Stock Market News for Investors: Fourth Quarter Earnings Arriving from Canada’s Big Banks – MoneySense

Sales totaled $9.80 billion, compared to $8.53 billion in the same quarter last year. The bank’s provision for credit losses for the quarter was $1.11 billion, compared with $1.03 billion a year ago.

On an adjusted basis, Scotiabank says it earned $1.93 per diluted share in the latest quarter, compared to an adjusted profit of $1.57 per diluted share a year ago. Analysts on average had expected an adjusted profit of $1.84, according to estimates from LSEG Data & Analytics.

Scotiabank CEO Scott Thomson said 2025 was a very positive year for the bank. “We delivered better results throughout the year as we strengthened our balance sheet, improved our loan-to-deposit ratio and increased return on equity,” Thomson said in a statement. “This quarter, all of our divisions reported year-over-year earnings growth, with particular strength in global asset management and global banking and markets, and improving results in Canadian banking.”

The bank’s global asset management business earned $447 million in net profit attributable to equity holders, up from $380 million in the same quarter last year, while its global banking and markets business earned $519 million this quarter, up from $347 million a year ago.

Scotiabank’s Canadian banking operations earned $941 million in the latest quarter, compared to $934 million in the same quarter last year. Meanwhile, Scotiabank’s international banking arm earned $634 million in net profit attributable to the bank’s shareholders for the quarter, compared to $600 million a year ago.

National Bank reports fourth-quarter profit of $1.06 billion and increases dividend

The National Bank of Canada increased its dividend as it reported fourth-quarter profits of $1.06 billion. The bank said Wednesday it will now pay a quarterly dividend of $1.24 per share, an increase of six cents.

National Bank, which announced Tuesday it is acquiring Laurentian Bank’s retail and small business segments, said fourth-quarter profit was $2.57 per diluted share, compared with net income of $955 million, or $2.66 per diluted share, a year ago, when there were fewer shares outstanding.

Revenue for the quarter ended Oct. 31 totaled $3.70 billion, up from $2.94 billion a year earlier.

The bank’s provisions for credit losses were $244 million, compared to $162 million in the same quarter last year. On an adjusted basis, National Bank says it earned $2.82 per diluted share in the latest quarter, compared to adjusted earnings of $2.58 per diluted share in the same quarter last year. Analysts on average had expected adjusted earnings of $2.62 per share, according to estimates from LSEG Data & Analytics.

“With our strengthened national presence, diversified business mix, strong capital ratios and prudent credit profile, we are well positioned to generate sustained growth and superior returns, in what will remain a complex macro environment,” National Bank CEO Laurent Ferreira said in a statement.

The bank said its personal and commercial banking group earned $319 million in the latest quarter, up from $327 million a year ago, as it was hit by costs related to its acquisition of Canadian Western Bank.

National Bank’s asset management business earned $258 million, up from $219 million, while its capital markets business earned $432 million, up from $306 million.

National Bank’s U.S. specialty finance and international operations earned $174 million, compared to $157 million in the same quarter last year.

RBC reports record fourth-quarter profits, but its CEO worries about an uneven economic recovery

Royal Bank of Canada easily exceeded analyst expectations by reporting record fourth-quarter results that showed rising profits in most divisions.

The bank said Wednesday it posted a profit of $5.43 billion in the quarter ended Oct. 31, compared with a profit of $4.22 billion a year ago, as capital markets, wealth management and personal and commercial banking all saw higher returns, offset by lower results in insurance. The results helped RBC increase its quarterly dividend from $1.54 per share to $1.64 per share.

The bank sees continued strength ahead and increases its return on equity from 16 percent to 17 percent.