Joining us now is former Kansas City Fed President Esther George. Uh, welcome, Esther. Before we get to uh the the tariff stuff, I want to ask about this shadow Fed chair concept.So, I if President Trump names his choice for the next Fed chief early, what are the chances that blunts the influence of Chair Powell and the current Fed's ability to influence investor expectations. Yeah, well, good afternoon, John. I think um it it may complicate communications.It may take uh create more confusion uh at some lev ...

Core Viewpoint - Wells Fargo (WFC) and PNC Financial (PNC) are major banking stocks facing challenges and opportunities influenced by interest rate dynamics, loan growth trends, and consumer spending, with both experiencing significant stock declines due to market reactions to new tariff implementations [1][2] Group 1: Strategic Focus - PNC Financial is pursuing an aggressive growth strategy, including the acquisition of Aqueduct Capital Group to enhance fund placement capabilities and a partnership with Plaid for secure financial data sharing [3][4] - Wells Fargo is focusing on strengthening risk management and compliance infrastructure, with optimism surrounding the potential lifting of the asset cap imposed after the fake account scandal [5][6] Group 2: Branch Strategies - PNC is expanding its branch network with a $1.5 billion investment to open over 200 new branches in high-growth U.S. cities, aiming to significantly boost its scale and presence [8] - Wells Fargo is optimizing its existing branch locations, having upgraded 730 branches in 2024 and planning to enhance all branches over the next five years, focusing on technology and customer experience [9] Group 3: Capital Distribution - Both companies have strong capital distribution programs, with PNC increasing its quarterly dividend by 3.2% to $1.60 per share and Wells Fargo raising its dividend by 14% to $0.40 per share [12] - PNC has a share repurchase program with authority to repurchase up to 40.5 million shares, while Wells Fargo has a $30 billion repurchase program with authority for $3.8 billion [14] Group 4: Performance and Valuation - In the past three months, Wells Fargo shares declined by 2.7%, while PNC shares fell by 4.9%, against an industry increase of 1.6% [18] - Wells Fargo's trailing P/E ratio is 12.30X, while PNC's is 11.19X, indicating PNC is less expensive compared to Wells Fargo [21] Group 5: Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Wells Fargo's 2025 sales and EPS indicates increases of 1.5% and 5.6%, respectively, while PNC's estimates show increases of 5.7% and 8.9% [24][27] - PNC's EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 have been revised upward, contrasting with Wells Fargo's lower EPS estimates for 2025 [24][28] Group 6: Analyst Sentiment - PNC is viewed as better positioned for long-term opportunities due to superior earnings growth projections, aggressive branch expansion, and a stronger dividend yield [29]