Banco Santander Upgraded to Buy by StockNews.com

Banco Santander (NYSE:SAN) has received a positive upgrade from analysts at StockNews.com, who raised their rating from "hold" to "buy" in a report released on Thursday. This upgrade indicates a more favorable view on the stock's potential for growth and earnings.

In a similar vein, Morgan Stanley also recognized the positive momentum for Banco Santander, upgrading its rating from "equal weight" to "overweight" earlier this week on November 26th. These upgrades from reputable financial institutions reflect growing confidence in the bank's performance.

Banco Santander Stock Performance

In trading on Thursday, Banco Santander's stock saw an increase of $0.15, reaching a price of $5.77 per share. The trading volume for the day was substantial, with 7,507,838 shares traded compared to an average volume of 3,536,669. The stock's performance has varied over the past year, with a low of $3.87 and a high of $5.82. Financial indicators show a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.33, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.08. Overall, Banco Santander has a market capitalization of $91.23 billion, a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 7.21, and a price-to-earnings-growth (PEG) ratio of 0.62, with a beta of 1.12, indicating it tends to move with the market. The stock's fifty-day moving average stands at $4.78, while the two-hundred-day moving average is $4.82.

Banco Santander's most recent quarterly earnings results were disclosed on February 5th, where the bank reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.21, aligning precisely with analysts' expectations. The bank demonstrated a return on equity of 11.70% along with a net margin of 15.76%. Current expectations among research analysts point toward an EPS of 0.81 for the ongoing fiscal year.

Institutional Investment Activity

Recent movements in institutional investment have also been noteworthy. Several hedge funds and institutional investors have recently adjusted their holdings in Banco Santander. R Squared Ltd made headlines by purchasing a new stake during the fourth quarter, valued at around $27,000. Similarly, Sierra Ocean LLC and Advisors Preferred LLC acquired new stakes in Banco Santander during the same period, valued at approximately $32,000 and $37,000, respectively. In the third quarter, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB also added a new stake worth $45,000. Finally, CogentBlue Wealth Advisors LLC entered the fray with a new investment valued at about $50,000 in the latest quarter. These movements reflect that institutional investors now hold roughly 9.19% of the company's stock, indicating growing interest in Banco Santander.Banco, Santander, Upgrade