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BNS vs. C: Bank of Nova Scotia vs. Citigroup Stock Comparison

How do Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C) are both classified in the Diversified Banks sub-industry within the broader Banks industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C)
Profile ItemBNSC
NameBank of Nova ScotiaCitigroup Inc.
Country/RegionCanadaUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryDiversified BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization111.75 billion USD197.05 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 7, 2002January 3, 1977
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BNS
C
GSPC
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. Citigroup (C), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C)
MetricBNSC
Total Return (1Y)44.24%23.42%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)35.89%47.29%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.57%16.24%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BNS
C
GSPC
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. Citigroup (C), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C)
MetricBNSC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)20.52%29.96%
Beta (5Y)1.141.17
Max Drawdown (5Y)-40.53%-40.60%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.76M9.35M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BNS and C are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C)
MetricBNSC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.950.64
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.990.90

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 11.46% is around its peer norm for ROE, while Citigroup (C) at 9.35% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker returns on shareholders’ equity.

BNS

Banks industry group

11.46%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
BNS
11.46%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%

C

Banks industry group

9.35%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
C
9.35%
Min
3.64%
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. Citigroup (C): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 28.43% keeps about the industry-typical share of revenue as profit, while Citigroup (C) at 23.21% retains only a bottom-quartile share.

BNS

Banks industry group

28.43%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
BNS
28.43%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%

C

Banks industry group

23.21%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
C
23.21%
Min
14.93%
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. Citigroup (C): A comparison of their net margin against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) in Banks and Citigroup (C) in Banks, funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C)
MetricBNSC
ROE (TTM)11.46%9.35%
ROA (TTM)0.68%0.71%
Net Margin (TTM)28.43%23.21%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 10.36% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Citigroup (C) at 5.63% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. Citigroup (C): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Citigroup (C) at 17.68% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at -3.41% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. Citigroup (C): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C)
MetricBNSC
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.36%5.63%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.59%4.59%
EPS Growth (YoY)-3.41%17.68%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-10.92%-0.05%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) in Banks and Citigroup (C) in Banks both report balance sheets without a current/non-current split, so their short-term liquidity is better judged through regulatory and funding measures.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

debt-to-equity ratio is set aside for both: Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) in Banks and Citigroup (C) in Banks run businesses where balance-sheet leverage is part of the model, so capital-adequacy and funding measures are the better gauges of balance-sheet risk.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C)
MetricBNSC
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 4.84% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Citigroup (C) at 2.09% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, BNS the richer one.

BNS

Banks industry group

4.84%

Max
5.79%
BNS
4.84%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%

C

Banks industry group

2.09%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
C
2.09%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. Citigroup (C): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Citigroup (C) at 24.07% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 58.04% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

BNS

Banks industry group

58.04%

Max
70.75%
BNS
58.04%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%

C

Banks industry group

24.07%

Max
70.75%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
C
24.07%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. Citigroup (C): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C)
MetricBNSC
Dividend Yield (TTM)4.84%2.09%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)58.04%24.07%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Citigroup (C) at 11.60 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 16.61 sits in the richer quartile — BNS needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

BNS

Banks industry group

16.61

Max
18.16
BNS
16.61
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49

C

Banks industry group

11.60

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
C
11.60
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. Citigroup (C): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

P/S ratio is set aside for both Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) in Banks and Citigroup (C) in Banks: without a conventional revenue line, pricing per dollar of sales isn’t meaningful, and book- or earnings-based multiples make the better comparison.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Citigroup (C) at 1.03 looks cheap against book in the lower P/B ratio quartile, while Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 1.76 carries a premium in the upper quartile — a clear price-to-book gap.

BNS

Banks industry group

1.76

Max
2.28
BNS
1.76
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59

C

Banks industry group

1.03

Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
C
1.03
Min
0.59
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. Citigroup (C): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and Citigroup (C)
MetricBNSC
P/E Ratio (TTM)16.6111.60
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.761.03
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----