Woodward Reports Record Sales & Earnings for Fiscal Year 2024
Things are starting to look up for the Seattle Kraken. The Kraken won five of six games on their just-completed homestand to surpass hockey's version of .500 (10-9-1) and move within a point of the Western Conference's two wild-card playoff spots. Seattle will try to carry that momentum into Saturday's game against the host Los Angeles Kings, who have lost three of their past four games. The Kraken dropped four road games in a row -- a span in which they scored just four goals -- before returning home. "We were obviously losing those games, and I think your confidence, momentum and mindset starts to change a little bit," Kraken center Matty Beniers said. "So, I think being able to get home, we just kind of had a couple of days off. We were able to get some really good days of practice and make sure that our mindset and game was good and together. "And then we were able to get that first win ... and once that happens, you build confidence, and you build chemistry from there." The Kraken are coming off a 3-0 victory against visiting Nashville on Wednesday as Joey Daccord made 24 saves for his first shutout of the season. Brandon Montour (one goal, one assist) and Chandler Stephenson (three assists), Seattle's big offseason acquisitions, sparked the offense. Forward Jared McCann, the Kraken's leading scorer with nine goals and 21 points, scored three times during the homestand, including an overtime winner against Vegas. "The way things ended on the road trip, we felt like we'd let some games get away from us," McCann said. "Obviously, it wasn't good but coming home here we kind of turned the page and just tried to focus on the next game. "I mean, it's just more of a mental thing. You've got to get past that mental block. We didn't have our best (on the road), but you've got to just push that aside and worry about the next one. "That's kind of the way we had to look at it and it's worked out for us." The Kings lost 1-0 to visiting Buffalo on Wednesday despite 18 saves by David Rittich. It was the first time this season that Los Angeles was blanked. "There's nights that I'm really frustrated with how we played, and it's hard to be disappointed with the guys (Wednesday)," Kings coach Jim Hiller said. "They tried, it didn't go their way. Live with it and move on." The Kings came close to scoring several times, including a two-on-one rush late in the second period when Trevor Moore tried to pass to Phillip Danault instead of shooting. "Just one too many passes," Hiller said. "We thought Mooresy should have shot it. If the pass gets through and Phil taps it in the back door, we're saying, ‘Wow, what an incredible goal.' So you can't take that decision-making off the players. They have to play hockey and choose what's right in the situation. "On a night like (Wednesday) where it was hard to find a goal, you don't want to pass too many up. Maybe that was one that we passed up." --Field Level Media
The search and rescue organization for Metro Vancouver's North Shore mountains is warning people to do their research after two international visitors became stranded while relying on hiking apps to plan their routes. Allan McMordie with North Shore Rescue managed the Sunday night rescue of a man from Goat Ridge, a backcountry area behind Grouse Mountain. He said the man told rescuers he had not been expecting snow, despite two of the local ski hills opening with fresh powder last month. "All you had to do was look at the top of the mountains from Vancouver and know there's snow up there," he said in an interview. "To be in running shoes and not even expecting any snow was pretty naive." The man from France had set out on a marked route, then decided to make his way through very rough, steep terrain to a separate trail at significantly higher elevation. "This is rugged backcountry," McMordie said. "It's almost impassable." McMordie could not confirm which apps the hikers in both recent rescues were using, but said a lack of any marked route or trail reports is a good indication not to use the application. In any case, he said trip planning should involve multiple sources for information. If the man from France had done any research, McMordie said he would have discovered the backcountry area where he was rescued is closed for the winter. In both recent cases, he said there are signs at each trailhead with maps showing trails and topography, along with reminders about key steps in trip planning, he said. Both men were lucky to have been able to make 911 calls, McMordie added, as service is patchy in the area and their phone batteries had nearly run out. Above all, he said hikers should tell someone else where they're going and when they expect to return, so that person can alert local authorities if necessary. "Absolutely nobody knew where this person was and what he was doing that day," McMordie said of the man from France. "If he had not been able to get that (911) call out, he would still be there." Sunday's rescue on Goat Ridge came three days after a similar call, when another man "seriously underestimated the difficulty" of a route marked in an online hiking app, North Shore Rescue said in a statement posted to social media. The group said there is "barely a trail" in the summer and "nothing whatsoever" in the winter, making for "full mountaineering conditions" at this time of year. The man called for help after hiking