Topic: How To Invest

BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA $60.29 – Toronto symbol BNS

BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA $60.29 (Toronto symbol BNS; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $72.2 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 4.6%, www.scotiabank.com) is the third-largest of Canada’s five big banks, with $863.1 billion of assets.

In its fiscal 2015 third quarter, which ended July 31, 2015, the bank earned $1.85 billion, up 2.8% from $1.80 billion a year earlier. Earnings per share rose 3.6%, to $1.45 from $1.40, on fewer shares outstanding.

Revenue fell 5.6%, to $6.1 billion from $6.5 billion, but that was mainly because Bank of Nova Scotia sold most of its shares in mutual fund provider CI Financial (Toronto symbol CIX) in 2014. Earnings at the Canadian banking division (49% of the total) rose 14.9% on improving loan and deposit growth. The international business (30%) saw its earnings rise 10.5%, thanks to strong loan demand in Latin America and favourable currency rates.

The bank recently raised its quarterly dividend by 2.9%, to $0.70 from $0.68. The new annual rate of $2.80 yields 4.6%. The stock trades at 10.6 times this year’s forecast earnings of $5.70 a share.

Bank of Nova Scotia is a buy.

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