Current Report ESPI no. 73 (2015)

Notification from BLACKROCK, INC on decreasing the threshold of 5% of the total number of votes in Banco Santander, S.A.

Banco Santander, S.A. (the "Company" or “Banco Santander") hereby announces that on 4 August 2015 it received from Blackrock, Inc. a notification on the disposal of shares in the Company and on the percentage share in the total number of votes due to such disposal, i.e. a notification on decreasing 5% of the total number of votes at the general meeting of the shareholders of the Company (the “General Meeting").

As per the information contained in such notice and in the public disclosure made by Blackrock, Inc.:

1. Date and type of event triggering the change in the shareholding to which the notification refers:

The disposal of the shares was made on 29 July 2015.

2. The number of shares held prior to the change in the shareholding, the percentage of the share capital such shares represented, the number of votes attached to such shares and the percentage of the total number of votes they represent:

720,266,081 shares representing 5.031% of the Company's share capital prior to the acquisition notified by Blackrock, Inc.

The number of votes attached to such shares amounted to 720,266,081 and represented 5.031% of the total number of votes at the General Meeting, assuming all of the share capital is represented at the General Meeting.

3. The number of shares currently held, the percentage of the share capital they represent, the number of votes attached to such shares and the percentage of the total number of votes they represent:

A number of funds and accounts managed by investment managers under the control of Blackrock, Inc. are the owners of 711,206,044 shares in the Company. Said shares represented 4.968% of the Company's existing share capital until 29 July 2015.

The number of votes attached to such shares amounted to 711,206,044 and represented 4.968% of the total number of votes at the General Meeting, assuming all of the share capital is represented at the General Meeting.

 

Legal basis:

Art. 70 item 1 in relation to Art. 69 clause 1 item 2 of the Act dated 29 July 2005 on public offerings and conditions of introducing financial instruments to organized trading, and on public companies.