Top telecoms give you income and growth

Article Excerpt

Telecommunications form an integral part of economic infrastructure. But at the same time, strict licensing standards and high capital requirements result in considerable barriers to entry for new rivals. Meanwhile, top telecommunication companies offer strong cash flow, attractive p/e’s, rising dividends and growth prospects. Below we take a closer look at three ETFs that hold companies involved in the telecommunications industry. The supplement on page 120 dives deeper into the performance and valuation of telecommunication companies. SPDR S&P TELECOM ETF $101.34 (New York symbol XTL; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $76.7 million) provides exposure to U.S. companies operating in the telecommunications industry. The fund tracks the S&P Telecom Select Industry Index. The portfolio invests in stocks of alternative carriers, makers of communications equipment, and integrated and wireless telecommunication services. But rather than concentrating on leading carriers such as AT&T and Verizon, this fund is rebalanced quarterly with equal-weighted exposure to all stocks included in the benchmark index. The ETF holds 46 stocks and the top…