BCE invests for growth

Article Excerpt

BCE INC., $40.06, is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol BCE; Shares o/s: 912.3 million; Market cap: $36.6 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 10.0%) will now use the $4.2 billion in proceeds from the sale of its 37.5% stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) on a U.S. acquisition. The company will pay about $7 billion for Ziply Fiber, the leading fibre Internet provider in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. BCE will gain 1.3 million fibre locations, reinforcing its position as third-largest fibre Internet provider in North America. The company will also suspend dividend increases to support this new growth phase—and won’t use the MLSE proceeds to pay down debt. That concerns some investors, but the dividend remains highly sustainable. (Note—dividends reinvested in shares will now get a 2% discount.) Moreover, Ziply accelerates BCE’s growth prospects and adds to its profits without, in fact, adding to its debt. BCE Inc. is still a buy. buy…