The CEO of Banc Sabadell, Marc Armengol, claims that revenues "are soaring" and that the institution has regained its commercial momentum following BBVA's bid. Shares have risen by 3%.
Banc Sabadell has moved past BBVA's bid and is embarking on a new growth phase. This was stated on Friday by its CEO, Marc Armengol, during the presentation of the first half of 2026 results, where he asserted that revenues "are soaring" and that the institution has recovered its commercial dynamism.
Armengol, who took office in May of this year, delivered his first results press conference with an optimistic tone. "We have surpassed the turning point," he stated, referring to the end of BBVA's bid, which was launched in May 2024, concluded in October 2025, and is now history. The executive defended that the bank's scale is "perfect for competition," thus echoing one of the arguments BBVA used to justify its acquisition attempt.
The bid, which kept staff and shareholders on edge for over a year, is now behind them. "We can compete head-to-head with anyone," Armengol emphasised, highlighting that the bank has regained its commercial momentum and that the levels of dynamism are "very significant." Although he did not explicitly mention it, the end of the bid has freed the organisation from the numantine defence it carried out during 2024 and 2025, allowing them to focus efforts on the business.
The results for the first half show a significant rebound in the second quarter, leading the bank to be optimistic about the year's end. CFO Sergio Palavecino explained that, although the margin and commissions are still negative year-on-year, the quarter-on-quarter trend is so positive that they expect to end the year in the black compared to 2025.
The good performance of the business has also been reflected in the stock price. Banc Sabadell's shares rose more than 3% on Friday, reaching €3.38 per share by midday. "The stock is unstoppable; the bid is over and it continued to rise, we paid the dividend from the sale of TSB and it kept rising," Armengol celebrated.
When asked about potential corporate operations, the CEO was emphatic: "We are not studying anything either in Spain or abroad." Although he acknowledged that banking benefits from economies of scale and that a merger between medium-sized entities could make sense, he insisted that all current projects ensure growth on their own.
Armengol, who has the technological transformation of the bank among his major challenges, also referred to artificial intelligence. He pointed out that the institution will use it to enhance customer experience and to equip its bankers with tools, something already being applied in areas such as insurance management.
The executive assessed his first three months at the helm of the bank with ease: "It has flown by and I have experienced it very naturally, I feel at home and I am eager to keep pushing all of this forward."
For Banc Sabadell's customers, especially those in the province of Barcelona where the bank originated and has a strong presence, these statements represent a sign of stability and continuity. The bank, born in Sabadell, maintains its headquarters in the Valles city and is one of the leading financial institutions in Catalonia.
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