Telus plans more dividend hikes

Article Excerpt

Telus continues to invest in its networks: it spent $2.6 billion in 2015 and another $2.9 billion this year. That lets it hang on to its customers and attract new ones. Even so, the company still has lots of room to keep raising dividends. Telus now plans to increase those shareholder payments twice a year in 2017, 2018 and 2019. It expects the average annual increase to be between 7% and 10%. TELUS $42.61 (Toronto symbol T; Shares outstanding: 591.7 million; Market cap: $25.6 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 4.3%; www.telus.com) is Canada’s second-largest wireless carrier (behind Rogers Communications) with 8.4 million subscribers. In addition, its wireline business serves 1.4 million landline phone customers in B.C., Alberta and eastern Quebec. It also serves 1.6 million Internet users and 1.0 million cable TV customers. In the three months ended June 30, 2016, the company earned $415 million, up 2.2% from $406 million a year earlier. Earnings per share gained 6.1%, on…