Zacks Research Brokers Boost Earnings Estimates for BCE

BCE Inc. (TSE:BCE) (NYSE:BCE) – Analysts at Zacks Research increased their Q4 2024 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for BCE in a report issued on Wednesday, November 27th. Zacks Research analyst R. Department now expects that the company will post earnings per share of $0.74 for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $0.72. The consensus estimate for BCE’s current full-year earnings is $3.11 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for BCE’s Q1 2025 earnings at $0.68 EPS, Q4 2025 earnings at $0.71 EPS, FY2025 earnings at $2.90 EPS, Q2 2026 earnings at $0.73 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $0.77 EPS and FY2026 earnings at $2.95 EPS.

A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on the stock. TD Securities decreased their target price on shares of BCE from C$43.00 to C$39.00 in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Canaccord Genuity Group decreased their price objective on shares of BCE from C$41.00 to C$37.50 in a report on Friday, November 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of BCE from C$47.00 to C$41.00 in a report on Friday, November 8th. Barclays decreased their price target on BCE from C$46.00 to C$41.00 in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Finally, National Bank Financial cut BCE from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, September 30th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of C$44.86.

BCE Trading Up 0.3 %

TSE BCE opened at C$38.02 on Monday. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is C$43.07. The company has a current ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 197.43. The stock has a market cap of C$34.68 billion, a PE ratio of 17.68, a PEG ratio of 4.67 and a beta of 0.48. BCE has a twelve month low of C$36.95 and a twelve month high of C$56.18.

BCE Cuts Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Investors of record on Monday, December 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.9975 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 16th. This represents a $3.99 annualized dividend and a yield of 10.49%. BCE’s payout ratio is 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.