Price Drop Makes BCE a Buy Again

Article Excerpt

BCE INC. $35 (Toronto symbol BCE; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 805.3 million; Market cap; $28.2 billion; SI Rating: Above average) is trading for 20% below the $42.75-a-share takeover offer it accepted in July 2007. That’s mainly because 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. At the current reduced price, BCE is once again attractive for its income and growth prospects. The shares now trade at 15 times earnings, and have a dividend yield of 4.2%. BCE is now a buy. buy…