# 1 pick raises dividend

Article Excerpt

BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA $78.75 (Toronto symbol BNS; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $93.2 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 3.9%, www.scotiabank.com) is the thirdlargest of Canada’s five big banks. In the three months ended January 31, 2017, the bank earned $2.0 billion, or $1.58 a share. That’s a 10.7% jump from the $1.8 billion, or $1.44 a share, it earned a year earlier. The recent results are just above the consensus estimate of $1.57. The stronger earnings are thanks to increased demand for new loans as interest rates remain low. In the quarter, earnings from banking operations in Canada (49% of the total) rose 12.0%. Apart from loan growth, cost cutting added to the bank’s profits. Similarly, strong growth of loans, deposits and fees in Latin America boosted earnings for the bank’s international operations (28%) by 18%. Profits from securities trading (23%) rose 28% on stronger stock, bond and precious-metals markets. Bank of Nova Scotia trades at just 12.2 times this year’s…