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Image source: The Motley Fool. Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026 at 8:15 a.m. ET Head of Investor Relations - Meny Grauman President and Chief Executive Officer - Scott Thomson Chief Financial Officer - Rajagopal Viswanathan Chief Risk Officer - Shannon McGinnis Canadian Banking - Aris Bogdaneris Global Wealth Management - Jacqueline Allard International Banking - Francisco Alberto Aristeguieta Silva Global Banking and Markets - Travis Machen Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, this conference is being recorded. Meny Grauman: Good morning, and welcome to Scotiabank's Q3 '26 Results Presentation. My name is Meny Grauman, and I'm Head of Investor Relations here at the bank. Presenting to you this morning are Scott Thomson, Scotiabank's President and Chief Executive Officer; Raj Viswanathan, our Chief Financial Officer; and Shannon McGinnis, our Chief Risk Officer. Following our comments, we'll be glad to take your questions. Also present to take questions are the following Scotiabank executives. Aris Bogdaneris from Canadian Banking; Jacqui Allard from Global Wealth Management, Francisco Aristeguieta from International Banking and Travis Machen from Global Banking and Markets. Before we start and on behalf of those speaking today, I will refer you to Slide 2 of our presentation, which contains Scotiabank's caution regarding forward-looking statements. With that, I will now turn the call over to Scott. L. Thomson: Thank you, Meny, and good morning, everyone. Q3 was a record quarter for the bank as we reported strong earnings across all business lines and exceeded all of our medium-term objectives. We are particularly proud of the fact that we demonstrated our ability to hit our 14% plus return on equity target sooner than we had projected. This achievement was aided by strong markets, but is also the product of strategic repositioning and improved capital allocation that have led to sustainable improvements across the bank. It continues to be driven by our Canadian Banking segment, whose return on equity improved 160 basis points sequentially and hit 19.4% this quarter. We expect to continue to improve the return on equity and close the gap with peers through a steady improvement in our business mix, fee income growth and ongoing productivity gains. We are delivering on our strategic priorities. And although you should expect to see some quarter-to-quarter variability, we don't see 14% return on equity as a ceiling for the bank. This quarter, the bank reported record earnings per share of $2.28, up 21% year-over-year. We also delivered all-bank positive operating leverage for the tenth consecutive quarter while our CET1 ratio ended the quarter at 13.1% after deploying 23 basis points to organic growth and repurchasing an additional 8.6 million shares in the quarter. Over the past 12 months, we have now returned $8.3 billion in capital to our shareholders through share buybacks and dividends. Our capital deployment priorities continue to be organic growth followed by share buybacks and strategic tuck-in acquisitions that fill a well-defined need. The bank remains focused on deploying accumulated capital in support of Canada's economy including helping fund areas of national importance such as natural resources, critical infrastructure, AI and defense, and we expect to do all of this while maintaining strong capital ratios. While the trade relationship between Canada and the U.S. is evolving, ever since tariffs were imposed last year, the Canadian economy has proven to be much more resilient than expected. We will continue to monitor developments while supporting our clients and focusing on our strategic priorities. Our business mix continues to evolve across our footprint as loan growth improves in higher returning portfolios and we gather higher quality deposits. In Canadian Banking, commercial loans grew 3% sequentially in Q3 after growing 2% in Q2. Looking ahead, we expect growth to continue to improve supported by investments we are making in verticals where we've been historically underpenetrated, including the mid-market and small business lending where loan growth was up 3% quarter-over-quarter and 10% year-over-year. Credit card balances were up 3% quarter-over-quarter, and we continue to expect that to further improve by the end of the year, helped by growing purchase volumes, which are underscoring the improving quality of our book. The premium mix of new card acquisitions is now at 45% versus 35% last year. On the deposit side, we've been able to retain over 90% of retail GIC maturities year-to-date. These flows are staying in Canadian Banking, where personal day-to-day and savings deposits grew 1% year-over-year or are moving into retail mutual funds, where net sales of $4 billion year-to-date, up nearly 2.5x from last year. Record revenue in Canadian Banking was helped by the fifth consecutive quarter of margin expansion and continued strong fee income growth as we maintain our focus on growing retail mutual fund, credit card and insurance revenues. At the same time, credit trends are improving, thanks in part to better collection efforts, and we are managing expenses very effectively even as we continue to make substantial investments in frontline sales capacity and technology. We are also seeing improving business mix in our International Banking segment, where retail loans grew by approximately 5% year-over-year. This growth rate should continue to improve even as growth in our non-retail loan book will remain restrained by design as we continue to optimize our allocation of capital to focus on primary relationships. Our focus on deposits in the region is also working with Q3 deposits up 1% quarter-over-quarter and 6% year-over-year. As a result, earnings remained above the $700 million mark for the third consecutive quarter, led by strong revenue growth of 7% year-over-year. The strategy remains focused on deepening client penetration while further driving efficiencies. Pretax pre-provision earnings in our International Global Banking and Markets business were up 13% year-over-year, helped by our capital markets platform where we're increasingly focused on delivering capital-light higher-value solutions to our clients. In Global Wealth Management, we are continuing to drive connectivity with the rest of the bank and investing in both our full-service advice and discount brokerage businesses. Net sales for the quarter came in at $3 billion, a record Q3, up 14% versus Q3 2025 and marking our eighth consecutive quarter of positive net flows. Our net sales for the year-to-date are now higher than full year fiscal 2025. Total closed referrals between Canadian Banking and Canadian Wealth Management came in at $14 billion year-to-date, and more specifically, closed referrals between commercial banking and wealth were $4.5 billion or 33% higher than what we reported for the same period last year. In our Global Asset Management business, we ranked third among our bank-owned peers in long-term retail mutual fund sales, up from fifth in the same quarter last year and sixth at Investor Day. And in our international wealth business, we are continuing to scale our total wealth solution across the region, including in the Caribbean and Mexico, where quarter-over-quarter earnings were up 14% and 15%, respectively. Finally, in Global Banking and Markets, loans were up 7% quarter-over-quarter as growth returns after a period of optimization. Deposits were also up 9% sequentially, helped by positive momentum in Global Transaction Banking. We ended the quarter with the highest quarterly net income on record in Global Banking and Markets as both Global Capital Markets and Investment Banking delivered several marquee transactions for us. These include acting as joint lead and book runner on the 2 largest debt capital markets deals ever done in Canada, our largest asset-backed securities deal since we established our structured credit platform, acting as a book runner on the largest IPO in Canada since 2021 and our first lead left leveraged finance deal. All of this activity speaks to the increasing depth and breadth of our Global Banking and Markets franchise on both sides of the border and the investments we have made in capabilities. We are delivering strong and consistent results across the bank, while still investing in the future, including in AI, where we continue to advance our enterprise-wide AI agenda with a focus on practical adoption, including training, scalable infrastructure and responsible governance. This quarter, we expanded Scotia Intelligence, our bank's centralized data and AI platform, to launch new capabilities to improve productivity and free up capacity for higher value work. These new advanced features will help our teams collaborate in real time, turn complex information to clear outputs and move from concept to execution faster. With the recent launch of our Scotia Intelligence Knowledge Agents, employees now have access to AI-powered solutions that facilitate easy access to institutional information, enabling faster execution of routine processes, helping them to focus on higher value innovation and client outcomes. Also this quarter, Scotiabank joined with Lightworks, Sun Life and TELUS to launch the AI Consortium, a collaborative Canadian model designed to help large regulated organizations build and govern the critical control systems required to deploy AI safely. Looking ahead, we are confident that we'll be able to finish the year strong and enter fiscal 2027 with momentum. Our Q3 results are proof that our strategy is working and that we are succeeding in building deeper, more profitable client relationships, both in Canada and across our international footprint through a constant focus on improving business mix, boosting fee income and driving efficiency gains across the organization. I will now turn it to Raj for a more detailed financial review. Rajagopal Viswanathan: Thank you, Scott, and good morning, everyone. My all bank and other segment comps will be on an adjusted basis, which includes the usual amortization of acquisition-related intangibles. The business line results will be on a reported basis. Moving to Slide 8 for a review of the third quarter results. The bank reported quarterly earnings of $3 billion and diluted earnings per share of $2.28. My remarks that follow will refer to the last column on this slide that excludes the impact of divestitures. Return on equity was 14.2% or up 170 basis points year-over-year, driven by strong revenue growth of 16%. Net interest income grew 12% year-over-year as net interest margin grew 18 basis points from higher margins across all business segments. NIM was unchanged quarter-over-quarter as higher margins in Canadian Banking and Global Banking and Markets were offset by lower margins in International Banking. Recall, International Banking margins had some seasonal benefits last quarter. Noninterest income was up 21% year-over-year, primarily on higher banking and wealth management revenues, underwriting and advisory fees and other fees and commissions and higher income from associated corporations. Expenses grew 14% year-over-year, mainly due to higher performance and share-based compensation related to higher business volume and profitability and higher technology spend to support strategic growth initiatives, which grew 16% to $1.5 billion this quarter. This resulted in pretax pre-provision profit growth of 18% year-over-year. The bank generated positive year-to-date operating leverage of 3.9% and the productivity ratio improved by 90 basis points year-over-year to 52.5%. The average loans increased 4% year-over-year, while deposits increased 5%. Moving to Slide 9. The bank's CET1 capital ratio remained strong at 13.1%. We generated capital from strong earnings in the quarter, offset by increased lending and underwriting activity. We repurchased 8.6 million shares this