5G will help BCE overcome COVID-19

Article Excerpt

COVID-19 has helped spur demand for BCE’s Internet services as more people work from home, but it has also hurt ad revenue at its media outlets. We’re confident the company’s profits will start moving up again, particularly as more wireless users upgrade to its new 5G service. BCE INC. $56 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol BCE; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 904.3 million; Market cap: $50.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.2; Dividend yield: 5.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.bce.ca) is Canada’s largest traditional telephone service provider: it has 2.54 million residential customers in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and the Atlantic provinces. BCE also has 3.66 million high-speed Internet users and 2.74 million TV subscribers. In addition, it sells wireless services to 10.14 million users across Canada and owns TV and radio stations. Thanks to strong demand for its wireless and Fibe TV services, BCE’s revenue gained 11.4%, from $21.5 billion in 2015 to $24.0 billion in 2019. Investors…