MS vs. BNS
MS (Morgan Stanley) and BNS (The Bank of Nova Scotia) are both stocks. Both are in the Financial Services sector — MS in Capital Markets, BNS in Banks - Diversified. Over the past 10 years, MS returned 27.71%/yr vs 11.61%/yr for BNS. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
MS vs. BNS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MS achieves a 21.88% return, which is significantly higher than BNS's 16.52% return. Over the past 10 years, MS has outperformed BNS with an annualized return of 27.71%, while BNS has yielded a comparatively lower 11.61% annualized return.
MS
- 1D
- 0.65%
- 1M
- 11.18%
- YTD
- 21.88%
- 6M
- 21.28%
- 1Y
- 69.28%
- 3Y*
- 38.69%
- 5Y*
- 22.26%
- 10Y*
- 27.71%
BNS
- 1D
- 1.57%
- 1M
- 8.96%
- YTD
- 16.52%
- 6M
- 17.99%
- 1Y
- 62.38%
- 3Y*
- 27.10%
- 5Y*
- 11.56%
- 10Y*
- 11.61%
MS vs. BNS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MS Morgan Stanley | 21.88% | 45.16% | 39.73% | 13.93% | -10.34% | 46.65% | 38.09% | 32.67% | -22.76% | 26.61% |
BNS The Bank of Nova Scotia | 16.52% | 45.11% | 17.55% | 8.53% | -28.05% | 40.62% | 1.70% | 17.49% | -18.28% | 21.83% |
Correlation
The correlation between MS and BNS is 0.45, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.45 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.57 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.56 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 13, 1999 | 0.44 |
The correlation between MS and BNS shifts across timeframes, from 0.44 (all time) to 0.57 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
MS:
$340.97B
BNS:
$76.13B
MS:
$11.41
BNS:
CA$8.23
MS:
18.75
BNS:
14.26
MS:
2.84
BNS:
1.93
MS:
3.26
BNS:
1.38
MS:
$120.22B
BNS:
CA$70.57B
MS:
$69.72B
BNS:
CA$33.43B
MS:
$27.21B
BNS:
CA$13.61B
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Return for Risk
MS vs. BNS — Risk / Return Rank
MS
BNS
MS vs. BNS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Morgan Stanley (MS) and The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| MS | BNS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.16 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.03 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.43 | 1.68 | -0.25 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.53 | 4.69 | -1.16 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.65 | 18.38 | -6.73 |
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Drawdowns
MS vs. BNS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MS drawdown since its inception was -88.12%, which is greater than BNS's maximum drawdown of -63.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MS and BNS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MS | BNS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -88.12% | -63.65% | -24.47% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.83% | -13.36% | -5.47% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.24% | -19.51% | -9.73% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.38% | -39.12% | +6.74% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -51.33% | -46.29% | -5.04% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.94% | 0.00% | -1.94% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -33.69% | -11.01% | -22.68% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.70% | 3.40% | +2.30% |
Volatility
MS vs. BNS - Volatility Comparison
Morgan Stanley (MS) has a higher volatility of 8.62% compared to The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) at 4.91%. This indicates that MS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BNS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MS | BNS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.62% | 4.91% | +3.71% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 21.46% | 12.97% | +8.49% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 25.81% | 16.80% | +9.01% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 28.75% | 19.57% | +9.18% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.51% | 21.92% | +9.59% |
Dividends
MS vs. BNS - Dividend Comparison
MS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.87%, less than BNS's 3.79% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BNS The Bank of Nova Scotia | 3.79% | 4.17% | 5.85% | 8.56% | 6.39% | 5.09% | 4.93% | 3.53% | 6.34% | 4.80% | 5.24% | 8.13% |
MS Morgan Stanley | 1.87% | 2.17% | 2.82% | 3.49% | 3.47% | 2.14% | 2.04% | 2.54% | 2.77% | 1.72% | 1.66% | 1.73% |
Financials
MS vs. BNS - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Morgan Stanley and The Bank of Nova Scotia. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
MS vs. BNS - Profitability Comparison
MS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Morgan Stanley reported a gross profit of 20.48B and revenue of 33.15B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 61.8%.
BNS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Bank of Nova Scotia reported a gross profit of 8.40B and revenue of 17.18B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 48.9%.
MS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Morgan Stanley reported an operating income of 7.01B and revenue of 33.15B, resulting in an operating margin of 21.2%.
BNS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Bank of Nova Scotia reported an operating income of 3.43B and revenue of 17.18B, resulting in an operating margin of 20.0%.
MS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Morgan Stanley reported a net income of 5.64B and revenue of 33.15B, resulting in a net margin of 17.0%.
BNS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Bank of Nova Scotia reported a net income of 2.59B and revenue of 17.18B, resulting in a net margin of 15.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
MS and BNS have a correlation of 0.45, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MS has higher volatility (8.62%) compared to BNS (4.91%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MS dropped -88.12% vs BNS's -63.65%.
BNS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.73 vs 2.58), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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