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FITB vs. WFC: Fifth Third Bancorp vs. Wells Fargo Stock Comparison

How do Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC) are both classified in the Diversified Banks sub-industry within the broader Banks industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
Profile ItemFITBWFC
NameFifth Third BancorpWells Fargo & Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryDiversified BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization47.93 billion USD251.98 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980June 1, 1972
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FITB
WFC
GSPC
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Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricFITBWFC
Total Return (1Y)31.61%2.40%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)34.78%31.75%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.38%14.35%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FITB
WFC
GSPC
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Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricFITBWFC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.76%26.11%
Beta (5Y)0.960.91
Max Drawdown (5Y)-51.68%-37.10%
Avg. Volume (3M)6.30M14.10M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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FITB and WFC are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricFITBWFC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.06-0.07
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.58-0.10

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Wells Fargo (WFC) at 12.91% is around its peer norm for ROE, while Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) at 9.42% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker returns on shareholders’ equity.

FITB

Banks industry group

9.42%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
FITB
9.42%
Min
3.64%

WFC

Banks industry group

12.91%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.67%
WFC
12.91%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%
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Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Wells Fargo (WFC) at 27.64% keeps about the industry-typical share of revenue as profit, while Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) at 22.97% retains only a bottom-quartile share.

FITB

Banks industry group

22.97%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
FITB
22.97%
Min
14.93%

WFC

Banks industry group

27.64%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
WFC
27.64%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%
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Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their net margin against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) in Banks and Wells Fargo (WFC) in Banks, funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricFITBWFC
ROE (TTM)9.42%12.91%
ROA (TTM)1.00%1.08%
Net Margin (TTM)22.97%27.64%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) at 6.61% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Wells Fargo (WFC) at 1.70% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) at 12.42% and Wells Fargo (WFC) at 16.57% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricFITBWFC
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.61%1.70%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)2.87%4.02%
EPS Growth (YoY)12.42%16.57%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)1.76%25.86%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) in Banks and Wells Fargo (WFC) in Banks both report balance sheets without a current/non-current split, so their short-term liquidity is better judged through regulatory and funding measures.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

debt-to-equity ratio is set aside for both: Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) in Banks and Wells Fargo (WFC) in Banks run businesses where balance-sheet leverage is part of the model, so capital-adequacy and funding measures are the better gauges of balance-sheet risk.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricFITBWFC
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) at 3.03% and Wells Fargo (WFC) at 2.19% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

FITB

Banks industry group

3.03%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
FITB
3.03%
Median
2.39%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%

WFC

Banks industry group

2.19%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
WFC
2.19%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%
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Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Wells Fargo (WFC) at 26.09% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) at 54.36% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

FITB

Banks industry group

54.36%

Max
70.75%
FITB
54.36%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%

WFC

Banks industry group

26.09%

Max
70.75%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
WFC
26.09%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%
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Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricFITBWFC
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.03%2.19%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)54.36%26.09%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Wells Fargo (WFC) at 11.84 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) at 17.80 sits in the richer quartile — FITB needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

FITB

Banks industry group

17.80

Max
18.16
FITB
17.80
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49

WFC

Banks industry group

11.84

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
WFC
11.84
Median
11.81
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49
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Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

P/S ratio is set aside for both Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) in Banks and Wells Fargo (WFC) in Banks: without a conventional revenue line, pricing per dollar of sales isn’t meaningful, and book- or earnings-based multiples make the better comparison.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) at 1.55 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Wells Fargo (WFC) at 1.59 carries an above-peer premium to book — WFC is pricier on assets.

FITB

Banks industry group

1.55

Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
FITB
1.55
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59

WFC

Banks industry group

1.59

Max
2.28
WFC
1.59
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59
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Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricFITBWFC
P/E Ratio (TTM)17.8011.84
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.551.59
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----