Banco Santander stock trims gains as EPS estimates are cut
Published on 09/14/2026 at 15:10 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Banco Santander, S.A. stock (ISIN ES0113900019) is trading near its recent highs, with the NYSE-listed shares opening at USD 14.93 on September 14, 2026, after closing at the same level on September 11, 2026 following a 2.0 percent daily gain that outpaced major US indices.
Analysts cut EPS estimates for 2026
According to MarketBeat on September 14, 2026, Erste Group Bank has reduced its forecast for Banco Santander's fiscal year 2026 earnings per share (EPS) from USD 1.20 to USD 1.19, signaling a slightly more cautious view on the bank's profit trajectory for the coming year.
The same analyst note cited by MarketBeat highlights that the broader consensus for Banco Santander's current full-year EPS stands at USD 1.25, so the revised Erste Group estimate sits USD 0.06 below that consensus benchmark.
In addition, Erste Group Bank now projects EPS of USD 1.43 for fiscal year 2027, suggesting that despite the near-term reduction for 2026, the analyst still expects earnings growth over the medium term, with the 2027 figure 20.2 percent higher than the revised 2026 estimate.
Stock trades close to 12-month highs
Per data compiled by MarketBeat on September 14, 2026, Banco Santander's NYSE-listed shares recently traded in a 12-month range between a low of USD 9.62 and a high of USD 15.05, placing the latest USD 14.93 opening level just USD 0.12, or around 0.8 percent, below the 12-month high.
The prior US session on September 11, 2026 saw Banco Santander stock close at USD 14.93 on the NYSE, up 2.0 percent from the previous day, with the move described in NYSE data cited by MarketBeat as stronger than the modest gains recorded by key US indices, indicating relative outperformance by the Spanish banking group in that session.
Looking at moving averages, MarketBeat reports that Banco Santander stock has a 50-day moving average price of USD 14.29 and a 200-day moving average price of USD 12.91, meaning the latest USD 14.93 level stands about 4.5 percent above the 50-day average and roughly 15.7 percent above the 200-day average.
Short interest declines and rating backdrop stays supportive
According to a short interest overview published by MarketBeat on September 14, 2026, the number of Banco Santander shares sold short fell sharply in August 2026, dropping 51.3 percent from 107,668,073 shares on August 15, 2026 to 52,415,840 shares as of August 31, 2026.
The same short interest report from MarketBeat calculates a days-to-cover ratio of 2.1 days based on an average daily trading volume of 24,793,327 shares, implying that bearish positions would take just over two days to be covered at that trading pace.
In proportionate terms, the same dataset shows that only around 0.4 percent of Banco Santander's outstanding shares are currently sold short, a relatively low figure that points to limited aggregate downside positioning against the stock despite the recent analyst EPS reduction.
The rating backdrop also remains constructive: MarketBeat reports that Banco Santander presently carries an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from covering analysts, indicating that, on balance, the sell-side community still expects further upside potential even as individual houses adjust their earnings models.
Stock performance and investor takeaway
Banco Santander stock's combination of a USD 14.93 opening price on September 14, 2026 near a 12-month high of USD 15.05, a recent 2.0 percent gain in the last completed US session on September 11, 2026 and a sharp 51.3 percent drop in short interest over the second half of August 2026 gives investors a picture of a global bank whose shares are currently trading with positive momentum but also under the watch of analysts refining their profit expectations.
Key data on Banco Santander stock
- Company: Banco Santander, S.A.
- ISIN: ES0113900019
- Ticker: SAN
- Trading venue: NYSE (primary US listing via ADR; home listing on Spanish market in EUR)
- Price (as of September 14, 2026): 14.93 USD
- Market capitalization: [value not specified in available sources] USD (as of September 14, 2026)
- Sector / Industry: Financials / Banks
- Index membership: IBEX 35
