Wells Fargo warns over interest rate cuts despite boost in profits

Wells Fargo topped profit expectations for the fourth-quarter of the year today but warned that predicted interest rate cuts could dent income in the year ahead.

In its fourth quarter results today, the US bank revealed it had made $3.45bn in the final three months of the year, up from $3.16bn a year earlier. Revenue rose two per cent to $20.48bn in the same period.

Wells Fargo is among a group of US banking giants that are required to refill a government insurance fund that was drained of $16bn in 2023 after three regional lenders collapsed.

The firm paid $1.9bn in special assessment fees to the regulator. The payouts have dented some of its peers, with JP Morgan and Bank of America both reporting a drop in profits today.

Rising borrowing costs over the past year have provided a boon to banks globally and ramped up the net interest income earned by lenders – the gap between what they make on loans and pay out in deposits. Wells Fargo chief Charlie Scharf warned that rate cuts in the year ahead could hit net interest income by seven to nine per cent.

“Although our improved 2023 results benefited from the strong economic environment and higher interest rates, our continued focus on efficiency and strong credit discipline were important contributors as well,” he said.

Scharf has rolled out a cost cutting programme at the bank over the past year and said it expects annual expenses to drop by $3bn this year. A round of layoffs cost the firm $969m last year, however.

Chief Financial Officer Mike Santomassimo said in a conference call on Friday that there is no specific area that should be more impacted by layoffs, without providing a number, Reuters reported.

Additional reporting by Reuters