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

Updated on August 23, 2025

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

Company Profile

PRU 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	PRU	SAN
Company Name	Prudential Financial, Inc.	Banco Santander, S.A.
Country	United States	Spain
GICS Sector	Financials	Financials
GICS Industry	Insurance	Banks
Market Capitalization	37.70 billion USD	141.57 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	December 13, 2001	July 30, 1987
Security Type	Common Stock	ADR

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of PRU 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.

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

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	PRU	SAN
5-Day Price Return	0.29%	1.28%
13-Week Price Return	-0.79%	16.98%
26-Week Price Return	-4.27%	44.03%
52-Week Price Return	-7.46%	92.68%
Month-to-Date Return	3.43%	9.34%
Year-to-Date Return	-9.62%	84.57%
10-Day Avg. Volume	1.63M	20.44M
3-Month Avg. Volume	1.67M	25.67M
3-Month Volatility	22.10%	26.70%
Beta	1.05	1.60

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

PRU

5.49%

Insurance Industry

Max: 29.03%
Q3: 18.11%
Median: 13.90%
Q1: 10.42%
Min: -0.64%

PRU’s Return on Equity of 5.49% is in the lower quartile for the Insurance 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.

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

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

PRU

2.96%

Insurance Industry

Max: 26.78%
Q3: 14.06%
Median: 9.15%
Q1: 5.48%
Min: -7.05%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Insurance industry, PRU’s Net Profit Margin of 2.96% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

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.

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

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

PRU

3.74%

Insurance Industry

Max: 35.49%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 14.35%
Q1: 8.53%
Min: -5.25%

In the Insurance industry, Operating Profit Margin is often not the primary measure of operational efficiency.

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.

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

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	PRU	SAN
Return on Equity (TTM)	5.49%	12.99%
Return on Assets (TTM)	0.22%	0.70%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	2.96%	17.09%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	3.74%	23.76%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	--	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

PRU

Insurance Industry

Max: 2.97
Q3: 1.33
Median: 0.55
Q1: 0.15
Min: 0.00

For the Insurance 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.

PRU vs. SAN: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Insurance and Banks industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

PRU

0.71

Insurance Industry

Max: 1.25
Q3: 0.65
Median: 0.34
Q1: 0.22
Min: 0.00

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

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

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

PRU

Insurance Industry

Max: 43.68
Q3: 20.84
Median: 9.56
Q1: 3.34
Min: -5.73

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

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

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	PRU	SAN
Current Ratio (MRQ)	--	--
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	--	--
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.71	3.14
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	--	--

Growth

Revenue Growth

PRU 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

PRU 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)

PRU

5.07%

Insurance Industry

Max: 8.23%
Q3: 4.54%
Median: 3.42%
Q1: 1.97%
Min: 0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 5.07%, PRU offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Insurance industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

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.

PRU vs. SAN: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Insurance and Banks industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

PRU

85.37%

Insurance Industry

Max: 168.02%
Q3: 85.57%
Median: 50.71%
Q1: 22.04%
Min: 0.00%

PRU’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 85.37% is within the typical range for the Insurance 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.

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

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	PRU	SAN
Dividend Yield (TTM)	5.07%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	85.37%	22.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

PRU

23.06

Insurance Industry

Max: 28.91
Q3: 17.76
Median: 13.63
Q1: 10.02
Min: 2.89

A P/E Ratio of 23.06 places PRU in the upper quartile for the Insurance industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.

SAN

9.74

Banks Industry

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

SAN’s P/E Ratio of 9.74 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.

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

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

PRU

0.68

Insurance Industry

Max: 3.72
Q3: 1.98
Median: 1.23
Q1: 0.81
Min: 0.23

In the lower quartile for the Insurance industry, PRU’s P/S Ratio of 0.68 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.

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

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

PRU

1.24

Insurance Industry

Max: 4.37
Q3: 2.48
Median: 1.68
Q1: 1.19
Min: 0.19

PRU’s P/B Ratio of 1.24 is within the conventional range for the Insurance 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.

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.

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

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	PRU	SAN
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	23.06	9.74
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	0.68	0.89
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	1.24	0.93
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	8.20	7.26