Scotiabank Increases Dividend on Outstanding Common Shares

• Scotiabank announced a dividend increase of $0.04 per share to $1.14 annually, payable July 29, 2026.
• Record date for shareholders is July 7, 2026.
• The Shareholder Dividend and Share Purchase Plan has been updated; treasury issuance discontinued in favor of secondary market purchases by Computershare Trust Company.
• This follows Q1 2026 earnings which reported adjusted EPS of $2.05 (up 16% YoY) and ROE of 13%.
• The dividend hike aligns with the bank's capital return strategy, complementing the renewed Normal Course Issuer Bid (NCIB) approved in April 2026 for up to 15 million shares.

• Dividend Increase: The increase is positive but expected given the strong Q1 earnings growth and management's commitment to returning capital. It confirms cash flow stability post-LatAm divestiture but does not fundamentally alter valuation multiples significantly.
• Capital Allocation: The combination of dividend hikes and share buybacks (4.9 million shares repurchased in Q1) signals confidence in the balance sheet, specifically regarding CET1 ratio maintenance at 13.3%.
• Strategic Context: This news follows the completion of the Davivienda transaction (Dec 2025), which improved the CET1 ratio by ~10 basis points despite a one-off FX loss. The dividend increase validates that the bank can sustain payouts after restructuring costs.
• Market Expectation: Analysts likely priced in capital returns given the Q1 guidance of achieving 14%+ ROE by 2027. This is incremental confirmation rather than a surprise catalyst.

• Company: Scotiabank (BNS), one of Canada's Big Six banks with a significant footprint in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Flagship Project/Strategy: International Banking expansion following the divestiture of Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama operations to Davivienda. The bank now holds a ~20% equity stake in the combined entity while focusing on core markets like Mexico and Canada.
• Key Initiatives:
  • Scotia Intelligence: Enterprise AI platform launched April 2026 to accelerate adoption across contact centers and commercial banking.
  • Scene+ Loyalty: Expanded partnership with Shell Canada (May 2026) integrating fuel rewards into the loyalty ecosystem.
  • Sustainability: Top North American bank for ESG Score by S&P Global; active in sustainable finance awards.