Network upgrades set to spur BCE

Article Excerpt

BCE has largely completed a multi-year plan to upgrade its wireless and fibre-optic networks. Those improvements are already attracting new customers and lifting the company’s cash flow. BCE has also lowered capital spending, which will free up cash for future dividend hikes. BCE INC., $60.50, is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol BCE; Shares o/s: 912.2 million; Market cap: $55.1 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Yield: 6.4%) is Canada’s largest traditional telephone service provider. It also offers wireless services and high-speed Internet access. BCE’s Bell Media business owns and operates 35 TV stations, 31 specialty and pay-TV channels, and 109 radio stations. This division accounts for 11% of the company’s total revenue and 5% of its earnings. Due to slowing advertising revenue, Bell Media now plans to sell or close nine of its radio stations. It will also merge some of the news-gathering operations in its other broadcasting operations, including CTV and BNN. In all, BCE will cut 1,300 jobs, or about 3% of its…