Wells Fargo & Company (WFC) SEC Annual Report (10-K) for 2017

Wells Fargo & Company is a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware and a financial holding company and a bank holding company registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (BHC Act). Its principal business is to act as a holding company for its subsidiaries. References in this report to "the Parent" mean the holding company. References to "we," "our," "us" or "the Company" mean the holding company and its subsidiaries that are consolidated for financial reporting purposes.

At December 31, 2017 , we had assets of $2.0 trillion , loans of $957 billion , deposits of $1.3 trillion and stockholders' equity of $207 billion . Based on assets, we were the third largest bank holding company in the United States. At December 31, 2017 , Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. was the Company's principal subsidiary with assets of $1.7 trillion, or 90% of the Company's assets.

At December 31, 2017 , we had 262,700 active, full-time equivalent team members.

Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports, are available for free at www.wellsfargo.com/about/investor-relations/filings as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). They are also available for free on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . 

General

We are a diversified financial services company. We provide retail, commercial and corporate banking services through banking locations and offices, the internet and other distribution channels to individuals, businesses and institutions in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and in other countries. We provide other financial services through subsidiaries engaged in various businesses, principally: wholesale banking, mortgage banking, consumer finance, equipment leasing, agricultural finance, commercial finance, securities brokerage and investment banking, computer and data processing services, trust services, investment advisory services, mortgage-backed securities servicing and venture capital investment.

We have three operating segments for management reporting purposes: Community Banking; Wholesale Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management. The 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders includes financial information and descriptions of these operating segments.

Competition

The financial services industry is highly competitive. Our subsidiaries compete with financial services providers such as banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, finance companies, mortgage banking companies, insurance companies, investment banks and mutual fund companies. They also face increased competition from nonbank institutions such as brokerage houses, private equity firms and online lending companies, as well as from financial services subsidiaries of commercial and manufacturing companies. Many of these competitors enjoy fewer regulatory constraints and some may have lower cost structures.

Securities firms and insurance companies that elect to become financial holding companies may acquire banks and other financial institutions. Combinations of this type could significantly change the competitive environment in which we conduct business. The financial services industry is also likely to become more competitive as further technological advances enable more companies to provide financial services. These technological advances may diminish the importance of depository institutions and other financial intermediaries in the transfer of funds between parties.

We describe below, and in Note 3 (Cash, Loan and Dividend Restrictions) and Note 27 (Regulatory and Agency Capital Requirements) to Financial Statements included in the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders, the material elements of the regulatory framework applicable to us. Banking statutes, regulations and policies are continually under review by Congress and state legislatures and federal and state regulatory agencies, as well as foreign governments and financial regulators, and a change in them, including changes in how they are interpreted or implemented, could have a material effect on our business. The regulatory framework applicable to bank holding companies is intended to protect depositors, federal deposit insurance funds, consumers and the banking system as a whole, and not necessarily investors in bank holding companies such as the Company.

Statutes, regulations and policies could restrict our ability to diversify into other areas of financial services, acquire depository institutions, and pay dividends on our capital stock. They may also require us to provide financial support to one or more of our subsidiary banks, maintain capital balances in excess of amounts desired by management, and pay higher deposit insurance premiums as a result of a general deterioration in the financial condition of depository institutions. See the "Regulatory Matters" and "Risk Factors" sections in the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders for additional information.

General

Parent Bank Holding Company.  As a bank holding company, the Parent is subject to regulation under the BHC Act and to inspection, examination and supervision by its primary regulator, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve Board or FRB). The Parent is also subject to the disclosure and regulatory requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, both as administered by the SEC. As a company with securities listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the Parent is subject to the rules of the NYSE for listed companies.

Subsidiary Banks.   Our subsidiary national banks, and their subsidiaries, are subject to regulation and examination primarily by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and also by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the FRB, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the SEC and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The foreign branches and representative offices of our subsidiary national banks are subject to regulation and examination by their respective foreign financial regulators as well as by the OCC and the FRB. Foreign subsidiaries of our national bank subsidiaries may be subject to the laws and regulations of the foreign countries in which they conduct business. Our state-chartered bank is subject to primary federal regulation and examination by the FDIC and, in addition, is regulated and examined by its state banking department.

