24) 

(3) 

Cash Flow Hedges: 

Net unrealized gains (losses) arising during the period on cash flow 

hedges 

Reclassification of net (gains) losses to net income: 

Interest income on loans 

Interest expense on long-term debt 

Subtotal reclassifications to net income 

Net change 

Defined benefit plans adjustments: 

(12) 

3 

(9) 

10 

(2) 

8 

(21) 

137 

6 

143 

212 

(34) 

(2) 

(36) 

(53) 

103 

4 

107 

159 

215 

4 

219 

198 

(53) 

(1)

(54) 

(49) 

162 

3 

165 

149 

291 

8 

299 

275 

1 

5 

(72) 

(2)

(74) 

(68) 

(2) 

(16) 

219 

6 

225 

207 

Net actuarial and prior service gains (losses) arising during the period 

200 

(50) 

150 

(510) 

126 

(384) 

(40) 

10 

(30) 

Reclassification of amounts to noninterest expense (3): 

Amortization of net actuarial loss 

Settlements and other 

Subtotal reclassifications to noninterest expense 

Net change 

Foreign currency translation adjustments: 

135 

126 

261 

461 

(33) 

(29) 

(62) 

(112) 

102 

97 

199 

349 

Net unrealized gains (losses) arising during the period 

(30) 

1 

(29) 

Reclassification of net (gains) losses to net income: 

Other noninterest income 

Net change 

(1) 

(31) 

— 

1 

(1) 

(30) 

152 

114 

266 

(244) 

52 

— 

52 

(37) 

(26) 

(63) 

63 

(2)

— 

(2)

115 

88 

203 

(181) 

50 

— 

50 

141 

(8) 

133 

93 

73 

— 

73 

(35) 

5 

(30) 

(20) 

(2)

— 

(2)

106 

(3) 

103 

73 

71 

— 

71 

Other comprehensive income (loss) 

$ (2,510) 

613 

(1,897) 

1,982 

(477) 

1,505 

6,002 

(1,458) 

4,544 

Less: Other comprehensive loss from noncontrolling interests, net of tax 

Wells Fargo other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax 

(1) 

(1,896) 

— 

1,505 

— 

4,544 

(1) 
(2) 

(3) 

Represents net unrealized gains and losses amortized over the remaining lives of securities that were transferred from the available-for-sale portfolio to the held-to-maturity portfolio. 
Represents changes in fair value of cross-currency swaps attributable to changes in cross-currency basis spreads, which are excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness and recorded in 
other comprehensive income. 
These items are included in the computation of net periodic benefit cost (see Note 21 (Employee Benefits and Other Expenses) for additional information). 

Wells Fargo & Company 

189 

  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 25:  Other Comprehensive Income (continued) 

Table 25.2 provides the cumulative OCI balance activity on 

an after-tax basis. 

Table 25.2:  Cumulative OCI Balances 

(in millions) 

Balance, December 31, 2018 

Transition adjustment (3) 

Balance, January 1, 2019 

Net unrealized gains (losses) arising during the period 

Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income 

Net change 

Less: Other comprehensive income from noncontrolling interests 

Balance, December 31, 2019 

Net unrealized gains (losses) arising during the period 

Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income 

Net change 

Less: Other comprehensive income from noncontrolling interests 

Balance, December 31, 2020 

Net unrealized gains (losses) arising during the period 

Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income 

Net change 

Less: Other comprehensive loss from noncontrolling interests 

Balance, December 31, 2021 

$ 

Debt 
securities 

Fair value 
hedges (1) 

Cash flow 
hedges (2) 

Defined 
benefit 
plans
adjustments 

Foreign 
currency
translation 
adjustments 

Cumulative 
other 
comprehensive
income (loss) 

$ 

(3,122) 

481 

(2,641) 

4,102 

91 

4,193 

— 

1,552 

1,747 

(260) 

1,487 

— 

3,039 

(2,311) 

(64) 

(2,375) 

(1) 

665 

(178) 

— 

(178) 

(2) 

— 

(2) 

— 

(507) 

— 

(507) 

(16) 

225 

209 

— 

(2,296) 

— 

(2,296) 

(30) 

103 

73 

— 

(233) 

— 

(233) 

71 

— 

71 

— 

(6,336) 

481 

(5,855) 

4,125 

419 

4,544 

— 

(180) 

(298) 

(2,223) 

(162) 

(1,311) 

(24) 

— 

(24) 

— 

(204) 

61 

— 

61 

— 

(143) 

8 

165 

173 

— 

(125) 

(9) 

107 

98 

— 

(27) 

(384) 

203 

(181) 

— 

(2,404) 

150 

199 

349 

— 

(2,055) 

50 

— 

50 

— 

(112) 

(29) 

(1) 

(30) 

— 

(142) 

1,397 

108 

1,505 

— 

194 

(2,138) 

241 

(1,897) 

(1) 

(1,702) 

Substantially all of the amounts for fair value hedges are foreign exchange contracts. 

(1) 
(2)  Majority of the amounts for cash flow hedges are interest rate contracts. 
(3) 

The transition adjustment relates to our adoption of ASU 2017-08-Receivables-Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20): Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities 
in first quarter 2019. 

190 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 26:  Operating Segments 

Our management reporting is organized into four reportable 
operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; 
Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and 
Wealth and Investment Management. All other business 
activities that are not included in the reportable operating 
segments have been included in Corporate. We define our 
reportable operating segments by type of product and customer 
segment, and their results are based on our management 
reporting process. The management reporting process measures 
the performance of the reportable operating segments based on 
the Company’s management structure, and the results are 
regularly reviewed by our Chief Executive Officer and Operating 
Committee. The management reporting process is based on U.S. 
GAAP and includes specific adjustments, such as funds transfer 
pricing for asset/liability management, shared revenues and 
expenses, and taxable-equivalent adjustments to consistently 
reflect income from taxable and tax-exempt sources, which 
allows management to assess performance consistently across 
the operating segments. 

In February 2021, we announced an agreement to sell 
Wells Fargo Asset Management (WFAM), and in first quarter 
2021, we moved the business from the Wealth and Investment 
Management operating segment to Corporate. In March 2021, 
we announced an agreement to sell our Corporate Trust Services 
business and, in second quarter 2021, we moved the business 
from the Commercial Banking operating segment to Corporate. 
Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the 
current period presentation. These changes did not impact the 
previously reported consolidated financial results of the 
Company. On November 1, 2021, we closed the sales of our 
Corporate Trust Services business and WFAM. 

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our 

accounting method for low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) 
investments and elected to change the presentation of 
investment tax credits related to solar energy investments. 
These accounting policy changes had a nominal impact on 
reportable operating segment results. Prior period financial 
statement line items for the Company, as well as for the 
reportable operating segments, have been revised to conform 
with the current period presentation. Our LIHTC investments are 
included in the Corporate and Investment Banking operating 
segment and our solar energy investments are included in the 
Commercial Banking operating segment. For additional 
information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting 
Policies). 

