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Data last updated: Sep 02, 2026
Snapshot (as of Sep 02, 2026): The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) pays a $4.44 annual dividend ($1.11 quarterly), yielding 3.50% at $91.19/share. Next ex-dividend date 2026-10-06. Source: Yahoo Finance, aggregated by MerryDiv.
Dividend Yield: 3.50%
Annual Dividend: $4.44 per share
Payout Ratio: 59.6%
Ex-Dividend Date: 2026-10-06
Dividend Frequency: quarterly
Sector: Financial Services
Years of Dividend History: 25
The Bank of Nova Scotia dividend has been a fixture for income-focused investors drawn to one of Canada's largest banks, with operations spanning Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Wealth Management, and Global Banking and Markets. BNS currently pays a 3.46% dividend yield. Actual trailing payments total $4.44 per share annually, paid quarterly, with the next ex-dividend date on October 6, 2026. A beta of 1.209 means BNS moves slightly more than the broader market, which income investors seeking lower volatility should weigh carefully.
The Bank of Nova Scotia pays out 59.6% of earnings as dividends, a payout ratio classified as moderate (40–60%). That level leaves a meaningful buffer from earnings, supported by the bank's diversified revenue base across retail banking products like mortgages, loans, and deposit accounts, as well as wealth management and institutional services across multiple geographies. The Bank of Nova Scotia dividend safety faces its most visible pressure from the bank's international exposure, particularly in Latin American markets where economic conditions can be less predictable than in Canada.
The Bank of Nova Scotia dividend history shows a CAGR of 2.3% per year from 2004 to 2025. Per-share payments grew from $1.92 to $3.0753 over that period (2026 is a partial year and excluded from the CAGR calculation). The largest annual increase in the window was 37.0% in 2021, though the data also contains at least one year-over-year decline exceeding 5%, which means growth has not been linear.
| Period | CAGR | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Year | +9.5% | $2.35 (2022) | $3.08 (2025) |
| 5-Year | +2.9% | $2.67 (2020) | $3.08 (2025) |
| 10-Year | +0.9% | $2.82 (2015) | $3.08 (2025) |
BNS fits income-focused investors who want a moderate yield from a large, diversified bank rather than a high-growth dividend story. The current yield of 3.46% sits above its 5-year average of 3.31%, a modest premium that reflects the stock's current pricing rather than a structural shift in the payout. The dividend growth rate of 2.3% per year is slow, and the streak of consecutive increases stands at zero, so capital appreciation or rising income over time are not the draw here. What BNS offers is a moderate (2–4%) yield backed by a 59.6% payout ratio that leaves room to sustain payments through a diversified banking business spanning Canada, Latin America, and global markets. The trade-off is accepting slow growth and some volatility, with a beta above 1.2.
| Payment Date | Amount per Share |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-06 | $0.8224 |
| 2026-07-07 | $0.8030 |
| 2026-04-07 | $0.7910 |
| 2026-01-06 | $0.7979 |
| 2025-10-07 | $0.7885 |
| 2025-07-02 | $0.8075 |
| 2025-04-01 | $0.7404 |
| 2025-01-07 | $0.7389 |
| 2024-10-02 | $0.7860 |
| 2024-07-03 | $0.7750 |
| Year | Total Dividends |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $3.2143 |
| 2025 | $3.0753 |
| 2024 | $3.1395 |
| 2023 | $3.1043 |
| 2022 | $2.3450 |
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