Wells Fargo profit rises 19 percent, tops forecasts

Wells Fargo & Co. says its third-quarter profit rose 19 percent and beat forecast as losses from failed loans fell for the third straight quarter.

The San Francisco bank says income after paying preferred dividends was $3.15 billion, or 60 cents per share, in the three months ending in September. It earned $2.64 billion, or 56 cents per share, during the same period a year earlier.

Analysts forecast Wells Fargo would earn 55 cents per share.

Like other big banks that have reported in recent days, Wells Fargo is seeing lower losses from loan defaults. Wells Fargo set aside $3.45 billion to cover bad loans in the quarter, down from $6.11 billion last year.

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