Consumer Banking and Lending offers diversified financial 
products and services for consumers and small businesses with 
annual sales generally up to $5 million. These financial products 
and services include checking and savings accounts, credit and 
debit cards, as well as home, auto, personal, and small business 
lending. 

Commercial Banking provides financial solutions to private, 
family owned and certain public companies. Products and 
services include banking and credit products across multiple 
industry sectors and municipalities, secured lending and lease 
products, and treasury management. 

Corporate and Investment Banking delivers a suite of capital 
markets, banking, and financial products and services to 
corporate, commercial real estate, government and institutional 
clients globally. Products and services include corporate banking, 
investment banking, treasury management, commercial real 
estate lending and servicing, equity and fixed income solutions, 
as well as sales, trading, and research capabilities. 

Wealth and Investment Management provides personalized 
wealth management, brokerage, financial planning, lending, 
private banking, trust and fiduciary products and services to 
affluent, high-net worth and ultra-high-net worth clients. We 
operate through financial advisors in our brokerage and wealth 
offices, consumer bank branches, independent offices, and 
digitally through WellsTrade® and Intuitive Investor®. 

Corporate includes corporate treasury and enterprise functions, 
net of allocations (including funds transfer pricing, capital, 
liquidity and certain expenses), in support of the reportable 
operating segments, as well as our investment portfolio and 
affiliated venture capital and private equity businesses. In 
addition, Corporate includes all restructuring charges related to 
our efficiency initiatives. See Note 22 (Restructuring Charges) 
for additional information on restructuring charges. Corporate 
also includes certain lines of business that management has 
determined are no longer consistent with the long-term 
strategic goals of the Company, as well as results for previously 
divested businesses. 

Basis of Presentation 
FUNDS TRANSFER PRICING  Corporate treasury manages a funds 
transfer pricing methodology that considers interest rate risk, 
liquidity risk, and other product characteristics. Operating 
segments pay a funding charge for their assets and receive a 
funding credit for their deposits, both of which are included in 
net interest income. The net impact of the funding charges or 
credits is recognized in corporate treasury. 

REVENUE AND EXPENSE SHARING  When lines of business jointly 
serve customers, the line of business that is responsible for 
providing the product or service recognizes revenue or expense 
with a referral fee paid or an allocation of cost to the other line of 
business based on established internal revenue-sharing 
agreements. 

When a line of business uses a service provided by another 
line of business or enterprise function (included in Corporate), 
expense is generally allocated based on the cost and use of the 
service provided. 

TAXABLE-EQUIVALENT ADJUSTMENTS  Taxable-equivalent 
adjustments related to tax-exempt income on certain loans and 
debt securities are included in net interest income, while taxable-
equivalent adjustments related to income tax credits for low-
income housing and renewable energy investments are included 
in noninterest income, in each case with corresponding impacts 
to income tax expense (benefit). Adjustments are included in 
Corporate, Commercial Banking, and Corporate and Investment 
Banking and are eliminated to reconcile to the Company’s 
consolidated financial results. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

191 

  
  
Note 26:  Operating Segments (continued) 

Table 26.1 presents our results by operating segment. 

Table 26.1:  Operating Segments 

(in millions) 

Year ended December 31, 2021 

Net interest income (2) 

Noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Income (loss) before income tax expense 

(benefit) 

Income tax expense (benefit) 

Net income before noncontrolling interests 

Less: Net income (loss) from noncontrolling

interests 

Net income 

Year ended December 31, 2020 

Net interest income (2) 

Noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) 

Income tax expense (benefit) 

Net income (loss) before noncontrolling interests 

Less: Net income (loss) from noncontrolling 

interests 

Net income (loss) 

Year ended December 31, 2019 

Net interest income (2) 

Noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) 

Income tax expense (benefit) 

Net income before noncontrolling interests 

Less: Net income (loss) from noncontrolling 

interests 

Net income 

Year ended December 31, 2021 

Loans (average) 

Assets (average) 

Deposits (average) 

Loans (period-end) 

Assets (period-end) 

Deposits (period-end) 

Year ended December 31, 2020 

Loans (average) 

Assets (average) 

Deposits (average) 

Loans (period-end) 

Assets (period-end) 

Deposits (period-end) 

Consumer 
Banking and 
Lending 

Commercial 
Banking 

Corporate and 
Investment 

Wealth and 
Investment 
Banking  Management 

Corporate 

Reconciling 
Items (1) 

Consolidated 
Company 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

22,807 

12,070 

34,877 

(1,178) 

24,648 

11,407 

2,852 

8,555 

— 

8,555 

23,378 

10,638 

34,016 

5,662 

26,976 

1,378 

302 

1,076 

— 

1,076 

25,786 

12,105 

37,891 

2,184 

26,998 

8,709 

2,814 

5,895 

— 

$ 

5,895 

$ 

333,885 

388,208 

834,739 

326,574 

378,620 

883,674 

$ 

376,463 

432,042 

722,085 

362,796 

420,995 

784,565 

4,960 

3,589 

8,549 

(1,500) 

5,862 

4,187 

1,045 

3,142 

8 

3,134 

6,134 

3,041 

9,175 

3,744 

6,323 

(892) 

(208) 

(684) 

5 

(689) 

7,981 

3,721 

11,702 

190 

6,598 

4,914 

1,246 

3,668 

6 

3,662 

181,237 

198,761 

197,269 

190,348 

210,810 

205,428 

211,436 

226,961 

178,946 

188,977 

206,953 

188,292 

7,410 

6,429 

13,839 

(1,439) 

7,200 

8,078 

2,019 

6,059 

(3) 

6,062 

7,509 

6,419 

13,928 

4,946 

7,703 

1,279 

330 

949 

(1) 

950 

8,008 

6,442 

14,450 

173 

7,432 

6,845 

1,658 

5,187 

(1) 

5,188 

257,036 

523,344 

189,176 

284,374 

546,549 

168,609 

255,324 

521,514 

234,332 

244,456 

508,518 

203,004 

2,570 

11,776 

14,346 

(95) 

11,734 

2,707 

680 

2,027 

— 

2,027 

2,988 

10,225 

13,213 

249 

10,912 

2,052 

514 

1,538 

— 

1,538 

3,906 

10,506 

14,412 

2 

12,167 

2,243 

562 

1,681 

— 

1,681 

82,364 

88,503 

176,562 

84,101 

90,754 

192,548 

78,775 

85,942 

162,476 

80,785 

87,778 

175,483 

(1,541) 

10,036 

8,495 

57 

4,387 

4,051 

596 

3,455 

1,685 

1,770 

441 

4,916 

5,357 

(472) 

5,716 

113 

(670) 

783 

281 

502 

2,246 

7,550 

9,796 

138 

4,983 

4,675 

900 

3,775 

486 

3,289 

9,766 

743,089 

40,066 

9,997 

721,335 

32,220 

19,790 

675,250 

78,172 

10,623 

728,667 

53,037 

(427) 

(1,187) 

(1,614) 

— 

— 

(1,614) 