Nonbank Subsidiaries.  Many of our nonbank subsidiaries are also subject to regulation by the FRB and other applicable federal and state agencies. Our insurance subsidiaries are subject to regulation by applicable state insurance regulatory agencies, as well as the FRB. Our brokerage subsidiaries are

regulated by the SEC, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and, in some cases, the CFTC and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, and state securities regulators. Our other nonbank subsidiaries may be subject to the laws and regulations of the federal government and/or the various states as well as foreign countries in which they conduct business.

Parent Bank Holding Company Activities

"Financial in Nature" Requirement.  We became a financial holding company effective March 13, 2000. We continue to maintain our status as a bank holding company for purposes of other FRB regulations. As a bank holding company that has elected to become a financial holding company pursuant to the BHC Act, we may affiliate with securities firms and insurance companies and engage in other activities that are financial in nature or incidental or complementary to activities that are financial in nature. "Financial in nature" activities include securities underwriting, dealing and market making; sponsoring mutual funds and investment companies; insurance underwriting and agency; merchant banking; and activities that the FRB, in consultation with the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury, determines to be financial in nature or incidental to such financial activity. "Complementary activities" are activities that the FRB determines upon application to be complementary to a financial activity and do not pose a safety and soundness risk.

FRB approval is generally not required for us to acquire a company (other than a bank holding company, bank or savings association) engaged in activities that are financial in nature or incidental to activities that are financial in nature, as determined by the FRB. Prior notice to the FRB may be required, however, if the company to be acquired has total consolidated assets of $10 billion or more. Prior FRB approval is required before we may acquire the beneficial ownership or control of more than 5% of the voting shares or substantially all of the assets of a bank holding company, bank or savings association. In addition, the FRB has implemented a final rule under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) that also prohibits our ability to merge, acquire all or substantially all of the assets of, or acquire control of another company if our total resulting consolidated liabilities would exceed 10% of the aggregate consolidated liabilities of all financial companies.

Because we are a financial holding company, if any of our subsidiary banks receives a rating under the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, as amended (CRA), of less than satisfactory, we will be prohibited, until the rating is raised to satisfactory or better, from engaging in new activities or acquiring companies other than bank holding companies, banks or savings associations, except that we could engage in new activities, or acquire companies engaged in activities, that are closely related to banking under the BHC Act. In March 2017, we announced that the OCC had downgraded our most recent CRA rating, which covers the years 2009-2012, to "Needs to Improve" due to previously issued regulatory consent orders and, thus, we are subject to, among other things, the prohibitions noted above. In addition, if the FRB finds that the Company or any one of our subsidiary banks is not well capitalized or well managed, we would be required to enter into an agreement with the FRB to comply with all applicable capital and management requirements and which may contain additional limitations or conditions. Until corrected, we could be prohibited from engaging in any new

activity or acquiring companies engaged in activities that are not closely related to banking under the BHC Act without prior FRB approval. If we fail to correct any such condition within a prescribed period, the FRB could order us to divest our banking subsidiaries or, in the alternative, to cease engaging in activities other than those closely related to banking under the BHC Act. For more information about our CRA rating, see the "Regulatory Matters" and "Risk Factors" sections of the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders.

Interstate Banking .  Under the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Act (Riegle-Neal Act), a bank holding company may acquire banks in states other than its home state, subject to any state requirement that the bank has been organized and operating for a minimum period of time, not to exceed five years, and the requirement that the bank holding company not control, prior to or following the proposed acquisition, more than 10% of the total amount of deposits of insured depository institutions nationwide or, unless the acquisition is the bank holding company's initial entry into the state, more than 30% of such deposits in the state (or such lesser or greater amount set by the state). The Riegle-Neal Act also authorizes banks to merge across state lines, subject to the same deposit limits noted above, thereby creating interstate branches. Banks are also permitted to acquire and to establish new branches in other states.

Regulatory Approval.  In determining whether to approve a proposed bank acquisition, federal banking regulators will consider, among other factors, the effect of the acquisition on competition, financial condition, and future prospects including current and projected capital ratios and levels, the competence, experience, and integrity of management and record of compliance with laws and regulations, the convenience and needs of the communities to be served, including the acquiring institution's record of compliance under the CRA, the effectiveness of the acquiring institution in combating money laundering activities and the risk to the stability of the United States banking system.