quarter, representing 20 basis points of capital usage. The total risk-weighted assets was $493 billion, up $11 billion quarter-over-quarter, excluding FX, mainly related to higher credit risk, including the recall of a synthetic risk transfer transaction. In Q4, certain international banking portfolios are migrating from the standardized approach to the AIRB approach that will reduce our capital ratios by approximately 15 basis points. We expect to absorb this impact and maintain our CET1 ratio of around 13% next quarter. Turning now to the business line results, beginning on Slide 10. Canadian Banking earnings were $1.1 billion, up 12% year-over-year from strong pretax pre-provision earnings growth of 11%, partially offset by higher provision for credit losses. Loans grew 3% year-over-year, driven by 4% growth in mortgages and 3% growth in commercial and small business loans, while personal loans grew 1%. Day-to-day and savings deposits grew 1% year-over-year, in line with our strategy. However, deposits declined 2% year-over-year, mostly in term. Turning to the P&L. Net interest income grew 7% year-over-year from loan growth and margin expansion. Net interest margin expanded for the fifth consecutive quarter, up 2 basis points sequentially, driven by an increase in both loan and deposit margins. Noninterest income was up 11% year-over-year from higher mutual fund distribution fees, credit card revenues and insurance income. The PCL ratio decreased 8 basis points sequentially to 42 basis points, driven by declines in both performing and impaired PCLs. Expenses were up 5% year-over-year from investments in technology to support strategic growth initiatives, partly offset by the benefit of efficiency initiatives. The year-to-date operating leverage was 3.7%. Turning now to Global Wealth Management on Slide 11. The earnings of $515 million were up 23% year-over-year as Canadian earnings were up 27% and international was up 4%. Spot AUM and AUA grew 16% and 13% year-over-year, respectively, from market appreciation and higher net sales. Revenues were up 18% year-over-year from higher mutual fund fees, net interest income and brokerage revenues. The expenses were up 16% year-over-year from higher volume-related expenses, sales force expansion to support business growth and technology costs. Year-to-date operating leverage was 2.2%. Turning to Slide 12. Global Banking and Markets earnings was $647 million, up 37% year-over-year. The revenue grew 32% year-over-year as capital markets revenues were up 33% and business banking was up 30%. Net interest income was up 34% year-over-year, primarily due to higher margins and higher client-driven capital markets activities. Noninterest income was up 31% year-over-year due to higher underwriting and advisory fees and client-driven trading revenue from equities and foreign exchange. Expenses were up 26% year-over-year, mainly due to higher performance-based personnel costs on stronger results and higher volume-related costs, including technology to support business growth. These results were supported by strong loan growth of 5% year-over-year. Canadian loans grew 7% quarter-over-quarter and 9% year-over-year. Deposits also grew 12%, helped by the investments we have made in Global Transaction Banking. Moving to Slide 13. My comments on International Banking are on a constant dollar basis and exclude the impact of divested operations. The segment delivered earnings of $725 million, up 6% year-over-year. Revenue increased 7% year-over-year, with net interest income up 3% while noninterest income increased 18% from higher income from the Davivienda investment, card revenues and insurance income. Net interest margin of 469 basis points was up 18 basis points but declined 7 basis points from seasonally higher net interest margin in the prior quarter. Deposits were up 6% year-over-year as personal deposits grew 4% and nonpersonal grew 7%. The loans were down 1% year-over-year as non-retail loans declined 7%, while retail loans grew 5%. Operating leverage was 1.9% year-to-date. The PCL ratio declined 28 basis points sequentially to 138 basis points, mainly driven by lower impaired PCLs. The GBM business and International Banking generated earnings of $321 million, driven by strong capital markets revenue growth. The effective tax rate increased sequentially to 21.3% due to favorable adjustments in the prior quarter and changes in earnings mix across our jurisdictions. Looking ahead, Chile announced a reduction in the tax rate by 4% over the next 3 years to 23%. Although this will result in lower taxes in future years, once enacted, it will also require a onetime deferred tax asset write-down in Q4. Turning to Slide 14. The Other segment net loss was $42 million compared to $35 million of income in the prior quarter due to elevated investment gains in the last quarter. I'll now turn the call over to Shannon to discuss risk. Shannon McGinnis: Thank you, Raj, and good morning, everyone. Our credit performance improved this quarter, with PCLs beginning to decline in line with our outlook for the second half of the year. Against this backdrop, all bank provisions were $1.1 billion or 56 basis points, down 10 basis points quarter-over-quarter. Impaired provisions were $1 billion or 52 basis points, down 9 basis points quarter-over-quarter, driven mainly by lower international banking provisions related to the single corporate accounts we discussed last quarter and better performance in Canadian Retail. Performing provisions were 4 basis points, down 1 basis point quarter-over-quarter, reflecting lower provisions in Canadian and international banking, partially offset by higher provisions in Global Banking and Markets. Our allowance for credit losses increased to $7.6 billion or 97 basis points, up 1 basis point quarter-over-quarter. Turning to Slide 17. Gross impaired loans increased 1 basis point quarter-over-quarter to 100 basis points, with modest increases across business lines. Overall, GIL formations declined quarter-over-quarter primarily reflecting elevated corporate formations in International Banking and Canadian Commercial in the prior quarter. Turning to Slide 18. In Canadian Banking, provisions were $498 million or 42 basis points, down 8 basis points quarter-over-quarter. In Commercial, total PCLs were down $11 million quarter-over-quarter to $129 million. In retail, total PCLs were $369 million or 39 basis points, down $66 million quarter-over-quarter. Performing PCLs were $24 million, down $10 million quarter-over-quarter, reflecting more favorable forward-looking indicators primarily from lower interest rates and positive credit migration in auto and cards. Impaired provisions in retail were $345 million, down $56 million, driven by lower net write-offs in unsecured lines of credit and lower impairments in auto, reflecting improved delinquency trends from continued collection efforts. While we are encouraged by the improving trends in impaired provisions, and 90-day delinquency across most retail products, we continue to monitor some pockets of weakness, including elevated mortgage delinquencies. That being said, mortgage clients remain resilient and our overall retail portfolio quality remains strong with an average FICO score of 798. Moving to International Banking. International Banking provisions were $522 million or 138 basis points, down 28 basis points quarter-over-quarter. In Commercial, PCLs declined quarter-over-quarter, driven mainly by lower impaired provisions from an elevated Q2 relating to the one account in Brazil. We continue to work through this account. In this quarter, we took an incremental provision of $57 million and reclassified $14 million related to a derivative exposure from CVA to PCL with no change in the underlying exposure. International Banking retail provisions were also lower quarter-over-quarter, reflecting improved performance in Mexico and improved delinquency performance in Chile across most products. This was partially offset by higher mortgage impairment in Chile and the Caribbean. In Global Banking and Markets, provisions were $53 million or 18 basis points, up 4 basis points quarter-over-quarter, driven by higher performing provisions from forward-looking indicators and impaired provisions mainly driven by new formations in Canada. In closing, while the delinquency trends are encouraging, we continue to monitor the sustainability of the improvement given continued geopolitical developments, elevated energy costs contributing to increased inflation and persistent trade uncertainty. Our allowances incorporate a range of forward-looking macroeconomic scenarios. This, together with the high quality and demonstrated resilience of the portfolio supports our comfort with current allowance levels and our position in the current environment. With that, I will turn it back to Meny for Q&A. Meny Grauman: Thanks, Shannon. Operator, we're now ready for our first question. Operator: [Operator Instructions] Your first question comes from the line of Ebrahim Poonawala with Bank of America. Ebrahim Poonawala: I guess maybe if you could -- if I could start with the Canadian business segment. Look, it feels like we're making a ton of progress there in terms of just improving the business mix, growing that. But I was looking at like the year-to-date ROE in that business is about 18% unchanged. If I go back, I think, Raj, when you presented at the Investor Day, you talked about a big sort of the ROE bridge and that 18% going into, I think, 22%, 23% kind of sort of ballpark. Just talk to us when we think about the ROE in that business today at 18% and that journey towards maybe low to even mid-20s, one, is that the right way to think about that business? And if so, what else needs to happen over the next year or 2 for us to get to that point from where we are today? Aris Bogdaneris: Aris here. Let me take that question. So I think what is happening in business banking, we have to -- obviously, we have the Commercial segment and the smaller business banking segment. But on the Commercial segment, what has been in flight for probably the last 18 months is the increase and buildup of our mid-market segment. So as you know, we were quite heavy in the real estate side. And over time now we're expanding into the mid-market. Year-to-date, we've added nearly 700 mid-market clients, which is up almost 85% year-on-year. And obviously, this mid-market client is deposit-rich, higher-margin lending, and that pipeline is building in market as we also leverage the capabilities of GTB or transaction banking in that segment. We're also, as you know -- on the mid-market, in addition, we are also driving a lot of process improvement end-to-end in the commercial bank. And of course, gathering these operating deposits, we're up probably around 3% to 4% in operating deposits across the segment, all contributing, of course, to higher ROE over time. So that's one aspect. And then we shouldn't forget business banking, the smaller part of our commercial segment, where you see loans growing double digit consistently quarter-on-quarter, deposits growing. And more importantly, we are focused on specialized segments. That's health care professionals, accountants. And here, we're gaining share. And obviously, the margins are rich. And you see the ROE there almost at 25%. And when you take these 2 businesses together, we're confident as we continue and especially as our transaction banking capabilities improve that we can hit the 20% plus ROE over time. So all on a good track. Operator: Your next question comes from the line of John Aiken with Jefferies. John Aiken: Francisco, I was hoping that we could dive into the outlook for international. I mean, we're seeing, on a sequential basis, loan growth revenues pick up. Do we think that we're at an inflection point or a pivot in terms of the loan growth looking forward? And then secondarily, even though with the revenue growth, we are still seeing expenses remaining