(1,614) 

— 

— 

— 

(494) 

(931) 

(1,425) 

— 

— 

(1,425) 

(1,425) 

— 

— 

— 

(624) 

(795) 

(1,419) 

— 

— 

(1,419) 

(1,419) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

35,779 

42,713 

78,492 

(4,155) 

53,831 

28,816 

5,578 

23,238 

1,690 

21,548 

39,956 

34,308 

74,264 

14,129 

57,630 

2,505 

(1,157) 

3,662 

285 

3,377 

47,303 

39,529 

86,832 

2,687 

58,178 

25,967 

5,761 

20,206 

491 

19,715 

864,288 

1,941,905 

1,437,812 

895,394 

1,948,068 

1,482,479 

941,788 

1,941,709 

1,376,011 

887,637 

1,952,911 

1,404,381 

(1) 

Taxable-equivalent adjustments related to tax-exempt income on certain loans and debt securities are included in net interest income, while taxable-equivalent adjustments related to income tax 
credits for low-income housing and renewable energy investments are included in noninterest income, in each case with corresponding impacts to income tax expense (benefit). Adjustments are 
included in Corporate, Commercial Banking, and Corporate and Investment Banking and are eliminated to reconcile to the Company’s consolidated financial results. 

(2)  Net interest income is interest earned on assets minus the interest paid on liabilities to fund those assets. Segment interest earned includes actual interest income on segment assets as well as a 

funding credit for their deposits. Segment interest paid on liabilities includes actual interest expense on segment liabilities as well as a funding charge for their assets. 

192 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
Note 27:  Parent-Only Financial Statements 

The following tables present Parent-only condensed financial 
statements. 

Table 27.1:  Parent-Only Statement of Income 

(in millions) 

Income 

Dividends from subsidiaries (1) 

Interest income from subsidiaries 

Other interest income 

Other income 

Total income 

Expense 

Interest expense: 

Indebtedness to nonbank subsidiaries 

Long-term debt 

Other 

Noninterest expense 

Total expense 

Income before income tax benefit and equity in undistributed income of subsidiaries 

Income tax benefit 

Equity in undistributed income of subsidiaries (2) 

Net income (2) 

Year ended December 31, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

$ 

17,895 

3,934 

1 

(418) 

21,412 

89 

2,823 

— 

309 

3,221 

18,191 

(819) 

2,538 

$ 

21,548 

42,578 

1,295 

3 

(231) 

43,645 

155 

3,591 

— 

794 

4,540 

39,105 

(1,694) 

(37,422) 

3,377 

21,930 

3,356 

43 

(162) 

25,167 

664 

4,931 

2 

1,327 

6,924 

18,243 

(945) 

527 

19,715 

(1) 
(2) 

Includes dividends paid from indirect bank subsidiaries of $15.2 billion, $1.8 billion and $21.8 billion in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 
In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income housing tax credit investments and elected to change the presentation of investment tax credits related to solar 
energy investments. Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). 

Table 27.2:  Parent-Only Statement of Comprehensive Income 

(in millions) 

Net income (1) 

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax: 

Debt securities 

Derivatives and hedging activities 

Defined benefit plans adjustments 

Equity in other comprehensive income (loss) of subsidiaries 

Other comprehensive income, net of tax: 

Total comprehensive income (1) 

2021 

21,548 

5 

49 

347 

(2,297) 

(1,896) 

19,652 

$ 

$ 

Year ended December 31, 

2020 

3,377 

(10) 

(2) 

(178) 

1,695 

1,505 

4,882 

2019 

19,715 

(45) 

(12) 

75 

4,526 

4,544 

24,259 

(1) 

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income housing tax credit investments and elected to change the presentation of investment tax credits related to solar 
energy investments. Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). 

Wells Fargo & Company 

193 

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Note 27:  Parent-Only Financial Statements (continued) 

Table 27.3:  Parent-Only Balance Sheet 

(in millions) 

Assets 

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash due from subsidiary banks 

Loans to nonbank subsidiaries 

Investments in subsidiaries (1) (2) 

Equity securities 

Other assets 

Total assets 

Liabilities and equity 

Accrued expenses and other liabilities 

Long-term debt 

Indebtedness to nonbank subsidiaries 

Total liabilities 

Stockholders’ equity (1) 

Total liabilities and equity 

Dec 31, 
2021 

15,134 

185,050 

172,926 

140 

7,341 

380,591 

7,333 

146,082 

39,570 

192,985 

187,606 

380,591 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

Dec 31, 
2020 

14,817 

185,046 

172,637 

144 

5,857 

378,501 

8,249 

181,956 

3,616 

193,821 

184,680 

378,501 

(1) 

(2) 

In second quarter 2021, we elected to change our accounting method for low-income housing tax credit investments and elected to change the presentation of investment tax credits related to solar 
energy investments. Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. For additional information, see Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). 
The years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, include indirect ownership of bank subsidiaries with equity of $173.7 billion and $173.3 billion, respectively. 

Table 27.4:  Parent-Only Statement of Cash Flows 

(in millions) 

Cash flows from operating activities: 

Net cash provided by operating activities 

Cash flows from investing activities: 

Equity securities, not held for trading: 

Proceeds from sales and capital returns 

Purchases 

Loans: 

Net repayments from (advances to) subsidiaries 

Capital notes and term loans made to subsidiaries 

Principal collected on notes/loans made to subsidiaries 

Net decrease (increase) in investment in subsidiaries 

Other, net 

Net cash used by investing activities 

Cash flows from financing activities: 

2021 

2020 

2019 

Year ended December 31, 

$ 

11,938 

50,193 

27,601 

11 

(18) 

— 

(3,500) 

2,618 

— 

14 

(875) 

2,333 

(1,479) 

10 

(38,547) 

558 

425 

16 

(36,684) 

326 

(1,052) 

(3) 

(5,286) 

1,703 

(384) 

22 

(4,674) 

Net increase (decrease) in short-term borrowings and indebtedness to subsidiaries 

35,958 

(22,613) 

(636) 

Long-term debt: 

Proceeds from issuance 

Repayment 

Preferred stock: 

Proceeds from issuance 

Redeemed 

Cash dividends paid 

Common stock: 

Repurchased 

Cash dividends paid 

Other, net (1) 

Net cash used by financing activities 

Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year 

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year 

(1) 

Prior period balances have been revised to conform with the current period presentation. 

