Telecoms still a top choice for income

Article Excerpt

Low interest rates continue to spur incomeseeking investors to buy high-yielding stocks, like these three telecoms. All three should keep benefiting as more people upgrade their wireless plans and mobile phones. New services, like Internet-based TV, are also fuelling their growth. But not all are buys right now. BCE INC. $56 (Toronto symbol BCE; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 840.3 million; Market cap: $47.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.2; Dividend yield: 4.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.bce.ca) is Canada’s largest telephone provider, with 5.0 million customers in Ontario and Quebec. It also has 2.3 million high-speed Internet users and 2.4 million TV subscribers. This business supplies 46% of BCE’s revenue. The company also sells wireless services (29% of revenue) to 8.1 million customers across Canada, and its Bell Media segment (13%) owns CTV Television, specialty channels and radio stations. In November 2014, the company paid $3.95 billion in cash and stock for the 56% of Bell Aliant…