Question · Q4 2025
Sophie from Goldman Sachs questioned the rationale for expanding in the U.S. Northeast, given Santander's past exit from West Coast operations and previous focus on running down mortgage lending and closing branches. She also requested a breakdown of the 140 basis points capital impact, specifically regarding goodwill and other capital adjustments.
Answer
Ana Botín (Executive Chair, Banco Santander) clarified that the Webster acquisition transforms Santander U.S. into a full-service retail commercial bank focused on the Northeast, an economy the size of the UK, where they will be a top-five player. She emphasized that pre-Webster, Santander U.S. was more of a monoliner consumer bank, and Webster brings a strong commercial bank, complementing their existing operations to achieve an 18% RoTE. José Antonio García Cantera (CFO, Banco Santander) detailed the 140 basis points capital impact: 110 basis points from the cash portion of the EUR 10.3 billion price, and the remaining 30 basis points from DTA impacts and a slight increase in risk-weighted assets due to model translation.
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