Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) ended Wednesday, December 17, 2025, in the green while the broader market slid, and the stock stayed relatively steady in after-hours trading—a setup that puts Thursday morning’s inflation data squarely in focus for anyone tracking bank stocks into the open.
Below is a detailed look at WFC’s after-the-bell action, the key news and analyst calls published today, and the catalysts that matter most before the U.S. market opens on Thursday, December 18.
Wells Fargo stock price after the bell: close, range, volume, and after-hours action
Wells Fargo shares finished the regular session at $92.59, up 0.43% on the day. [1]
Trading details from Wednesday’s session show how tight the action was:
- Open: $92.76
- High: $93.33
- Low: $92.47
- Close: $92.59
- Volume: ~14.74 million shares [2]
In extended trading, WFC ticked up to about $92.86 as of 7:59 p.m. ET, a modest move that suggested no major late-breaking catalyst hit the tape after the close. [3]
Some quote feeds earlier in the evening showed WFC trading higher—around $93.40 at roughly 6:10 p.m. ET—before the stock later settled nearer the low-$92s into the end of after-hours. [4]
What that means: the post-close move looked more like routine position-adjusting than a market-wide repricing of Wells Fargo’s outlook.
Why WFC outperformed while the market fell
Wednesday’s broader tape was risk-off. The S&P 500 fell about 1.16%, and the Dow slipped roughly 0.47%—yet Wells Fargo managed to close higher (albeit modestly). [5]
That relative strength matters for two reasons:
- Financials can act “less bad” in down tapes when investors rotate away from high-multiple growth (especially if the selloff is concentrated in tech/AI-linked names). The day’s market coverage pointed to weakness tied to AI-related themes as a notable drag on sentiment. [6]
- Rates and macro expectations are still the key swing factor for banks. If investors believe inflation is cooling and policy rates are headed lower (or staying stable), that can support credit risk sentiment and stabilize bank valuations—even if it’s not always a straightforward positive for bank net interest income.
WFC’s small gain isn’t a “breakout,” but it is a signal: the stock didn’t trade like a problem asset on a down day.
Today’s headlines and analysis on Wells Fargo stock
A handful of notable “WFC-specific” items published on December 17 helped frame sentiment.
1) Analyst action: KBW raises Wells Fargo price target to $101, keeps Market Perform
One of the cleanest, headline-ready updates today came from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW):
- Rating: Market Perform (maintained)
- Price target: raised to $101 from $92 [7]
Whether you’re bullish or cautious, this type of move is important because it resets the conversation around valuation: even a neutral rating can still come with a materially higher target if the analyst believes fundamentals, the rate backdrop, or capital return potential have improved.
2) Street-level consensus: “Outperform” with mid-$90s target average
MarketScreener’s snapshot of analyst consensus (as displayed today) shows:
- Mean consensus: Outperform
- Number of analysts: 26
- Average target price:$95.12 (about +2.74% above the last close shown) [8]
This is a useful anchor for “forecast” framing ahead of tomorrow’s open because it highlights something investors often forget after a strong year: when a stock rallies, target-price “upside” can compress even if analysts remain constructive.
3) “Bank of the Year” spotlight: business momentum and the post-asset-cap era
A deeper business narrative also hit today, with IFR naming Wells Fargo “Bank of the Year” and emphasizing the firm’s multi-year turnaround—from governance and control reforms to a renewed push in corporate and investment banking. [9]
Key takeaways from that coverage that matter for equity holders:
- Leadership described the asset-cap removal as a milestone that enabled Wells Fargo to compete more aggressively for clients. [10]
- IFR highlighted the bank’s push to hire senior talent and build out investment banking and markets capabilities, citing significant hiring and growth in investment banking metrics over time. [11]
- The piece also references management pointing to improved profitability metrics (including returns on tangible common equity) as part of the turnaround narrative. [12]
For stock-watchers, the relevance is simple: a “cleaner” regulatory posture + credible execution narrative often supports higher valuation multiples, particularly if credit quality remains stable.
4) Options/technical angle: cash-secured put idea around the $90 level
Investor’s Business Daily published an options-focused piece today that framed WFC as technically strong (trading above key moving averages) and suggested a cash-secured put strategy:
- Example: sell a Feb. 20 put with a $90 strike
- Premium cited around $305, implying a break-even around $86.95 [13]
Even if you don’t trade options, the practical takeaway is that $90 is being treated as a psychologically important level by at least some market participants—useful context when thinking about support zones and risk management into macro events like CPI.