for eight hours that left him "tired, soaked (and) hypothermic" as the sun was setting," it said. It's doubtful the man would have survived the night in the Mount Seymour backcountry if he hadn't been able to make the call, the rescue group added. The man had been staying in a short-term accommodation and had taken an Uber to the trailhead. Only his girlfriend in Norway knew where he was, and he was not wearing or carrying adequate gear for the conditions, McMordie said. Vancouver-based Stephen Hui, the author of several B.C. hiking guidebooks, said the rough, mountainous terrain steps away from urban Metro Vancouver and the extent of the snowpack in winter is a surprise for many visiting hikers. Hui said online apps can be helpful and often provide commentary about trail conditions from other hikers, but it's crucial to look at additional sources of information, including complete maps and provincial and national park websites. He said local authorities and outdoor groups have some responsibility for people heading into the backcountry, and there is room for more signage and education. Ultimately, though, he said people must be responsible for themselves. "We can't handhold everybody," he said. "There's always going to be dangers in hiking." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024. Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press
( ) just reported the fiscal fourth quarter (Q4) and full-year 2024 results that disappointed the market. Investors are wondering if the pullback in the stock on the earnings news is a good opportunity to add BNS stock to a self-directed Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) or (RRSP) portfolio. Bank of Nova Scotia share price Bank of Nova Scotia trades near $77 per share at the time of writing. The stock is off the 12-month high near $80 but is still up more than 20% in 2025. The bank is in a transition phase, which was launched by its new chief executive officer last year. Bank of Nova Scotia is shifting its growth strategy away from South America to focus more on Canada, the United States, and Mexico. In the past, the bank spent billions of dollars to acquire assets in Chile, Colombia, and Peru. These countries, along with Mexico, make up the core of the Pacific Alliance trade bloc that enables the free movement of goods, services, and capital among the member markets. The attraction for the bank has always been the growth potential as the middle class expands in these countries. Combined, they have a total population of more than 230 million with low bank services penetration compared to Canada. Economic and political turbulence, however, increases risks in these markets. That’s probably the reason investors have largely preferred the other big Canadian banks for several years. The new strategy of focusing on North American opportunities is designed to boost investors’ returns. In recent months, Bank of Nova Scotia announced a US$$2.8 billion deal to acquire a 14.9% stake in KeyCorp, a U.S. regional bank. The move gives Bank of Nova Scotia a platform to expand its American operations. Bank of Nova Scotia has also created a new executive position to oversee expansion in Quebec. Earnings Bank of Nova Scotia generated adjusted net income of $2.12 billion in fiscal Q4 2024 compared to $1.64 billion in the same period last year. For fiscal 2024, adjusted net income rose to $8.63 billion from $8.36 billion in 2023. Return on equity dipped slightly to 11.3% from 11.6%. Overall, the Q4 and full-year results are solid. Bank of Nova Scotia continues to maintain a strong capital position with a common equity tier-one (CET1) ratio of 13.1%. This gives the bank financial flexibility to ride out turbulence in the markets or to make additional acquisitions. The bank took a $430 million charge in the quarter related to a previous investment in China. Bank of Nova Scotia also reported fiscal Q4 provisions for credit losses (PCL) of $1.03 billion compared to $1.05 billion in the same period last year. Investors might have been hoping for a drop in PCL, given the cuts to interest rates in Canada and the United States in recent months. For fiscal 2024, PCL was $4.05 billion compared to $3.42 billion in 2023. The elevated PCL suggests that customers with too much debt are still struggling despite the decline in interest rates in the second half of this year. Risks High interest rates remain a headwind for the . Inflation rose in October in Canada and the U.S. after a steady decline over the past year. If the Trump administration moves ahead with planned tariffs next year, inflation in the U.S. could surge, potentially forcing the central bank to put rate cuts on hold. Tariffs would also put pressure on the Canadian economy. If the central banks are forced to slow down planned rate cuts or start to raise rates again, Bank of Nova Scotia and its peers might see defaults start to increase next year. Should you buy the dip? BNS stock is due for a pullback after the big gains this year. Given the uncertain outlook over the coming months, it might be best to wait for earnings reports from the other large Canadian banks to get a sense of where they see things headed in 2025. A better entry point might be on the horizon.US was not aware in advance of South Korea martial law decision, Blinken says'Still working full time on it:' One year later police continue to search for gunman in Caledon double murder linked to ex-Olympian