EXHIBIT 99(a) WELLS FARGO & COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES Quarter Nine months ended Sept. 30, ended Sept. 30, ------------------ ------------------ (in millions) 1996 1995 1996 1995 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EARNINGS, INCLUDING INTEREST ON DEPOSITS (1): Income before income tax expense $ 598 $ 460 $ 1,723 $ 1,239 Fixed charges 584 372 1,526 1,135 ------ ------ -------- -------- $1,182 $ 832 $ 3,249 $ 2,374 ------ ------ -------- -------- ------ ------ -------- -------- Fixed charges (1): Interest expense $ 552 $ 356 $ 1,440 $ 1,087 Estimated interest component of net rental expense 32 16 86 48 ------ ------ -------- -------- $ 584 $ 372 $ 1,526 $ 1,135 ------ ------ -------- -------- ------ ------ -------- -------- Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (2) 2.02 2.24 2.13 2.09 ------ ------ -------- -------- ------ ------ -------- -------- EARNINGS, EXCLUDING INTEREST ON DEPOSITS: Income before income tax expense $ 598 $ 460 $ 1,723 $ 1,239 Fixed charges 138 118 386 385 ------ ------ -------- -------- $ 736 $ 578 $ 2,109 $ 1,624 ------ ------ -------- -------- ------ ------ -------- -------- Fixed charges (1): Interest expense $ 552 $ 356 $ 1,440 $ 1,087 Less interest on deposits (446) (254) (1,140) (750) Estimated interest component of net rental expense 32 16 86 48 ------ ------ -------- -------- $ 138 $ 118 $ 386 $ 385 ------ ------ -------- -------- ------ ------ -------- -------- Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (2) 5.34 4.90 5.46 4.22 ------ ------ -------- -------- ------ ------ -------- -------- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) As defined in Item 503(d) of Regulation S-K. (2) These computations are included herein in compliance with Securities and Exchange Commission regulations. However, management believes that fixed charge ratios are not meaningful measures for the business of the Company because of two factors. First, even if there was no change in net income, the ratios would decline with an increase in the proportion of income which is tax-exempt or, conversely, they would increase with a decrease in the proportion of income which is tax-exempt. Second, even if there was no change in net income, the ratios would decline if interest income and interest expense increase by the same amount due to an increase in the level of interest rates or, conversely, they would increase if interest income and interest expense decrease by the same amount due to a decrease in the level of interest rates. EXHIBIT 99(b) WELLS FARGO & COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED DIVIDENDS Quarter Nine months ended Sept. 30, ended Sept. 30, ------------------ ------------------ (in millions) 1996 1995 1996 1995 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EARNINGS, INCLUDING INTEREST ON DEPOSITS (1): Income before income tax expense $ 598 $ 460 $ 1,723 $ 1,239 Fixed charges 584 372 1,526 1,135 ------ ------ -------- -------- $1,182 $ 832 $ 3,249 $ 2,374 ------ ------ -------- -------- ------ ------ -------- -------- Preferred dividend requirement $ 19 $ 10 $ 47 $ 31 Ratio of income before income tax expense to net income 1.86 1.76 1.82 1.71 ------ ------ -------- -------- Preferred dividends (2) $ 34 $ 18 $ 85 $ 53 ------ ------ -------- -------- Fixed charges (1): Interest expense 552 356 1,440 1,087 Estimated interest component of net rental expense 32 16 86 48 ------ ------ -------- -------- 584 372 1,526 1,135 ------ ------ -------- -------- Fixed charges and preferred dividends $ 618 $ 390 $ 1,611 $ 1,188 ------ ------ -------- -------- ------ ------ -------- -------- Ratio of earnings to fixed charges and preferred dividends(3) 1.91 2.13 2.02 2.00 ------ ------ -------- -------- ------ ------ -------- -------- EARNINGS, EXCLUDING INTEREST ON DEPOSITS: Income before income tax expense $ 598 $ 460 $ 1,723 $ 1,239 Fixed charges 138 118 386 385 ------ ------ -------- -------- $ 736 $ 578 $ 2,109 $ 1,624 ------ ------ -------- -------- ------ ------ -------- -------- Preferred dividends (2) $ 34 $ 18 $ 85 $ 53 ------ ------ -------- -------- Fixed charges (1): Interest expense 552 356 1,440 1,087 Less interest on deposits (446) (254) (1,140) (750) Estimated interest component of net rental expense 32 16 86 48 ------ ------ -------- -------- 138 118 386 385 ------ ------ -------- -------- Fixed charges and preferred dividends $ 172 $ 136 $ 471 $ 438 ------ ------ -------- -------- ------ ------ -------- -------- Ratio of earnings to fixed charges and preferred dividends(3) 4.28 4.25 4.48 3.71 ------ ------ -------- -------- ------ ------ -------- -------- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) As defined in Item 503(d) of Regulation S-K. (2) The preferred dividends were increased to amounts representing the pretax earnings that would be required to cover such dividend requirements. (3) These computations are included herein in compliance with Securities and Exchange Commission regulations. However, management believes that fixed charge ratios are not meaningful measures for the business of the Company because of two factors. First, even if there was no change in net income, the ratios would decline with an increase in the proportion of income which is tax-exempt or, conversely, they would increase with a decrease in the proportion of income which is tax-exempt. Second, even if there was no change in net income, the ratios would decline if interest income and interest expense increase by the same amount due to an increase in the level of interest rates or, conversely, they would increase if interest income and interest expense decrease by the same amount due to a decrease in the level of interest rates.