Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS) Upgraded at National Bank Financial

Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS) (TSE:BNS) was upgraded by equities research analysts at National Bank Financial from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report released on Wednesday.

Several other research analysts have also recently commented on BNS. Weiss Ratings cut Bank of Nova Scotia from a “buy (a-)” rating to a “buy (b+)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 18th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods started coverage on Bank of Nova Scotia in a research note on Friday, August 21st. They set an “outperform” rating for the company. TD Securities raised shares of Bank of Nova Scotia from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Bank of Nova Scotia from $98.00 to $117.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 28th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $117.00.

Bank of Nova Scotia Stock Performance

Bank of Nova Scotia stock opened at $93.16 on Wednesday. Bank of Nova Scotia has a 12-month low of $58.77 and a 12-month high of $93.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 1.04. The company has a market capitalization of $113.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 1.11. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $87.77 and its 200 day moving average price is $79.82.

Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS) (TSE:BNS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 27th. The bank reported $1.47 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.42 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $7.24 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.13 billion. Bank of Nova Scotia had a net margin of 13.38% and a return on equity of 13.16%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.52 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Bank of Nova Scotia will post 6.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bank of Nova Scotia

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in BNS. Maseco LLP bought a new stake in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia during the 1st quarter valued at about $30,000. Swiss RE Ltd. acquired a new position in Bank of Nova Scotia in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. acquired a new position in Bank of Nova Scotia in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Quarry LP bought a new position in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia during the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, CoreCap Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia by 1,366.7% during the second quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC now owns 440 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 410 shares during the last quarter. 49.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Bank of Nova Scotia News

Here are the key news stories impacting Bank of Nova Scotia this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong Q3 earnings beat: Scotiabank reported quarterly profit of approximately C$2.95 billion, up from C$2.53 billion a year earlier. Reported EPS of C$1.64 exceeded the C$1.53 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 11.1% to C$7.52 billion, ahead of the C$7.11 billion forecast. Adjusted EPS was approximately C$2.28 versus expectations near C$2.10. Canada’s BMO and Scotiabank Beat Earnings Targets as Trade War Escalates
• Positive Sentiment: Broad-based business momentum: Record results in global wealth management and global banking and markets, along with stronger capital-markets activity amid elevated volatility, helped drive the beat. Reports also cited growth across all major business lines and higher interest income. Scotiabank Earnings Lifted by Record Result in Wealth Management
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade: TD Securities raised BNS from “hold” to “buy,” reinforcing investor confidence in the bank’s earnings outlook after the quarterly beat.
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend support: Scotiabank declared a quarterly dividend of C$1.14 per share, equivalent to an annualized yield of about 4.9% based on the reported market price. The payout may appeal to income-focused investors. The Best Canadian Bank Stocks for Dividends in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Trade-war backdrop: Canadian banks have so far avoided significant damage from new U.S. tariffs affecting customers, and could find opportunities from changing cross-border business flows. However, prolonged trade tensions remain a potential risk to loan demand, credit quality, and economic growth. Bank of Nova Scotia: What Could Change the Story?
• Positive Sentiment: Additional product growth: The launch of a no-fee Visa business card offering 1% cash back could help Scotiabank attract Canadian small-business customers, though its near-term earnings impact is likely limited. Scotiabank Launches New No Fee Visa Credit Card

Bank of Nova Scotia Company Profile

Bank of Nova Scotia, commonly known as Scotiabank, is a Canadian multinational banking and financial services company founded in 1832 and headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. It is one of Canada’s largest banks and provides a broad range of financial services to retail, commercial, corporate and institutional clients. The bank combines a domestic Canadian franchise with an extensive international presence to serve customers across multiple markets.

Scotiabank’s core activities include personal and commercial banking, wealth management, corporate and investment banking, capital markets, and global transaction banking.