reasonably high. Any sense in terms of when that might move into positive operating leverage territory? Francisco Alberto Aristeguieta Silva: Well, thank you very much for the question. This is an important quarter in the sense that it marks the effectiveness of the pivot to growth effort we've been leading for the last 4 quarters. We're now seeing the business growing at 6% year-on-year. And when you look at the underlying business lines are growing substantially higher revenues than what we saw in 2025. And that positions us to the target in 2027 and beyond of growth within the 6% to 8% level on the revenue front. We don't see a reason for expenses to move beyond where we've been, which is around the 4% level. That continues to be materially below inflation. We have been able to capture the power of synergies and scale through the regionalization effort that we implemented in the first 2 years of the transformation, and we see that trajectory stable over time. And we see our ability to drive very important solutions across all markets at scale. So when you combine those 2, you should see PTPP like you see in this quarter, growing sequentially year-on-year at 8% or above. We are very encouraged with the quality of the new vintages that we're onboarding and the effectiveness and penetration on our GTB business across corporate and commercial. So the combination of those 2 should allow us to see a more stable credit performance going forward that should allow us to deliver double-digit earnings in '27 and beyond. That's the path we're in. And that path is demonstrated by the ROEs that today are sitting north of 16%, and we see that path going forward. So we are very excited by the delivery across all markets and business lines that we've seen so far, and we don't see a change going forward other than consolidating this revenue growth performance that we've seen throughout 2026. Operator: And your next question comes from the line of Gabriel Dechaine with National Bank Financial. Gabriel Dechaine: Just sticking with international. On the -- you mentioned some conversion of portfolios from standardized to AIRB and that's going to reduce your core Tier 1 by 15 basis points. Just wondering why that is. Typically, it goes the other way. And is this a kind of a one and done? Or is there more of that type of transition taking place? Rajagopal Viswanathan: Gabe, it's Raj. Yes, it is one and done. I think there were certain portfolios we should have converted a few years back. We've been on a journey because our data quality had to continue to improve. And this is a quarter which is the upcoming quarter, we're going to convert those to AIRB. Some of it comes down to conservatism that is expected in Basel because the data quality in the countries are not as great, not our portfolio. So I expected to add a level of conservatism to the modeled outputs, and that's why it results in a 15 basis point increase in our capital requirements. Obviously, there will be some near-term impact to the ROE in the International Banking business because the denominator is going to increase next quarter, but it's pretty much done. And afterwards, we should see -- our portfolio is growing in line with our new risk appetite, the way Francisco is laying out this business for growth. And we should start seeing our returns improving. The ROE should continue to improve, but it's done with Q4. Gabriel Dechaine: Okay. And actually, I'll stick with international and ask about the Global Banking and Markets earnings that are booked in the segment. We're up over 40% of total segment earnings from that source so far this year. Like how intertwined is that business with your personal and commercial bank, if you will, across the region? And what does the ROE look like if that business is not there? I expect quite a bit lower. Francisco Alberto Aristeguieta Silva: Well, thanks for the question. It's a very important one because this is a decision we made, I would say, probably 1.5 years ago, a little more as we continue to try to drive higher earnings and create value for investors, managing capital very smartly. And we decided to build market-leading capital markets capabilities supporting the international footprint. And we've been able to put together an extraordinary team, very aligned by the way, with the global strategy that Travis is also leading in the same space. So what we're doing is really capturing the piece of the wallet we never pursue, and we're seeing fantastic response from our clients. We are now covering the sovereign space, which before we did never covered. Given our very substantial presence in many of these markets, we're covering sovereigns with structured solutions and liability management. And we're participating in domestic capital markets in a way that before we couldn't. So what you saw in this quarter and sequentially year-on-year, you're seeing growth on the revenue front of 40% without necessarily absorbing material capital. This is also very accretive to primacy within the GBM space because we're now having strategic conversations with clients in a nature that we couldn't have before. So when you see this contribution together with our very strong corporate relationships, now capturing the full space of the wallet, including transaction banking and a deeper relationship on the transactional basis with clients, this is really capturing the full wallet on the GBM space. So we see that as a very powerful development in our business strategy and the carry forward definitely going beyond 2026. So very strong showing this quarter, and we're very excited about the potential of this business going forward. Gabriel Dechaine: And the ROE? Francisco Alberto Aristeguieta Silva: The ROE from this business, absolutely. L. Thomson: We don't break that out, Gabe. Obviously, the ROE between the separate business lines. Operator: Your next question comes from the line of David Konrad with KBW. David Konrad: Just want to talk a little bit about capital markets. You highlighted in the call, just a really strong quarter, particularly in the IB side with a lot of large deals. So maybe can you talk about like maybe near-term expectations next quarter or so? Is there going to be a little bit of a giveback in that, but also maybe the long-term growth rate with all the investments you made in the business. Travis MacHen: Yes. Sure. Dave, thanks for the question. And I'd be remiss if I didn't say that we were thinking about you and your firm over the next couple of weeks. I appreciate it. If you think about where we are right now, I think for this quarter, if you look, it was obviously a broad-based record quarter for GBM. And if you look through the numbers, whether that was in capital markets or investment banking, whether it's loans, deposits, you've seen a lot of activity throughout the quarter. And if you step back and look at it, very intentional. Over the last 2 or 3 years, we've been on a journey. We've been deemphasizing some businesses or regions, and we've been doubling down on building new products and services and focus in our core footprint, both Canada and U.S. and rest of the world. And so we're on the journey of trying to build a very durable franchise that's very broad-based. We feel like we're building a business that is perfect for this environment where we can offer excellent products and services and advice to our clients as they are trying to navigate the complex environment. Our outlook and our pipelines remain quite strong. And we're -- and I think we're proving quarter-over-quarter that when the markets are constructive, that we can capitalize on that, and we can service our clients with excellent products and advice. Operator: Your next question comes from the line of Doug Young with Desjardins Capital Markets. Doug Young: I guess this is for Shannon. Shannon, I think you expected or you talked about impaired PCL rate to be mid-50 basis points in the second half was 52 this quarter, and that included a decent drag from the Brazil loan this quarter again. So I think it's safe to say things seem to be progressing better than expected. Just wanted to kind of get your sense as to what's driving that? And are you sticking with that guidance for Q4? And maybe if you can kind of layer on, obviously, some new tariff announcements here. How does that impact your outlook and your view on credit over the near term? Shannon McGinnis: Yes. Thanks for the question. So maybe I'll go back to what informed our outlook at the time as there were a few items I called out that we were monitoring quite closely. The first was the macroeconomic environment and just the uncertainty within it. In Canadian Retail, we were seeing entry rates and early stage delinquency were improving, but we were certainly monitoring whether they would be sustained at those levels. And we had several collection initiatives that were still coming online. And then lastly, for non-retail, we always talk about the risk of episodic activity given the environment we're operating in. So if I think about what's occurred since then, I think there's a few things I would highlight. One, in Canadian Banking retail, the early stage and 90-plus day delinquency has improved across products, except for mortgages, and our collections initiatives are delivering strong benefits. We also saw deal formations decline in Canadian commercial. So the performance continues to develop largely as expected as our collections initiatives are yielding quite strong results. And when I go back to our original outlook, our performance is in line with what we said at the time, which was that impaired PCLs were going to trend down in the latter half of the year, which is certainly what we are seeing. And then if I think about tariffs, I think there's a -- I think about it in a few ways. Clearly, the evolving trade outlook, we look at the impact to our clients and our portfolio and then how we are managing that risk. In terms of outlook, I think this is a good example of the uncertainties that we are currently managing. The scope and duration of tariffs continues to evolve and the ultimate impact is going to depend on degree of retaliation, government support and how consumers and our businesses respond. In terms of our exposure, we've been monitoring industries more vulnerable to tariffs since last year. And if I look at the latest measures that were announced, just to give you some context, that represents less than 1% of our total bank loans. In terms of how we're managing these risks, our scenarios and allowances already reflect a range of outcomes. But we'll continue to reassess new developments as they occur. And maybe if I just take a step back, if you go back to Q2 of last year, we did build 18 basis points in performing PCL. And at that time, our downside scenarios modeled Canadian tariff rates of 12.5% and up to 25% with full retaliation. And our base case today assumes that tariffs are implemented and that trade negotiations continue. So if I put all of that together, we're monitoring the situation. We're very comfortable with where we are, and we'll continue to reassess the situation as it evolves. L. Thomson: And maybe just, Doug, if I can add on a couple of things on the tariff situation. I mean I think it's important just to take a step back, the fundamentals in Canada are pretty good. And if you look at the job growth numbers, if you look at the physical capacity on the back of oil prices and if you look at some of the activity that's starting because of the Prime Minister's agenda, you actually have a backdrop that's pretty good. As you think about the tariffs that were just put in place, it's 5% of exports. It's a small impact on GDP, 0.2%, 0.3%. And you're going to see at 11:00 today support programs rolled out by the government on some of the sectors, which will be impacted, and there will be select sectors that will be impacted. So as I put all that together, I think this is -- obviously creates uncertainty. But with