BNS vs. BRK.B: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 18, 2025

Here’s a clear look at BNS and BRK.B, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

Symbol	BNS	BRK.B
Company Name	The Bank of Nova Scotia	Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Country	Canada	United States
GICS Sector	Financials	Financials
GICS Industry	Banks	Financial Services
Market Capitalization	70.58 billion USD	1,029.25 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	June 7, 2002	May 9, 1996
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of BNS and BRK.B by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

BNS vs. BRK.B: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	BNS	BRK.B
5-Day Price Return	1.67%	2.21%
13-Week Price Return	10.98%	-7.33%
26-Week Price Return	7.45%	0.09%
52-Week Price Return	26.38%	10.68%
Month-to-Date Return	0.80%	-0.61%
Year-to-Date Return	0.67%	5.08%
10-Day Avg. Volume	3.18M	0.00M
3-Month Avg. Volume	4.69M	0.00M
3-Month Volatility	8.24%	13.33%
Beta	0.68	0.48

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

BNS

7.96%

Banks Industry

Max: 26.37%
Q3: 15.92%
Median: 12.25%
Q1: 8.69%
Min: 0.15%

BNS’s Return on Equity of 7.96% is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.

BRK.B

9.68%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 40.58%
Q3: 20.06%
Median: 10.67%
Q1: 4.19%
Min: -10.31%

BRK.B’s Return on Equity of 9.68% is on par with the norm for the Financial Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

BNS vs. BRK.B: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

BNS

26.04%

Banks Industry

Max: 54.20%
Q3: 35.70%
Median: 28.97%
Q1: 22.53%
Min: 6.98%

BNS’s Net Profit Margin of 26.04% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Banks industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

BRK.B

17.00%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 52.86%
Q3: 25.58%
Median: 12.23%
Q1: 6.64%
Min: -9.92%

BRK.B’s Net Profit Margin of 17.00% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Financial Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

BNS vs. BRK.B: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

BNS

34.15%

Banks Industry

Max: 63.35%
Q3: 44.59%
Median: 37.24%
Q1: 28.25%
Min: 13.37%

BNS’s Operating Profit Margin of 34.15% is around the midpoint for the Banks industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

BRK.B

13.29%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 77.28%
Q3: 37.68%
Median: 18.17%
Q1: 9.27%
Min: -8.19%

BRK.B’s Operating Profit Margin of 13.29% is around the midpoint for the Financial Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

BNS vs. BRK.B: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	BNS	BRK.B
Return on Equity (TTM)	7.96%	9.68%
Return on Assets (TTM)	0.47%	5.44%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	26.04%	17.00%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	34.15%	13.29%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	--	16.97%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

BNS

Banks Industry

Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

For the Banks industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

BRK.B

1.95

Financial Services Industry

Max: 4.58
Q3: 2.59
Median: 1.33
Q1: 0.69
Min: 0.01

For the Financial Services industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

BNS vs. BRK.B: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

BNS

2.62

Banks Industry

Max: 4.75
Q3: 2.62
Median: 1.02
Q1: 0.39
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Banks industry.

BRK.B

0.19

Financial Services Industry

Max: 4.96
Q3: 2.10
Median: 0.57
Q1: 0.12
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Financial Services industry.

BNS vs. BRK.B: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

BNS

Banks Industry

Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Banks industry.

BRK.B

0.57

Financial Services Industry

Max: 136.23
Q3: 56.08
Median: 6.55
Q1: 2.01
Min: -33.27

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial Services industry.

BNS vs. BRK.B: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	BNS	BRK.B
Current Ratio (MRQ)	--	1.95
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	--	1.68
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	2.62	0.19
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	--	0.57

Growth

Revenue Growth

BNS vs. BRK.B: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

BNS vs. BRK.B: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

BNS

5.95%

Banks Industry

Max: 10.27%
Q3: 5.83%
Median: 3.81%
Q1: 2.50%
Min: 0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 5.95%, BNS offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Banks industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

BRK.B

0.00%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 8.18%
Q3: 3.60%
Median: 1.56%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

BRK.B currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

BNS vs. BRK.B: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

BNS

86.66%

Banks Industry

Max: 147.07%
Q3: 80.55%
Median: 54.40%
Q1: 35.71%
Min: 0.00%

BNS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 86.66% is in the upper quartile for the Banks industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.

BRK.B

0.00%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 155.56%
Q3: 63.71%
Median: 18.08%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

BRK.B has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

BNS vs. BRK.B: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	BNS	BRK.B
Dividend Yield (TTM)	5.95%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	86.66%	0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

BNS

14.58

Banks Industry

Max: 20.05
Q3: 12.65
Median: 10.21
Q1: 7.54
Min: 2.74

A P/E Ratio of 14.58 places BNS in the upper quartile for the Banks industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.

BRK.B

16.37

Financial Services Industry

Max: 63.23
Q3: 32.10
Median: 14.41
Q1: 10.81
Min: 0.37

BRK.B’s P/E Ratio of 16.37 is within the middle range for the Financial Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

BNS vs. BRK.B: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

BNS

2.29

Banks Industry

Max: 5.06
Q3: 2.98
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.59
Min: 0.45

The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Banks industry.

BRK.B

2.78

Financial Services Industry

Max: 11.16
Q3: 5.45
Median: 2.61
Q1: 1.25
Min: 0.04

The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial Services industry.

BNS vs. BRK.B: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

BNS

1.01

Banks Industry

Max: 2.18
Q3: 1.36
Median: 1.09
Q1: 0.81
Min: 0.20

BNS’s P/B Ratio of 1.01 is within the conventional range for the Banks industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

BRK.B

1.57

Financial Services Industry

Max: 7.09
Q3: 3.79
Median: 1.46
Q1: 0.83
Min: 0.04

BRK.B’s P/B Ratio of 1.57 is within the conventional range for the Financial Services industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

BNS vs. BRK.B: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	BNS	BRK.B
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	14.58	16.37
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	2.29	2.78
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	1.01	1.57
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	4.58	86.95