The new authorization was disclosed in a statement today by the San Francisco-based bank, which has about 5.3 billion shares outstanding. Wells Fargo fell as much as 2.5 percent today and then erased some of the loss after the announcement, trading at $34.10 for a drop of 1.2 percent as of 2:05 p.m. in New York.

Chief Executive Officer John Stumpf, 59, has taken market share and reaped higher fees in U.S. mortgages, where the bank accounted for 1 in 3 home loans at midyear. While the company reported record third-quarter profit, margins have been under pressure as older, higher-yielding investments expire.

Wells Fargo also declared its regular 22-cent quarterly dividend, unchanged from the previous period. Investors who own stock on Nov. 9 will be paid on Dec. 1. Berkshire Hathaway Inc., controlled by billionaire Warren Buffett, is the bank’s biggest shareholder.