AstraZeneca plc vs Banco Santander SA — how do they compare? AstraZeneca plc trades at $169.31 (market cap $253.13B), while Banco Santander SA trades at $13.7 (market cap $195.40B). The key difference: AstraZeneca plc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Banco Santander SA pays the higher dividend (2.04%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AZN | SAN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $253.13B | $195.40B |
Sector | Health | Financials |
52-Week High | $209.48 | $14.37 |
52-Week Low | $137.44 | $8.31 |
Enterprise Value | $279.37B | — |
Dividend Yield | 1.92% | 2.04% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AstraZeneca (AZN) trades at $169.47, down 1.25% amid recent volatility following a Phase III trial failure for Wainua. The stock shows bearish technical signals with key support at $168 and resistance at $170. Fundamentally, the company reported strong 2025 results with revenue of $58.74B and net income of $10.23B, though a recent $1.5B licensing deal for a lung cancer drug highlights ongoing pipeline investments. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 47.5% buy ratings but recent downgrades from firms like HSBC citing trial setbacks.
The outlook balances robust financials against pipeline execution risks. Revenue growth and high margins support valuation, but the Wainua failure raises concerns about future catalysts. Investors should weigh the company's strong cash flow and market position against clinical trial volatility and potential legal investigations. Near-term price action may hinge on Q2 2026 earnings due July 27, 2026.
Banco Santander (SAN) trades at $13.66, down 1.51% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and neutral oscillators. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $0.4144, beating expectations, and maintains a strong net income margin of 26.72%. Recent developments include the acquisition of TSB and AI-driven efficiency initiatives targeting over $1.15 billion in business value. The stock shows a P/E of 13.57 and P/B of 1.62, indicating reasonable valuation relative to peers.
The outlook for SAN is positive, supported by record profitability, strategic acquisitions, and cost-saving measures. However, risks include declining cash flows, regulatory scrutiny in Spain, and macroeconomic pressures on loan growth. Analyst consensus is bullish with 64% buy ratings, but investors should monitor execution on efficiency targets and integration of recent acquisitions.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
A merger between Astra of Sweden and Zeneca Group of the United Kingdom formed AstraZeneca in 1999. The firm sells branded drugs across several major therapeutic classes, including gastrointestinal, diabetes, cardiovascular, respiratory, cancer, and immunology. The majority of sales come from international markets with the United States representing close to one third of its sales.
Read more on AZN →Santander's focus is on retail and commercial banking. Latin America is geographically the largest operation, with Brazil by far the largest. Its continental European business is still mainly Iberian. Santander's U.K. presence is the result of the acquisition of building society Abbey. In the U.S., Santander operates a vehicle finance business and a regional bank focused on the Northeastern states.
Read more on SAN →