Dividend Restrictions

The Parent is a legal entity separate and distinct from its subsidiary banks and other subsidiaries. A significant source of funds to pay dividends on our common and preferred stock and principal and interest on our debt is dividends from the Parent's subsidiaries. Various federal and state statutory provisions and regulations limit the amount of dividends the Parent's subsidiary banks and certain other subsidiaries may pay without regulatory approval. Federal banking regulators have the authority to prohibit the Parent's subsidiary banks from engaging in unsafe or unsound practices in conducting their businesses. The payment of dividends, depending on the financial condition of the bank in question, could be deemed an unsafe or unsound practice. The ability of the Parent's subsidiary banks to pay dividends in the future is currently, and could be further, influenced by bank regulatory policies and capital guidelines. For information about the restrictions applicable to the Parent's subsidiary banks, see Note 3 (Cash, Loan and Dividend Restrictions) to Financial Statements included in the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders.

Furthermore, under a Support Agreement (the "Support Agreement") dated June 28, 2017 among the Parent, WFC Holdings, LLC, an intermediate holding company and subsidiary of the Parent (the "IHC"), and Wells Fargo Bank,

N.A., Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, and Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, each an indirect subsidiary of the Parent, the IHC may be restricted from making dividend payments to the Parent if certain liquidity and/or capital metrics fall below defined triggers. Any such restriction could materially and adversely impact the Parent's liquidity and its ability to satisfy its debt and other obligations, as well as its ability to make dividend payments on its common and preferred stock. See the "Regulatory Matters" and "Risk Factors" sections of the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders for additional information on the Support Agreement.

In addition to these restrictions on the ability of our subsidiary banks to pay dividends to us, the FRB requires large bank holding companies (BHCs), including Wells Fargo, to submit annual capital plans and to obtain regulatory approval before making capital distributions, such as the payment of dividends. The FRB also finalized rules implementing in the United States the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision's regulatory capital guidelines, including the reforms known as Basel III, which established various capital requirements for U.S. banking organizations. Moreover, federal banking regulators have finalized a rule that enhances the supplementary leverage ratio requirements for large BHCs, like Wells Fargo, and their insured depository institutions. The rule, which became effective on January 1, 2018, requires a covered BHC to maintain a supplementary leverage ratio of at least 5% (comprised of a 3% minimum requirement and a supplementary leverage buffer of 2%) to avoid restrictions on capital distributions and discretionary bonus payments. The rule also requires that all of our insured depository institutions maintain a supplementary leverage ratio of 6% under applicable regulatory capital adequacy guidelines. We are also subject to the FRB's rule implementing an additional capital surcharge on those U.S. banking organizations, such as the Company, that are designated as global systemically important banks (G-SIBs). The failure to maintain any of these minimum capital ratios and capital buffers could result in limitations or restrictions on our ability to make capital distributions.

In addition, the FRB's enhanced supervision regulations for large BHCs, like Wells Fargo, impose capital distribution restrictions, including on the payment of dividends, upon the occurrence of capital, stress test, risk management, or liquidity risk management triggers.

Holding Company Structure

Transfer of Funds from Subsidiary Banks.   The Parent's subsidiary banks are subject to restrictions under federal law that limit the transfer of funds or other items of value from such subsidiaries to the Parent and its nonbank subsidiaries (including affiliates) in so-called "covered transactions." In general, covered transactions include loans and other extensions of credit, investments and asset purchases, as well as certain other transactions involving the transfer of value from a subsidiary bank to an affiliate or for the benefit of an affiliate. Unless an exemption applies, covered transactions by a subsidiary bank with a single affiliate are limited to 10% of the subsidiary bank's capital and surplus and, with respect to all covered transactions with affiliates in the aggregate, to 20% of the subsidiary bank's capital and surplus. Also, loans and extensions of credit to affiliates generally are required to be secured by qualifying collateral. A bank's transactions with its nonbank affiliates are also generally required to be on arm's length terms.

Source of Strength.  The FRB has a policy that a BHC is expected to act as a source of financial and managerial strength to each of its subsidiary banks and, under appropriate circumstances, to commit resources to support each such subsidiary bank. This support may be required at times when the BHC may not have the resources to provide the support.

The OCC may order an assessment of the Parent if the capital of one of its national bank subsidiaries were to become impaired. If the Parent failed to pay the assessment within three months, the OCC could order the sale of the Parent's stock in the national bank to cover the deficiency.

