StockData
Bank of Nova Scotia logo

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) stock analysis

BNSNYSEState Commercial BanksFiscal year ends October 31
Financials through Q3 FY2026, quarter ended Jul 31, 2026Last filing: 40-F on Dec 2, 2025Score 3/30
$93.32+0.69 (+0.74%)

Close on Nov 11, 2026Market cap $115.37BP/E 17.2Yield –

StockData Score

Prices as of Nov 11, 2026How the score works

Value0Growth1Performance2Health0Dividend0

Weak3 of 30 checks passed

Bank of Nova Scotia passes 3 of the 30 checks behind our score; 18 could not be run for lack of data and count as not passed. Each dot in the shape is one check — hover it for the numbers.

Valuation
0/6
Growth
1/6
Past performance
2/6
Financial health
0/6
Dividend
0/6

What stands out

  • Earnings grew over 5 years

    Net income grew 2.8% a year on average over the last five fiscal years.

  • Earnings growth accelerating

    Net income grew 38.8% over the last twelve months, against a 5-year average of 2.8% a year.

  • Return on equity above the industry

    Bank of Nova Scotia's return on equity of 11.6% is above the Commercial Banks median of 11.5%.

What to watch

  • Return on equity under 15%

    Return on equity was 11.6% over the last twelve months and averaged 11.3% over five years; we look for 15% on both.

  • Revenue growing under 10% a year

    Revenue grew 6.3% a year over the last three fiscal years, short of the 10% we look for.

  • EPS growing under 10% a year

    Diluted EPS grew -10.9% a year over the last three fiscal years.

  • Thin capital

    Equity is 5.8% of total assets; 8% or more is a comfortable cushion.

Valuation0/6

  • P/E against its history

    Not enough price and earnings history to compare.

  • P/E against the industry

    Needs positive earnings and enough profitable companies in the industry.

  • P/S against the industry

    Not enough revenue data to compare.

  • P/B against the industry

    Needs positive book value.

  • Price against fair value

    We could not estimate a fair value: it needs at least two valuation methods with positive inputs.

  • Margin of safety

    Depends on the fair value estimate.

Growth1/6

  • Revenue growing under 10% a year

    Revenue grew 6.3% a year over the last three fiscal years, short of the 10% we look for.

  • EPS growing under 10% a year

    Diluted EPS grew -10.9% a year over the last three fiscal years.

  • Earnings growth accelerating

    Net income grew 38.8% over the last twelve months, against a 5-year average of 2.8% a year.

  • Growing slower than the industry

    Revenue grew 9.2% over the last twelve months; the Commercial Banks median is 11.3%.

  • Guidance issued

    The latest outlook (fiscal 2027 ROE, May 27, 2026) was issued for the first time, so it neither adds nor takes away points.

  • Gross margin trend

    Banks and insurers do not report gross profit.

Past performance2/6

  • Return on equity under 15%

    Return on equity was 11.6% over the last twelve months and averaged 11.3% over five years; we look for 15% on both.

  • Return on assets under 1%

    Return on assets was 0.7%; for a bank or insurer, 1% or more is considered good.

  • Return on equity above the industry

    Bank of Nova Scotia's return on equity of 11.6% is above the Commercial Banks median of 11.5%.

  • Earnings grew over 5 years

    Net income grew 2.8% a year on average over the last five fiscal years.

  • Net margin below its 5-year average

    Net margin was 25.1% over the last twelve months, against a 5-year average of 25.8%.

  • Net margin below the industry

    Bank of Nova Scotia's net margin of 25.1% is below the Commercial Banks median of 30.3%.

Financial health0/6

  • Thin capital

    Equity is 5.8% of total assets; 8% or more is a comfortable cushion.

  • Loans funded by deposits

    Needs loans and deposits.

  • Adequate loan-loss reserve

    The allowance for credit losses is not reported.

  • Efficient operations

    Needs non-interest expense and revenue.

  • Deposits growing

    Needs deposits a year ago.

  • Borrowings

    Needs debt and equity figures.

Dividend0/6

  • No dividend

    Bank of Nova Scotia has not paid a dividend in the last twelve months.

  • Yield against Treasuries

    No dividend.

  • Yield against the market

    No dividend.

  • Dividend stability

    No dividend.

  • Earnings cover

    No dividend.

  • Cash-flow cover

    No dividend.

Scores of similar companies

Fair value

How we estimate it

We don't publish a fair value for Bank of Nova Scotia. It needs a US-dollar share price, at least two valuation methods with positive inputs (earnings, EBITDA, book value or sales) and, for companies with several share classes, classes that trade at the same price.

An estimate from reported numbers and market multiples, not a price target or investment advice. It can be far off for companies whose profits are about to change sharply.

Market risk

From the past year of daily prices.

Liquidity

Low risk

Average value traded per day
$135.11M
Value traded per 1% price move
$117.74M

Downside

Low risk

Typical loss in a bad month
9.6%
Volatility (annualized)
20%
Sharpe ratio, 1 year
1.68
Beta to the S&P 500 (5Y)
0.72

Typical bad-month loss, week by week

25%: high

Margins

Share of revenue, fiscal years 2015 to 2025

Net margin

20.6%−1.0 pts over 5 years

See a number that looks wrong?