Banco Santander increases its profits by 20% due to the sale of its subsidiary in Poland

BarcelonaBanco Santander closed the third quarter of the year with a total profit of 12.405 billion euros, 20% more than in the first nine months of the previous fiscal year, a figure that represents a new record for the entity in this period. The increase is largely due to the net capital gain of 1.895 billion euros generated by the sale of its subsidiary in Poland, an operation that was completed at the beginning of this 2026.

According to the results published this Wednesday and submitted to the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV), the income derived from the operation offset the costs of 666 million euros resulting from the integration of TSB –the former British subsidiary of Banco Sabadell– and Webster. If the effect of these non-recurring items were excluded, the bank's attributable net profit would have stood at 11.176 billion euros until September, up 16.1% year-on-year.

For the entity's chair, Ana Botín, the results are "very solid" and reflect a dynamic that is "increasingly positive for the entire group". In this sense, the bank's income during the first nine months of the year increased by 8% year-on-year, to 46.713 billion euros. Likewise, the net interest margin –the difference between income and financial costs– increased by 9.5%, to 34.545 billion euros. In the entity's view, the data demonstrate "greater client activity and engagement, and volume growth across all global businesses".

As of September this year, in fact, Santander reached a figure of 189 million clients in all the markets where it operates, of which 17 million have joined over the last fiscal year.

Markets and segments

By markets, Santander's business in Spain was the one that contributed the most profit to the group, with 3.695 billion euros until September and a growth of 14.3%. Also notable is the boost in the United States, where earnings increased by 26.8% to 1.514 billion euros –this figure includes the incorporation of Webster–, and in the United Kingdom, with a profit of 1.282 billion euros, 33.8% more. In the rest of the American markets, profit in Mexico increased by 15.8%, to 1.402 billion euros, while in Brazil the increase was 0.4%, to 1.596 billion euros.

Regarding the different business segments, the retail banking division continues to be the entity's main source of earnings, with an attributable net profit of 6.445 billion euros between January and September, 14.4% more year-on-year. Next are other branches such as corporate and investment banking, with a profit of 2.433 billion euros –17% more– and wealth management and insurance, with earnings of 1.651 billion euros –19.9% more–.

Faced with the figures presented this Wednesday, Santander has reiterated that it aims to close 2026 with a net profit exceeding 15 billion euros, despite its fall in the stock market today. According to its CEO, Héctor Grisi, the reaction responds to a "negative bias" on the part of investors and he has shown himself convinced of the "operational solidity" of the group.