Depositor Preference.   In the event of the "liquidation or other resolution" of an insured depository institution, the claims of deposits payable in the United States (including the claims of the FDIC as subrogee of insured depositors) and certain claims for administrative expenses of the FDIC as a receiver will have priority over other general unsecured claims against the institution. If an insured depository institution fails, claims of insured and uninsured U.S. depositors, along with claims of the FDIC, will have priority in payment ahead of unsecured creditors, including the Parent, and depositors whose deposits are solely payable at such insured depository institution's non-U.S. offices.

Liability of Commonly Controlled Institutions.   All of the Company's subsidiary banks are insured by the FDIC. FDIC-insured depository institutions can be held liable for any loss incurred, or reasonably expected to be incurred, by the FDIC due to the default of an FDIC-insured depository institution controlled by the same bank holding company, and for any assistance provided by the FDIC to an FDIC-insured depository institution that is in danger of default and that is controlled by the same bank holding company. "Default" means generally the appointment of a conservator or receiver. "In danger of default" means generally the existence of certain conditions indicating that a default is likely to occur in the absence of regulatory assistance.

Dodd-Frank Act

The Dodd-Frank Act, enacted on July 21, 2010, has resulted in broad changes to the U.S. financial system and is the most significant financial reform legislation since the 1930s. The Dodd-Frank Act and the numerous rules to implement its provisions have resulted in enhanced regulation and supervision of large BHCs, such as Wells Fargo. This includes, among other things, rules to promote financial stability and prevent or mitigate the risks that may arise from the material distress or failure of a large BHC; enhance consumer protections; prohibit proprietary trading; and implement enhanced prudential requirements for large BHCs regarding risk-based capital and leverage, risk and liquidity management, stress testing, and recovery and resolution planning. The Dodd-Frank Act, including current and future rules implementing its provisions and the interpretation of those rules, has affected, and we expect will continue to affect, most of our businesses in some way, either directly through regulation of specific activities or indirectly through regulation of concentration risks, capital or liquidity. For more information about the Dodd-Frank Act and its effect on our business, see the "Regulatory Matters" and "Risk Factors" sections of the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders.

Capital Requirements and Planning

The Company and each of our insured depository institutions are subject to various regulatory capital adequacy requirements administered by federal banking regulators. These capital rules, among other things, establish required minimum ratios relating capital to different categories of assets and exposures. Federal banking regulators have also finalized rules to impose a supplementary leverage ratio on large BHCs like Wells Fargo and our insured depository institutions and to implement a liquidity coverage ratio. The FRB has also finalized rules to address the amount of equity and unsecured long-term debt a G-SIB must hold to improve its resolvability and resiliency, often referred to as total loss absorbing capacity.

From time to time, the FRB and the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) propose changes and amendments to, and issue interpretations of, risk-based capital guidelines and related reporting instructions. In addition, the FRB closely monitors capital levels of the institutions it supervises and may require such institutions to modify capital levels based on FRB determinations. Such determinations, proposals or interpretations could, if implemented in the future, affect our reported capital ratios and net risk-adjusted assets.

As an additional means to identify problems in the financial management of depository institutions, the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDI Act) requires federal banking regulators to establish certain non-capital safety and soundness standards for institutions for which they are the primary federal regulator. The standards relate generally to operations and management, asset quality, interest rate exposure, executive compensation and risk management. The agencies are authorized to take action against institutions that fail to meet such standards.

The FDI Act requires federal banking regulators to take "prompt corrective action" with respect to FDIC-insured depository institutions that do not meet minimum capital requirements. A depository institution's treatment for purposes of the prompt corrective action provisions will depend upon how its capital levels compare to various capital measures and certain other factors, as established by regulation.

In addition, the FRB's capital plan rule requires large BHCs to submit capital plans annually for review to determine if the FRB has any objections before making any capital distributions. The rule requires updates to capital plans in the event of material changes in a BHC's risk profile, including as a result of any significant acquisitions. Federal banking regulators also require stress tests to evaluate whether an institution has sufficient capital to continue to operate during periods of adverse economic and financial conditions.

For more information on our capital requirements and planning, see the "Capital Management" section of the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders.

