Equities Analysts Set Expectations for BCE FY2025 Earnings

BCE Inc. (TSE:BCE) (NYSE:BCE) – Equities researchers at Scotiabank reduced their FY2025 earnings per share estimates for BCE in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, January 8th. Scotiabank analyst M. Yaghi now expects that the company will earn $2.87 per share for the year, down from their previous forecast of $3.18. The consensus estimate for BCE’s current full-year earnings is $3.11 per share.

A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of BCE from C$48.00 to C$51.00 in a research report on Thursday, September 19th. National Bankshares dropped their price objective on BCE from C$37.00 to C$35.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 3rd. Canaccord Genuity Group reduced their target price on BCE from C$37.50 to C$33.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, December 19th. Canaccord Genuity Group dropped their price target on BCE from C$41.00 to C$37.50 in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of BCE from C$41.00 to C$35.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 2nd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of C$41.88.

BCE Stock Performance

Shares of TSE BCE opened at C$33.10 on Thursday. BCE has a one year low of C$31.99 and a one year high of C$56.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 197.43, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.43. The firm has a market cap of C$30.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.40, a P/E/G ratio of 4.67 and a beta of 0.48. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is C$36.24 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$42.66.

BCE Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 15th will be given a $0.9975 dividend. This represents a $3.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 12.05%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 16th. BCE’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 185.58%.

About BCE

BCE Inc, a communications company, provides wireless, wireline, Internet, and television (TV) services to residential, business, and wholesale customers in Canada. The company operates through two segments, Bell Communication and Technology Services, and Bell Media. The Bell Communication and Technology Services segment provides wireless products and services including mobile data and voice plans and devices; wireline products and services comprising data, including internet access, internet protocol television, cloud-based services, and business solutions, as well as voice, and other communication services and products; and satellite TV and connectivity services for residential, small and medium-sized business, government, and large enterprise customers.