Banco Santander (NYSE:SAN) Sets New 12-Month High After Earnings Beat

Banco Santander, S.A. (NYSE:SAN)’s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Tuesday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The stock traded as high as $13.07 and last traded at $13.0450, with a volume of 3061082 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $12.75.

The bank reported $0.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.25 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $18.90 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $15.89 billion. Banco Santander had a net margin of 17.90% and a return on equity of 11.68%.

Trending Headlines about Banco Santander

Here are the key news stories impacting Banco Santander this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat and shareholder return program — Santander posted better‑than‑expected Q4 results (EPS and revenue above consensus) and approved a €5bn buyback, both supportive for near‑term shareholder value. WSJ: Buyback and earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic rationale for Webster acquisition — Management frames the $12.2–$12.3bn Webster deal as a step to build a top‑10 U.S. retail/commercial bank and improve profitability in the U.S., which could lift long‑term growth and ROE. Reuters: Deal announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: Deal structure and timing — The Webster transaction is cash‑and‑stock with closing expected in H2 2026; integration will take time and the immediate earnings impact depends on Santander ADS price at closing. BusinessWire: Merger agreement
• Neutral Sentiment: Brazil tax settlement — Santander Brasil was part of recent settlements that cleared tax disputes (R$2.4bn across banks), reducing regulatory overhang but implying cash payments. Reuters: Brazil tax deals
• Negative Sentiment: Market skepticism on deal valuation and short‑term execution risk — Analysts flagged integration and financing/earnings dilution risks; some investors viewed the price multiple skeptically, causing an earlier stock selloff. MarketWatch: Valuation skepticism
• Negative Sentiment: Legal / shareholder scrutiny over Webster terms — A law firm has opened an investigation into the adequacy of price/process for Webster shareholders, which could lead to litigation or delay/complicate closing. BusinessWire: Investor alert

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. UBS Group lowered Banco Santander from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, January 16th. The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded shares of Banco Santander from a “strong-buy” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b+)” rating on shares of Banco Santander in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Kepler Capital Markets raised shares of Banco Santander from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, Barclays lowered Banco Santander from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold”.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Banco Santander

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Capital International Investors raised its stake in Banco Santander by 67.5% during the 3rd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 14,529,024 shares of the bank’s stock worth $149,504,000 after buying an additional 5,856,034 shares during the period. Chevy Chase Trust Holdings LLC increased its holdings in shares of Banco Santander by 22.0% during the second quarter. Chevy Chase Trust Holdings LLC now owns 14,482,986 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $120,209,000 after acquiring an additional 2,607,392 shares in the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp raised its position in shares of Banco Santander by 8.5% during the third quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 12,844,029 shares of the bank’s stock worth $134,605,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000,811 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Banco Santander by 20.5% in the 3rd quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 9,211,673 shares of the bank’s stock worth $96,538,000 after purchasing an additional 1,568,515 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC grew its position in Banco Santander by 4.4% in the 3rd quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 8,981,872 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $94,130,000 after purchasing an additional 376,023 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 9.19% of the company’s stock.

Banco Santander Stock Performance

The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $11.84 and its 200 day simple moving average is $10.52. The firm has a market cap of $185.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 0.72.

About Banco Santander

Banco Santander, SA (NYSE: SAN) is a Spanish multinational banking group headquartered in Santander, Spain. Founded in 1857, the bank has grown from a regional institution into one of Europe’s largest banking groups, operating a diversified financial services platform that serves retail, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large corporate clients. Santander is publicly listed in Spain and maintains American Depositary Receipts on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SAN.

The group’s core activities include retail and commercial banking—offering deposit accounts, payment services, mortgages, personal and auto loans, and small business financing—alongside corporate and investment banking services for larger institutional clients.