Brazil, U.K. Expansion Lifts Santander

Banco Santander SA said Thursday its first quarter net profit rose 5.7%, driven by strong growth at the bank’s Brazilian unit and, to a lesser extent, in the U.K.

Santander, the second-largest bank in Europe by market value behind HSBC Holdings PLC, said quarterly net profit rose to €2.22 billion ($2.92 billion) from €2.1 billion a year earlier. Analysts were expecting net profit of €2.16 billion.

Net interest income—or the profit made from taking deposits and writing loans—soared almost 18% to €7.12 billion in the first quarter, above analyst expectations of €6.85 billion.

“Santander is demonstrating the benefits of being a diversified bank, both in terms of geography and business lines. Despite reduced economic growth, we have maintained our ability to generate recurrent profit and have improved our liquidity, efficiency and solvency,” Chairman Emilio Botín said. Santander earnings got an extra boost from purchases it made in the last few years in the U.K. and Brazil.

Brazil contributed a fifth of the group’s profit with €603 million in three months, an increase of 38% on the year. U.K. profit totaled €480 million, up 17%.

Non-performing loans rose to 3.34% of total lending from 3.24% a year earlier, and the bank set aside €2.44 billion to cover loan losses, up 10% from a year earlier.