BCE investors gain as capital costs fall

Article Excerpt

BCE has now substantially completed a multi-year plan to upgrade its wireless and fibre-optic networks. Those improvements are already attracting new customers and bolstering cash flow. The company’s lower capital spending is also freeing up cash for dividends. BCE INC. $61 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol BCE; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 912.0 million; Market cap: $55.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.6; Dividend yield: 6.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.bce.ca) is Canada’s largest traditional telephone service provider. It has 2.19 million residential customers in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and the Atlantic provinces. BCE also had 4.26 million high-speed Internet users and 2.75 million TV subscribers (satellite and fibre-optic). In addition, it sells wireless services to 12.4 million users across Canada. In 2022, the Wireline division (landline phones, high-speed Internet and TV services) accounted for 49% of BCE’s total revenue and 52% of its earnings. The Wireless division supplied a further 38% of BCE’s revenue and 41% of earnings. The remaining 13% of…