Biznes Fakty
Santander Bank Polska for sale? The fate of the Polish branch hangs in the balance
Banco Santander, the Spanish parent company of Santander Bank Polska, is evaluating various possibilities, including divesting its Polish subsidiary, valued at $8 billion, as reported by Reuters, citing Bloomberg.
On Tuesday, Bloomberg News indicated that Santander is considering options for its majority stake, estimated at about $8 billion (€7.3 billion), in the Polish branch, potentially involving a sale.
„Shares of Santander increased by approximately 5 percent as other European banks rebounded from recent losses. Additionally, shares in its Polish division, Santander Bank Polska, climbed 6.5 percent following the latest Bloomberg announcement,” Reuters noted.
An individual familiar with the situation, as cited by Reuters, mentioned that divesting all shares or reducing them to a majority stake might be logical since the Polish unit lacks business prospects with other nations. However, this person was not aware of any concrete plans in this regard.
The Spanish bank opted not to comment on the reports.
Santander Bank Polska could be for sale
Banco Santander holds a 62.2% ownership in Santander Bank Polska after divesting a 5.2% stake for €575 million in September.
The potential divestiture in Poland coincides with Santander, the largest bank in the eurozone by market capitalization, expanding its footprint in the U.S. in sectors such as corporate and investment banking and digital Openbank.
„Concurrently, the bank is reassessing its presence in the UK as part of a routine evaluation of its strategic markets,” an individual familiar with the matter informed the agency in January.
Bloomberg reported that discussions regarding the Polish unit are in preliminary stages, and Santander may choose to retain the assets longer or partially sell its shares.
Santander’s profits are on the rise
On Tuesday, Santander shares in Poland were valued at 1.53 times book value, down from 1.8 times before the market downturn triggered by the announcement of U.S. tariffs.
The Polish subsidiary experienced a net profit increase of 9% in the fourth quarter, reaching €158 million, driven by higher credit income that counterbalanced rising expenses related to foreign-currency mortgages.
In 2024, net profit in this market surged by 18.8% to EUR 800 million, accounting for 5.8% of the group’s total profit.
