Banco Santander SA vs Waste Management, Inc. — how do they compare? Banco Santander SA trades at $14.87 (market cap $211.63B), while Waste Management, Inc. trades at $226.17 (market cap $90.68B). The key difference: Banco Santander SA is far larger — about 2.3× Waste Management, Inc.'s market cap, and Banco Santander SA pays the higher dividend (1.89%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| SAN | WM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $211.63B | $90.68B |
Sector | Financials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $14.71 | $246.51 |
52-Week Low | $9.37 | $196.77 |
Dividend Yield | 1.89% | 1.56% |
Enterprise Value | — | $113.47B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
WM trades at $226.6, down 0.47% over 24 hours, with a bullish technical signal and support near $226. The stock shows strong profitability with a 40.6% gross margin and 11.12% net margin, though its P/E of 59.74 is elevated. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations at $2.02 per share, and analyst consensus is a buy with a $263.43 price target. Cash flow from operations grew to $6.04B in 2025, but net cash flow was negative $190M due to investments.
Outlook is positive with revenue growth and margin stability, but risks include high valuation and debt levels. The stock offers upside to the consensus target, supported by institutional confidence and consistent earnings beats, though investors should monitor volume trends and interest rate impacts on borrowing costs.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Waste Management ranks as the largest integrated provider of traditional solid waste services in the United States, operating approximately 260 active landfills and about 340 transfer stations. The company serves residential, commercial, and industrial end markets and is also a leading recycler in North America.
Read more on WM →