FCNCA vs. SAN: First Citizens BancShares vs. Banco Santander Stock Comparison

Company Profile

First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) 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.

First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) 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.

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

Trailing Returns

Calendar-Year Returns

Performance Metrics

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

Return Distribution

Risk Metrics

Banco Santander (SAN) is heavily traded at around 11.52M shares per day, whereas First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) is thinly traded at only 68.57K — larger orders in the latter may face more price impact or wider spreads, depending on market conditions.

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Profitability

Both First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at 10.98% 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.

Banco Santander (SAN) at 32.58% keeps about the industry-typical share of revenue as profit, while First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at 25.21% retains only a bottom-quartile share.

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) 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

Growth

Both First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at -2.61% and Banco Santander (SAN) at -0.47% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.

Banco Santander (SAN) at 17.19% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at -12.76% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

Growth Metrics

Financial Strength

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) 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-to-equity ratio is set aside for both: First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) 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

Dividends

Banco Santander (SAN) at 2.10% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at 0.36% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.

Banco Santander (SAN) at 25.91% keeps its payout within the industry’s typical band; First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at 4.31% pays out less than peers usually do, retaining more of its earnings — a policy difference more than a quality gap.

Dividend Metrics

Valuation

Both First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at 11.68 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.

P/S ratio is set aside for both First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) 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.

On P/B ratio, both First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at 1.29 and Banco Santander (SAN) at 1.33 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

Valuation Metrics