<ARTICLE> 9 <CIK> 0000811830 <NAME> SOVEREIGN BANCORP, INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-2000 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-2000 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-2000 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 898,780 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 63,968 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 0 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 5,447,636 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 1,541,095 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 1,504,850 <LOANS> 23,046,643 <ALLOWANCE> (242,442) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 34,647,504 <DEPOSITS> 24,470,306 <SHORT-TERM> 2,912,145 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 700,937 <LONG-TERM> 4,661,946 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 1,258,137 <OTHER-SE> 644,033 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 34,647,504 <INTEREST-LOAN> 1,154,195 <INTEREST-INVEST> 510,033 <INTEREST-OTHER> 0 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 1,664,228 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 499,975 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 1,063,753 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 600,475 <LOAN-LOSSES> 28,000 <SECURITIES-GAINS> (126,140) <EXPENSE-OTHER> 140,208 <INCOME-PRETAX> (89,317) <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> (37,692) <EXTRAORDINARY> 10,775 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> (26,917) <EPS-BASIC> (0.12) <EPS-DILUTED> (0.12) <YIELD-ACTUAL> 2.93 <LOANS-NON> 126,673 <LOANS-PAST> 13,263 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 3,755 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 184,953 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 132,986 <CHARGE-OFFS> 50,675 <RECOVERIES> 14,531 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 242,442 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 211,812 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 30,630