Deposit Insurance Assessments

Our subsidiary banks, including Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., are members of the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) maintained by the FDIC. Through the DIF, the FDIC insures the deposits of our banks up to prescribed limits for each depositor and funds the DIF through assessments on member banks. To maintain the DIF, member institutions are assessed an insurance premium based on an assessment base and an assessment rate.

The Dodd-Frank Act gave the FDIC greater discretion to manage the DIF, changed the assessment base from domestic

deposits to consolidated average assets less average tangible equity, and mandated a minimum Designated Reserve Ratio (reserve ratio or DRR) of 1.35%. The FDIC Board adopted a Restoration Plan to ensure that the DIF reserve ratio reaches 1.35% by September 30, 2020, as required by the Dodd-Frank Act, and, in March 2016, issued a final rule to meet this DRR level. The final rule, which became effective on July 1, 2016, imposes on insured depository institutions with $10 billion or more in assets, such as Wells Fargo, a surcharge of 4.5 cents per $100 of their assessment base, after making certain adjustments. The surcharge is in addition to the base assessments paid by the affected institutions and could significantly increase the overall amount of their deposit insurance assessments. The FDIC expects the surcharge to be in effect for approximately two years, however, if the DIF reserve ratio does not reach 1.35% by December 31, 2018, the final rule provides that the FDIC will impose a shortfall assessment on any bank that was subject to the surcharge. In addition to ensuring that the DIF reserve ratio reaches the statutory minimum of 1.35% by September 30, 2020, the FDIC Board has also finalized a comprehensive, long-range plan for DIF management, whereby the DRR has been targeted at 2%.

In addition to the base assessments and any surcharge, all FDIC-insured depository institutions must also pay a quarterly assessment towards interest payments on bonds (commonly referred to as FICO bonds) issued by the Financing Corporation, a federal corporation chartered under the authority of the Federal Housing Finance Board. This assessment was 0.56% of the assessable deposit base for first quarter 2017 , and was 0.54% for the second, third and fourth quarters of 2017 . For the year ended December 31, 2017 , the Company's FDIC deposit insurance assessments, including FICO assessments, totaled $1.3 billion.

The FDIC may terminate a depository institution's deposit insurance upon a finding that the institution's financial condition is unsafe or unsound or that the institution has engaged in unsafe or unsound practices or has violated any applicable rule, regulation, order or condition enacted or imposed by the institution's regulatory agency. The termination of deposit insurance for one or more of our bank subsidiaries could have a material adverse effect on our earnings, depending on the collective size of the particular banks involved.

Fiscal and Monetary Policies

Our business and earnings are affected significantly by the fiscal and monetary policies of the federal government and its agencies. We are particularly affected by the policies of the FRB, which regulates the supply of money and credit in the United States. Among the instruments of monetary policy available to the FRB are (a) conducting open market operations in United States government securities, (b) changing the discount rates of borrowings of depository institutions, (c) imposing or changing reserve requirements against depository institutions' deposits, and (d) imposing or changing reserve requirements against certain borrowings by banks and their affiliates. These methods are used in varying degrees and combinations to directly affect the availability of bank loans and deposits, as well as the interest rates charged on loans and paid on deposits. The policies of the FRB may have a material effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Privacy Provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and Restrictions on Affiliate Marketing

Federal banking regulators, as required under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the GLB Act), have adopted rules limiting the ability of banks and other financial institutions to disclose nonpublic information about consumers to nonaffiliated third parties. The rules require disclosure of privacy policies to consumers and, in some circumstances, allow consumers to prevent disclosure of certain personal information to nonaffiliated third parties. The privacy provisions of the GLB Act affect how consumer information is transmitted through diversified financial services companies and conveyed to outside vendors. Federal financial regulators have issued regulations under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act that have the effect of increasing the length of the waiting period, after privacy disclosures are provided to new customers, before information can be shared among different affiliated companies for the purpose of marketing products and services by those affiliated companies. 

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Sarbanes-Oxley) implemented a broad range of corporate governance and accounting measures to increase corporate responsibility, to provide for enhanced penalties for accounting and auditing improprieties at publicly traded companies, and to protect investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of disclosures under federal securities laws. We are subject to Sarbanes-Oxley because we are required to file periodic reports with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Among other things, Sarbanes-Oxley and/or its implementing regulations established membership requirements and additional responsibilities for our audit committee, imposed restrictions on the relationship between us and our outside auditors (including restrictions on the types of non-audit services our auditors may provide to us), imposed additional responsibilities for our external financial statements on our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, expanded the disclosure requirements for our corporate insiders, required our management to evaluate our disclosure controls and procedures and our internal control over financial reporting, and required our independent registered public accounting firm to issue a report on our internal control over financial reporting.

