It is reporting season for American banks and Wells Fargo’s came out today. first-quarter-earnings-supplement
Of particular interest is the decline in residential mortgage applications for Wells Fargo, the lowest since 2005. Because that is the last year for which there is data on Bloomberg for Wells Fargo.*
Mortgage originations? About the same as Q1 2016, but substantially below levels seen in 2012. Q1 2017 is the second lowest level of originations sine 2005.
It just isn’t Wells Fargo. Take Bank of America. But Wells claimed their niche was the residential mortgage market while other banks retreated from the market.
Low wage growth coupled with regulatory overreach by Dodd-Frank and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has diminished residential mortgage lending by the banks.
So, the Wells Fargo (mortgage lending) wagon isn’t coming. And it isn’t for other big banks either. But PROFITS increased for mortgage bankers in 2016.
While Wells Fargo was still the leading mortgage originator in Q3 2016, shadow bank Quicken is challenging Chase for 2nd place with PennyMac challenging US Bank for 4th place in the mortgage origination derby.
Maybe Dan Gilbert, the CEO of Quicken Loans and the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team, should adopt the Wells Fargo wagon song for Quicken! Because it seems that Wells Fargo’s wagon isn’t bring the home loans as expected.
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