$ 

1,001 

(28,331) 

5,756 

(6,675) 

(1,205) 

(14,464) 

(2,422) 

(364) 

(10,746) 

317 

14,817 

15,134 

34,918 

(15,803) 

3,116 

(3,602) 

(1,290) 

(3,415) 

(4,852) 

(100) 

(13,641) 

(132) 

14,949 

14,817 

20,369 

(8,143) 

— 

(1,550) 

(1,391) 

(24,533) 

(8,198) 

(197) 

(24,279) 

(1,352) 

16,301 

14,949 

194 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 28:  Regulatory Capital Requirements and Other Restrictions 

Regulatory Capital Requirements 
The Company and each of its subsidiary banks are subject to 
regulatory capital adequacy requirements promulgated by 
federal banking regulators. The FRB establishes capital 
requirements for the consolidated financial holding company, 
and the OCC has similar requirements for the Company’s 
national banks, including Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (the Bank). 
Table 28.1 presents regulatory capital information for 
Wells Fargo & Company and the Bank in accordance with Basel III 
capital requirements. We must calculate our risk-based capital 
ratios under both the Standardized and Advanced Approaches. 
The Standardized Approach applies assigned risk weights to 
broad risk categories, while the calculation of risk-weighted 
assets (RWAs) under the Advanced Approach differs by requiring 

applicable banks to utilize a risk-sensitive methodology, which 
relies upon the use of internal credit models, and includes an 
operational risk component. The Basel III capital requirements for 
calculating Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) and tier 1 capital, along 
with RWAs, are fully phased-in. However, the requirements for 
determining tier 2 and total capital remained in accordance with 
transition requirements at December 31, 2021, but became fully 
phased-in beginning January 1, 2022. Accordingly, the 
information presented below reflects fully phased-in CET1 
capital, tier 1 capital, and RWAs, but reflects total capital still in 
accordance with transition requirements. 

At December 31, 2021, the Bank and our other insured 
depository institutions were considered well-capitalized under 
the requirements of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. 

Table 28.1:  Regulatory Capital Information (1) 

Standardized Approach 

Advanced Approach 

Standardized Approach 

Wells Fargo & Company 

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. 

Advanced Approach 

December 31, 
2021 

December 31, 
2020 

December 31, 
2021 

December 31, 
2020 

December 31, 
2021 

December 31, 
2020 

December 31, 
2021 

December 31, 
2020 

$ 

140,643 

159,671 

196,308 

138,297 

158,196 

196,660 

140,643 

159,671 

186,580 

138,297 

158,196 

186,934 

149,318 

149,318 

173,044 

150,168 

150,168 

173,719 

149,318 

149,318 

163,213 

150,168 

150,168 

164,412 

1,239,026 

1,915,585 

1,193,744 

1,900,258 

1,116,068 

1,915,585 

1,158,355 

1,900,258 

1,137,839 

1,758,479 

1,085,599 

1,735,406 

965,511 

1,758,479 

1,012,751 

1,735,406 

11.35  %  * 

12.89 

15.84 

* 

* 

9.60 

11.10 

13.10 

11.59 

13.25 

16.47 

9.00 

10.50 

12.50 

12.60 

14.31 

16.72 

9.00 

10.50 

12.50 

11.94 

13.66 

16.14 

9.00 

10.50 

12.50 

13.12  * 

13.12  * 

15.21  * 

7.00 

8.50 

10.50 

13.83 

13.83 

16.00 

7.00 

8.50 

10.50 

15.47 

15.47 

16.90 

7.00 

8.50 

10.50 

14.83 

14.83 

16.23 

7.00 

8.50 

10.50 

December 31, 2021 

December 31, 2020 

December 31, 2021 

Wells Fargo & Company 

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. 

December 31, 2020 

(in millions, except ratios) 

Regulatory capital: 

Common Equity Tier 1 

Tier 1 

Total 

Assets: 

Risk-weighted assets 

Adjusted average assets 

Regulatory capital ratios: 

Common Equity Tier 1 capital 

Tier 1 capital 

Total capital 

Required minimum capital ratios: 

Common Equity Tier 1 capital 

Tier 1 capital 

Total capital 

Regulatory leverage: 

Total leverage exposure (2) 

$ 

2,316,079 

1,963,971 

2,133,798 

2,041,952 

Supplementary leverage ratio (SLR) (2) 

Tier 1 leverage ratio (3) 

Required minimum leverage: 

Supplementary leverage ratio 

Tier 1 leverage ratio 

6.89  % 

8.34 

5.00 

4.00 

8.05 

8.32 

5.00 

4.00 

7.00 

8.49 

6.00 

4.00 

7.35 

8.65 

6.00 

4.00 

* 
(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

Denotes the binding ratio under the Standardized and Advanced Approaches at December 31, 2021. 
At December 31, 2021, the impact of the CECL transition provision issued by federal banking regulators on the regulatory capital of the Company was an increase in capital of $241 million, reflecting 
a $991 million (post-tax) increase in capital recognized upon our initial adoption of CECL, offset by 25% of the $4.9 billion increase in our ACL under CECL from January 1, 2020, through 
December 31, 2021. The impact of the CECL transition provision on the regulatory capital of the Bank at December 31, 2021, was an increase in capital of $463 million. 
The SLR consists of tier 1 capital divided by total leverage exposure. Total leverage exposure consists of total average assets, less goodwill and other permitted tier 1 capital deductions (net of 
deferred tax liabilities), plus certain off-balance sheet exposures. 
The tier 1 leverage ratio consists of tier 1 capital divided by total average assets, excluding goodwill and certain other items as determined under the rule. 

At December 31, 2021, under transition requirements, the 
CET1, tier 1 and total capital ratio requirements for the Company 
included a global systemically important bank (G-SIB) surcharge 
of 2.00%. The G-SIB surcharge is not applicable to the Bank. In 
addition, the CET1, tier 1 and total capital ratio requirements for 
the Company included a stress capital buffer of 3.10% under the 
Standardized Approach and a capital conservation buffer of 
2.50% under the Advanced Approach. The capital ratio 
requirements for the Bank included a capital conservation buffer 
of 2.50% under both the Standardized and Advanced 
Approaches. The Company is required to maintain these risk-
based capital ratios and to maintain an SLR of at least 5.00% 
(composed of a 3.00% minimum requirement plus a 
supplementary leverage buffer of 2.00%) to avoid restrictions on 
capital distributions and discretionary bonus payments. The Bank 

is required to maintain an SLR of at least 6.00% to be considered 
well-capitalized under applicable regulatory capital adequacy 
rules. 

Capital Planning Requirements 
The FRB’s capital plan rule establishes capital planning and other 
requirements that govern capital distributions, including 
dividends and share repurchases, by certain large bank holding 
companies (BHCs), including Wells Fargo. The FRB conducts an 
annual Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review exercise and 
has also published guidance regarding its supervisory 
expectations for capital planning, including capital policies 
regarding the process relating to common stock dividend and 
repurchase decisions in the FRB’s SR Letter 15-18. The Parent’s 
ability to make certain capital distributions is subject to the 

Wells Fargo & Company 

195 

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 28:  Regulatory Capital Requirements and Other Restrictions (continued) 

requirements of the capital plan rule and is also subject to the 
Parent meeting or exceeding certain regulatory capital 
minimums. 

Loan and Dividend Restrictions 
Federal law restricts the amount and the terms of both credit 
and non-credit transactions between a bank and its nonbank 
affiliates. These covered transactions may not exceed 10% of 
the bank’s capital and surplus (which for this purpose 
represents tier 1 and tier 2 capital, as calculated under the risk-
based capital rules, plus the balance of the ACL excluded from 
tier 2 capital) with any single nonbank affiliate and 20% of the 
bank’s capital and surplus with all its nonbank affiliates. 
Covered transactions that are extensions of credit may require 
collateral to be pledged to provide added security to the bank. 

