Telus’s big investments pay off

Article Excerpt

Since 2000, Telus has spent $27 billion—roughly its current market cap—to boost the speed and capacity of its wireless and high-speed Internet networks. Meantime, its strong customer service is helping it hang on to current subscribers. These strengths should keep fuelling the company’s stock, which is up 155% in the past 15 years, while its rising earnings mean its dividend hikes and share buybacks will continue. TELUS CORP. $45 (Toronto symbol T; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 605.5 million; Market cap: $27.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.2; Dividend yield: 3.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.telus.com) is Canada’s second-largest wireless carrier, after Rogers Communications, with 8.2 million subscribers. Wireless now supplies 55% of Telus’s revenue and 66% of its earnings. The remaining 45% of revenue and 34% of earnings come from its wireline division, which serves 3.1 million traditional phone customers in B.C., Alberta and eastern Quebec. This business also has 1.5 million Internet users and 937,000 TV…