10 Best European Bank Stocks to Buy According to Analysts

4. ING Groep N.V. (NYSE:ING)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 14

Stock Upside Potential as of January 24: 14.84%

ING Groep N.V. (NYSE:ING) provides various banking products and services while operating through five segments: Retail Netherlands, Retail Belgium, Retail Germany, Retail Other, and Wholesale Banking. Its competitive edge as one of the best European bank stocks to buy stems from its ability to maintain resilient net interest income and achieve double-digit fee income growth.

Despite the bank’s third-quarter results of 2024 missing expectations, ING Groep N.V. (NYSE:ING) continued to see growth in lending and deposits. Consequently, it remains in a solid position to deliver significant revenue growth in 2025. That explains why the bank lifted its annual total income outlook for the second quarter to more than €22.5 billion from €22 billion expected.

Alongside the bank’s strategic focus on maximizing capital usage in wholesale banking and mortgage lending, it has also demonstrated strong growth across all its markets. Additionally, it has made significant strides in reducing share capital by repurchasing 5.5 million shares as part of the €2 billion share buyback program. The initiative highlights ING Groep N.V.’s (NYSE:ING) calculated attempts to maximize capital allocation and raise shareholder value.