Santander Boosts Profits with Risk Transfer Strategy

Banco Santander, one of Europe's largest banks, is set to boost its profits through a strategic move involving significant risk transfers (SRTs). The bank plans to offload risk from at least a dozen loan portfolios, totaling around £1 billion, to investors. This move is part of Santander's broader strategy to enhance its capital position, improve credit quality, and ultimately increase profitability.

Santander's risk transfer strategy is driven by regulatory changes and Basel III requirements, which mandate banks maintain higher capital ratios. By transferring risk to investors through SRTs, Santander can reduce its risk-weighted assets (RWAs) and improve its capital adequacy ratios. In the first half of 2024, Santander's fully-loaded Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital increased to 12.5% after adding 0.2 percentage points during the year. This strategy also allows Santander to reinvest the released capital, contributing to an annualized profit boost of some €500 million.

The benefits of Santander's SRT strategy extend beyond capital relief. By offloading risk to investors, the bank can improve its credit quality and cost of risk. This move enables Santander to reduce its exposure to potential losses, enhancing its credit profile. In the third quarter of 2024, Santander's cost of risk improved quarter-on-quarter to 1.18%, reflecting the positive impact of SRTs on its credit quality.

However, there are potential risks associated with risk transfer strategies. Santander must carefully negotiate terms to balance the cost of risk transfer with the benefits. Additionally, the bank should maintain a diversified portfolio to avoid overexposure to any single risk. Hedging strategies can also be employed to protect against adverse market movements.



Santander's SRT strategy aligns with its broader goal of increasing return on tangible equity (RoTE) to 15-17% by 2025. By reducing capital requirements and reinvesting the released capital in higher-return assets, Santander can enhance its RoTE. The bank's successful SRTs and other risk management strategies in the first half of 2024 contributed to an annualized profit boost of some €500 million, demonstrating the potential of this strategy.

Moreover, Santander's SRTs support its aim to deliver double-digit average annual growth in tangible net asset value (TNAV) per share plus dividend per share through the cycle. By maintaining a strong balance sheet and improving its capital position, Santander can increase lending activities, driving revenue growth and contributing to the targeted double-digit growth in TNAV per share plus dividend per share.



In conclusion, Santander's strategic use of significant risk transfers is a key component of its broader strategy to enhance profitability, improve credit quality, and maintain a strong capital position. By carefully managing risk and reinvesting released capital, Santander can achieve its targets for RoTE, TNAV growth, and capital adequacy. As the bank continues to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape and market conditions, its risk transfer strategy will remain an essential tool for driving long-term success.