Wells Fargo and Company Quarterly Valuation – July 2014 $WFC
In the wake of the great financial crisis it can sometimes be difficult for Intelligent Investors to find a solid financial company in which to invest, because they require specific achievements over the historical period.  Many investors may simply decide to throw out the worst years with the rationale that they are outliers that shouldn’t be considered when evaluating the company’s prospects, but doing so would involve speculation.  We don’t know whether the financial crisis will happen again, but we do know that if it does, we can expect to see similar results as we did before.  By continuing to require the same standards for the historical period, Intelligent Investors are able to widdle down banks to only those with the best financial position, and then they are able to determine an intrinsic value to get a sense of whether the company is a good investment.  In addition, a company must have strong financial statements to prove that it is stable enough for Intelligent Investors.  This is best done by utilizing a systematic approach to analysis that will provide investors with a sense of how a specific company compares to another company.  By using the ModernGraham method one can review a company’s historical accomplishments and determine an intrinsic value that can be compared across industries.  What follows is a specific look at how Wells Fargo and Company (WFC) fares in the ModernGraham valuation model.
Company Profile (obtained from Google Finance): Wells Fargo & Company is a bank holding company. The Company is a diversified financial services company. It has three operating segments: Community Banking, Wholesale Banking and Wealth, and Brokerage and Retirement. The Company provides other financial services through subsidiaries engaged in various businesses, principally wholesale banking, mortgage banking, consumer finance, equipment leasing, agricultural finance, commercial finance, securities brokerage and investment banking, insurance agency and brokerage services, computer and data processing services, trust services, investment advisory services, mortgage-backed securities servicing and venture capital investment. In May 2014, the Company announced that it has completed the sale of 40 of primarily smaller regional insurance brokerage and consulting locations.
Defensive Investor – must pass all 6 of the following tests: Score = 6/6
- Adequate Size of Enterprise – market capitalization of at least $2 billion – PASS
- Earnings Stability – positive earnings per share for at least 10 straight years – PASS
- Dividend Record – has paid a dividend for at least 10 straight years – PASS
- Earnings Growth – earnings per share has increased by at least 1/3 over the last 10 years using 3 year averages at beginning and end of period -Â PASS
- Moderate PEmg ratio – PEmg is less than 20 – PASS
- Moderate Price to Assets – PB ratio is less than 2.5 or PB x PEmg is less than 50 – PASS
Enterprising Investor – must pass all 3 of the following tests or be suitable for a defensive investor: Score = 3/3
- Earnings Stability – positive earnings per share for at least 5 years – PASS
- Dividend Record – currently pays a dividend -Â PASS
- Earnings growth – EPSmg greater than 5 years ago – PASS
Valuation Summary
Key Data:
| Recent Price | $51.6 |
| MG Value | $131.54 |
| MG Opinion | Undervalued |
| Value Based on 3% Growth | $51.61 |
| Value Based on 0% Growth | $30.25 |
| Market Implied Growth Rate | 3.00% |
| PEmg | 14.50 |
| PB Ratio | 1.55 |
Balance Sheet – 3/31/2014
| Total Debt | $153,422,000,000 |
| Total Assets | $1,546,707,000,000 |
| Intangible Assets | $41,809,000,000 |
| Total Liabilities | $1,371,053,000,000 |
| Outstanding Shares | 5,265,730,000 |
Earnings Per Share
| 2014 (estimate) | $3.98 |
| 2013 | $3.89 |
| 2012 | $3.36 |
| 2011 | $2.82 |
| 2010 | $2.21 |
| 2009 | $1.75 |
| 2008 | $0.70 |
| 2007 | $2.38 |
| 2006 | $2.49 |
| 2005 | $2.25 |
| 2004 | $2.05 |
Earnings Per Share – ModernGrahamÂ
| 2014 (estimate) | $3.56 |
| 2013 | $3.17 |
| 2012 | $2.59 |
| 2011 | $2.13 |
| 2010 | $1.83 |
| 2009 | $1.73 |
Dividend History
WFC Dividend data by YCharts
Conclusion:
Wells Fargo qualifies for either Defensive Investors or for Enterprising Investors.  In fact, the company passes all of the requirements of both investor types, which is a rare accomplishment.  As a result, value investors following the ModernGraham approach based on Benjamin Graham’s methods should feel comfortable proceeding with further research into the company and comparing it to other opportunities through a review of ModernGraham’s valuation of Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and ModernGraham’s valuation of JP Morgan Chase (JPM).  From a valuation perspective, the company appears significantly undervalued after growing its EPSmg (normalized earnings) from $1.83 in 2010 to an estimated $3.56 for 2014.  This strong level of demonstrated growth outpaces the market’s implied estimate of 3.00% earnings growth and leads the ModernGraham valuation model, which is based on Benjamin Graham’s formula, to return an estimate of intrinsic value well above the market price.
Be sure to check out the previous ModernGraham valuations of Wells Fargo and Company (WFC) for more perspective!
The next part of the analysis is up to individual investors, and requires discussion of the company’s prospects.  What do you think?  What value would you put on Wells Fargo and Company (WFC)?  Where do you see the company going in the future?  Is there a company you like better?  Leave a comment on our Facebook page or mention @ModernGraham on Twitter to discuss.
Disclaimer: Â The author did not hold a position in Wells Fargo and Company (WFC)Â or any of the other companies listed in this article at the time of publication and had no intention of changing that position within the next 72 hours. Â Logo taken from the Wikipedia; this article is not affiliated with the company in any manner.
