Tearsheet

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)


Market Price (12/4/2025): $70.52 | Market Cap: $87.7 Bil
Sector: Financials | Industry: Diversified Banks

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)


Market Price (12/4/2025): $70.52
Market Cap: $87.7 Bil
Sector: Financials
Industry: Diversified Banks

Investment Highlights Why It Matters Which of these 2 stories sounds closer for this stock?

1. Generates cash flow

The stock generated 4% or more of the share price (called cash flow yield), and shows moderate 10-15% or more growth.

2. Riding a trend

Think Tesla during the pandemic of 2020 when EVs were riding a cultural high, or Nvidia in the current AI boom, or even Figma. These companies don’t have enough yield, or, enough growth, or both - however - they are riding a trend. They have momentum. These can be more volatile - they don’t have the floor of strong cash flow


0 Attractive yield
Total YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 14%, Dividend Yield is 3.8%, ERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is 10%, FCF Yield is 27%
Trading close to highs
Dist 52W High is -0.3%, Dist 3Y High is -0.3%
Debt is significant
Net D/ENet Debt/Equity. Debt net of cash. Negative indicates net cash. Equity is taken as the Market Capitalization is 160%
1 Attractive cash flow generation
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 52%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 51%, CFO LTM is 19 Bil, FCF LTM is 18 Bil
Weak multi-year price returns
3Y Excs Rtn is -13%
 
2 Low stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 17%
Meaningful short interest
Short Interest Days-to-CoverDTC = (Short Interest Share Quantity) / (Average Daily Trading Volume). Reflects how many days it would take to cover (close out) the short interest based on average volumes. High DTC can signify an increased risk of a short squeeze. is 13.8
 
3 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Fintech & Digital Payments, AI in Financial Services, Sustainable Finance, and Digital & Alternative Assets. Show more.
  
0 Attractive yield
Total YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 14%, Dividend Yield is 3.8%, ERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is 10%, FCF Yield is 27%
1 Attractive cash flow generation
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 52%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 51%, CFO LTM is 19 Bil, FCF LTM is 18 Bil
2 Low stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 17%
3 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Fintech & Digital Payments, AI in Financial Services, Sustainable Finance, and Digital & Alternative Assets. Show more.
4 Trading close to highs
Dist 52W High is -0.3%, Dist 3Y High is -0.3%
5 Weak multi-year price returns
3Y Excs Rtn is -13%
6 Meaningful short interest
Short Interest Days-to-CoverDTC = (Short Interest Share Quantity) / (Average Daily Trading Volume). Reflects how many days it would take to cover (close out) the short interest based on average volumes. High DTC can signify an increased risk of a short squeeze. is 13.8
7 Debt is significant
Net D/ENet Debt/Equity. Debt net of cash. Negative indicates net cash. Equity is taken as the Market Capitalization is 160%

Valuation, Metrics & Events

BNS Stock


Why The Stock Moved


Qualitative Assessment

AI Generated Analysis | Feedback

The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) has experienced significant market activity leading up to December 2025. Several key factors contributed to movements in its stock price, reflecting both strong financial performance and positive analyst sentiment.

1. **Strong Financial Performance in Q4 2025** The Bank of Nova Scotia reported robust fourth-quarter and fiscal year 2025 results. The bank's net income for fiscal year 2025 was $7,758 million, with a diluted EPS of $5.67. Notably, the fourth quarter showed a significant improvement with a net income of $2,206 million, up from $1,689 million in the same period last year, and a diluted EPS of $1.65. The adjusted net income for the year was $9,510 million, showcasing strong performance across its business lines, particularly in Global Wealth Management and Global Banking and Markets.

2. **Positive Earnings Surprises** BNS exceeded Q4 earnings and revenue estimates. The company's quarterly earnings of $1.39 per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.33 per share, and also surpassed the $1.15 per share reported a year ago. Furthermore, the bank's revenues of $7.06 billion for the quarter ended October 2025 surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.58%, compared to $6.24 billion in the year-ago period. This marks the third time in the last four quarters that the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates.

