Q: Pat, I have owned Shaw Communications for a number of years and have benefitted from a steady dividend payment. It seems to me though, that competitive risks are increasing for this company. What is your opinion of this company as an investment? Thank you.

A: Shaw Communications, $28.73, symbol SJR.B on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 487.6 million; Market cap: $14.0 billion; www.shaw.ca), is one of the largest cable-television operators in Canada. It’s also a provider of satellite TV, high-speed Internet, and telephone services.
Shaw entered the data-centre business through the acquisition… Read More

TELUS CORP. $40

TELUS CORP. $40 (Toronto symbol T; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 599.9 million; Market cap: $24.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.9; Dividend yield: 4.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.telus.com) is Canada’s second-largest wireless telephone service provider, after Rogers Communications, with 8.5 million… Read More

Two more telcos—one a buy

In addition to BCE (see page 21), we also like these two other leading telcos. Both Telus and Manitoba Telecom are doing a good job attracting new customers, and hanging on to their current subscribers. Recent cost-cutting plans should also give them more cash to… Read More

Telus ready to fend off Wind

TELUS $37.70 (Toronto symbol T; Shares outstanding: 600.1 million; Market cap: $22.9 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 4.7%; www.telus.com) will now face heightened competition in Western Canada from Shaw Communications (Toronto symbol SJR.B) after Shaw’s recent $1.6-billion purchase of wireless carrier Wind Mobile… Read More

Hi Pat: I am retired, hence primarily an income investor. How do you see the longer-term prospects of Shaw Communications? Is it worth continuing to hold? Thanks.

Shaw Communications, $27.49, symbol SJR.B on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 464.7 million; Market cap: $13.0 billion; www.shaw.ca), is one of Canada’s largest cable TV operators. It has 1.9 million basic cable subscribers (mostly in Western Canada), as well as 854,389 satellite customers through its ownership of… Read More