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                                    EXHIBIT 12(a)
                        WELLS FARGO & COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
                  COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

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                                                                                      Year ended December 31,
                                                              ----------------------------------------------
(in millions)                                                   1997      1996      1995      1994      1993
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<S>                                                           <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>   
EARNINGS, INCLUDING INTEREST ON DEPOSITS (1):
  Income before income tax expense                            $2,154    $1,979    $1,777    $1,454    $1,038
  Fixed charges                                                2,415     2,130     1,496     1,214     1,157
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------
                                                              $4,569    $4,109    $3,273    $2,668    $2,195
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------


Fixed charges (1):
  Interest expense                                            $2,290    $2,002    $1,431    $1,155    $1,104
  Estimated interest component of net rental expense             125       128        65        59        53
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------
                                                              $2,415    $2,130    $1,496    $1,214    $1,157
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------


Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (2)                          1.89      1.93      2.19      2.20      1.90
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------


EARNINGS, EXCLUDING INTEREST ON DEPOSITS:
  Income before income tax expense                            $2,154    $1,979    $1,777    $1,454    $1,038
  Fixed charges                                                  712       544       499       360       294
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------
                                                              $2,866    $2,523    $2,276    $1,814    $1,332
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------


Fixed charges:
  Interest expense                                            $2,290    $2,002    $1,431    $1,155    $1,104
  Less interest on deposits                                    1,703     1,586       997       854       863
  Estimated interest component of net rental expense             125       128        65        59        53
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------
                                                              $  712    $  544    $  499    $  360    $  294
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------
                                                              ------    ------    ------    ------    ------


Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (2)                          4.03      4.64      4.56      5.04      4.53
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(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 were 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 were 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.