Seek Returns

BMO vs. SAN: Bank of Montreal vs. Banco Santander Stock Comparison

How do Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN) are both classified in the Diversified Banks sub-industry within the broader Banks industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Bank of Montreal (BMO) trades as ordinary local shares, while Banco Santander (SAN) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN)
Profile ItemBMOSAN
NameBank of MontrealBanco Santander, S.A. Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionCanadaSpain
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryDiversified BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization118.95 billion USD169.27 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateOctober 27, 1994July 30, 1987
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BMO
SAN
GSPC
Loading price history…
Bank of Montreal (BMO) vs. Banco Santander (SAN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricBMOSAN
Total Return (1Y)44.12%22.64%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)35.66%52.66%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)13.54%31.64%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BMO
SAN
GSPC
Loading price history…
Bank of Montreal (BMO) vs. Banco Santander (SAN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Banco Santander (SAN) is heavily traded at around 11.52M shares per day, whereas Bank of Montreal (BMO) sees a more moderate 728.11K — larger orders in the latter may require more patience and tighter control over order sizing.

Risk profile metrics for Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricBMOSAN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)20.96%35.78%
Beta (5Y)0.930.71
Max Drawdown (5Y)-34.29%-40.82%
Avg. Volume (3M)728.11K11.52M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
BMO and SAN are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricBMOSAN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.900.51
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.790.77

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Bank of Montreal (BMO) at 10.57% and Banco Santander (SAN) at 13.06% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

BMO

Banks industry group

10.57%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
BMO
10.57%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%

SAN

Banks industry group

13.06%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.67%
SAN
13.06%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%
Loading chart…
Bank of Montreal (BMO) vs. Banco Santander (SAN): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Banco Santander (SAN) at 32.58% keeps about the industry-typical share of revenue as profit, while Bank of Montreal (BMO) at 25.66% retains only a bottom-quartile share.

BMO

Banks industry group

25.66%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
BMO
25.66%
Min
14.93%

SAN

Banks industry group

32.58%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
SAN
32.58%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%
Loading chart…
Bank of Montreal (BMO) vs. Banco Santander (SAN): A comparison of their net margin against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Bank of Montreal (BMO) in Banks and Banco Santander (SAN) in Banks, funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricBMOSAN
ROE (TTM)10.57%13.06%
ROA (TTM)0.62%0.76%
Net Margin (TTM)25.66%32.58%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Bank of Montreal (BMO) at 12.67% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Banco Santander (SAN) at -0.47% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Loading chart…
Bank of Montreal (BMO) vs. Banco Santander (SAN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Bank of Montreal (BMO) at 20.29% and Banco Santander (SAN) at 17.19% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
Bank of Montreal (BMO) vs. Banco Santander (SAN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricBMOSAN
Revenue Growth (YoY)12.67%-0.47%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)11.19%3.45%
EPS Growth (YoY)20.29%17.19%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-16.98%18.78%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Bank of Montreal (BMO) in Banks and Banco Santander (SAN) in Banks both report balance sheets without a current/non-current split, so their short-term liquidity is better judged through regulatory and funding measures.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

debt-to-equity ratio is set aside for both: Bank of Montreal (BMO) in Banks and Banco Santander (SAN) in Banks run businesses where balance-sheet leverage is part of the model, so capital-adequacy and funding measures are the better gauges of balance-sheet risk.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricBMOSAN
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Bank of Montreal (BMO) at 3.87% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Banco Santander (SAN) at 2.10% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, BMO the richer one.

BMO

Banks industry group

3.87%

Max
5.79%
BMO
3.87%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%

SAN

Banks industry group

2.10%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
SAN
2.10%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Bank of Montreal (BMO) vs. Banco Santander (SAN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Banco Santander (SAN) at 25.91% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Bank of Montreal (BMO) at 54.44% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

BMO

Banks industry group

54.44%

Max
70.75%
BMO
54.44%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%

SAN

Banks industry group

25.91%

Max
70.75%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
SAN
25.91%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Bank of Montreal (BMO) vs. Banco Santander (SAN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricBMOSAN
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.87%2.10%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)54.44%25.91%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Banco Santander (SAN) at 11.08 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Bank of Montreal (BMO) at 19.34 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for BMO’s trailing earnings.

BMO

Banks industry group

19.34

BMO
19.34
Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49

SAN

Banks industry group

11.08

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
SAN
11.08
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49
Loading chart…
Bank of Montreal (BMO) vs. Banco Santander (SAN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

P/S ratio is set aside for both Bank of Montreal (BMO) in Banks and Banco Santander (SAN) in Banks: without a conventional revenue line, pricing per dollar of sales isn’t meaningful, and book- or earnings-based multiples make the better comparison.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Banco Santander (SAN) at 1.33 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Bank of Montreal (BMO) at 1.97 carries an above-peer premium to book — BMO is pricier on assets.

BMO

Banks industry group

1.97

Max
2.28
BMO
1.97
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59

SAN

Banks industry group

1.33

Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
SAN
1.33
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59
Loading chart…
Bank of Montreal (BMO) vs. Banco Santander (SAN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricBMOSAN
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.3411.08
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.971.33
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----