Stock · Financial Services
BNS Bank of Nova Scotia
Bank of Nova Scotia has a solid dividend profile with no major red flags in the snapshot data.
Why we rate it 7.8
- Yield of 3.68% is in the typical sustainable zone (2-4%)
- Payout ratio of 61% is on the higher side — leaves less buffer for earnings volatility
- Current yield is below the 5-year average (5.52%), often a sign that price has appreciated faster than dividend growth
- Large-cap scale (>$50B) — established business with predictable cash flows
Where BNS ranks
We compute the same 0–10 safety score across 53 dividend-paying stocks and ETFs. Here's where BNS lands inside that universe.
The universe is curated to the most-searched US dividend payers. We'll expand it as the data layer grows; sector percentiles only appear when we have at least 5 comparable peers.
The two questions a safety score doesn't answer
A safety score tells you how durable BNS's payout looks. It does not tell you what you keep after tax, or whether something else does the same job better.
On tax: what you actually pocket depends on whether BNS dividends are qualified — qualified distributions are taxed at 0%, 15%, or 20%, while ordinary ones are taxed at your full marginal rate, a gap that can reach 22 percentage points of the income on the same headline yield.
On substitutes: if BNS's 7.8/10 score is lower than you want, see BNS alternatives — same-sector stocks ranked by how closely they match BNS on both yield and safety, so you can see what a swap actually costs you.
About Bank of Nova Scotia
The Bank of Nova Scotia provides various banking products and services in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America, and internationally. It operates through Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Wealth Management, and Global Banking and Markets segments. The company offers financial advice and solutions, and banking products, including debit and credit cards, chequing and saving accounts, investments, mortgages, loans, and insurance to individuals; and retail automotive financing solutions. It also provides business banking solutions comprising lending, deposit, cash management, and trade finance solutions to small, medium, and large businesses. In addition, it provides wealth management advice and solutions, including online brokerage, mobile investment, full-service brokerage, trust, private banking, and private investment counsel services; and retail mutual funds, exchange traded funds, liquid alternatives, and institutional funds. The company was founded in 1832 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
How we score dividend safety
The Infnits dividend safety score is a 0–10 rating derived from yield zone, payout ratio (when applicable), yield trend versus 5-year average, instrument type, and company size. Each factor is independently transparent — see the reasons above for exactly which factors contributed to BNS's score.
For the full methodology including the in-app version that uses ETF look-through and historical cut data, see our methodology page.
This is educational, not investment advice. Dividend safety scores reflect a snapshot of public data on the "as of" date shown. Verify current data on the issuer's investor relations page or your brokerage before making decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Is BNS safe?
On dividend safety specifically, Infnits scores BNS 7.8/10 — solid. Bank of Nova Scotia has a solid dividend profile with no major red flags in the snapshot data. That score measures how durable the payout looks based on yield zone, payout ratio, yield trend, and instrument type; it does not measure price risk, valuation, or whether BNS suits your portfolio.
Is BNS's dividend safe?
Based on snapshot data — yield 3.68%, payout ratio 61%, instrument type stock — Infnits rates BNS's dividend safety profile as solid (7.8/10). This is one signal, not a recommendation.
What is BNS's current dividend yield?
BNS has a current dividend yield of 3.68% as of August 2, 2026. Its 5-year average yield is 5.52%.
How is BNS's safety score calculated?
The score combines yield zone (yields above 7% historically carry elevated cut risk), payout ratio (lower is safer), trend vs. 5-year average yield, instrument type (ETFs are inherently more diversified), and size (larger companies have more stable cash flows). Each factor is scored 0-2.5 and summed to a 0-10 result.
Where does this data come from?
Fundamentals are sourced from public market data and refreshed regularly. The "as of" date on each page reflects the snapshot used for the score. For real-time data, check the issuer's investor relations page or your brokerage.
Should I buy BNS based on this score?
No — this is an educational score based on a handful of public signals, not investment advice. Use it as one input among many. For a portfolio-aware analysis with ETF look-through and personalized insights, install the Infnits app.
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BNS head-to-head comparisons
See BNS compared side-by-side with the most-searched peer tickers — yield, safety, growth trend, expense ratio, and tax treatment.
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