AstraZeneca plc vs Banco Santander SA — how do they compare? AstraZeneca plc trades at $158.72 (market cap $248.14B), while Banco Santander SA trades at $14.84 (market cap $211.63B). The key difference: AstraZeneca plc is the larger of the two by market cap, and AstraZeneca plc pays the higher dividend (2.01%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AZN | SAN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $248.14B | $211.63B |
Sector | Health | Financials |
52-Week High | $209.48 | $14.71 |
52-Week Low | $147.06 | $9.37 |
Enterprise Value | $275.41B | — |
Dividend Yield | 2.01% | 1.89% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AstraZeneca (AZN) trades at $161.91, up 0.3% on the day, amid mixed technical signals and strong fundamental performance. The stock exhibits a bearish technical trend with key support at $161 and resistance at $163, while recent earnings consistently beat expectations with Q2 2026 EPS of $2.63 versus $2.50 estimated. Revenue growth has been robust, climbing from $44.4B in 2022 to $58.7B in 2025, with a net income margin of 17.4% in 2025. Recent news centers on potential merger discussions with Bristol Myers Squibb, though reports on August 5, 2026, from Reuters indicate no current talks.
The outlook for AZN is cautiously optimistic, driven by solid profitability and analyst support, but tempered by merger-related volatility and a bearish technical setup. Investment opportunities lie in its high gross margin of 81.88% and positive earnings trajectory, while risks include integration challenges from any future acquisitions and market sensitivity to deal speculation. The stock's valuation at a P/E of 23.76 appears reasonable given its growth profile.
Banco Santander (SAN) trades at $14.69, showing minimal daily movement with a slight decline of 0.07%. The stock maintains a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages, while oscillators indicate neutral momentum. Fundamentally, the company reported strong profitability with a 26.25% net income margin and record quarterly profits in Q2 2026. Recent developments include Federal Reserve approval for the $12 billion Webster Bank acquisition, positioning Santander for strategic expansion.
The outlook remains positive with analyst consensus favoring Buy ratings (64%) and the company achieving Spain's most valuable listed company status. Key risks include volatile cash flow trends with negative operating cash flow in 2024-2025 and restructuring charges from recent acquisitions. Revenue growth is projected to reach $61.9B in 2026, supporting continued investor confidence despite near-term earnings volatility.
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 →