Banco Santander SA vs Western Union Co — how do they compare? Banco Santander SA trades at $14.79 (market cap $211.88B), while Western Union Co trades at $7.05 (market cap $2.19B). The key difference: Banco Santander SA is far larger — about 96.7× Western Union Co's market cap, and Western Union Co pays the higher dividend (13.37%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| SAN | WU | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $211.88B | $2.19B |
Sector | Financials | Technology |
52-Week High | $14.71 | $10.28 |
52-Week Low | $9.37 | $6.36 |
Dividend Yield | 1.89% | 13.37% |
Enterprise Value | — | $2.10B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Banco Santander (SAN) trades at $14.70, up 0.34% today, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages. The stock shows strong fundamentals with a P/E of 14.39, net income margin of 26.25% for 2026, and record profits in H1 2026. Recent news highlights Federal Reserve approval for its $12 billion Webster Bank acquisition, expected to close August 20, 2026, and its rise as Spain's most valuable company.
Outlook is positive given analyst consensus (64% buy ratings), solid profitability, and strategic acquisitions, but risks include regulatory scrutiny in Spain, volatile cash flows, and earnings misses in two of the last three quarters. The stock offers value with growth potential amid integration execution and macroeconomic uncertainties.
Western Union (WU) trades at $7.08, down 1.12% today, with a bearish technical signal and recent earnings misses in Q1 and Q2 2026. Valuation ratios appear attractive with a P/E of 5.71 and P/S of 0.56, but revenue has declined from $4.5B in 2022 to $4.05B in 2025. The company maintains a strong dividend yield, paying $0.24 quarterly, and recently launched Stablecard with Rain to expand digital services.
The outlook is cautious due to earnings volatility and competitive pressures in money transfers. Opportunities include cost management and digital growth, but risks from declining retail performance and high debt levels persist. Analyst consensus is mixed with a $7.14 price target, reflecting uncertainty over turnaround efforts.
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 →Western Union provides domestic and international money transfers through its global network of about 500,000 outside agents. It is the largest money transfer company in the world and one of only a few companies with a truly global agent network.
Read more on WU →