Top telecoms find new ways to grow

Article Excerpt

Demand for wireless and TV services has slowed at both AT&T and Verizon. To spur long-term earnings, the two are buying firms that complement their main businesses. These acquisitions add risk, but we feel they will ultimately pay off with more cash for dividends. AT&T INC. $36 (New York symbol T; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 6.2 billion; Market cap: $223.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.4; Dividend yield: 5.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.att.com) will buy media company Time Warner Inc. (New York symbol TWX) for $85.4 billion in cash and shares. If you include Time Warner’s debt, the total value of the deal is $108.7 billion. Time Warner owns several popular cable TV channels, including CNN, HBO, TNT, TBS and Cartoon Network. Its Warner Bros. studio also produces TV shows and movies. Following the purchase, Time Warner investors will own roughly 15% of the combined company. The deal gives AT&T access to a wide library of popular video content. That programming…