BCE cuts capital spending

Article Excerpt

BCE INC. $53 is a buy. Canada’s largest provider of telecommunication services (Toronto symbol BCE; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 912.3 million; Market cap: $48.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.0; Dividend yield: 7.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.bce.ca) plans to cut its capital spending in response to a decision by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) that forces it to open its high-speed Internet systems in Ontario and Quebec to smaller competitors. Since 2020, BCE has spent $18 billion on upgrades to its fibre-optic Internet and wireless networks. It will now cut capital spending by $1 billion over the next two years, including a $600 million chop in 2024. Right now, the company’s fibre-optic systems reach over 7 million homes and businesses. It still expects to expand that footprint to 8.3 million locations by the end of 2025, although that’s down from its previous target of 9 million. It’s unlikely that the lower spending will significantly impact BCE’s earnings. However, the lower…