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BNS vs. NWG: Bank of Nova Scotia vs. NatWest Stock Comparison

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

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) trades as ordinary local shares, while NatWest (NWG) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and NatWest (NWG)
Profile ItemBNSNWG
NameBank of Nova ScotiaNatWest Group plc Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionCanadaUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryDiversified BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization111.75 billion USD61.54 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 7, 2002October 18, 2007
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BNS
NWG
GSPC
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. NatWest (NWG), 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 NatWest (NWG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and NatWest (NWG). 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 NatWest (NWG)
MetricBNSNWG
Total Return (1Y)44.24%7.03%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)35.89%59.12%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.57%30.15%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BNS
NWG
GSPC
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. NatWest (NWG), 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 NatWest (NWG). 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 NatWest (NWG)
MetricBNSNWG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)20.52%33.39%
Beta (5Y)1.140.96
Max Drawdown (5Y)-40.53%-40.66%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.76M3.73M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BNS and NWG 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 NatWest (NWG)
MetricBNSNWG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.950.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.990.12

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

NatWest (NWG) at 14.58% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 11.46% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for NWG.

BNS

Banks industry group

11.46%

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

NWG

Banks industry group

14.58%

Max
19.84%
NWG
14.58%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. NatWest (NWG): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

NatWest (NWG) at 36.93% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 28.43%, which keeps about the industry-typical 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%

NWG

Banks industry group

36.93%

Max
47.19%
NWG
36.93%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. NatWest (NWG): 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 NatWest (NWG) 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 NatWest (NWG)
MetricBNSNWG
ROE (TTM)11.46%14.58%
ROA (TTM)0.68%0.85%
Net Margin (TTM)28.43%36.93%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 10.36% and NatWest (NWG) at 13.35% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

NatWest (NWG) at 26.93% 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. NatWest (NWG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and NatWest (NWG)
MetricBNSNWG
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.36%13.35%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.59%7.55%
EPS Growth (YoY)-3.41%26.93%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-10.92%26.12%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) in Banks and NatWest (NWG) 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 NatWest (NWG) 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 NatWest (NWG)
MetricBNSNWG
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 NatWest (NWG) at 2.19% 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%

NWG

Banks industry group

2.19%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
NWG
2.19%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. NatWest (NWG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 58.04% and NatWest (NWG) at 47.43% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

BNS

Banks industry group

58.04%

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

NWG

Banks industry group

47.43%

Max
70.75%
NWG
47.43%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. NatWest (NWG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and NatWest (NWG)
MetricBNSNWG
Dividend Yield (TTM)4.84%2.19%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)58.04%47.43%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

NatWest (NWG) at 7.84 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 16.61 sits in the richer quartile — a clear split in what investors pay for each dollar of trailing earnings.

BNS

Banks industry group

16.61

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

NWG

Banks industry group

7.84

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
Q1
10.64
NWG
7.84
Min
6.49
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. NatWest (NWG): 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 NatWest (NWG) 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)

NatWest (NWG) at 1.20 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 1.76 carries an above-peer premium to book — BNS is pricier on assets.

BNS

Banks industry group

1.76

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

NWG

Banks industry group

1.20

Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
NWG
1.20
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59
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Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) vs. NatWest (NWG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) and NatWest (NWG)
MetricBNSNWG
P/E Ratio (TTM)16.617.84
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.761.20
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----