Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS.TO) Buy, Sell or Hold

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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS.TO)

125.36

-1.34 (1.06%)

as of Aug 18, 2026, 8:00:00 pm Market Open.

2153 watching

Investor Insights

Aug 18, 2026, 12:00 am

This summary was created by AI, based on 28 opinions in the last 12 months.

The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) is a major player in the Canadian banking sector, yet its performance has drawn mixed reviews from experts. Many highlight its relatively low price-to-earnings ratio and strong dividend yield, with some suggesting it trades at a fair valuation compared to peers. However, concerns persist regarding its management changes and strategic focus, particularly its exposure to markets in the Caribbean and the U.S. Some analysts question whether BNS can catch up to its competitors like Royal Bank of Canada (RY), which is often favored for its stability and performance. On the upside, several analysts express optimism about the overall health of Canadian banks, with BNS expected to benefit from improving economic conditions and strong capital reserves, even as they acknowledge challenges in its loan growth and international operations.

Consensus

Mixed

Valuation

Fair Value

Similar

COMMENT

Canadian Banks? Through 2020 be cautious. He only owns Scotiabank, with a smaller percent of business in Canada. The Canadian consumer is too stretched with debt and he worries about real estate values.

DON'T BUY

Canadian banks have minor seasonality: Oct-Dec and Jan-Apr. The last earnings were weak. Will this keep happening or was that a one-time weak report? Will the weaker housing market in Vancouver hurt the banks? Then again, Toronto housing is holding on. BNS's chart has a down trend since late-2017, which is not good. He doesn't see much upside with this group. It'll depend on May's report.

BUY

CIBC vs. BNS Canadian bank shareholders haven't made money lately including himself. The market has been worrying about bank prospects (i.e. mortgage defaults) constantly, and yes Q1 was weak, but he expects banks to show positive earnings. Also, they trade at 9-10x earnings and pay good dividends that'll grow. Of the two, he'd pick BNS.

PAST TOP PICK

(A Top Pick Oct 01/18, Down 6%) Likes it as an international play in Latin America where margins are double in Canada. It's well-run. They've made big acqusitions in wealth management which ate into earnings. He still likes it. It pays nearly a 5% dividend.

PAST TOP PICK

(A Top Pick Feb 13/18, Down 4%) Believes in it for its international exposure in Latin American and SE Asia and its increasing dividend yield. It's been oversold.

PAST TOP PICK

(A Top Pick Feb 21/18, Down 2%) All the Canadian banks have been down this period, but based on relative valuation, he'd pick BNS now. Pays a good dividend. Its relative valuation has slipped because it is exposed to Latin America. That said, this is a core holding of his and he owns a lot of it.

TOP PICK

Often the worst bank one year does the best the next. BNS is 50% Canada and 50% foreign operations. (Analysts’ price target is $79.17)

TOP PICK

He picked the worst Canadian bank year to date. It's underperformed. Their capital markets side was worse than expected. There've been questions about their Mexico operations with changes in that banking environment. They are a good dividend grower and will do another one likely in Q3. The growth of their mortage bank is slowing, though still positive; delinquencies haven't risen. Their core business is domestic retail and what matters is what they do with that cash flow. They're investing in technology which has hurt margins. (Analysts’ price target is $79.17)

COMMENT

They've gone through a rough patch, but he sees opportunities for them outside Canada than within, namely in Mexico and South America. He expects a better earnings report from them than the last. The dividend is also good.

TOP PICK

You want to buy the disappointing bank. Has a good yield. They are not as much in Canada as the other banks. Yield = 4.75% (Analysts’ price target is $79.17)

COMMENT

He doesn't focus too closely on the analysts downgrades. The return provided by banks is half what they were a decade ago. The banks are trading 10 times earnings with dividends of 3-4% yields. He is still positive on them.

DON'T BUY

BNS missed its earnings earlier this week, so is it a buying opportunity? For the first time in years, he's owned BMO which he prefers. Valuations of all the banks fell to a good level in December, so he bought. BNS is his least-favourite bank, having made poor acquisitions in the last few years. They didn't execute in the past quarter, unlike its peers. You don't need to unload this stock, though.

COMMENT

Announced mix earnings today BNS has underperformed the past year among Canadian banks. It yields around 5%. He likes this long-term. They own a lot of international banking assets which have had a rough ride lately. A well-run company and will do well ultimately. BNS is having a temporary lull, that's all. (BMO had nice results today, though.)

WAIT

He really likes the chart. You have been in a downtrend since April. There are lower lows and lower highs. Earnings are coming up but as long as there is no nasty drop, he likes that it is pushing up and leading the banks. The resistance of $78 is the next key level. He is concerned about knowing the exact composition of their emerging markets business.

DON'T BUY

Not currently invested in any of Canadian banks. The feeling is that numbers will not be great. BNS will have elevated costs from acquisitions. This one would be at the bottom of her list for banks.

Showing 346 to 360 of 1,691 entries

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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS.TO)