Business and Financial Review • Jun 16, 2025
Business and Financial Review
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Warsaw, 13 June 2025
Confidential,
based on the agreement dated 14 May 2025 (referred to as the "Agreement"), Ernst & Young spółka z ograniczoną odpowiedzialnością Corporate Finance sp. k. ("EY") was asked by the Management Board ("Management") of the Santander Bank Polska S.A. ("Client", "SBP", "Seller"), to issue an opinion confirming the fairness of the financial terms of the transaction for the Client ("Fairness Opinion") with regards to the contemplated transaction") involving the sale of 60% stake in Santander Consumer Bank S.A. and its subsidiaries ("SCB") to Santander Consumer Finance S.A. ("SCF", "Buyer").
The following sections describe our understanding of the Transaction, summary of performed analysis, and the basis and limitations of our work.
As we understand, Santander Bank Polska S.A. and Santander Consumer Finance S.A. are considering to enter a Share Purchase Agreement ("SPA"), pursuant to which the Seller agrees to transfer to the Buyer 3,120,000 shares in Santander Consumer Bank S.A. and its subsidiaries, constituting 60% of the issued share capital of SCB. The SCB's shares will be transferred together with all rights attaching or accruing to them at or after the completion of the sale and purchase, free of any encumbrances, in accordance with the terms and conditions stipulated in the SPA. The Buyer holds the remaining 40% of the shares in SCB; therefore, as a result of the Transaction, the Buyer will become the sole shareholder of SCB.
Based on the information from the Management, the SPA assumes the 60% stake in SCB shall be transferred to the Buyer for cash. The total price for SCB's shares to be paid at completion shall be PLN 3,105 million ("Consideration").
In arriving at the Fairness Opinion, EY conducted an analysis of certain financial-related information, documents and data provided by SBP, as well as relevant publicly available data. Our work was based in particular on the agreed version of the SPA as well as the valuation of SCB ("Valuation"), prepared for the purpose of the Fairness Opinion.
This Fairness Opinion addresses only the financial terms of the Transaction for the Client and was prepared solely for the use of the Management and Supervisory Board of the Client in relation to the Transaction. It must not be used or relied upon for any other purpose by any other entities. The Fairness Opinion should not be treated as an investment recommendation for the shareholders of the Client. Additionally, EY does not express any opinion regarding the possible future share prices of SBP, therefore, the Fairness Opinion must not serve as the basis for any claims regarding the share prices arising from any shareholders of SBP.
The Fairness Opinion can be made publicly available only in connection with the announcement of the Transaction, subject to the following reservations:
EY was not involved in the price negotiations between Seller and Buyer. EY will receive a fixed fee upon delivery of this Fairness Opinion that is independent from the final conclusion of the Fairness Opinion.
The Fairness Opinion was based on the independent valuation of SCB and an understanding of information, documents and data provided by the Client and its respective professional advisors, as well as relevant publicly available data, assuming they are reliable and on which we relied without performing an audit or third-party verification procedures. We assumed that all information and data provided to us were prepared with due care, after a thorough analysis. Moreover, EY relied on representations of SBP's Management Board confirming completeness and accuracy of provided information, as well as that they are not aware of any facts or circumstances that may result in the provided information being incomplete, inaccurate or misleading.
The Valuation was conducted using the income approach (Dividend Discount Model) and market approach which indicate the SCB's fair market value.
The Valuation was prepared based on the consolidated financial projections for SCB for FY2025-FY2030 ("Financial Projections") and other information provided by the Management and represents the most probable financial results of SCB. The Management has confirmed that the outcome of the Valuation has not been the basis of the price considerations included in the SPA.
In arriving at the Opinion, we have compared the estimated value range of SCB for the current shareholders of SCB, assuming that SCB would continue its operations in line with its current strategy as approved by the Management Board, with the Consideration.
The valuation of SCB has been prepared under the fair market value standard defined by the International Valuation Standards.
Notwithstanding the above, the Fairness Opinion was based on the following conditions and assumptions:
has not performed any additional verification procedures regarding the completeness and reliability of the provided information. Data, informations provided remain the sole responsibility of the Seller. In particular, the scope of our work did not include procedures that are foreseen by law and standards of auditing during the audit of financial statements within the meaning of the Act of 29 September 1994 on accounting in order to issue an opinion on its accuracy and reliability. Therefore, EY does not express such an opinion.
On the basis of and subject to the foregoing foundations, assumptions and limitations, and taking into account other issues considered by us to be relevant on the date of this Fairness Opinion, in our opinion the Consideration of PLN 3,105 million is within SCB's valuation range and on the date of this Fairness Opinion is considered fair from a financial point of view for SBP's shareholders as a whole.
This Fairness Opinion was based on the data and information available to us as of the date of the Fairness Opinion.
Yours sincerely,
Łukasz Sikora Ernst & Young spółka z ograniczoną odpowiedzialnością Corporate Finance spółka komandytowa
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