Patriot Act

The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Patriot Act) is intended to strengthen the ability of U.S. law enforcement agencies and intelligence communities to work together to combat terrorism on a variety of fronts. The Patriot Act has significant implications for depository institutions, brokers, dealers and other businesses involved in the transfer of money. The Patriot Act requires the implementation of policies and procedures relating to anti‑money laundering, compliance, suspicious activities, and currency transaction reporting and due diligence on customers. The Patriot Act also requires federal banking regulators to evaluate the effectiveness of an applicant in combating money laundering in determining whether to approve a proposed bank acquisition.

Future Legislation or Regulation

Economic, market and political conditions during the past few years have led to a significant amount of legislation and regulation in the U.S. and abroad affecting the financial services industry, as well as heightened expectations and scrutiny of financial services companies from banking regulators. Further legislative changes and additional regulations may change our operating environment in substantial and unpredictable ways. Such legislation and regulations could increase our cost of doing business, affect our compensation structure, restrict or expand the activities in which we may engage or affect the competitive balance among banks, savings associations, credit unions, and other financial institutions. We cannot predict whether future legislative proposals will be enacted and, if enacted, the effect that they, or any implementing regulations, would have on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

Additional information in response to this Item 1 can be found in the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders under "Financial Review" and under "Financial Statements." That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

Information in response to this Item 1A can be found in this report on pages 2-6 and in the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders under "Financial Review – Risk Factors." That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

Not applicable.

As of December 31, 2017 , we provided banking, investments, mortgage and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,300 locations under ownership and lease agreements.

We continue to evaluate our owned and leased properties and may determine from time to time that certain of our properties are no longer necessary for our operations. There is no

assurance that we will be able to dispose of any excess properties or that we will not incur charges in connection with such dispositions, which could be material to our operating results in a given period.

Additional information in response to this Item 2 can be found in the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders under "Financial Statements – Notes to Financial Statements – Note 7 (Premises, Equipment, Lease Commitments and Other Assets)." That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

Information in response to this Item 3 can be found in the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders under "Financial Statements – Notes to Financial Statements – Note 15 (Legal Actions)." That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

Not applicable.

The Company's common stock is listed on the NYSE (symbol "WFC"). The Quarterly Financial Data table of the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders provides the quarterly prices of, and quarterly dividends paid on, the Company's common stock for the two-year period ended December 31, 2017 , and is incorporated herein by reference. Prices shown represent the daily high and low, and the quarter-end sale prices of the Company's common stock as reported on the NYSE Composite Transaction Reporting System for the periods indicated. The "Stock Performance" section of the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders provides stockholder return comparisons and is incorporated herein by reference. At February 20,  2018 , there were 173,086 holders of record of the Company's common stock.

The dividend restrictions discussions on page 3 of this report and in the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders under "Financial Statements – Notes to Financial Statements – Note 3 (Cash, Loan and Dividend Restrictions)" are incorporated into this item by reference.

In January 2016, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of 350 million shares of our common stock. The authorization covers shares repurchased to meet team member benefit plan requirements. The Company maintains a variety of retirement plans for its team members and typically is a net issuer of shares of common stock to these plans. From time to time, it also purchases shares of common stock from these

plans to accommodate team member preferences. Share repurchases are subtracted from the Company's repurchase authority without offset for share issuances. Shares may be repurchased as part of employee stock option exercises, from the different benefit plans or in the open market, subject to regulatory approval.

The amount and timing of stock repurchases will be based on various factors, including our capital requirements, the number of shares we expect to issue for employee benefit plans and acquisitions, market conditions (including the trading price of our stock), and regulatory and legal considerations. In June 2010, our Board of Directors also authorized the repurchase of up to $1 billion of warrants to purchase our common stock. The warrants are listed on the NYSE under the symbol "WFCWS." The amount and timing of warrant repurchases will be based on various factors including market conditions. See the "Capital Management" section in the 2017  Annual Report to Stockholders for additional information about our common stock and warrant repurchases.