Additionally, federal laws and regulations limit the 

dividends that a national bank may pay. Dividends that may be 
paid by a national bank without the express approval of the 
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) are generally 
limited to that bank’s retained net income for the preceding 
two calendar years plus net income up to the date of any 
dividend declaration in the current calendar year. Retained net 
income, as defined by the OCC, consists of net income less 
dividends declared during the period. Our national bank 
subsidiaries could have declared additional dividends of 
$5.1 billion at December 31, 2021, without obtaining prior 
regulatory approval. We have elected to retain higher capital at 
our national bank subsidiaries to meet internal capital policy 
minimums and regulatory requirements. 

Our nonbank subsidiaries are also limited by certain federal 

and state statutory provisions and regulations covering the 
amount of dividends that may be paid in any given year. In 
addition, under a Support Agreement dated June 28, 2017, as 
amended and restated on June 26, 2019, among Wells Fargo & 
Company, the parent holding company (the “Parent”), WFC 
Holdings, LLC, an intermediate holding company and subsidiary 
of the Parent (the “IHC”), Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Wells Fargo 
Securities, LLC, Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, and certain 
other subsidiaries of the Parent designated from time to time as 
material entities for resolution planning purposes or identified 
from time to time as related support entities in our resolution 
plan, the IHC may be restricted from making dividend payments 
to the Parent if certain liquidity and/or capital metrics fall below 
defined triggers or if the Parent’s board of directors authorizes it 
to file a case under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Based on retained 
earnings at December 31, 2021, our nonbank subsidiaries could 
have declared additional dividends of $28.3 billion at 
December 31, 2021, without obtaining prior regulatory approval. 

Cash Restrictions 
Cash and cash equivalents may be restricted as to usage or 
withdrawal. Table 28.2 provides a summary of restrictions on 
cash and cash equivalents. 

Table 28.2:  Nature of Restrictions on Cash and Cash Equivalents 

(in millions) 

Dec 31, 
2021 

Dec 31, 
2020 

Reserve balance for non-U.S. central banks 

$ 

382 

Segregated for benefit of brokerage customers 

under federal and other brokerage regulations 

830 

243 

957 

196 

Wells Fargo & Company 

  
 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

To the Stockholders and Board of Directors 
Wells Fargo & Company: 

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Wells Fargo & Company and subsidiaries (the Company) as of 
December 31, 2021 and 2020, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, changes in equity, and cash flows 
for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2021, and the related notes (collectively, the consolidated financial 
statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the 
Company as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year 
period ended December 31, 2021, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. 

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), 
the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control – 
Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, and our report dated 
February 22, 2022 expressed an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. 

Change in Accounting Principle 

As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has changed its method of accounting for the recognition 
and measurement of credit losses as of January 1, 2020 due to the adoption of ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses 
(Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (CECL). 

Basis for Opinion 

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an 
opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and 
are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules 
and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB. 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to 
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to 
error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial 
statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, 
on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included 
evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation 
of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. 

Critical Audit Matters 

The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial 
statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or 
disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex 
judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, 
taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit 
matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate. 

Assessment of the allowance for credit losses for loans (ACL) 

As discussed in Notes 1 and 4 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company’s ACL as of December 31, 2021 was 
$13.8 billion. The ACL includes the measurement of expected credit losses on a collective basis for those loans that share similar risk 
characteristics utilizing multiple credit loss models. The Company estimated the ACL for commercial loans by applying probability of 
default and severity of loss estimates to an expected exposure at default. The probability of default and severity of loss estimates 
are statistically derived through historical observation of default and losses after default for each credit risk rating. The Company 
estimated the ACL for consumer loans utilizing credit loss models which forecast expected credit losses in the portfolio based on 
historical experience of delinquency and default rates and loss severity. The Company’s credit loss models utilize economic variables, 
including economic assumptions forecast over a reasonable and supportable forecast period. The Company forecasts multiple 
economic scenarios and applies weighting to the scenarios that are used to measure expected credit losses. After the reasonable 
and supportable forecast period, the Company reverts over the reversion period to its historical loss rates, evaluated through 
historical observations of default and losses after default. A portion of the ACL is comprised of adjustments for qualitative factors 
which may not be adequately captured in the loss models. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

197 

We identified the assessment of the ACL as a critical audit matter. A high degree of audit effort, including specialized skills and 
knowledge, and subjective and complex auditor judgment was involved in the assessment of the ACL. Specifically, the assessment 
encompassed the evaluation of the ACL methodology for collectively evaluated loans, including the methods and models used to 
estimate (1) probability of default and severity of loss estimates, significant economic assumptions, the reasonable and supportable 
forecast period, the historical observation period, and credit risk ratings for commercial loans, and (2) the adjustments for 
qualitative factors that may not be captured in the loss models. The assessment also included an evaluation of the conceptual 
soundness and performance of certain credit loss models. In addition, auditor judgment was required to evaluate the sufficiency of 
audit evidence obtained. 

The following are the primary procedures we performed to address this critical audit matter. We evaluated the design and tested 
the operating effectiveness of certain internal controls related to the measurement of the ACL estimate, including controls over 
the: 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 

development of certain credit loss models 
continued use and appropriateness of changes made to certain credit loss and economic forecasting models 
performance monitoring of certain credit loss and economic forecasting models 
identification and determination of the significant assumptions used in certain credit loss and economic forecasting models 
development of the qualitative factors, including significant assumptions used in the measurement of certain qualitative 
factors 

analysis of the ACL results, trends, and ratios. 

We evaluated the Company’s process to develop the estimate by testing certain sources of data, factors, and assumptions that the 
Company used, and considered the relevance and reliability of such data, factors, and assumptions. In addition, we involved credit 
risk professionals with specialized skills and knowledge, who assisted in: 

• 
• 

• 

• 

• 
• 
• 

• 

evaluating the Company’s ACL methodology for compliance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles 
evaluating judgments made by the Company relative to the development, assessment and performance testing of certain 
credit loss models by comparing them to relevant Company-specific metrics and trends and the applicable industry and 
regulatory practices 
assessing the conceptual soundness of the credit loss models, including the selection of certain assumptions, by inspecting the 
model documentation to determine whether the models are suitable for their intended use 
evaluating the methodology used to develop the forecasted economic scenarios, the selection of underlying assumptions and 
the weighting of scenarios by comparing it to the Company’s business environment 
assessing the forecasted economic scenarios through comparison to publicly available forecasts 
testing the historical observation period and reasonable and supportable forecast periods to evaluate the length of each period 
testing individual credit risk ratings for a selection of commercial loans by evaluating the financial performance of the borrower, 
sources of repayment, and any relevant guarantees or underlying collateral 
evaluating the methodology and assumptions used to develop certain qualitative factors and the effect of those factors on the 
ACL compared with relevant credit risk factors and consistency with credit trends and identified limitations of the underlying 
quantitative models. 

