Who Owns Wells Fargo? Exploring the Major Shareholders

Introduction

Wells Fargo is a leading financial services company based in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1852, it is one of the oldest and most respected financial institutions in the United States. With over 8,000 branches and 13,000 ATMs nationwide, Wells Fargo has become a household name among Americans.

The purpose of this article is to explore who owns Wells Fargo. We will take a closer look at its ownership structure, trace its major shareholders, and analyze both its corporate and individual stakeholders.

A Look at Who Owns Wells Fargo

To understand who owns Wells Fargo, we must first take a look at its ownership structure. As a publicly traded company, Wells Fargo is owned by a variety of different stakeholders, including both corporate and individual investors.

Exploring the Ownership Structure of Wells Fargo

According to research conducted by the Wall Street Journal, as of April 2021, Wells Fargo had over 6.6 billion shares outstanding. Of these shares, approximately 17 percent are held by institutional investors, meaning mutual funds, pension funds, and other large financial institutions. The remaining 83 percent are held by individual investors, such as retail investors, high net-worth individuals, and small businesses.

Tracing the Ownership of Wells Fargo

Now that we have a better understanding of the ownership structure of Wells Fargo, let’s take a closer look at who actually owns it. To do this, we need to trace the ownership of the company from its corporate shareholders to its individual stakeholders.

The Major Shareholders of Wells Fargo

The major shareholders of Wells Fargo can be divided into two distinct groups: corporate shareholders and individual stakeholders.

Examining the Corporate Ownership of Wells Fargo

According to research conducted by NASDAQ, the top 10 corporate shareholders of Wells Fargo collectively own nearly 5 percent of the company’s outstanding shares. These include Vanguard Group Inc., BlackRock Inc., State Street Corporation, and Bank of America Corporation, among others.

Analyzing the Individual Stakeholders of Wells Fargo

In addition to its corporate shareholders, Wells Fargo also has a significant number of individual stakeholders. According to a survey conducted by MarketWatch, the top 10 individual shareholders of Wells Fargo together own around 2 percent of the company’s outstanding shares. These include Warren Buffett, T. Boone Pickens, and John Paulson, among others.

Conclusion

To sum up, Wells Fargo is owned by a variety of stakeholders, including both corporate and individual investors. Corporate shareholders, such as Vanguard Group Inc., BlackRock Inc., and State Street Corporation, collectively own approximately 5 percent of the company’s outstanding shares. Meanwhile, individual stakeholders, such as Warren Buffett, T. Boone Pickens, and John Paulson, collectively own around 2 percent of the company’s outstanding shares.

This information can be used by investors to gain a better understanding of who owns Wells Fargo, and to make more informed investing decisions. By understanding the ownership structure of the company, investors can make more educated estimates about future performance and potential risks.