BCE is a Buy Again

Article Excerpt

BCE INC. $34 (Toronto symbol BCE; SI Rating: Above-Average) is trading nearly 20% below the $42.75-a-share takeover offer it accepted in July 2007. However, several institutional holders of BCE bonds have launched a class-action lawsuit to oppose it. BCE’s plan to take on more debt has hurt the value of their holdings. If the suit succeeds and forces BCE to compensate the bondholders for their losses, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension and its partners may decide to abandon the takeover. Liquidity problems in the debt markets could also scuttle the takeover, since that could hurt the ability of the takeover consortium to issue new bonds. This group has also lined up loans from several banks, but recent writedowns of U.S. subprime mortgages have raised fears that these banks may withdraw or cut their involvement. However, lower interest rates will cut the buyers’ costs. The drop in BCE suggests that the takeover is unlikely to go through. But at the current reduced price, BCE is once…