Timing could be right for Allstream sale

Article Excerpt

MANITOBA TELECOM SERVICES INC. $32 (Toronto symbol MBT; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 67.0 million; Market cap: $2.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Dividend yield: 5.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.mtsallstream.com) gets around 55% of its revenue from its 1.3 million telephone and wireless customers in Manitoba. The remaining 45% comes from its Allstream division, which sells integrated telephone, Internet and other communication services to businesses across Canada. Manitoba Telecom is now conducting a strategic review of Allstream. This could lead to a sale of some or all of this business. Allstream is profitable, but while it accounts for almost half of Manitoba Telecom’s revenue, it only contributes 18% of the company’s operating earnings. So selling the division would let Manitoba Telecom expand its more profitable operations. As well, Ottawa recently relaxed foreign-ownership limits on telecom companies with less than a 10% market share. That should help Manitoba Telecom attract a wide variety of potential buyers. Meanwhile, the company continues…