As investors, it is easy to purchase companies that are right outside our front door. But sometimes we fail to realize that these companies have exposure to other markets. Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS)(NYSE:BNS) is such a company. You can’t walk more than a few blocks in a major city without seeing a branch of the bank.
But what’s so spectacular about Bank of Nova Scotia is that it has a growing market share in Latin America. By purchasing shares of Bank of Nova Scotia, you’re investing, in part, in the growth and success of countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Chile. All told, Bank of Nova Scotia has operations in over 50 countries.
Here’s the thing: the economies that Bank of Nova Scotia has operations in are still growing. If you launch a bank in Canada, it does well because the Canadian economy is defined and operational. In some Latin American countries, the economy is still growing and finding itself. That means that when these countries truly develop into thriving economies, Bank of Nova Scotia will already have operations on the ground to gain.
The good thing for investors is that it is already working. In Q1 2015, the company revealed that its international commercial loans growth grew 11% year over year. Its residential loan growth saw an expansion of 13% year over year.
Something to consider about Latin America is the size. Mexico has 122 million people, while Canada has 35 million people. As the Mexican economy continues to grow, that difference in population will be huge for Bank of Nova Scotia. If the bank is this successful targeting 35 million people, imagine how successful it will be targeting 122 million people.
It’s time to buy
Bank of Nova Scotia is a steal right now. It’s trading at less than 11 times its earnings, which is a really attractive price. Further, its Q2 numbers were incredible. It posted nearly $2 billion in net income and so far this year, its adjusted net income is up 1.2% over the previous year in the same time frame.
Further, the company is increasing its dividend. It announced that it was increasing the quarterly yield to $0.70 per share. Based on this price, the company is paying 4.85% to its investors every year. To top it off, the company has increased that dividend for five consecutive years. That means that every year, investors get a pay raise simply because they own a high-quality company.
It’s not every day that you get your hands on a well-established, high-earning bank that also has significant growth opportunities. If you want Latin American exposure and a great price, Bank of Nova Scotia is the company you want.