We also assessed the sufficiency of the audit evidence obtained related to the ACL estimates by evaluating the: 

• 
• 
• 

cumulative results of the audit procedures 
qualitative aspects of the Company’s accounting practices 
potential bias in the accounting estimates. 

Assessment of the residential mortgage servicing rights (MSRs) 

As discussed in Notes 1, 8, 9 and 17 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company’s residential MSR asset as of 
December 31, 2021 was $6.9 billion on an underlying loan servicing portfolio of $718 billion. The Company recognizes MSRs when 
it retains servicing rights in connection with the sale or securitization of loans it originated or purchases servicing rights from third 
parties and has elected to carry its residential MSRs at fair value with periodic changes reflected in earnings. The Company uses a 
valuation model for determining fair value that calculates the present value of estimated future net servicing income cash flows, 
which incorporates assumptions that market participants use in estimating future net servicing income cash flows. These 
assumptions include estimates of prepayment rates (including estimated borrower defaults), discount rates, cost to service 
(including delinquency and foreclosure costs), escrow account earnings, contractual servicing fee income, ancillary income and late 
fees. The estimated fair value of MSRs is periodically benchmarked to independent appraisals. 

We identified the assessment of the valuation of residential MSRs as a critical audit matter. A high degree of audit effort, including 
specialized skills and knowledge, and subjective and complex auditor judgment was involved in the assessment of the MSRs. 
Specifically, there was a high degree of subjectivity used to evaluate the following assumptions because they are unobservable and 

198 

Wells Fargo & Company 

the sensitivity of changes to those assumptions had a significant effect on the valuation (1) prepayment rates, (2) discount rates, 
and (3) cost to service. There was also a high degree of subjectivity and potential for management bias related to updates made to 
significant assumptions due to changes in market conditions, mortgage interest rates, or servicing standards. 

The following are the primary procedures we performed to address this critical audit matter. We evaluated the design and tested 
the operating effectiveness of certain internal controls related to the critical audit matter. This included controls related to the: 

• 
• 

• 

assessment of the valuation model 
evaluation of the significant assumptions (prepayment rates, discount rates, and cost to service) used in determining the MSR 
fair value 
comparison of the MSR fair value to independent appraisals. 

We evaluated the Company’s process to develop the MSR fair value by testing certain sources of data and assumptions that the 
Company used and considered the relevance and reliability of such data and assumptions. In addition, we involved valuation 
professionals with specialized skills and knowledge, who assisted in: 

• 

• 

• 

evaluating the design of the valuation model used to estimate the MSR fair value in accordance with relevant U.S. generally 
accepted accounting principles 
evaluating significant assumptions based on an analysis of backtesting results and a comparison of significant assumptions to 
available data for comparable entities and independent appraisals 
assessing significant assumption updates made during the year by considering backtesting results, external market events, 
independent appraisals, and other circumstances that a market participant would have expected to be incorporated in the 
valuation that were not incorporated. 

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1931. 

Charlotte, North Carolina 
February 22, 2022 

Wells Fargo & Company 

199 

Quarterly Financial Data 
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income – Quarterly (Unaudited) 

2021 

Quarter ended 

2020 

Quarter ended 

(in millions, except per share amounts) 

Dec 31, 

Sep 30, 

Jun 30, 

Interest income 

Interest expense 

Net interest income 

Noninterest income 

Deposit and lending-related fees 

Investment advisory and other asset-based fees 

Commissions and brokerage services fees 

Investment banking fees 

Card fees 

Mortgage banking 

Net gains (losses) from trading and securities 

Other 

Total noninterest income 

Total revenue 

Provision for credit losses 

Noninterest expense 

Personnel 

Technology, telecommunications and equipment 

Occupancy 

Operating losses 

Professional and outside services 

Advertising and promotion 

Restructuring charges 

Other 

Total noninterest expense 

Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) 

Income tax expense (benefit) 

Net income (loss) before noncontrolling interests 

Less: Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests 

Wells Fargo net income (loss) 

Less: Preferred stock dividends and other 

Wells Fargo net income (loss) applicable to common stock 

$ 

5,470 

Per share information 

Earnings (loss) per common share 

Diluted earnings (loss) per common share 

Average common shares outstanding 

Diluted average common shares outstanding 

$ 

1.39 

1.38 

3,927.6 

3,964.7 

$  10,121 

859 

9,262 

1,819 

2,579 

558 

669 

1,071 

1,035 

2,412 

1,451 

11,594 

20,856 

9,834 

925 

8,909 

1,781 

2,882 

525 

547 

1,078 

1,259 

1,244 

609 

9,925 

18,834 

9,693 

893 

8,800 

1,704 

2,794 

580 

570 

1,077 

1,336 

2,717 

692 

11,470 

20,270 

Mar 31, 

10,046 

1,238 

8,808 

1,616 

2,756 

636 

568 

949 

Dec 31, 

10,550 

1,195 

9,355 

1,689 

2,598 

589 

486 

943 

1,326 

1,207 

891 

982 

9,724 

18,532 

984 

638 

9,134 

18,489 

Sep 30, 

10,811 

1,432 

9,379 

1,651 

2,505 

568 

441 

912 

1,590 

1,274 

996 

9,937 

19,316 

769 

Jun 30, 

11,813 

1,921 

9,892 

1,465 

2,254 

550 

547 

797 

317 

1,552 

912 

8,394 

18,286 

9,534 

Mar 31, 

14,745 

3,415 

11,330 

1,797 

2,506 

677 

391 

892 

379 

(1,100) 

1,301 

6,843 

18,173 

4,005 

(452) 

(1,395) 

(1,260) 

(1,048) 

(179) 

8,475 

8,690 

8,818 

9,558 

8,948 

8,624 

8,916 

8,323 

827 

725 

512 

741 

738 

540 

1,468 

1,417 

225 

66 

900 

13,198 

8,110 

1,711 

6,399 

649 

$ 

5,750 

280 

815 

735 

303 

1,450 

132 

(4) 

1,092 

13,341 

8,189 

1,445 

6,744 

704 

6,040 

297 

5,743 

1.39 

1.38 

4,124.6 

4,156.1 

844 

770 

213 

838 

826 

621 

1,388 

1,664 

90 

13 

1,113 

13,989 

5,591 

901 

4,690 

54 

4,636 

380 

4,256 

1.03 

1.02 

4,141.3 

4,171.0 

138 

781 

986 

14,802 

3,866 

574 

3,292 

201 

3,091 

350 

2,741 

0.66 

0.66 

4,137.6 

4,151.3 

791 

851 

1,219 

1,760 

144 

718 

1,122 

15,229 

3,318 

(83) 

3,401 

185 

3,216 

315 

2,901 

672 

871 

1,219 

1,676 

137 

— 

1,060 

14,551 

(5,799) 

