Upgrades means more cash for dividends

Article Excerpt

In the past few years, BCE and Telus have invested large sums on upgrades to their wireless and high-speed Internet networks. These big projects are now coming to an end, which will free up more cash for dividends. BCE INC. $62 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol BCE; Income-Growth Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares o/s: 911.9 million; Market cap: $56.5 billion; Dividend yield: 5.9%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.bce.ca) is Canada’s largest traditional telephone service provider. It also provides wireless and high-speed Internet services, in addition to owning TV and radio stations. BCE has raised its dividend rate each year since 2008. The last increase came in April 2022, when the company paid a quarterly dividend of $0.92 a share, up 5.1% from $0.875. The new annual rate of $3.68 yields a high 5.9%. BCE aims to pay out between 65% and 75% of its free cash flow as dividends. The company continues to expand the availably of its ultrafast 5G wireless networks. Its 5G service now…