the current tariffs, it's manageable. I think if I could add one point, I think we should use this -- as a country, use this moment to accelerate further the Prime Minister's agenda, removing interprovincial trade barriers, reducing the timing of approvals, getting big things done and continuing to diversify trade while also continuing the great trade relationship we have with the U.S. And we look at the U.S., the U.S., as you saw from Travis' business, is doing quite well. So you put that all together, I mean, of course, there's uncertainty, but it does feel like a manageable force to get through as a country and as a North American corridor as well. Doug Young: Appreciate it. And then just a second question, ROE is at 14% or adjusted ROE top of house 14%. I think that's your target and if you're targeting that for next year, so a little earlier than expected. I guess my question is like is there any structural reason why this bank can't be a 15% plus ROE bank? And like what takes you from where you are to that 15% plus? L. Thomson: Yes. Listen, I think we're very pleased, and I want to thank all Scotiabankers for the efforts they've put in place to get to our targets prior to where we thought we were going to, and that's the 14.2% this quarter. There is more opportunities for sure. And if you think about the Canadian bank, which maybe Aris will expand on later in the call or after this, we see a significant opportunity to continue that progression. And that is up 160 basis points year-over-year. It's on the back of the business mix strategy we've put in place. And we're just getting started. We are just getting started in Canada. And over the last couple of quarters, you've seen these green shoots. And this quarter, you're starting to see more than green shoots. And that is going to be the biggest driver of the ROE improvement of this bank over the next journey. So maybe Aris, just talk a little bit about Canada. Aris Bogdaneris: Thanks, Scott. So as Scott talked about earlier in the call, there's 4 components to our what I call ROE expansion strategy, and we laid it out during Investor Day. And you see in this quarter and the last progress translating into the P&L. On the business mix, we've talked about it many times, non-mortgage lending now is accelerating and actually pass mortgage growth in the quarter for the first time in 2 years, and we see that in the card book, the business banking book, ULOC and commercial, and that should continue. You see also the second component on the business mix is on the deposit side, more day-to-day, more savings, that will continue. The other big component of our capital heavier businesses in auto and mortgage is the improvement in RAM, and we're seeing that. Also, as we renew the mortgages, you're going to see the RAM lifting, and we saw that in the quarter as well, a big increase in RAM. And then fees, we've talked about the big components of fees, cards, insurance and mutual funds, all grew over 20% increase in revenues this quarter. That's significant. And the near overall was double-digit despite the impact of NSF fee regulation changes, which impacted, but we still came in double digit. And then finally, we shouldn't forget productivity. We've had 5 consecutive quarters of [indiscernible] expansion. Where is that coming from? We haven't grown direct costs in 12 months. So year-on-year, the direct cost base for the Canadian bank has been flat. That said, we've added over 500 salespeople and continue to invest in digital, AI and technology enablement. This quarter, actually, digital sales passed 44% of total sales. That's almost double what we had during the Investor Day. So we're making huge progress on that. And of course, we can't ignore the power of the network and what we're doing on the sales side in mutual funds. And I think it's important also to pass to Jacqui to give a bit of color on the progress we're making just in the sales power in the network. Jacqueline Allard: Yes, sure. Look, when I think about retail fund flows, Aris, we've made significant progress on both an absolute and a relative basis. And it's not anomaly, we're ranked #3 for the quarter. We're also ranked #3 on a year-to-date basis with over $4 billion in retail fund sales. And rankings are nice, but I think we take our confidence really from the underlying operating improvement. It's -- the drivers are right in line with the strategy that we laid out stronger execution on our partnership with Canadian Banking, multiyear investments that we're making in advisers, investment specialists, financial planners, technology as well as better coverage in our wholesale channel. So I think the last thing I'd say here is we still have so much opportunity. I think we've dramatically improved our penetration of the retail client base since Investor Day. We're currently sitting at around 11.6%. We think 15% penetration is absolutely achievable in this business. Operator: Your next question comes from the line of Paul Holden with CIBC. Paul Holden: Question on GBM. So very strong sequential loan growth, 7%. So obviously, that's by design, but maybe talk a little bit about that in terms of what a reasonable run rate is. Obviously, 7% is not a -- probably not a run rate. What do you think a reasonable run rate is? And just confirmation, it seems that's coming with the deposits. Deposit growth was even stronger. So maybe talk about how the 2 are tied together in terms of, again, by design, that's the strategy. And then the fee income should also come with those wholesale loans? Travis MacHen: Yes, Paul. Paul, it's Travis. Thanks for the question. And I think you're right. I think a couple of quarters ago, I mentioned that we might be at an inflection point where we thought loans would bottom out. And if you look at the investments we're making in our franchise, we're investing across sectors. We're deepening into sectors where we're already strong. We're well positioned for the current environment. And I think our loan book is reflecting that. In addition, we've been building out new products and services, as I've mentioned before, whether it's mortgage capital markets or CRE or other subsectors. And I think you're starting to see those businesses taking off. And I think loan growth is really just a reflection of the economic output and the focus that we have on our clients, it's not a KPI that we're trying to drive. I mean we're not out there just trying to grow loans to grow loans. We're looking at covering our clients, providing great products and services and using our capital and our liquidity as efficiently as possible, and we're highly focused on the velocity of our capital. So if you look at some of the data you will see that our return per risk unit are up significantly. You can see that our fees per loan unit are up significantly. And so we're picking the right clients. We're banking those clients. We're providing all the products and service to those. And I think loan growth will be an outcome of that strategy. On the deposit side, you're absolutely right. That is very, very intentional. We are super, super focused on deposits. Anything and everything we do is really trying to capture those core operating deposits in connection with Francisco on the GTB build-out. We're investing heavily there. And we are looking to continue growing that business. And I think one of the things you'll notice that our net interest margin was up 30-something basis points year-over-year. So we've been able to grow deposits, grow loans and expand our margin. And that's a hyper focus on quality, customer segmentation and cross-selling. Paul Holden: And then one really quick sort of micro question for me, if you don't mind. Just in terms of the SRT, can you remind us what drove the decision to bring that back on balance sheet? And did that play a role in that 7% sequential growth in GBM? Rajagopal Viswanathan: Paul, it's Raj. No, that doesn't contribute to the 7% because the loan is always on our book. The SRT is only a capital structure. It's an SRT we put in place about 3 years back when we had floor constraints. So it's an expensive SRT. As we look at it today, we obviously don't have capital constraints. So we just recall that SRT and that increases RWA, which is a benefit or some part of the benefit we got in 2023 when we put it on, but it doesn't impact loan growth. Operator: Your next question comes from the line of Mario Mendonca with TD Securities. Mario Mendonca: I want to go back to capital markets for a moment. I think we're all impressed and also a little surprised at how strong capital markets-related revenue is. And what I'm trying to think through is, what are the conditions that caused this to slow or even reverse? And I take you back to last week when there was a fair bit of uncertainty around U.S. treasuries, there was some intervention there. Is that the sort of condition that drives up liquidity and hurts capital markets? Or are the overall macro drivers like the hyperscalers and AI like in the capital formation related to that and also your expansion and capabilities, are those macro drivers sort of -- would they overwhelm something like what happened in U.S. treasuries last week? Travis MacHen: Yes. I would say, what you saw on the U.S. treasuries, that was mainly focused on the long end of the bond. And as you know, that doesn't affect capital markets quite as much. I would say more of the 10-year and inside would affect capital markets. And what you're really thinking about and reaction function, I think you're looking for is you want volatility on the capital market side, but you want constructive volatility. Too much volatility. So if the VIX pops to 50 plus, like, you're going to see your ECM and DCM businesses compress. But when you have constructive volatility and which is what we have right now on a global scale is you have clients trying to navigate really complex environment right now. They're trying to understand their FX risk. They're trying to understand capital formation, they're trying to understand the right capital structure for their businesses for the new world. And this is where we're super well positioned to help advise our clients. We are building world-class expertise. We're investing in our people and our products. And we can provide those, whether it's debt capital markets, equity capital markets, hedging, investment banking, corporate banking, deposits and global banking capabilities. And this is all very, very intentional as part of our strategy. So -- but when you're looking for reaction functions, the 30-year a little less so, probably 10-year and in, I would say, VIX and some of the volatility in exchange rates. For the last year or 2 or since liberation day, these have all been highly constructive. And you're also seeing a reinvestment in Canada. I mean Canada is really looking to grow. And you look at our loan growth, we're actually up 9% in Canada year-over-year versus 5% in average loans. We are investing in our local markets and our local clients, and we are well positioned for that cross-border activity. Mario Mendonca: So notwithstanding this pretty strong growth we've seen over the last couple of years. And again, I'm not so much asking you for guidance for next year, but we shouldn't be surprised if this environment allows for our Canadian banks to grow their capital markets revenue still further. You wouldn't guide us to something like a contraction revenue from this point forward. Travis MacHen: I think capital markets businesses are always hard to predict, right, because you need a lot of the things I just talked about. And if you can tell me exactly where the S&P or the Toronto Stock Exchange is going to be, where rates are going to be, where FX is going to be next year. I can probably reverse engineer into the answer that you're looking for. I think what we're trying to do is we're trying to build products and services that we can help our clients in any environment. So it's a little