BCE Inc.
Toronto symbol BCE, provides local and long distance telephone services in Ontario and Quebec. It also operates a nationwide wireless service.
BELL ALIANT INC. $27 (Toronto symbol BA, Conservative Growth Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 229.1 million; Market cap: $6.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.2; Dividend yield: 7.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.bellaliant.ca) sells telephone and Internet services to 2.4 million customers in Atlantic Canada and rural parts of Ontario and Quebec. It also sells wireless services through an alliance with BCE (see left).
The company continues to replace its copper-wire cables with fibre optic lines. That’s letting it sell more high-speed Internet and digital TV services, which is offsetting falling demand for land lines. (Traditional phones still supply 52% of its overall revenue.)
In the three months ended June 30, 2013, Bell Aliant’s revenue rose 0.6%, to $691.8 million from $687.7 million a year ago. Earnings fell 10.8%, to $0.66 a share from $0.74. If you exclude a charge related to an early debt repayment and other unusual items, per-share earnings would have fallen 4.9%, to $0.39 from $0.41.
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The company continues to replace its copper-wire cables with fibre optic lines. That’s letting it sell more high-speed Internet and digital TV services, which is offsetting falling demand for land lines. (Traditional phones still supply 52% of its overall revenue.)
In the three months ended June 30, 2013, Bell Aliant’s revenue rose 0.6%, to $691.8 million from $687.7 million a year ago. Earnings fell 10.8%, to $0.66 a share from $0.74. If you exclude a charge related to an early debt repayment and other unusual items, per-share earnings would have fallen 4.9%, to $0.39 from $0.41.
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BCE INC. $42.55 (Toronto symbol BCE; Shares outstanding: 775.9 million; Market cap: $33.0 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 5.5%; www.bce.ca) has completed its $3.2-billion purchase of Astral Media.
Astral owns 22 TV stations, 84 radio stations and several pay TV and specialty channels, such as the Movie Network, Family Channel and Teletoon.
To win approval for the takeover, BCE agreed to sell several of Astral’s specialty TV channels and radio stations. Still, the new operations should immediately add to the company’s earnings.
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Astral owns 22 TV stations, 84 radio stations and several pay TV and specialty channels, such as the Movie Network, Family Channel and Teletoon.
To win approval for the takeover, BCE agreed to sell several of Astral’s specialty TV channels and radio stations. Still, the new operations should immediately add to the company’s earnings.
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ISHARES DOW JONES CANADA SELECT DIVIDEND INDEX FUND $22.31 (Toronto symbol XDV; buy or sell through brokers; ca.ishares.com) holds 30 of the highest-yielding Canadian stocks. Its selections are based on dividend growth, yield and payout ratio. The weight of any one stock is limited to 10% of its assets. The fund’s MER is 0.50%. It yields 4.5%.
The fund’s top holdings are Bonterra Energy, 6.5%; CIBC, 6.3%; National Bank, 5.9%; TD Bank, 5.7%; Bank of Montreal, 5.3%; Royal Bank, 4.5%; IGM Financial, 4.4%; Telus Corp., 4.2%; Bank of Nova Scotia, 4.1%; and BCE Inc., 4.0%.
The fund holds 53.4% of its assets in financial stocks. The top Canadian finance stocks have sound prospects. However, if you invest in this ETF, be sure to adjust the rest of your portfolio so it won’t be overly concentrated in the financial sector.
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The fund’s top holdings are Bonterra Energy, 6.5%; CIBC, 6.3%; National Bank, 5.9%; TD Bank, 5.7%; Bank of Montreal, 5.3%; Royal Bank, 4.5%; IGM Financial, 4.4%; Telus Corp., 4.2%; Bank of Nova Scotia, 4.1%; and BCE Inc., 4.0%.
The fund holds 53.4% of its assets in financial stocks. The top Canadian finance stocks have sound prospects. However, if you invest in this ETF, be sure to adjust the rest of your portfolio so it won’t be overly concentrated in the financial sector.
