RY vs BNS

For growth investors, The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) is the stronger pick with 148.

2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 1% for Royal Bank of Canada (RY). Royal Bank of Canada (RY) offers the better valuation at 17. 5x trailing P/E (11. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) a "Buy" — based on 19 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Royal Bank of Canada (RY) is the cheapest at 17.

5x versus The Bank of Nova Scotia at 18. 7x. On forward P/E, The Bank of Nova Scotia is actually cheaper at 9. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Royal Bank of Canada wins at 0. 92x versus The Bank of Nova Scotia's 6. 73x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Royal Bank of Canada (RY) delivered a total return of +105.

4%, compared to +45. 4% for The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: RY returned +267. 7% versus BNS's +123. 3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

60β versus Royal Bank of Canada's 0. 64β — meaning RY is approximately 7% more volatile than BNS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 6% versus 6% for Royal Bank of Canada — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) is pulling ahead at 148.

2% versus 2. 1% for Royal Bank of Canada (RY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Royal Bank of Canada grew EPS 25. 5% year-over-year, compared to -2. 9% for The Bank of Nova Scotia. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Royal Bank of Canada (RY) is the more profitable company, earning 14.

8% net margin versus 10. 6% for The Bank of Nova Scotia — meaning it keeps 14. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: RY leads at 18. 7% versus 14. 4% for BNS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — RY leads at 45. 3%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Royal Bank of Canada (RY) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 92x versus The Bank of Nova Scotia's 6. 73x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) trades at 9. 6x forward P/E versus 11. 5x for Royal Bank of Canada — 1. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BNS: -8. 0% to $72. 15.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) offers the highest yield at 4. 0%, versus 2. 5% for Royal Bank of Canada (RY).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Royal Bank of Canada (RY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

64), 2. 5% yield, +267. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (RY: +267. 7%, BNS: +123. 3%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Financial Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: RY is a large-cap deep-value stock; BNS is a mid-cap high-growth stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.