New Bank Preferreds Are Attractive

Article Excerpt

BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA 6.25% SERIES 26 PREFERREDS $24.90 (Toronto symbol BNS.PR.T) pay quarterly dividends at a rate of $1.5625 annually and have a current yield of 6.28%. Dividends are paid in April, July, October and January. Like most Canadian financial institutions, Bank of Nova Scotia’s preferred dividends are non-cumulative. That’s because it’s more advantageous for banks to classify their preferred shares as subordinate capital, which is capital that ranks after the banks’ deposits and gives them more financial flexibility in a difficult economy. Non-cumulative preferred shares meet this test, as dividends are suspendable without penalty. Of course, this means less security for preferred shareholders. However, the risk of banks halting preferred dividends is extremely remote. The bank may redeem the $275 million of Bank of Nova Scotia Series 26 preferreds on April 26, 2014, and on April 26 every five years after, at $25 a share plus accrued or unpaid dividends. A redemption feature lets the issuer buy the preferred back from…