MBT acts on strategic review

Article Excerpt

MANITOBA TELECOM $28.10 (Toronto symbol MBT; Shares outstanding: 78.5 million; Market cap: $2.2 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 4.6%; www.mts.ca) recently completed a strategic review of its operations. As a result, it now plans to cut 25% of the workforce at its Allstream division, which sells telephone, Internet and other communication services to businesses across Canada. The company will also cut Allstream’s capital spending by 20% to 30% in 2015. Manitoba Telecom expects these moves to save it $50 million annually by the end of 2016. In addition, it will contribute $120 million to its underfunded employees’ pension plan, eliminating the need for additional payments over the next two years. The company will also cut its dividend by 23.5%. The new annual rate of $1.30 yields 4.6%. These changes will free up cash Manitoba Telecom can use to expand its faster-growing wireless and Internet businesses. Shrinking Allstream will also make the division more appealing to a potential buyer. Manitoba…