Previously disclosed settlement receives final court approval
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) today announced that it has received
final court approval of an agreement to resolve a previously disclosed
consolidated securities class-action in the United States District Court
for the Northern District of California (Hefler v. Wells Fargo)
alleging certain misstatements and omissions in the company’s
disclosures related to sales practices maters.
Wells Fargo is pleased the case has received final approval by the
court. The company remains focused on rebuilding trust and transforming
into the most customer-focused, efficient, and innovative Wells Fargo
ever, for all of its stakeholders.
The $480-million settlement agreement provides for payment of class
member claims. The settlement class consists of all persons and entities
who purchased Wells Fargo & Company common stock from Feb. 26, 2014
through Sept. 20, 2016.
The claims filing period for the settlement will remain open for
eligible class members to submit claims through Jan. 23, 2019 online at www.wellsfargosecuritieslitigation.com,
or by calling 855-349-6457. After the claims filing period ends, the
settlement administrator will complete the process of determining the
recovery amount for class member shareholders before making payments to
eligible class members.
The settlement amount was fully accrued as of March 31, 2018 and has
been paid into a settlement escrow. The company has denied the claims
and allegations in the action and entered into the settlement agreement
to avoid the cost and disruption of further litigation.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based
financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo’s
vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them
succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco,
Wells Fargo provides banking, investment and mortgage products and
services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,950
locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile
banking, and has offices in 37 countries and territories to support
customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately
262,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the
United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 26 on Fortune’s 2018
rankings of America’s largest corporations.
Cautionary Statement about Forward-Looking Statements
This news release 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 our reports filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including the “Forward-Looking Statements”
discussion in Wells Fargo’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as
well as to Wells Fargo’s other reports filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including the discussion under “Risk Factors” in
our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017,
available on its website at www.sec.gov.