Scotiabank profit rises 2%... Bank of Nova Scotia’s profit edged 2 per cent higher in the fiscal third quarter as rising returns from retail banking results helped offset weaker results from capital markets and wealth management.
Scotiabank earned $2.59-billion, or $2.09 per share, compared with $2.54-billion, or $1.99 per share, in the same quarter a year earlier.
Adjusted to exclude certain items, Scotiabank said it earned $2.10 per share, which fell shy of the $2.13 analysts had expected, according to Refinitiv.
Scotiabank is the first major Canadian bank to report earnings for the quarter that ended July 31. With high inflation and rising interest rates putting pressure on economic growth and financial markets, lenders faced what chief executive officer Brian Porter described as “a more challenging macro environment,” in a news release.
The bank increased its provisions for credit losses - the funds banks set aside to cover loans that may default - to $412-million in the quarter. That compared with provisions of $380-million a year earlier and $219-million in the second quarter.
Most notably, the bank’s new provisions included $23-million earmarked against loans that are still being repaid but could turn sour in future because of a “less favourable macroeconomic forecast.” In each of the previous four quarters, Scotiabank had recovered some of those performing provisions as the economy improved and the bank released money from large reserves built during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even so, the $389-million in provisions set aside to cover impaired loans - those that are actually past due - is still very low by historical standards.
Profit from Canadian banking was $1.2-billion, up 12 per cent year over year. Loan balances increased rapidly, with business loans up 23 per cent and residential mortgages up 14 per cent even with housing markets cooling. And the unit’s profit margin on loans increased by 6 basis points to 2.29 per cent, helped by rising interest rates. (100 basis points equal one percentage point).
International banking profit of $625-million was up 30 per cent from a year earlier, also helped by rising loan balances. But lending margins contracted by one basis point, as central bank rate hikes drove up deposit rates. The division - which is focused on Mexico, Peru, Chile and Colombia - has been a key barometer for Scotiabank.
As expected, global banking and markets profit of $378-million was sharply lower, down 26 per cent, as conditions in capital markets were much weaker than a year ago. Advisory fees were also lower.
Falling equity markets also dragged wealth management profit 3 per cent lower, to $376-million, as the declining value of assets reduced fee income.
The bank kept its quarterly dividend constant at $1.03 per share, and repurchased five million common shares in the quarter.