- "Slowing earnings growth, deterioration in the quality of earnings, loan growth largely limited to low-yielding assets, continuing NIM pressure, loss absorbing capital issuance, and rising loan loss provision costs are some of the headwinds," says SocGen's Murali Gopal, downgrading Wells Fargo (WFC -1.9%) to Sell from Neutral.
- The stock owes much of its recent move higher to expanding multiples, but Gopal sees little hope for further advance on that front.
- "With the stock’s performance likely to be a function of earnings growth, and consensus forecasting 3% EPS growth in FY15, we recommend investors Sell the stock at current levels," says Gopal, who remains positive on the TBTFs in general, and suggests investors instead buy Bank of America (BAC -1.8%) and JPMorgan (JPM -1.7%).