Black’s is a great fit for Telus

Article Excerpt

TELUS CORP. $33.31 (Toronto symbol T.A; Shares outstanding: 335.6 million; Market cap: $11.1 billion; SI Rating: Above Average) has purchased privately owned Black’s Photo Corp. Black’s owns and operates 113 stores that sell film, cameras and other photographic equipment. Telus plans to sell its wireless phones through these stores. As well, most cellphones now come with built-in cameras, so Black’s could help Telus tap into rising demand for digital-photo printing and other photo-related products and services. Telus paid $28 million for Black’s, which is just 11% of its second-quarter earnings of $244 million, or $0.77 a share. Adding Black’s will give Telus about 1,000 retail stores. That’s less than the 1,450 stores that rival BCE operates following its recent purchase of The Source, a 756-store consumer-electronics chain. However, Black’s 81 Ontario stores will increase Telus’s presence in this key market. The acquisition will also help Telus compete with three new wireless carriers that plan to start operating next year. Telus is a buy. The cheaper…