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CFG vs. SAN: Citizens Financial vs. Banco Santander Stock Comparison

How do Citizens Financial (CFG) 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

Citizens Financial (CFG) and Banco Santander (SAN) both belong to the Banks industry, though CFG is classified under Regional Banks while SAN falls under Diversified Banks.

Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and Banco Santander (SAN)
Profile ItemCFGSAN
NameCitizens Financial Group Inc.Banco Santander, S.A. Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesSpain
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryRegional BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization26.51 billion USD169.27 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateSeptember 24, 2014July 30, 1987
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CFG
SAN
GSPC
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Citizens Financial (CFG) 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

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Trailing total returns for Citizens Financial (CFG) and Banco Santander (SAN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Citizens Financial (CFG) and Banco Santander (SAN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Citizens Financial (CFG) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricCFGSAN
Total Return (1Y)30.28%22.64%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)42.95%52.66%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)10.93%31.64%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CFG
SAN
GSPC
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Citizens Financial (CFG) 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

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Citizens Financial (CFG) and Banco Santander (SAN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Citizens Financial (CFG) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricCFGSAN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.87%35.78%
Beta (5Y)1.070.71
Max Drawdown (5Y)-56.19%-40.82%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.99M11.52M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CFG 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricCFGSAN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.000.51
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.500.77

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Banco Santander (SAN) at 13.06% is around its peer norm for ROE, while Citizens Financial (CFG) at 8.90% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker returns on shareholders’ equity.

CFG

Banks industry group

8.90%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
CFG
8.90%
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%
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Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) at 27.02% retains only a bottom-quartile share.

CFG

Banks industry group

27.02%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
CFG
27.02%
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%
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Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricCFGSAN
ROE (TTM)8.90%13.06%
ROA (TTM)0.99%0.76%
Net Margin (TTM)27.02%32.58%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Citizens Financial (CFG) at 5.61% and Banco Santander (SAN) at -0.47% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.

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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. Banco Santander (SAN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Citizens Financial (CFG) at 27.39% 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.

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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. Banco Santander (SAN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Citizens Financial (CFG) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricCFGSAN
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.61%-0.47%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)0.93%3.45%
EPS Growth (YoY)27.39%17.19%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.99%18.78%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Citizens Financial (CFG) 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: Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricCFGSAN
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Citizens Financial (CFG) at 2.88% and Banco Santander (SAN) at 2.10% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

CFG

Banks industry group

2.88%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
CFG
2.88%
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%
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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. Banco Santander (SAN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Citizens Financial (CFG) at 37.17% and Banco Santander (SAN) at 25.91% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

CFG

Banks industry group

37.17%

Max
70.75%
Q3
41.28%
CFG
37.17%
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%
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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. Banco Santander (SAN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Citizens Financial (CFG) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricCFGSAN
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.88%2.10%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)37.17%25.91%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Citizens Financial (CFG) at 12.78 and Banco Santander (SAN) at 11.08 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

CFG

Banks industry group

12.78

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
CFG
12.78
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
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Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) 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)

On P/B ratio, both Citizens Financial (CFG) at 1.16 and Banco Santander (SAN) at 1.33 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

CFG

Banks industry group

1.16

Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
CFG
1.16
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
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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. Banco Santander (SAN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Citizens Financial (CFG) and Banco Santander (SAN)
MetricCFGSAN
P/E Ratio (TTM)12.7811.08
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.161.33
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----