DB vs. SAN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 19, 2025

Here’s a clear look at DB and SAN, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

DB is a standard domestic listing, while SAN trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.

Symbol	DB	SAN
Company Name	Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft	Banco Santander, S.A.
Country	Germany	Spain
GICS Sector	Financials	Financials
GICS Industry	Capital Markets	Banks
Market Capitalization	69.67 billion USD	141.64 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	November 18, 1996	July 30, 1987
Security Type	Common Stock	ADR

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of DB and SAN by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

DB vs. SAN: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	DB	SAN
5-Day Price Return	4.08%	5.35%
13-Week Price Return	24.93%	18.16%
26-Week Price Return	66.71%	42.41%
52-Week Price Return	131.65%	89.73%
Month-to-Date Return	6.93%	6.36%
Year-to-Date Return	86.27%	79.53%
10-Day Avg. Volume	5.30M	25.66M
3-Month Avg. Volume	7.33M	28.93M
3-Month Volatility	32.91%	26.69%
Beta	1.39	1.60

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

DB

7.23%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 38.97%
Q3: 21.61%
Median: 13.77%
Q1: 8.31%
Min: -4.25%

DB’s Return on Equity of 7.23% is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.

SAN

12.99%

Banks Industry

Max: 26.37%
Q3: 15.92%
Median: 12.25%
Q1: 8.69%
Min: 0.15%

SAN’s Return on Equity of 12.99% is on par with the norm for the Banks industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

DB vs. SAN: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

DB

19.06%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 66.67%
Q3: 35.11%
Median: 23.49%
Q1: 13.63%
Min: -15.18%

DB’s Net Profit Margin of 19.06% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Capital Markets industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

SAN

17.09%

Banks Industry

Max: 54.20%
Q3: 35.70%
Median: 28.97%
Q1: 22.53%
Min: 6.98%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Banks industry, SAN’s Net Profit Margin of 17.09% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

DB vs. SAN: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

DB

20.16%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 86.40%
Q3: 46.46%
Median: 32.80%
Q1: 18.32%
Min: -21.87%

DB’s Operating Profit Margin of 20.16% is around the midpoint for the Capital Markets industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

SAN

23.76%

Banks Industry

Max: 63.35%
Q3: 44.59%
Median: 37.24%
Q1: 28.25%
Min: 13.37%

SAN’s Operating Profit Margin of 23.76% is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

DB vs. SAN: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	DB	SAN
Return on Equity (TTM)	7.23%	12.99%
Return on Assets (TTM)	0.40%	0.70%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	19.06%	17.09%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	20.16%	23.76%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	--	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

DB

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 3.76
Q3: 1.89
Median: 1.01
Q1: 0.54
Min: -0.41

For the Capital Markets industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

SAN

Banks Industry

Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

For the Banks industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

DB vs. SAN: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

DB

3.16

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 6.62
Q3: 2.84
Median: 1.02
Q1: 0.32
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Capital Markets industry.

SAN

3.14

Banks Industry

Max: 4.75
Q3: 2.62
Median: 1.02
Q1: 0.39
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Banks industry.

DB vs. SAN: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

DB

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 126.03
Q3: 60.98
Median: 11.77
Q1: 4.95
Min: -36.26

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Capital Markets industry.

SAN

Banks Industry

Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Banks industry.

DB vs. SAN: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	DB	SAN
Current Ratio (MRQ)	--	--
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	--	--
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	3.16	3.14
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	--	--

Growth

Revenue Growth

DB vs. SAN: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

DB vs. SAN: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

DB

2.18%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 10.26%
Q3: 4.86%
Median: 2.78%
Q1: 1.22%
Min: 0.00%

DB’s Dividend Yield of 2.18% is consistent with its peers in the Capital Markets industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

SAN

0.00%

Banks Industry

Max: 10.27%
Q3: 5.83%
Median: 3.81%
Q1: 2.50%
Min: 0.00%

SAN currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

DB vs. SAN: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

DB

77.95%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 200.72%
Q3: 101.92%
Median: 57.97%
Q1: 32.36%
Min: 0.00%

DB’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 77.95% is within the typical range for the Capital Markets industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

SAN

22.00%

Banks Industry

Max: 147.07%
Q3: 80.55%
Median: 54.40%
Q1: 35.71%
Min: 0.00%

SAN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 22.00% is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.

DB vs. SAN: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	DB	SAN
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.18%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	77.95%	22.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

DB

10.79

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 58.89
Q3: 31.00
Median: 18.54
Q1: 12.09
Min: 5.24

In the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry, DB’s P/E Ratio of 10.79 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

SAN

9.47

Banks Industry

Max: 20.05
Q3: 12.65
Median: 10.21
Q1: 7.54
Min: 2.74

SAN’s P/E Ratio of 9.47 is within the middle range for the Banks industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

DB vs. SAN: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

DB

0.79

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 14.49
Q3: 7.41
Median: 4.68
Q1: 2.25
Min: 0.04

In the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry, DB’s P/S Ratio of 0.79 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.

SAN

0.89

Banks Industry

Max: 5.06
Q3: 2.98
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.59
Min: 0.45

The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Banks industry.

DB vs. SAN: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

DB

0.64

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 9.48
Q3: 4.94
Median: 2.42
Q1: 1.21
Min: 0.38

DB’s P/B Ratio of 0.64 is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

SAN

0.93

Banks Industry

Max: 2.18
Q3: 1.36
Median: 1.09
Q1: 0.81
Min: 0.20

SAN’s P/B Ratio of 0.93 is within the conventional range for the Banks industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

DB vs. SAN: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	DB	SAN
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	10.79	9.47
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	0.79	0.89
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	0.64	0.93
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	2.37	7.06