Information in response to this Item 6 can be found in the 2017  Annual Report to Stockholders under "Financial Review" in Table 1. That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

Information in response to this Item 7 can be found in the 2017  Annual Report to Stockholders under "Financial Review." That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

Information in response to this Item 7A can be found in the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders under "Financial Review – Risk Management – Asset/Liability Management." That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

Information in response to this Item 8 can be found in the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders under "Financial Statements," under "Notes to Financial Statements" and under "Quarterly Financial Data." That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

Not applicable.

Information in response to this Item 9A can be found in the

2017 Annual Report to Stockholders under "Controls and

Procedures." That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

Not applicable.

The Audit and Examination Committee is a standing audit committee of the Board of Directors established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Committee has five members: John D. Baker II, Theodore F. Craver, Jr., Federico F. Peña, James H. Quigley (Chair), and Ronald L. Sargent. Each member is independent, as independence for audit committee members is defined by NYSE rules. The Board of Directors has determined, in its business judgment, that each member of the Audit and Examination Committee is financially literate, as required by NYSE rules, and that each qualifies as an "audit committee financial expert" as defined by SEC regulations.

The Company's Code of Ethics and Business Conduct applicable to team members (including executive officers) as well as directors, the Company's corporate governance guidelines, and the charters for the Audit and Examination, Governance and Nominating, Human Resources, Corporate Responsibility, Credit, Finance, and Risk Committees are available at www.wellsfargo.com/about/corporate/governance .

Additional information in response to this Item 10 can be found in the Company's 2018 Proxy Statement under "Ownership of Our Common Stock – Directors and Executive Officers – Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance," under "Corporate Governance – Item 1 – Election of Directors – Director Nominees for Election," and "Corporate Governance – Director Election Standard and Nomination Process – Refreshing the Board and Nominating Directors." That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

Information in response to this Item 11 can be found in the Company's 2018 Proxy Statement under "Corporate Governance – Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation," under "Corporate Governance – Director Compensation," under "Information About Related Persons – Related Person Transactions," and under "Executive Compensation – Compensation Committee Report," "Executive Compensation – Compensation Discussion & Analysis," "Executive Compensation – Executive Compensation Tables," and "Executive Compensation – Incentive Compensation Risk Management and Team Member Performance Management,"

and "Executive Compensation – Our Workforce." That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

The following table provides information about our equity compensation plans in effect on December 31, 2017 , separately aggregated for plans approved by stockholders and for plans not approved by stockholders. A description of the material features of each equity compensation plan not approved by stockholders follows the table. All outstanding awards relate to shares of our common stock. Information is as of December 31, 2017 , unless otherwise indicated. 

Material Features of Equity Compensation Plans Not Approved by Stockholders

The 2003 SIP .  The amended and restated Wachovia Corporation 2003 Stock Incentive Plan (2003 SIP) was originally approved by Wachovia's shareholders in 2003 and prior to the merger had been used for equity awards to Wachovia's executive officers and other key employees. We assumed the 2003 SIP in the merger and in February 2009 used substantially all remaining available shares for stock option grants to legacy Wachovia team members. No awards have been granted since then, and no future awards will be granted under the 2003 SIP.

At December 31, 2017 , only options were outstanding under the 2003 SIP. The options generally expire on the tenth anniversary of the grant date and vest ratably over a three-year period from the grant date. The option price is payable to us in full by methods the Board's Human Resources Committee (HRC) designates, including, but not limited to, in cash or its equivalent, by tendering or withholding shares of our common stock having a fair market value at the time of exercise equal to the total option price, or by a combination of the foregoing. Unless the HRC determines otherwise or except as prohibited by applicable law, options may also be exercised by a "cashless exercise" where the participant gives irrevocable instructions to a broker to promptly deliver to us the amount of sale proceeds from the shares covered by the option exercised, together with any withholding taxes due to the Company. The proceeds from any cash payments upon option exercise are added to our general funds and used for general corporate purposes.

Deferred Compensation Plan .  Under the Deferred Compensation Plan eligible team members may defer receipt of salary, bonuses and certain other compensation subject to the terms of the plan. Deferral elections are irrevocable once made except for limited re-deferral opportunities. We treat amounts deferred by a participant as if invested in the earnings options selected by the participant, and determine the deferred compensation benefit payable to the participant based on the performance of those earnings options. The plan offers a number of earnings options, including one based on our common stock with dividends reinvested. We generally distribute amounts allocated to the common stock option in shares of common stock. Participants have no direct interest in any of the earnings options and are general unsecured creditors of the Company with respect to their deferred compensation benefits under the plan.

Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan for Independent Contractors .  Under the Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan for Independent Contractors participants who performed qualifying investment or other financial services for participating affiliates as independent contractors were able to defer all or part of their eligible compensation payable to them by the affiliate subject to the terms of the plan. Deferral elections were irrevocable once made. Amounts deferred by a participant were treated as if invested in the earnings options selected by the participant, which determine the deferred compensation benefit payable to the participant. The plan offered a number of earnings options, including one based on our common stock with dividends reinvested. We generally distribute amounts allocated to the common stock option in shares of common stock. No future deferrals may be made under this plan and participants may no longer reallocate their existing account balances under the plan among different

investment options. Shares remaining available for issuance under the plan consist of shares issuable as a result of amounts credited to participant accounts denominated in our common stock to reflect cash dividends paid on the common stock. The plan is sponsored by a wholly owned subsidiary, WF Deferred Compensation Holdings, Inc. We have guaranteed its obligations under the plan. Participants have no direct interest in any of the earnings options and are general unsecured creditors of the plan sponsor and the Company with respect to their deferred compensation benefits under the plan.

Norwest Corporation Directors' Formula Stock Award Plan .  Under the Norwest Corporation Directors' Formula Stock Award Plan we awarded shares of common stock to non-employee directors. The plan allowed participants to defer receipt of all or a portion of their awards, with dividends reinvested, until a future year or years as selected by the participants subject to the terms of the plan. Participants can elect one time to defer commencement of distribution of their deferral accounts if the election is made sufficiently in advance of the original distribution commencement date and the new distribution commencement date is sufficiently beyond the original distribution commencement date. Participants have no direct interest in the shares deferred under the plan and are general unsecured creditors of the Company with respect to payment of their deferred stock awards under the plan. No future stock awards or deferrals may be made under this plan.

Norwest Corporation Directors' Stock Deferral Plan . Under the Norwest Corporation Directors' Stock Deferral Plan a participating director could defer receipt of all or part of the annual cash retainer and meeting fees payable to the director until a future year or years as selected by the director subject to the terms of the plan. A participating director could elect distribution of his or her deferral account in a lump sum in either cash or whole shares of common stock, or a combination of both. Alternatively, the director could elect to receive the distribution in up to ten annual installments of cash. A participant can elect one time to defer commencement of distribution of his or her deferral account if the election is made sufficiently in advance of the original distribution commencement date and the new distribution commencement date is sufficiently beyond the original distribution commencement date. No future deferrals may be made under this plan.

Additional information in response to this Item 12 can be found in the Company's 2018 Proxy Statement under "Ownership of Our Common Stock – Directors and Executive Officers – Director and Executive Officer Stock Ownership Table" and "Ownership of Our Common Stock – Principal Shareholders." That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

Information in response to this Item 13 can be found in the Company's 2018 Proxy Statement under "Corporate Governance – Item 1 – Election of Directors – Director Independence" and under "Information About Related Persons." That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

Information in response to this Item 14 can be found in the Company's 2018 Proxy Statement under "Audit Matters – Item 3 – Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for 2018 – KPMG Fees" and "Audit Matters – Item 3 – Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for 2018 – Audit and Examination Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures." That information is incorporated into this item by reference.

The Company's consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto, and the report of the independent registered public accounting firm thereon, are set forth in the 2017 Annual Report to Stockholders, and are incorporated into this item by reference.

All financial statement schedules for the Company have been included in the consolidated financial statements or the related footnotes, or are either inapplicable or not required.

A list of exhibits to this Form 10-K is set forth below. Stockholders may obtain a copy of any of the following exhibits, upon payment of a reasonable fee, by writing to Wells Fargo & Company, Office of the Corporate Secretary, MAC D1053-300, 301 S. College Street, 30th Floor, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202.

The Company's SEC file number is 001-2979. On and before November 2, 1998, the Company filed documents with the SEC under the name Norwest Corporation. The former Wells Fargo & Company filed documents under SEC file number 001-6214. The former Wachovia Corporation filed documents under SEC file number 001-10000.