The partnership provides the Center with insights into the banking needs of middle-market companies
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) today announced a
collaboration with the National
Center for the Middle Market (NCMM) at The Ohio State University Max
M. Fisher College of Business. Wells Fargo’s Commercial
Banking group will provide the NCMM with insights into the banking
needs of middle market companies, helping guide research reports, including
their flagship Middle
Market Indicator. The collaboration will also support special research
projects and work on Wells Fargo’s middle market-focused thought leadership.
The NCMM is the leading source of knowledge, leadership, and
innovative research on the middle market economy, providing critical data
analysis, insights, and perspectives for companies, policymakers, and other key
stakeholders, to help accelerate growth, increase competitiveness, and create
jobs in this sector.
“We are excited to work with the NCMM and share their data
and insights with our clients as they seek to build and grow their businesses,”
said John Manning, head of Market Coverage for Wells Fargo Commercial Banking.
“They have been focused on understanding middle market companies for 14 years,
and combined with our expertise with these companies, we believe collaborating
with the NCMM will help us provide additional insights to support growth in
this important segment of the U.S. economy,” added Manning.
Middle market companies – generally defined as companies
with annual revenues between $10 million and $1 billion – account for roughly
one-third of total employment and GDP in the U.S. and generate more than $10
trillion in annual revenue.i
“Middle market businesses play a key role in driving
innovation and job creation and are the backbone of local communities across
the country,” said Doug Farren, managing director of the NCMM. “Wells Fargo
brings decades of middle market banking experience to this collaboration. We
look forward to working together to gain an even better understanding of the
opportunities and challenges in this segment to support future growth,” added
Farren.
NCMM Middle Market Indicator (MMI)
On July 30, the NCMM released its 2025
Mid-Year Middle Market Indicator report. Key findings from the report
include:
- Revenue
growth rates for middle market companies remain strong but are weaker than
at any time since the pandemic.
- Firms
indicate a reduced need for hiring new workers, but workforce reductions
are not yet evident.
- Confidence
in the U.S. economy is significantly lower than it was in December,
largely due to increased uncertainty.
- Inflation,
economic uncertainty, and the impact of trade policy are the key
challenges leaders face.
The MMI, which was created in 2012, surveys 1,000 executives
(CEOs, CFOs and other financial decision makers) from the middle market to
examine topics related to business capabilities, performance, growth drivers
and economic outlook, among other topics. The MMI survey is conducted in June
and December each year. It is weighted to accurately reflect the size,
industry-wide and geographic distribution of this sector, which includes
companies ranging from $10 million to $1 billion in annual revenue. The survey
is conducted by RTi
Research on behalf of the National Center for the Middle Market.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial
services company that has approximately $2.0 trillion in assets. We provide a
diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as
well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating
segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and
Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked
No. 33 on Fortune’s 2025 rankings of America’s largest corporations. News,
insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells
Fargo Stories.
Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wellsfargo
About the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM)
The National Center for the Middle Market is a research
center housed at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business. It
exists for a single purpose: to ensure that the vitality and robustness of
middle market companies are fully realized as fundamental to our nation’s
economic outlook and prosperity. The center is the leading source of knowledge,
leadership and innovative research on the middle market economy, providing
critical data analysis and insights for companies, policymakers and other key stakeholders.
NCMM is fully committed to funding and distributing the most credible
open-sourced research, dynamically creating new knowledge, providing programs
that drive value for middle market companies and offering a well-informed
outlook on the health and future of the middle market via the Middle Market
Indicator (MMI). The MMI is generously funded by Chubb, Visa and Wells Fargo.
Additional information may be found at: middlemarketcenter.org.
About The Ohio State University Max M. Fisher College of
Business
The Ohio State University Max
M. Fisher College of Business provides tomorrow's business leaders
with the foundation needed to succeed in business today. Fisher students
experience an academically rigorous learning environment, led by world-class
faculty, which fosters their development as principled leaders who possess an
entrepreneurial spirit, global awareness and a commitment to social
responsibility. Organizations from around the globe thrive under the leadership
of Fisher alumni, who positively impact their communities and the world.