difficult to tell you exactly what the magnitude or order of where revenue or net income would be next year. But we are investing in our future. We're investing in new products and capabilities. And I think what you could take away from this quarter, while it was a record in an exceptional quarter, it was very broad-based across every single product, region, service, subgroup, you name it. We saw a broad base of widening of our business. Meny Grauman: Okay. A question for you, Scott. I take you back a couple of years when you and I had a conversation about sort of long-term aspirations for Scotia. And you described it to me as wanting to see Scotia in the North American corridor, and that included Canada, U.S. and Mexico. I think that was the way you described it. There is an important opportunity here for our Canada's banks in looking at U.S. regionals given the disparity in valuation. I think where I'm going with this question is, can Scotia grow in the U.S. through acquisition, while still in this lockup with Key, which I know ends sometime, I think it's December 2029. Can you grow in the U.S. through acquisitions while still maintaining this interesting Key? Or do you see those as they need to be separate. You need to be either in Key or out of Key before you can make an acquisition in the U.S. L. Thomson: Those are a couple of different questions in there. So first, the Key investment was an investment. We've talked about that ad nauseam, and it's been a great investment. And when you look at their share price and their performance and how they've executed it, it's been a -- it's a great investment for the firm, but it is just that. And so as we think about growing in the U.S., the first protocol is Travis' business. And we've said this continually, and you're starting to see that investment that we've been making started to pay off across -- perhaps talked about Canada, which we're super proud of, but the U.S. also is very broad-based, lots of capabilities being added. And frankly, in Mexico, you heard Francisco talk about the capital markets, investments that Mexican business doing really well also. And so I do think we've got a lot of organic room to continue to grow in -- across the corridor in each of those 3 countries. You saw last quarter, we bought MapleMark. That was intentional. It was small. It was a small commercial bank based in Texas that actually really helps Travis build out again, further some of his capabilities and allows us to attract more deposits to actually fund those capabilities. And so I think it's that type of organic with some tuck-ins potentially to build out on the capabilities that we're focused on. That's the priority right now. Mario Mendonca: So it sounds like your interest in the U.S. is in capital markets, not in commercial banking. Is that true? L. Thomson: Yes. I think right now, where we've got the biggest opportunity is in Travis' business and in Jacqui's business. As we think about Jacqui's business, it's doing so well, the Canadian focus and also the international focus. I mean it's growing at kind of 15%, 20% for the last 3 or 4 years, and we see lots of opportunity there. We could benefit from some U.S. capabilities that connect that whole footprint. And so that meeting through MapleMark, some of that may be through small acquisitions that we look at in other ways. So that would be the priority before we start to get into things like commercial or retail. And in fact, retail is not appealing at all. So it's -- before you get into commercial. Operator: Your next question comes from the line of Matthew Lee with Canaccord Genuity. Matthew Lee: Maybe back to Francisco. LatAm retail growth continues to be strong. I think you particularly called out non-mortgage. So I assume some of that's coming from credit cards. So can you just talk about how you think about balancing growth, credit and primacy as you expand that credit card portfolio in LatAm? Francisco Alberto Aristeguieta Silva: Thank you, Matt. Absolutely. This has been a very deliberate journey, right? If you go back to Investor Day, what we tried to do is, number one, segment our client base. And that took us about a year in really understanding who our client was, what the needs were and how do we segment across the footprint and not country by country. Remember, the key goal here is scale in everything we do in retail. We completed that segmentation. And on the back of that, we created value propositions that were very specific to primacy. What we concluded in that journey is that mortgage monoline does not deliver primacy. And the problem with nonprimacy and monoline is that you don't capture deposits and you have high attrition. So the journey needed to shift our focus towards primacy. The definition for us is really the combination of the full suite of products, where you need transactionality and transactionality is delivered by credit cards, is delivered by personal loans, is delivered by payroll, is delivered by insurance and investment advice. And that's what we're looking for. And where you see the growth of non-mortgage and what we refer to non-mortgage is really a combination of all those products. And what we're seeing today is that we're seeing deposit growth to an extent that we've never seen before in retail, although the average deposit growth is 5%, core deposits are up 7%. And that is a huge contributor to our returns in the long term. So the other component to think about here is that when you talk about cards, for example, it's a de minimis share across all countries, right? Probably the only exception being Chile where we have a little bit more. But beyond Chile, we're not necessarily playing to our size and scale in any market. So it's not a credit card strategy per se. It is a primacy strategy that recognizes that cards and personal loans are an important component to be prioritized by our clients as they transact with the bank. Without having a transactional relationship, they will not bring the payroll to you. So it is really a combined effort. And that's why we're so deliberately focused on non mortgage. Operator: Your next question comes from the line of Stephen Boland with Raymond James. Stephen Boland: Just I guess the comment about the Canada agenda. I guess, OSFI is giving you another 50 basis points of excess capital. So I'm wondering if part of that capital is going to be used to support that Canada agenda, so defense, infrastructure, AI? Or is that excess capital just going to be used to continue to buy back shares? L. Thomson: Yes. Thanks, Steve. It's Scott. I'll start and Raj can add, feel free. I mean the first call for our capital is organic growth. And I think we have, as you see, some great organic growth opportunities, and you saw that in the quarter with deployment of capital to organic growth. As I look at the Canada agenda, I do think there are a lot of opportunities and you think about infrastructure pipelines, you think about defense. We've actually really organized ourselves significantly differently over the last 6 months to capitalize on the defense opportunity. And now as you think about an emerging or evolving relationship with the U.S., I think there's going to be some opportunities to really lean in to our small business clients and our commercial clients to help them through an uncertain period. And so I do see the opportunity for more capital to be deployed, frankly, across all of our business. And it's not going to be an issue of capital availability because we've managed this bank to a point where we now have the capital. So that's good news. Now if there is excess capital, well, the first place that, that will go will be share repurchases. And that's because there's a valuation gap, and we still think there's great opportunity. You saw a little bit of that in last quarter, you'll see -- continue to see us renew and do more as we go forward. And so it's that combination of organic growth and share repurchases that I think right now provide the best equation for our shareholders. Operator: There are no further questions on the conference line. I would now like to turn the meeting over to Raj Viswanathan. Rajagopal Viswanathan: Thank you. On behalf of the entire management team, I want to thank everyone for participating in our call today. We look forward to speaking to you again at our Q4 call in December. Have a great day. Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, this does conclude today's conference call. Thank you for your participation, and you may now disconnect. Before you buy stock in Bank Of Nova Scotia, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Bank Of Nova Scotia wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. 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As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability. The Motley Fool recommends Bank Of Nova Scotia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Scotiabank (BNS) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool

Bank of Nova Scotia recently reported record third-quarter and nine-month results to July 31, 2026, with higher net interest income, net income, and earnings per share year over year, while also continuing capital returns through a CAD$1.14 per-share dividend declared for payment on October 28, 2026, and ongoing share repurchases under its current buyback program. Beyond the headline earnings beat, the bank’s ability to pair record profitability with a strong capital position, active buybacks, and an unchanged cash-and-share dividend option highlights how it is balancing growth, shareholder returns, and balance sheet resilience. We’ll now examine how this record-quarter performance, including the continued buybacks, affects Bank of Nova Scotia’s existing investment narrative. Capitalize on the AI infrastructure supercycle with our selection of the 55 best 'picks and shovels' of the AI gold rush converting record-breaking demand into massive cash flow. To own Bank of Nova Scotia, you need to believe it can keep turning a broad, international banking footprint into consistent returns while managing credit and regulatory risks. The record Q3 results and higher earnings support that narrative, but they do not remove the near term risk that weaker credit quality or rising funding costs could pressure returns if conditions change. The current buybacks and dividend reinforce confidence in the balance sheet without materially shifting the main risk picture. Among the recent developments, the continuation of share repurchases under the current buyback program stands out alongside the record quarter. Retiring 10,731,763 shares for CA$1,248 million since April 2026, while maintaining a CA$1.14 per share dividend and a strong capital position, ties directly into the key short term catalyst of sustaining solid returns on equity even as credit and funding risks remain in focus. Yet investors should also be aware that if credit losses rise faster than expected, especially in more volatile markets, then ... Read the full narrative on Bank of Nova Scotia (it's free!) Bank of Nova Scotia's narrative projects CA$43.5 billion revenue and CA$12.0 billion earnings by 2029. This requires 8.3% yearly revenue growth and a CA$3.0 billion earnings increase from CA$9.0 billion today. Uncover how Bank of Nova Scotia's forecasts yield a CA$123.31 fair value, a 5% downside to its current price. Three members of the Simply Wall St Community currently see Bank of Nova Scotia’s fair value between CA$123.31 and CA$182.00, underlining how far individual views can stretch. When you compare those opinions with the recent record earnings and active buybacks, it becomes even more important to weigh how credit quality and funding costs could influence the bank’s ability to keep delivering on its current profitability profile. Explore 3 other fair value estimates on Bank of Nova Scotia - why the stock might be worth as much as 40% more than the current price! Disagree with existing narratives? Extraordinary investment returns rarely come from following the herd, so go with your instincts. A great starting point for your Bank of Nova Scotia research is our analysis highlighting 4 key rewards and 1 important warning sign that could impact your investment decision. Our free Bank of Nova Scotia research report provides a comprehensive fundamental analysis summarized in a single visual - the Snowflake - making it easy to evaluate Bank of Nova Scotia's overall financial health at a glance. The market won't wait. These fast-moving stocks are hot now. Grab the list before they run: Find 12 companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value. Invest in the nuclear renaissance through our list of 92 elite nuclear energy infrastructure plays powering the global AI revolution. Outshine the giants: these 18 early-stage AI stocks could fund your retirement. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include BNS.TO. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected]

Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS) is back in focus after reporting record third quarter results and affirming a CA$1.14 per share common dividend, along with ongoing share repurchases and new business banking product launches. The latest results and dividend affirmation have come alongside a sharp shift in sentiment toward Bank of Nova Scotia, with the share price at CA$128.73 and a 90 day share price return of 15.38% contributing to a 1 year total shareholder return of 58.22% that investors may interpret as building momentum rather than a short lived bounce. Extend your research beyond Bank of Nova Scotia and scan a curated 14 high quality undervalued stocks that also pairs strong balance sheets with solid cash generation. After Bank of Nova Scotia’s sharp move and record quarter, some investors may feel late to the party, while others see room for further rerating. So does today’s price fairly reflect what you are paying for? Bank of Nova Scotia last closed at CA$128.73, modestly above a widely followed fair value estimate of CA$123.31 that is based on detailed earnings and margin assumptions. Read the complete narrative. Read the complete narrative. The popular narrative for Bank of Nova Scotia focuses on how international growth, fee based wealth income and future profit margins fit together. Investors may be curious which revenue path, margin profile and earnings multiple are most influential in arriving at the CA$123.31 fair value. Result: Fair Value of CA$123.31 (OVERVALUED) Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what's behind the forecasts. However, Bank of Nova Scotia still faces clear risks, including exposure to Latin American political and economic volatility and heavy reliance on the Canadian housing and mortgage market. Find out about the key risks to this Bank of Nova Scotia narrative. On the first method, Bank of Nova Scotia screens as about 4.4% overvalued relative to a CA$123.31 fair value. Yet our DCF model points to a future cash flow value of CA$183.73 per share, which implies the stock trades at a 29.9% discount. Which framework do you trust more when the signals pull in opposite directions? Look into how the SWS DCF model arrives at its fair value. If the mixed sentiment in this Bank of Nova Scotia story leaves you undecided, take a moment to review the data yourself and consider both sides using the 4 key rewards and 1 important warning sign Do not stop your research with Bank of Nova Scotia. Spending a few minutes with focused stock ideas can help you spot opportunities you might otherwise miss completely. Target potential income resilience by reviewing companies in the 4 dividend fortresses that aim to combine higher yields with robust fundamentals. Hunt for mispriced quality by scanning the 8 high quality undiscovered gems that many investors may not be watching yet. Prioritise capital preservation by reviewing a 9 resilient stocks with low risk scores that highlights businesses with lower risk scores and steadier profiles. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include BNS.TO. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected]

Interested in Bank of Nova Scotia (The)? Here are five stocks we like better. Record Q3 performance: Scotiabank reported C$3 billion in net income and diluted EPS of C$2.28, up 21% year over year. Adjusted return on equity reached 14.2%, surpassing its medium-term target ahead of schedule. Broad-based business growth: Revenue increased 16%, while Canadian Banking, Global Wealth Management and Global Banking and Markets posted strong earnings growth. Canadian Banking’s return on equity rose to 19.4%, and wealth-management net sales reached a record C$3 billion for the third quarter. Improving credit trends and continued shareholder returns: Provisions for credit losses declined to C$1.1 billion, or 56 basis points, as retail and international credit performance improved. The bank maintained a 13.1% CET1 ratio, repurchased 8.6 million shares and returned C$8.3 billion to shareholders over the past year. Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS) reported record third-quarter results for fiscal 2026, with management citing broad-based earnings strength, improving returns in Canadian Banking and continued growth in wealth management and capital markets. The bank posted quarterly net income of C$3 billion and diluted earnings per share of C$2.28, up 21% from a year earlier. Adjusted return on equity reached 14.2%, exceeding the bank’s medium-term target of more than 14% earlier than management had anticipated. → Rocket Lab's Sell-Off Is Fading—Is It Finally Safe to Buy? “Q3 was a record quarter for the bank,” President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Thomson said, adding that the result reflected favorable markets as well as strategic repositioning, improved capital allocation and gains in business mix. Revenue increased 16% year over year, supported by 12% growth in net interest income and a 21% increase in non-interest income. The bank said higher banking and wealth-management revenue, underwriting and advisory fees, commissions and income from associated corporations contributed to the gains. → Travel + Leisure Goes Big—Is It Ready to Rally? Net interest margin rose 18 basis points from a year earlier, although it was unchanged sequentially. Margin gains in Canadian Banking and Global Banking and Markets were offset by lower margins in International Banking, where the prior quarter included seasonal benefits. Expenses rose 14%, reflecting higher performance-based and share-based compensation, as well as greater technology spending. Technology investment increased 16% to C$1.5 billion during the quarter. Still, the bank delivered positive operating leverage for the 10th consecutive quarter, with its productivity ratio improving 90 basis points year over year to 52.5%. → What Rising Delivery Forecasts Say About Rivian's Stock Prospects Scotiabank’s CET1 capital ratio ended the quarter at 13.1%. The bank repurchased 8.6 million shares during the quarter, using 20 basis points of capital, and said it had returned C$8.3 billion to shareholders through dividends and buybacks over the past 12 months. Thomson said capital deployment priorities remain organic growth, followed by share repurchases and strategic tuck-in acquisitions. Chief Financial Officer Raj Viswanathan said certain International Banking portfolios will move from the standardized approach to the advanced internal ratings-based approach in the fourth quarter. The change is expected to reduce the CET1 ratio by about 15 basis points, though the bank expects to maintain its ratio around 13%. Canadian Banking earned C$1.1 billion, up 12% from a year earlier. The segment’s return on equity reached 19.4%, improving 160 basis points sequentially, according to Thomson. Loans in the segment increased 3% year over year, including 4% mortgage growth and 3% growth in commercial and small-business loans. Net interest income rose 7%, while non-interest income climbed 11%, helped by mutual-fund distribution fees, credit-card revenue and insurance income. Net interest margin expanded for the fifth straight quarter, rising two basis points sequentially. Aris Bogdaneris, group head of Canadian Banking, said the bank is expanding its mid-market business, adding nearly 700 mid-market clients year to date, up nearly 85% year over year. He said the segment is targeting more deposit-rich and higher-margin lending relationships, while smaller-business lending continued to deliver double-digit loan growth. The bank also cited progress in retail deposits and wealth referrals. More than 90% of retail guaranteed investment certificate maturities were retained year to date, either within Canadian Banking or in retail mutual funds. Retail mutual-fund net sales reached C$4 billion year to date, nearly 2.5 times the prior-year level. Global Wealth Management earnings rose 23% to C$515 million. Assets under management and assets under administration grew 16% and 13%, respectively, from market appreciation and net sales. Quarterly net sales totaled C$3 billion, a record for a third quarter and the bank’s eighth consecutive quarter of positive flows. Global Banking and Markets recorded earnings of C$647 million, up 37% year over year, as revenue rose 32%. Capital-markets revenue increased 33%, while business-banking revenue rose 30%. The segment also reported strong loan and deposit growth, including 7% sequential loan growth and 9% sequential deposit growth. Travis Machen, chief executive officer and group head of Global Banking and Markets, said the bank has been investing in products, services and sectors across its core Canadian, U.S. and international footprint. He described the third quarter’s performance as broad-based across products and regions, while noting that capital-markets results can be difficult to predict because they depend on market conditions. International Banking earned C$725 million, up 6% from a year earlier on a constant-currency basis and excluding divested operations. Revenue increased 7%, while retail loans grew 5% and non-retail loans declined 7% as the bank continued to restrain growth in selected portfolios. Deposits rose 6% year over year. Francisco Aristeguieta, group head of International Banking, said the segment’s strategy is centered on “primacy” relationships that combine transaction accounts, cards, personal loans, payroll, insurance and investment advice. He said the business is targeting revenue growth of 6% to 8% in 2027 and beyond, with expenses expected to remain near 4% growth. Chief Risk Officer Shannon McGinnis said all-bank provisions for credit losses declined to C$1.1 billion, or 56 basis points, down 10 basis points from the prior quarter. Impaired provisions fell to C$1 billion, or 52 basis points, as performance improved in Canadian retail and International Banking provisions declined from elevated levels in the second quarter. Canadian Banking provisions were C$498 million, or 42 basis points, down eight basis points sequentially. McGinnis cited lower write-offs in unsecured lines of credit, lower auto impairments and improved collection results. She said mortgage delinquencies remain elevated in some areas, though the bank’s overall retail portfolio remains strong, with an average FICO score of 798. Management said it continues to monitor trade-policy developments, energy costs, inflation and geopolitical conditions. McGinnis said recently announced tariff measures represented less than 1% of the bank’s total loans, while Thomson characterized the current impact as manageable and said the bank sees opportunities to support clients in infrastructure, natural resources, artificial intelligence and defense. 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. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]. The article "Bank of Nova Scotia Q3 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. View MarketBeat's top stocks for August 2026.

Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS) reported better-than-expected third-quarter results on Tuesday, supported by record performances across several of its main business divisions and stronger profitability compared with the same period last year. Adjusted earnings per share came in at Cdn$2.28, ahead of analysts’ forecast of Cdn$2.08. Revenue increased 11% year-on-year to Cdn$10.54 billion from Cdn$9.49 billion, also beating the consensus estimate of Cdn$9.97 billion. Adjusted net income climbed to Cdn$2.97 billion, compared with Cdn$2.52 billion in the corresponding quarter a year earlier. Despite the earnings and revenue beats, Scotiabank shares fell 0.81% following the announcement. Profitability also strengthened during the quarter, with adjusted return on equity rising to 14.2% from 12.4% a year earlier. The result took the measure above Scotiabank’s medium-term target of 14%. “Q3 was a record quarter for the Bank, as all business lines reported strong results and we exceeded our medium-term objectives in the period,” said Scott Thomson, President and CEO of Scotiabank. “In particular, we exceeded our 14% return on equity target this quarter, highlighting the improvements that we have made across the bank to increase margins and fee income.” The improvement reflected stronger margins and fee generation across the group, with several divisions posting record quarterly earnings. Global Wealth Management generated record earnings of Cdn$518 million, representing a 23% increase from the same quarter last year. Growth was supported by higher mutual fund fees, increased brokerage revenue and stronger net interest income. Assets under management expanded 16% year-on-year to Cdn$474 billion, providing an additional boost to the division’s performance. Global Banking and Markets also delivered a record quarter, with earnings increasing 37% year-on-year to Cdn$647 million. The division benefited from stronger capital markets activity alongside record underwriting and advisory fees, making it one of the strongest contributors to Scotiabank’s third-quarter growth. Canadian Banking reported earnings of Cdn$1.07 billion, up 12% from the previous year, helped by wider margins and robust growth in fee income. International Banking also advanced, with earnings increasing 8% year-on-year to Cdn$766 million. The broad-based improvement across Scotiabank’s operations, combined with an adjusted return on equity above its medium-term objective, highlighted stronger underlying performance during the quarter even as the shares moved lower following the results. Bank of Nova Scotia stock price

This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Earnings per Share (EPS): Record EPS of $2.28, up 21% year-over-year. Net Income: Quarterly earnings of $3 billion. Return on Equity (ROE): 14.2%, up 170 basis points year-over-year. Revenue Growth: Strong revenue growth of 16% year-over-year. Net Interest Income: Grew 12% year-over-year. Net Interest Margin (NIM): Expanded 18 basis points year-over-year; unchanged quarter-over-quarter. Non-Interest Income: Up 21% year-over-year. Expenses: Grew 14% year-over-year. Operating Leverage: Positive year-to-date operating leverage of 3.9%. Productivity Ratio: Improved by 90 basis points year-over-year to 52.5%. CET1 Ratio: Ended the quarter at 13.1%. Canadian Banking Earnings: $1.1 billion, up 12% year-over-year. Global Wealth Management Earnings: $515 million, up 23% year-over-year. Global Banking and Markets Earnings: $647 million, up 37% year-over-year. International Banking Earnings: $725 million, up 6% year-over-year. Provision for Credit Losses (PCL) Ratio: All Bank provisions were 56 basis points, down 10 basis points quarter-over-quarter. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with BNS. Is BNS fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Release Date: August 25, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Record quarterly earnings with EPS of $2.28, up 21% year-over-year, and ROE of 14.2%, exceeding the 14% target ahead of schedule. Canadian Banking ROE improved 160 basis points sequentially to 19.4%, driven by business mix improvements and fee income growth. Positive operating leverage for the 10th consecutive quarter, with year-to-date operating leverage of 3.9% and productivity ratio improving to 52.5%. Strong capital position with CET1 ratio at 13.1%, allowing for continued share buybacks and organic growth investments. Global Banking and Markets delivered record quarterly net income, with revenue up 32% year-over-year, driven by strong capital markets and investment banking activity. International Banking earnings remained above $700 million for the third consecutive quarter, with revenue growth of 7% year-over-year and improving credit performance. Wealth Management saw record Q3 net sales of $3 billion, up 14% year-over-year, with positive net flows for the eighth consecutive quarter. International Banking net interest margin declined 7 basis points sequentially due to seasonal factors, and loan growth was restrained by design in non-retail portfolios. Credit provisions remain elevated, with impaired PCLs at 52 basis points, though improving, and ongoing monitoring of mortgage delinquencies in Canada. The upcoming migration of International Banking portfolios to AIRB will reduce CET1 ratio by approximately 15 basis points in Q4, impacting capital ratios. Chile's announced tax rate reduction will require a one-time deferred tax asset write-down in Q4, negatively impacting earnings. Expenses grew 14% year-over-year, driven by higher performance-based compensation and technology investments, which could pressure future margins if revenue growth slows. Trade uncertainty and tariffs remain a risk, with potential impacts on credit quality and economic growth, though currently assessed as manageable. The 'Other' segment reported a net loss of $42 million, compared to income in the prior quarter, due to elevated investment gains last quarter. Q: The bank hit its 14% ROE target earlier than expected. Is there a structural reason why the bank can't be a 15%-plus ROE bank, and what will drive that improvement? A: CEO Scott Thomson stated that 14% is not a ceiling and that the bank is "just getting started" in Canada. Group Head of Canadian Banking Aris Bogdaneris detailed the four pillars of the ROE expansion strategy: improving business mix (non-mortgage lending now outpacing mortgage growth for the first time in two years), improving risk-adjusted margins on capital-heavy portfolios, growing fee income (cards, insurance, and mutual funds all grew over 20% in revenue), and productivity gains (direct costs flat for 12 months while adding over 500 salespeople). Global Wealth Management's Jacqui Allard added that retail client penetration is at 11.6% and believes 15% is achievable. Q: Can you provide an outlook for the International Banking segment? Are we at an inflection point for loan growth, and when will expenses move into positive operating leverage territory? A: Francisco Aristeguieta, Group Head of International & Global Transaction Banking, said the quarter marks the effectiveness of the "pivot to growth" effort, with the business growing at 6% year-on-year. He expects revenue growth to hit the 6% to 8% target for 2027 and beyond. He does not see expenses moving beyond the ~4% level, which is "materially below inflation," thanks to regionalization synergies. This combination should allow for pre-tax, pre-provision profit growth of 8% or above and deliver double-digit earnings in 2027, with ROEs currently sitting north of 16%. Q: What drove the decision to recall the synthetic risk transfer (SRT) transaction, and will the conversion of International Banking portfolios to the AIRB approach impact capital ratios? A: CFO Raj Viswanathan clarified that the SRT recall does not impact loan growth, as the loans were always on the balance sheet; it was only a capital structure tool used when the bank had floor constraints. The upcoming AIRB conversion is a "one and done" event that will reduce the CET1 ratio by approximately 15 basis points in Q4 due to conservatism expected in Basel for data quality in certain countries. The bank expects to absorb this impact and maintain its CET1 ratio around 13%. Q: Given the strong quarter in Global Banking and Markets (GBM), what are the near-term expectations, and what is the long-term growth rate with the investments made? A: Travis Machen, CEO and Group Head of GBM, stated the record quarter was "very broad-based" and intentional, following a two-to-three-year journey of de-emphasizing some businesses and doubling down on core footprints in Canada, the US, and globally. He noted that pipelines remain strong and that the bank is building a "very durable franchise." He emphasized that the bank is not trying to drive loan growth as a KPI but rather focusing on capital velocity and providing excellent products and services, with loan growth being an outcome of that strategy. Q: Credit performance is improving faster than expected. Are you sticking with your guidance for Q4, and how do the new tariff announcements impact your credit outlook? A: Chief Risk Officer Shannon McGinnis said performance is developing "largely as expected," with impaired PCLs trending down in the latter half of the year. She noted that early-stage delinquencies have improved across most Canadian retail products except mortgages, and collections initiatives are yielding strong results. Regarding tariffs, she stated the latest measures represent less than 1% of total bank loans. The bank's scenarios already model Canadian tariff rates of up to 25% with full retaliation, and management is comfortable with current allowance levels. CEO Scott Thomson added that the current tariffs are "manageable" and represent a small impact on GDP. Q: Can you elaborate on the strong sequential loan growth of 7% in Global Banking and Markets? What is a reasonable run rate, and how are deposits tied to this strategy? A: Travis Machen explained that the loan growth reflects investments in sectors and new products (e.g., mortgage capital markets, CREF) and is an outcome of covering clients well, not a KPI. He highlighted that return per risk unit and fees per loan unit are up significantly. On deposits, he said the growth is "very intentional," with a hyper-focus on capturing core operating deposits in connection with the GTB buildout. This strategy has allowed the bank to grow loans, deposits, and expand net interest margin simultaneously. Q: What are the conditions that could cause the strong capital markets revenue to slow or reverse, and should we expect a contraction from this point? A: A company representative explained that the bank needs "constructive volatility" to thrive. Events like the US Treasury volatility last week, which focused on the long end of the bond, are less impactful. However, if