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Stock Movement Drivers

Return vs. Risk


Price Returns Compared

 202020212022202320242025Total [1]
Returns
BNS Return2%39%-28%6%18%39%76%
Peers Return-14%35%-16%18%38%33%111%
S&P 500 Return16%27%-19%24%23%16%112%

Monthly Win Rates [3]
BNS Win Rate58%50%50%58%58%70% 
Peers Win Rate50%60%42%55%62%68% 
S&P 500 Win Rate58%75%42%67%75%70% 

Max Drawdowns [4]
BNS Max Drawdown-42%-1%-32%-13%-5%-15% 
Peers Max Drawdown-49%-2%-27%-13%-4%-14% 
S&P 500 Max Drawdown-31%-1%-25%-1%-2%-15% 


[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2020
[2] Peers: C, JPM, BAC, WFC, RY.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2025 data is for the year up to 12/3/2025 (YTD)

How Low Can It Go

Unique KeyEventBNSS&P 500
2022 Inflation Shock2022 Inflation Shock  
2022 Inflation Shock% Loss% Loss-46.5%-25.4%
2022 Inflation Shock% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven86.8%34.1%
2022 Inflation ShockTime to BreakevenTime to BreakevenNot Fully Recovered days464 days
2020 Covid Pandemic2020 Covid Pandemic  
2020 Covid Pandemic% Loss% Loss-43.0%-33.9%
2020 Covid Pandemic% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven75.4%51.3%
2020 Covid PandemicTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven333 days148 days
2018 Correction2018 Correction  
2018 Correction% Loss% Loss-26.1%-19.8%
2018 Correction% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven35.4%24.7%
2018 CorrectionTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven885 days120 days
2008 Global Financial Crisis2008 Global Financial Crisis  
2008 Global Financial Crisis% Loss% Loss-65.7%-56.8%
2008 Global Financial Crisis% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven191.9%131.3%
2008 Global Financial CrisisTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven660 days1480 days

Compare to C, JPM, BAC, WFC, RY


In The Past

Bank of Nova Scotia's stock fell -46.5% during the 2022 Inflation Shock from a high on 3/22/2022. A -46.5% loss requires a 86.8% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth over time.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

About Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)

Better Bets than Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)

Latest Trefis Analyses

Title
0ARTICLES

Trade Ideas

Select past ideas related to BNS. For more, see Trefis Trade Ideas.

Unique KeyDateTickerCompanyCategoryTrade Strategy6M Fwd Rtn12M Fwd Rtn12M Max DD
WU_11212025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11212025WUWestern UnionDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
3.4%3.4%-0.4%
COIN_11212025_Monopoly_xInd_xCD_Getting_Cheaper11212025COINCoinbase GlobalMonopolyMY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S Decline
Large cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple
9.5%9.5%0.0%
PYPL_11142025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11142025PYPLPayPalDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
0.1%0.1%-7.5%
V_11142025_Monopoly_xInd_xCD_Getting_Cheaper11142025VVisaMonopolyMY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S Decline
Large cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple
-0.1%-0.1%-2.7%
WD_11072025_Dip_Buyer_ValueBuy11072025WDWalker & DunlopDip BuyDB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin
-7.7%-7.7%-11.0%
Unique KeyDateTickerCompanyCategoryTrade Strategy6M Fwd Rtn12M Fwd Rtn12M Max DD
WU_11212025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11212025WUWestern UnionDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
3.4%3.4%-0.4%
COIN_11212025_Monopoly_xInd_xCD_Getting_Cheaper11212025COINCoinbase GlobalMonopolyMY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S Decline
Large cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple
9.5%9.5%0.0%
PYPL_11142025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11142025PYPLPayPalDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
0.1%0.1%-7.5%
V_11142025_Monopoly_xInd_xCD_Getting_Cheaper11142025VVisaMonopolyMY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S Decline
Large cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple
-0.1%-0.1%-2.7%
WD_11072025_Dip_Buyer_ValueBuy11072025WDWalker & DunlopDip BuyDB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin
-7.7%-7.7%-11.0%

Recent Active Movers

Recent Active Movers

More From Trefis

Peer Comparisons for Bank of Nova Scotia

Peers to compare with:

Financials

BNSCJPMBACWFCRYMedian
NameBank of .CitigroupJPMorgan.Bank of .Wells Fa.Royal Ba. 
Mkt Price70.31106.72312.1354.0989.35156.6898.03
Mkt Cap87.5194.3862.2403.8284.3220.5252.4
Rev LTM36,00385,244179,430107,26482,53264,39983,888
Op Inc LTM-------
FCF LTM18,470-75,968-119,74861,472-14,21884,8062,126
FCF 3Y Avg18,433-64,799-65,10734,2449,17237,13313,803
CFO LTM18,788-69,391-119,74861,472-14,21887,1712,285
CFO 3Y Avg18,868-58,153-65,10734,2449,17239,62514,020