5) Valuation debate: “too late?” vs “still undervalued”
A valuation-driven analysis published today argued Wells Fargo has already had a big run—up ~31% year-to-date—but also presented a model-based intrinsic value estimate above current prices (one framework suggested roughly $111 per share, implying undervaluation). [14]
This matters less for the exact number (valuation models vary wildly) and more for what it shows about the current investor split:
- Bull case: the market still isn’t fully pricing improved profitability and business normalization.
- Skeptical case: a lot of the “turnaround discount” is already gone after a strong 2025 run. [15]
The macro backdrop: rates, mortgages, and why tomorrow’s CPI is the real catalyst
Bank stocks live and die (short term) by the rates narrative.
The Fed’s current rate range
The Federal Reserve’s most recent decision (December 10, 2025) set the benchmark rate target range at 3.5% to 3.75%. [16]
For Wells Fargo, the implications are mixed:
- Lower policy rates can pressure net interest income if loan yields reset faster than deposit costs.
- But easing can also support credit quality and loan demand, and it can help stabilize parts of the economy that matter to Wells Fargo—especially housing.
Mortgage rates: drifting lower, but still elevated
Mortgage rates are one of Wells Fargo’s most watched “real economy” linkages. Bankrate reported the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 6.30%, down slightly week over week. [17]
Bankrate also noted the 10-year Treasury yield around 4.15% on Wednesday afternoon—important because longer-term yields influence mortgage pricing and broader credit conditions. [18]
Translation for WFC: a gentle decline in mortgage rates can help affordability at the margin, but “above 6%” still tends to keep refinancing subdued versus easier eras. That can impact mortgage banking volumes, cross-sell opportunities, and consumer sentiment—all relevant for Wells Fargo’s consumer franchise.
What to know before the market opens Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025
If you only watch three things before the bell, make them these:
1) CPI at 8:30 a.m. ET (and real earnings)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics schedule shows Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Real Earnings set for release at 8:30 a.m. ET Thursday. [19]
The New York Fed’s economic calendar also flags CPI at 8:30 a.m. ET. [20]
Why CPI matters for WFC:
- A hot CPI print can push yields higher and revive “higher-for-longer” fears, which can whipsaw banks depending on curve dynamics and credit concerns.
- A cool CPI print can reinforce the easing narrative, potentially boosting sentiment—but may also intensify questions about future net interest margins.
2) Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Survey at 8:30 a.m. ET
Also on the New York Fed calendar: the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Survey at 8:30 a.m. ET. [21]
Why it matters:
- It’s a real-time pulse on activity that can move recession probabilities, credit stress expectations, and risk appetite—especially when markets are already skittish.
3) Watch Treasury yields and bank peers in premarket
WFC often trades with the large-bank complex (JPMorgan, Bank of America, Citi). On days with big macro prints, the premarket read is usually driven by:
- Rates move (10-year yield direction and speed)
- Curve steepening/flattening
- Credit risk tone (high yield spreads, financial CDS chatter, etc.)
No single indicator guarantees direction, but if yields gap sharply on CPI, WFC will likely follow the group.
One more near-term catalyst: next earnings date
For investors thinking beyond the CPI headline, the next “hard” company-specific catalyst on the calendar is earnings.
MarketScreener’s company calendar lists Q4 2025 earnings release on Jan. 14. [22]
That’s the event that can reset:
- net interest income and margin expectations
- expense discipline progress
- credit quality (delinquencies/charge-offs)
- capital return trajectory (dividends/buybacks tone)
The bottom line for WFC ahead of Thursday’s open
Wells Fargo stock held up on a down market day, closing at $92.59 and trading only slightly higher after hours (around $92.86 near 8 p.m. ET). [23] That resilience came alongside a fresh analyst target raise (KBW to $101) and ongoing debate over whether the 2025 rally has already priced in most of the turnaround. [24]
For the next session, though, the playbook is straightforward: CPI at 8:30 a.m. ET is the main event, with the Philly Fed survey arriving at the same time—and both can move yields fast enough to overwhelm stock-specific narratives at the open. [25]
References
1. stockanalysis.com, 2. stockanalysis.com, 3. stockanalysis.com, 4. finance.yahoo.com, 5. www.marketwatch.com, 6. apnews.com, 7. www.gurufocus.com, 8. www.marketscreener.com, 9. www.ifre.com, 10. www.ifre.com, 11. www.ifre.com, 12. www.ifre.com, 13. www.investors.com, 14. simplywall.st, 15. simplywall.st, 16. www.federalreserve.gov, 17. www.bankrate.com, 18. www.bankrate.com, 19. www.bls.gov, 20. www.newyorkfed.org, 21. www.newyorkfed.org, 22. www.marketscreener.com, 23. stockanalysis.com, 24. www.gurufocus.com, 25. www.newyorkfed.org
