Topic: How To Invest

Hello: What is your opinion of Shaw Communications? Any upside potential? Buy, sell, hold? Thank you.

Article Excerpt

Shaw Communications, $20.70, symbol SJR.B on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 463.6 million; Market cap: $9.0 billion, www.shaw.ca), is Canada’s largest cable-television operator, with 2.3 million basic cable subscribers in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. The company also owns Shaw Direct, which has 902,000 satellite subscribers. Shaw also provides high-speed Internet and telephone services. Shaw trades at 14.7 times this year’s forecast earnings of $1.41 a share. The shares yield a high 4.3%. However, the company faces strong competition for Internet subscribers from Telus Corp., $44.66, symbol T.A on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 320.7 million; Market cap: $14.7 billion). As well, Telus offers an Internet-based television service, which it is planning to expand. We don’t recommend buying Shaw right now, but it is okay to hold. Telus Corp. is a buy. For new buying of a telecommunications stock, we also recommend BCE Inc., $35.63, symbol BCE on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 755.6 million; Market cap: $26.9 billion). BCE announced in September that it’s buying full control of…