(2,001) 

(3,798) 

48 

(3,846) 

314 

(4,160) 

798 

715 

464 

1,606 

181 

— 

961 

13,048 

1,120 

353 

767 

(149) 

916 

612 

304 

0.70 

0.70 

4,123.8 

4,132.2 

(1.01) 

(1.01) 

4,105.5 

4,105.5 

0.07 

0.07 

4,104.8 

4,135.3 

153 

1 

1,023 

13,303 

6,926 

1,521 

5,405 

283 

5,122 

335 

4,787 

1.18 

1.17 

4,056.3 

4,090.4 

200 

Wells Fargo & Company 

Average Balances, Yields and Rates Paid (Taxable-Equivalent basis) – Quarterly (1) – (Unaudited) 

(in millions) 

Assets 

Average 
balance 

Interest 
income/ 
expense 

2021 

Interest 
rates 

Quarter ended December 31, 

Average 
balance 

Interest 
income/ 
expense 

2020 

Interest 
rates 

Interest-earning deposits with banks 

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale agreements 

$ 

216,061 

65,388 

90 

(2) 

0.16  % 

$ 

222,010 

(0.01) 

67,023 

57 

8 

0.10  % 

0.05 

Debt securities: 

Trading debt securities 

Available-for-sale debt securities 

Held-to-maturity debt securities 

Total debt securities 

Loans held for sale (2) 

Loans: 

Commercial loans: 

Commercial and industrial – U.S. 

Commercial and industrial – Non-U.S. 

Real estate mortgage 

Real estate construction 

Lease financing 

Total commercial loans 

Consumer loans: 

Residential mortgage – first lien 

Residential mortgage – junior lien 

Credit card 

Auto 

Other consumer 

Total consumer loans 

Total loans (2) 

Equity securities 

Other 

Total interest-earning assets 

Cash and due from banks 

Goodwill 

Other 

Liabilities 

Deposits: 

Total noninterest-earning assets 

Total assets 

Demand deposits 

Savings deposits 

Time deposits 

Deposits in non-U.S. offices 

Total interest-bearing deposits 

Short-term borrowings: 

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase 

Other short-term borrowings 

Total short-term borrowings 

Long-term debt 

Other liabilities 

Total interest-bearing liabilities 

Noninterest-bearing demand deposits 

Other noninterest-bearing liabilities 

Total noninterest-bearing liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Total equity 

Total liabilities and equity 

92,597 

178,770 

264,695 

536,062 

24,149 

259,938 

75,814 

123,806 

20,800 

15,227 

555 

692 

1,233 

2,480 

169 

1,695 

375 

824 

162 

163 

495,585 

3,219 

2.39 

1.55 

1.86 

1.85 

2.79 

2.59 

1.97 

2.64 

3.08 

4.27 

2.58 

3.27 

4.22 

93,877 

214,042 

192,697 

500,616 

29,436 

255,112 

60,812 

121,228 

22,559 

16,757 

563 

955 

942 

2,460 

262 

1,655 

328 

855 

177 

275 

476,468 

3,290 

2.40 

1.78 

1.95 

1.96 

3.56 

2.58 

2.14 

2.81 

3.13 

6.57 

2.74 

3.12 

4.16 

242,515 

17,317 

37,041 

55,161 

27,417 

379,451 

875,036 

35,711 

11,514 

1,981 

184 

1,051 

11.25 

608 

253 

4,077 

7,296 

192 

2 

4.37 

3.67 

4.28 

3.32 

2.16 

0.09 

287,361 

24,210 

36,135 

48,033 

27,497 

423,236 

899,704 

25,744 

7,896 

2,240 

253 

1,072 

11.80 

582 

314 

4,461 

7,751 

132 

— 

4.82 

4.55 

4.20 

3.43 

2.04 

— 

$ 

1,763,921 

10,227 

2.31  % 

$  1,752,429 

10,670 

2.43  % 

25,111 

25,569 

128,829 

179,509 

— 

— 

— 

— 

22,896 

26,390 

123,298 

172,584 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,943,430 

10,227 

1,925,013 

10,670 

$ 

$ 

$ 

451,180 

432,180 

30,932 

24,390 

938,682 

24,885 

12,960 

37,845 

161,335 

28,245 

$ 

1,166,107 

531,345 

55,234 

586,579 

1,752,686 

190,744 

$ 

$ 

$ 

1,943,430 

34 

26 

21 

4 

85 

(2) 

(11) 

(13) 

690 

97 

859 

— 

— 

— 

859 

— 

859 

0.03  % 

$ 

225,577 

0.02 

0.27 

0.05 

0.04 

(0.04) 

(0.34) 

(0.14) 

1.71 

1.38 

611,674 

56,308 

32,170 

32 

46 

75 

10 

925,729 

163 

46,069 

11,235 

57,304 

214,223 

25,949 

(1) 

(11) 

(12) 

956 

88 

0.06  % 

0.03 

0.53 

0.12 

0.07 

— 

(0.38) 

(0.08) 

1.78 

1.38 

0.29  % 

$  1,223,205 

1,195 

0.39  % 

454,371 

61,993 

516,364 

1,739,569 

185,444 

1,925,013 

— 

— 

— 

1,195 

— 

1,195 

Interest rate spread on a taxable-equivalent basis (3) 

Net interest margin and net interest income on a taxable-equivalent basis (3) 

$ 

9,368 

2.02  % 

2.11  % 

$ 

9,475 

2.04  % 

2.16  % 

(1) 

The average balance amounts represent amortized costs. The interest rates are based on interest income or expense amounts for the period and are annualized. Interest rates and amounts include 
the effects of hedge and risk management activities associated with the respective asset and liability categories. 

(2)  Nonaccrual loans and related income are included in their respective loan categories. 
(3) 

Includes taxable-equivalent adjustments of $106 million and $120 million for the quarters ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, predominantly related to tax-exempt income on certain 
loans and securities. The federal statutory tax rate was 21% for the periods ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. 