Growth & Margins

BNSCJPMBACWFCRYMedian
NameBank of .CitigroupJPMorgan.Bank of .Wells Fa.Royal Ba. 
Rev Chg LTM9.0%8.4%8.6%8.9%0.2%16.4%8.7%
Rev Chg 3Y Avg5.0%5.0%13.4%5.2%2.9%9.9%5.1%
Rev Chg Q10.4%9.6%8.8%10.8%5.3%15.5%10.0%
QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM2.5%2.3%2.1%2.6%1.3%3.7%2.4%
Op Mgn LTM-------
Op Mgn 3Y Avg-------
QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM-------
CFO/Rev LTM52.2%-81.4%-66.7%57.3%-17.2%135.4%17.5%
CFO/Rev 3Y Avg56.9%-72.0%-36.4%32.7%11.2%66.0%21.9%
FCF/Rev LTM51.3%-89.1%-66.7%57.3%-17.2%131.7%17.0%
FCF/Rev 3Y Avg55.6%-80.3%-36.4%32.7%11.2%61.6%21.9%

Valuation

BNSCJPMBACWFCRYMedian
NameBank of .CitigroupJPMorgan.Bank of .Wells Fa.Royal Ba. 
Mkt Cap87.5194.3862.2403.8284.3220.5252.4
P/S1.92.24.93.63.22.93.1
P/EBIT-------
P/E9.512.615.013.012.79.712.6
P/CFO3.7-2.7-7.36.3-18.82.1-0.3
Total Yield14.3%8.0%6.7%7.7%9.9%10.3%8.9%
Dividend Yield3.8%0.0%0.0%0.0%2.0%0.0%0.0%
FCF Yield 3Y Avg29.9%-55.7%-7.5%11.7%6.9%22.1%9.3%
D/E4.42.00.60.90.82.81.5
Net D/E1.6-1.2-0.3-0.7-0.60.4-0.5

Returns

BNSCJPMBACWFCRYMedian
NameBank of .CitigroupJPMorgan.Bank of .Wells Fa.Royal Ba. 
1M Rtn7.0%5.0%0.9%1.0%2.9%6.3%4.0%
3M Rtn13.2%13.0%4.7%8.1%11.6%8.7%10.1%
6M Rtn35.2%41.4%19.3%23.3%19.9%25.4%24.3%
12M Rtn35.8%53.6%30.2%18.2%23.1%30.3%30.2%
3Y Rtn65.0%151.9%148.7%61.4%110.4%76.7%93.5%
1M Excs Rtn7.1%5.1%0.9%1.0%2.9%6.3%4.0%
3M Excs Rtn6.6%5.2%-2.1%1.5%4.4%3.2%3.8%
6M Excs Rtn20.4%26.7%4.6%8.6%5.1%10.6%9.6%
12M Excs Rtn16.9%41.2%14.1%3.0%6.3%15.8%14.9%
3Y Excs Rtn-13.0%79.2%77.3%-13.9%32.9%5.7%19.3%

Financials

Price Behavior

Short Interest

Short Interest: As Of Date11142025
Short Interest: Shares Quantity19,764,863
Short Interest: % Change Since 10312025-2.7%
Average Daily Volume1,432,111
Days-to-Cover Short Interest13.80
Basic Shares Quantity1,244,000,000
Short % of Basic Shares1.6%

SEC Filings

Expand for More

Report DateFiling DateFiling
430202160120216-K 4/30/2021
131202122320216-K 1/31/2021
731202082520206-K 7/31/2020
430202052620206-K 4/30/2020
131202022520206-K 1/31/2020
731201982720196-K 7/31/2019
430201952820196-K 4/30/2019
131201922620196-K 1/31/2019
731201882820186-K 7/31/2018
430201852920186-K 4/30/2018
131201822720186-K 1/31/2018
731201782920176-K 7/31/2017
430201753020176-K 4/30/2017
131201722820176-K 1/31/2017
731201683020166-K 7/31/2016
430201653120166-K 4/30/2016