Telus upgrades set to pay off

Article Excerpt

Telus has largely completed a multi-year plan to upgrade its wireless and fibre-optic networks. Those improvements are already attracting new customers and lifting the company’s cash flow. Telus has also lowered capital spending, which will free up cash for future dividend hikes. TELUS, $22.19, is a buy. The stock (Toronto symbol T; Shares outstanding: 1.5 billion; Market cap: $31.3 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 6.6%; www.telus.com) is Canada’s second-largest wireless carrier (after BCE) with 12.53 million subscribers. It also sells landline phone, Internet and TV services in B.C., Alberta and eastern Quebec. In the quarter ended June 30, 2023, Telus added 110,000 new wireless phone subscribers (net of cancellations). That’s up 18.3% from 93,000 a year earlier. The average monthly revenue per user also moved up 1.8%, to $58.80 from $57.74. The company also acquired LifeWorks Inc. for $2.9 billion in September 2022. Formerly known as Morneau Shepell, this firm sells software and computer systems that help businesses manage a variety of human resources functions. As…