the VIX pops to 50-plus, ECM and DCM businesses would compress. The current environment, with clients navigating complex FX, capital formation, and capital structure decisions, is highly constructive. While capital markets are hard to predict, the bank is investing in products and services to help clients in any environment, and the record quarter was broad-based across every product and region. Q: Can Scotiabank grow in the US through acquisition while maintaining its interest in KeyCorp, or are these mutually exclusive? A: CEO Scott Thomson clarified that the KeyCorp investment is "just an investment" and has been a great one. The priority for US growth is organic expansion in Travis Machen's GBM business and Jacqui Allard's wealth business, potentially supplemented by small tuck-in acquisitions like the recent MapleMark purchase in Texas. He stated that retail banking in the US is "not appealing at all," and commercial banking is not a priority before building out capital markets and wealth capabilities. Q: How do you balance growth, credit, and primacy as you expand the non-mortgage portfolio, particularly credit cards, in Latin America? A: Francisco Aristeguieta explained that the strategy is not a credit card strategy but a "primacy strategy." The bank completed a year-long client segmentation and concluded that mortgage monoline does not deliver primacy. The focus is on transactional products (credit cards, personal loans, payroll) to capture deposits and reduce attrition. This is working, as core deposits are up 7% even though average deposit growth is 5%. He noted that card share is "de minimum" across most countries, For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Interested in Alithya Group Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. First-quarter results weakened significantly: Revenue fell 15.4% year over year to CAD 105.1 million, while adjusted EBITDA declined to CAD 5.4 million and the company posted a CAD 2.4 million net loss. Delayed project starts, lower utilization, salary increases and reduced tax credits pressured margins. Bookings and late-stage opportunities provided some support: Q1 bookings totaled CAD 89 million, with more than 70% from new business, although the book-to-bill ratio was 0.85. Management highlighted an expanding pipeline, an $11.7 million Oracle HCM contract and continued demand for AI, cloud and enterprise transformation services. Alithya has begun a strategic review: The board hired Scotiabank to evaluate options including a merger, privatization, sale, recapitalization, strategic investment or remaining public. The company said its public-market valuation may not reflect its intrinsic value or future growth potential. Alithya Group (TSE:ALYA) reported lower first-quarter revenue and profitability as longer client decision-making and project conversion cycles reduced utilization, while management said its pipeline of late-stage opportunities continued to build. Revenue for the quarter totaled CAD 105.1 million, down 15.4% from a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA fell to CAD 5.4 million, or 5.2% of revenue, from CAD 11.6 million, or 9.4% of revenue, in the prior-year period. The company recorded a net loss of CAD 2.4 million, or CAD 0.03 per share, compared with net earnings of CAD 0.2 million a year earlier. → Lumentum Just Delivered the AI Growth Investors Wanted Management said the quarter’s primary issue was utilization, as some larger projects took longer than expected to begin while the company continued to carry personnel costs. The company also cited lower tax credits and salary increases that took effect at the start of the fiscal year as factors weighing on gross margin. Beginning April 1, 2026, Alithya adopted a new reporting structure following the integration of recent acquisitions and a business divestiture. The company now reports two segments: Enterprise Transformation and Industry Services and Solutions. → Ryman Checks Into a $1.38B Hospitality Upgrade According to CFO Pierre Blanchette, Enterprise Transformation includes consulting, implementation, integration and managed services for enterprise platforms including Microsoft, Oracle and Salesforce. The segment covers areas such as ERP, EPM, CRM, HCM, SCM and AI-enabled business transformation. Industry Services and Solutions combines sector expertise, consulting, advisory services, business enablement and cloud migration work across AWS and Microsoft Azure. Blanchette said the business supports clients from planning and implementation through organizational change and value realization. → Joby’s Defense Pivot Accelerates With $500M Resonant Sciences Deal Comparative figures also include a third segment associated with Datum, which was sold on March 31, 2026. Enterprise Transformation revenue was CAD 62.6 million, down CAD 3.2 million, or 4.9%, year over year. Blanchette said the decline reflected client projects reaching maturity and lower billable hours, partly offset by a full quarter of eVerge. Margin in the segment declined due to lower utilization from delayed project starts and salary increases. Industry Services and Solutions revenue totaled CAD 42.5 million, down CAD 11.7 million, or 21.6%, from the prior year. The decline reflected maturing client projects as well as lower government-contract revenue and reduced activity in Quebec financial services. The Datum divestiture accounted for an additional CAD 4.2 million revenue decline. Companywide gross margin was CAD 31.9 million, down 19.8% from CAD 39.8 million a year earlier. Gross margin as a percentage of revenue fell to 30.4% from 32.1%. Selling, general and administrative expense decreased 7.5% to CAD 28.3 million, driven by lower variable compensation, professional fees, share-based compensation, recruiting and training costs. However, SG&A represented 27% of revenue, compared with 24.6% a year earlier, because revenue declined more quickly than expenses. Adjusted net earnings were CAD 2.9 million, or CAD 0.03 per share, down from CAD 6.5 million, or CAD 0.07 per share, in the previous year. COO Bernard Dockrill said first-quarter bookings were CAD 89 million, producing a book-to-bill ratio of 0.85. Excluding revenue from two large long-term contracts, the ratio was 0.92. On a trailing 12-month basis, bookings were CAD 405.1 million and the book-to-bill ratio was 0.88, or 0.96 after the same adjustment. More than 70% of first-quarter bookings came from new business, including 28% from new customers, Dockrill said. The company also saw a larger proportion of fixed-price and fixed-fee contracts. Blanchette said fixed-price and fixed-price-like engagements account for about 40% of the business. Enterprise Transformation bookings were CAD 61.2 million, for a quarterly book-to-bill ratio of 0.99. Industry Services and Solutions bookings were CAD 27.8 million, for a book-to-bill ratio of 0.64, or 0.78 excluding the two long-term contracts. Within Enterprise Transformation, Dockrill highlighted an $11.7 million U.S. contract signed by Alithya’s Oracle practice with a global engineering and construction company. The project involves an Oracle HCM modernization initiative for the client’s global workforce operations. He also said Alithya’s Microsoft AI and Copilot practice supported the deployment of more than 300,000 Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses globally, while the company develops industry-specific AI agents based on client data. Salesforce revenue was softer as projects were completed and new starts were delayed, though Dockrill said the qualified opportunity pipeline was increasing. The company’s board launched a strategic review on July 27 and engaged Scotiabank as financial adviser. Management said the review will consider alternatives including a merger or other business combination, privatization, a sale, recapitalization, strategic investment or partnerships, or continuing as a publicly listed company. Management said the review was initiated because it believes public-market valuations may not fully reflect Alithya’s intrinsic value or support its next phase of growth. The company said it would not comment on specific parties or developments in the process. Net cash used in operating activities was CAD 4.8 million, compared with CAD 4.2 million a year earlier, reflecting the net loss and CAD 8.3 million in unfavorable working-capital changes. Net debt to trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDA was 2.9 times. Management said it remains focused on aligning costs with current revenue levels while maintaining capacity to invest, and cited continuing demand for enterprise applications, digital transformation, AI enablement and modernization services. Alithya Group Inc is a leader in Strategy and digital transformation, with professionals in Canada, the us, and Europe. Its integrated offering is laid out as follows: Strategy, custom solutions, Microsoft solutions, and Oracle solutions. Clients entrust the company with their strategic projects across Banking, Investment and Insurance, Energy, Manufacturing, Retail and Distribution, Telecommunications, Transportation, Professional Services, Healthcare, and Government sectors. Geographically, it derives a majority of revenue from Canada. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]. The article "Alithya Group Q1 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. View MarketBeat's top stocks for August 2026.

If you are looking for a stock that has a solid history of beating earnings estimates and is in a good position to maintain the trend in its next quarterly report, you should consider Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS). This company, which is in the Zacks Banks - Foreign industry, shows potential for another earnings beat. When looking at the last two reports, this bank has recorded a strong streak of surpassing earnings estimates. The company has topped estimates by 2.46%, on average, in the last two quarters. For the last reported quarter, Bank of Nova Scotia came out with earnings of $1.47 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.46 per share, representing a surprise of 0.68%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $1.42 per share and it actually produced earnings of $1.48 per share, delivering a surprise of 4.23%. Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for Bank of Nova Scotia lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Bank of Nova Scotia currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.84%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on August 25, 2026. Investors should note, however, that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss, but a negative value does reduce the predictive power of this metric. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Bank of Nova Scotia (The) (BNS) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research