Forward-looking statements: This Quarterly Supplement contains forward-looking statements about our future financial performance. These forward-looking statements include statements using words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "should," "may," "can," "will," "outlook," "appears" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this Quarterly Supplement include, among others, statements about: expected or estimated future losses in our loan portfolios, including our belief that quarterly provision expense and quarterly total credit losses have peaked and the allowance for loan losses is expected to decline; expected or estimated loan loss reserve releases; mortgage repurchase exposure; exposure related to foreclosure practices; the future economic environment; reduction or mitigation of risk in our loan portfolios; future effects of loan modification programs; life-of-loan loss estimates; future recast risk in the Pick-a-Pay portfolio; the amount and timing of expected cost savings and integration expenses, as well as other benefits, relating to the Wachovia merger; the estimated impact of regulatory reform on our financial results and business; estimated future expenses, including expected future loan resolution/loss mitigation costs, residual expenses relating to Wells Fargo Financial, and certain other expenses; certain proposed capital actions including dividends, share repurchases and redemption of callable trust preferred securities; and our estimated Tier 1 common ratio as of December 31, 2010 under proposed Basel capital rules. Investors are urged to 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 more information about factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations, refer to pages 15-16 of Wells Fargo's press release announcing our fourth quarter 2010 results, as well as Wells Fargo's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2010, June 30, 2010, and September 30, 2010 including the discussion under "Risk Factors" in each of those reports. Purchased credit-impaired loan portfolio: Loans that were acquired from Wachovia that were considered credit impaired were written down at acquisition date in purchase accounting to an amount estimated to be collectible and the related allowance for loan losses was not carried over to Wells Fargo's allowance. In addition, such purchased credit-impaired loans are not classified as nonaccrual or nonperforming, and are not included in loans that were contractually 90+ days past due and still accruing. Any losses on such loans are charged against the nonaccretable difference established in purchase accounting and are not reported as charge-offs (until such difference is fully utilized). As a result of accounting for purchased loans with evidence of credit deterioration, certain ratios of the combined company are not comparable to a portfolio that does not include purchased credit-impaired loans. In certain cases, the purchased credit-impaired loans may affect portfolio credit ratios and trends. Management believes that the presentation of information adjusted to exclude the purchased credit-impaired loans provides useful disclosure regarding the credit quality of the non-impaired loan portfolio. Accordingly, certain of the loan balances and credit ratios in this Quarterly Supplement have been adjusted to exclude the purchased credit-impaired loans. References in this Quarterly Supplement to impaired loans mean the purchased credit-impaired loans. Please see pages 31-33 of the press release for additional information regarding the purchased credit-impaired loans. Forward-looking statements and additional information 43 |