Wells Fargo & Company 

201 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Glossary of Acronyms 

ACL 

AFS 

ALCO 

ARM 

ASC 

ASU 

AUA 

AUM 

AVM 

BCBS 

BHC 

CCAR 

CD 

CECL 

CET1 

CFPB 

CLO 

CLTV 

CPI 

CRE 

DPD 

ESOP 

FASB 

FDIC 

FHA 

FHLB 

Allowance for credit losses 

Available-for-sale 

Asset/Liability Committee 

Adjustable-rate mortgage 

Accounting Standards Codification 

Accounting Standards Update 

Assets under administration 

Assets under management 

Automated valuation model 

Basel Committee on Banking Supervision 

Bank holding company 

Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review 

Certificate of deposit 

Current expected credit loss 

Common Equity Tier 1 

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 

Collateralized loan obligation 

Combined loan-to-value 

Collateral protection insurance 

Commercial real estate 

Days past due 

Employee Stock Ownership Plan 

Financial Accounting Standards Board 

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 

Federal Housing Administration 

Federal Home Loan Bank 

FHLMC 

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation 

FICO 

FNMA 

FRB 

GAAP 

GNMA 

GSE 

G-SIB 

HQLA 

Fair Isaac Corporation (credit rating) 

Federal National Mortgage Association 

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System 

Generally accepted accounting principles 

Government National Mortgage Association 

Government-sponsored entity 

Global systemically important bank 

High-quality liquid assets 

HTM 

LCR 

LHFS 

LIBOR 

LIHTC 

Held-to-maturity 

Liquidity coverage ratio 

Loans held for sale 

London Interbank Offered Rate 

Low-income housing tax credit 

LOCOM 

Lower of cost or fair value 

LTV 

MBS 

MSR 

NAV 

NPA 

NSFR 

OCC 

OCI 

OTC 

OTTI 

PCD 

PCI 

PTPP 

RMBS 

ROA 

ROE 

ROTCE 

RWAs 

SEC 

S&P 

SLR 

SOFR 

SPE 

TDR 

TLAC 

VA 

VaR 

VIE 

WIM 

Loan-to-value 

Mortgage-backed securities 

Mortgage servicing right 

Net asset value 

Nonperforming asset 

Net stable funding ratio 

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency 

Other comprehensive income 

Over-the-counter 

Other-than-temporary impairment 

Purchased credit-deteriorated 

Purchased credit-impaired 

Pre-tax pre-provision profit 

Residential mortgage-backed securities 

Return on average assets 

Return on average equity 

Return on average tangible common equity 

Risk-weighted assets 

Securities and Exchange Commission 

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services 

Supplementary leverage ratio 

Secured Overnight Financing Rate 

Special purpose entity 

Troubled debt restructuring 

Total Loss Absorbing Capacity 

Department of Veterans Affairs 

Value-at-Risk 

Variable interest entity 

Wealth and Investment Management 

202 

Wells Fargo & Company 

Stock Performance 

This graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return and total compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for 

our common stock (NYSE: WFC) for the five-year period ended December 31, 2021, with the cumulative total 

stockholder return for the same period for the Keefe, Bruyette and Woods (KBW) Total Return Bank Index (KBW 

Nasdaq Bank Index (BKX)) and the S&P 500 Index. 

The cumulative total stockholder return (including reinvested dividends) in the graph assumes the investment of 

$100 in Wells Fargo’s common stock, the KBW Nasdaq Bank Index, and the S&P 500 Index. 

F I V E   Y E A R   P E R F O R M A N C E   G R A P H  

$260 

$240 

$220 

$200 

$180 

$160 

$140 

$120 

$100 

$  80 

$  60 

$  40 

$  20 

Wells Fargo 
(WFC) 

S&P 500 

KBW Nasdaq 
Bank Index 

2016 

$100 

100 

100 

2017 

$113 

122 

119 

2018 

$89 

116 

98 

2019 

$108 

153 

133 

2020 

$63 

181 

119 

2021 

$101 

233 

165 

5-year 
CAGR 

0%  Wells Fargo 

18%  S&P 500 

11%  KBW Nasdaq 

Bank Index 

203 

 
 
 
 
  
About Wells Fargo 

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion 

in assets, proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of small businesses in the U.S., and is 

the leading middle market banking provider in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and 

mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating 

segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth 

and Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 37 on Fortune’s 2021 rankings of America’s largest corporations. 

In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all 

by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy. 

COMMON STOCK 
Wells Fargo & Company is listed and trades on the 
New York Stock Exchange: WFC. At February 11, 
2022, there were 250,783 holders of record of the 
Company’s common stock and the closing price 
reported on the New York Stock Exchange for 
the common stock was $58.31 per share. 

3,885,801,497 common shares outstanding (12/31/21) 

ST OC K  PU RCHASE AND 
DIVIDE ND  R EIN VESTMEN T 
You can buy Wells Fargo stock directly from 
Wells Fargo, even if you’re not a Wells Fargo shareholder, 
through optional cash payments or automatic monthly 
deductions from a bank account. You can also have your 
dividends reinvested automatically. It’s a convenient, 
economical way to increase your Wells Fargo investment. 

Call 1-877-840-0492 for an enrollment kit, which 
includes a plan prospectus. 

FORM   10-K 
We will send Wells Fargo’s 2021 Annual Report on 
Form 10-K (including the financial statements filed 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission) free 
to any shareholder who asks for a copy in writing. 

Shareholders also can ask for copies of any exhibit 
to the Form 10-K. We will charge a fee to cover 
expenses to prepare and send any exhibits. 

Please send requests to: Corporate Secretary, 
Wells Fargo & Company, MAC J0193-610, 
30 Hudson Yards, 61st Floor, New York, NY 10001-2170 

SEC FILINGS 
Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports 
on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and 
amendments to those reports are available free of 
charge on our website (www.wellsfargo.com) as soon 
as practical after they are electronically filed with or 
furnished to the SEC. Those reports and amendments 
are also available free of charge on the SEC’s website 
at www.sec.gov¹. 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEM ENTS  
This Annual Report contains forward-looking 
statements about our future financial performance 
and business. Because forward-looking statements 
are based on our current expectations and assumptions 
regarding the future, they are subject to inherent risks 
and uncertainties. Do not unduly rely on forward-
looking statements, as actual results could differ 
materially from expectations. Forward-looking 
statements speak only as of the date made, and we 
do not undertake to update them to reflect changes 
or events that occur after that date. For information 
about factors that could cause actual results to 
differ materially from our expectations, refer to the 
discussion under “Forward-Looking Statements” and 
“Risk Factors” in the Financial Review portion of this 
Annual Report. 

INDE PE NDE NT  REGISTERED 
PU BLI C ACCOUNTING FIRM 

SHAREOW NER SERVICES 
AND T RANSFER AGENT 

ANNUAL SHAREHOLDERS’ 
MEETING 

KPMG LLP 

Charlotte, NC 

1-704-335-5300 

INVE STOR  RELATIONS 

1-415-371-2921 
investorrelations@wellsfargo.com 

EQ Shareowner Services 

10:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time 

P.O. Box 64874 

St. Paul, Minnesota 

55164-0874 

1-877-840-0492 

www.shareowneronline.com¹ 

Tuesday, April 26, 2022 

See Wells Fargo’s 2022 
Proxy Statement for more 
information about the annual 
shareholders’ meeting. 

1. We do not control this website. Wells Fargo has provided this link for your convenience, but does not endorse and is not responsible for the content, links, 

privacy policy, or security policy of this website. 

204 

  
  
  
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
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2021
Annual Report  |  Wells Fargo & Company

WEL LS   FARGO & COMPANY 

420  MONTGOMERY  STREET | S AN  FRAN CI SCO, CA  | 94104 

1˜866˜878˜5865 | W ELLSFA RG O.COM  

© 2022 Wells˜Fargo & Company.  All rights reserved. 
Deposit products offered through Wells˜Fargo Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. 
CCM7565  (Rev 00, 1/each)