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ISHARES S&P/TSX 60 INDEX FUND $17.88 (Toronto symbol XIU; buy or sell through brokers; ca.ishares.com) is a good low-fee way to buy the top stocks on the TSX. The units are made up of stocks that represent the S&P/TSX 60 Index, which consists of the 60 largest, most heavily traded stocks on the exchange. Expenses are just 0.17% of assets.
The index mostly consists of high-quality companies. However, it must ensure that all sectors are represented, so it holds a few we wouldn’t include.
The index’s top holdings are Royal Bank, 8.2%; TD Bank, 7.1%; Bank of Nova Scotia, 6.2%; Suncor Energy, 4.5%; CN Railway, 3.9%; Bank of Montreal, 3.7%; Enbridge, 3.4%; Canadian Natural Resources, 3.2%; TransCanada Corporation, 3.0%; Manulife Financial, 3.0%; BCE, 2.9%; CIBC, 2.8%; Valeant Pharmaceuticals, 2.8%; Potash Corp., 2.3%; Cenovus Energy, 2.0%; and Goldcorp, 2.0%.
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The index mostly consists of high-quality companies. However, it must ensure that all sectors are represented, so it holds a few we wouldn’t include.
The index’s top holdings are Royal Bank, 8.2%; TD Bank, 7.1%; Bank of Nova Scotia, 6.2%; Suncor Energy, 4.5%; CN Railway, 3.9%; Bank of Montreal, 3.7%; Enbridge, 3.4%; Canadian Natural Resources, 3.2%; TransCanada Corporation, 3.0%; Manulife Financial, 3.0%; BCE, 2.9%; CIBC, 2.8%; Valeant Pharmaceuticals, 2.8%; Potash Corp., 2.3%; Cenovus Energy, 2.0%; and Goldcorp, 2.0%.
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The possibility of U.S.-based Verizon Communications entering the Canadian wireless market has hurt BCE’s shares. (Verizon is a recommendation of Wall Street Stock Forecaster, our newsletter that focuses on U.S. stocks.) However, BCE’s strategy of selling bundles of services—wireless, regular phone, Internet and TV—under long-term contracts should help it hang on to its customers.
BCE INC....
BCE INC....
BELL ALIANT INC. $27 (Toronto symbol BA, Conservative Growth Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 229.1 million; Market cap: $6.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.2; Dividend yield: 7.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.bellaliant.ca) sells telephone and Internet services to 2.4 million customers in Atlantic Canada and rural parts of Ontario and Quebec....
ALGONQUIN POWER & UTILITIES CORP. (Toronto symbol AQN; www.algonquinpower.com) has nearly tripled in size over the last year through a series of acquisitions....
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are set up to mirror the performance of a stock-market index or subindex. They hold a more-or-less fixed selection of securities that represent the holdings that go into the calculation of the index or sub-index.
ETFs trade on stock exchanges, just like stocks....
ETFs trade on stock exchanges, just like stocks....
BCE INC. $42.55 (Toronto symbol BCE; Shares outstanding: 775.9 million; Market cap: $33.0 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 5.5%; www.bce.ca) has completed its $3.2-billion purchase of Astral Media.
Astral owns 22 TV stations, 84 radio stations and several pay TV and specialty channels, such as the Movie Network, Family Channel and Teletoon.
To win approval for the takeover, BCE agreed to sell several of Astral’s specialty TV channels and radio stations....
Astral owns 22 TV stations, 84 radio stations and several pay TV and specialty channels, such as the Movie Network, Family Channel and Teletoon.
To win approval for the takeover, BCE agreed to sell several of Astral’s specialty TV channels and radio stations....
BCE INC. $43 (Toronto symbol BCE; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 775.9 million; Market cap: $33.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.6; Dividend yield: 5.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.bce.ca) has completed its $3.2-billion purchase of Astral Media, which owns 22 TV stations, 84 radio stations and several pay TV and specialty channels, such as the Movie Network, Family Channel and Teletoon.
To win approval for the takeover, BCE agreed to sell several of Astral’s specialty TV channels and radio stations. Still, the new operations should immediately add to the company’s earnings.
BCE is a buy.
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To win approval for the takeover, BCE agreed to sell several of Astral’s specialty TV channels and radio stations. Still, the new operations should immediately add to the company’s earnings.
BCE is a buy.
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