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BCE Q4 Earnings Lag Estimates, Revenues Beat on Unit Strength
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BCE Inc. (BCE - Free Report) reported mixed fourth-quarter 2019 results, wherein the top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate but the bottom line missed the same. The company’s share price increased 1.92% in yesterday’s trading session to close at $48.31.
Net Income
Quarterly net earnings increased 10.9% year over year to C$672 million or C$0.74 per share. Earnings were driven by strong growth in adjusted EBITDA, decreased severance, acquisition and other costs, and lower other expenses due to decline in non-cash media asset impairment charges.
However, the momentum was partly offset by increased depreciation and amortization, and higher finance costs. For 2019, net earnings were C$3,040 million or C$3.37 per share compared with C$2,785 million or C$3.10 per share in 2018.
Fourth-quarter adjusted net earnings came in at C$794 million ($601.5 million) or C$0.88 (67 cents) per share compared with C$794 million or C$0.89 per share in the prior-year quarter, reflecting higher outstanding shares. The bottom line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2 cents.
The Canadian telecommunications company’s quarterly total operating revenues increased 1.6% year over year to C$6,316 million ($4,784.7 million). This was led by healthy top-line growth at Bell Wireless and Bell Media that resulted in higher overall service revenues. Service revenues grew 0.9% to C$5,276 million on wireless, Internet and IPTV subscriber base growth.
Product revenues were up 5.7% to C$1,040 million, driven by increased wireless transaction volumes and a greater sales mix of higher-value smartphones. The top line surpassed the consensus estimate of $4,782 million. For 2019, revenues increased 2.1% year over year to C$23,964 million.
Quarterly Segment Results
Revenues at Bell Wireless increased 3.6% year over year to C$2,493 million ($1,888.6 million). Service revenues improved 1.6% to C$1,619 million, driven by subscriber base growth and higher revenue contribution from prepaid services. Product revenues increased 7.4% to C$874 million supported by higher sales mix of premium smartphones and higher-value rate plans.
Revenues at Bell Wireline remained almost flat year over year at C$3,138 million ($2,377.2 million). Higher Internet and IPTV revenues was offset by lower voice revenues from traditional NAS and long distance services, the impact of acquisition and retention discounts on residential service bundles to match aggressive competitor promotions, and lower TV pay-per-view revenues compared with last year. Service revenues were up 0.1% to C$2,969 million, while product revenues declined 0.6% to C$169 million.
Bell Media generated revenues of C$879 million ($665.9 million), up 3.4% year over year, led by higher revenues from Crave subscriber growth and contract renewals with TV distributors. Advertising revenues were stable as increases in entertainment, sports and news specialty services and at Astral out of home were offset by soft conventional TV and radio performance.
Other Details
Adjusted EBITDA was C$2,508 million, up 4.8%, driven by increase of 7.4% in wireless, 1.5% in wireline and 16.5% in media. Adjusted EBITDA margin improved to 39.7% from 38.5%, backed by flow-through of service revenue growth, increasing broadband Internet scale and ongoing cost discipline as reflected in a 0.3% reduction in total operating costs.
Cash Flow & Liquidity
In 2019, BCE generated C$7,958 million of cash from operating activities compared with C$7,384 million in 2018. The increase was mainly due to adjusted EBITDA growth and lower income tax. Free cash flow for the same period was C$3,818 million compared with C$3,567 million in 2018, driven by higher cash flows from operating activities (excluding acquisition and other costs paid).
As of Dec 31, 2019, the company had C$145 million ($111.4 million) in cash and equivalents with C$22,415 million ($17,218.6 million) of long-term debt compared with the respective tallies of C$425 million and C$19,760 million a year ago.
2020 Outlook
BCE has provided its financial targets for 2020 in accordance with IFRS 16 accounting standards. The company expects revenues to grow between 1% and 3%. While adjusted EBITDA is expected to rise 2-4%, adjusted EPS is expected between C$3.50 and C$3.60. Free cash flow is estimated to grow in the range of 3-7%.
Splunk topped earnings estimates in the trailing four quarters, the surprise being 74.3%, on average.
Anaplan surpassed earnings estimates in the trailing four quarters, the beat being 28.8%, on average.
Appian topped earnings estimates thrice in the trailing four quarters, the positive surprise being 15.1%, on average.
Conversion rate used:
C$1 = $0.757560 (period average from Oct 1, 2019 to Dec 31, 2019)
C$1 = $0.768174 (as of Dec 31, 2019)
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BCE Q4 Earnings Lag Estimates, Revenues Beat on Unit Strength
BCE Inc. (BCE - Free Report) reported mixed fourth-quarter 2019 results, wherein the top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate but the bottom line missed the same. The company’s share price increased 1.92% in yesterday’s trading session to close at $48.31.
Net Income
Quarterly net earnings increased 10.9% year over year to C$672 million or C$0.74 per share. Earnings were driven by strong growth in adjusted EBITDA, decreased severance, acquisition and other costs, and lower other expenses due to decline in non-cash media asset impairment charges.
However, the momentum was partly offset by increased depreciation and amortization, and higher finance costs. For 2019, net earnings were C$3,040 million or C$3.37 per share compared with C$2,785 million or C$3.10 per share in 2018.
Fourth-quarter adjusted net earnings came in at C$794 million ($601.5 million) or C$0.88 (67 cents) per share compared with C$794 million or C$0.89 per share in the prior-year quarter, reflecting higher outstanding shares. The bottom line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2 cents.
BCE, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
BCE, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | BCE, Inc. Quote
Revenues
The Canadian telecommunications company’s quarterly total operating revenues increased 1.6% year over year to C$6,316 million ($4,784.7 million). This was led by healthy top-line growth at Bell Wireless and Bell Media that resulted in higher overall service revenues. Service revenues grew 0.9% to C$5,276 million on wireless, Internet and IPTV subscriber base growth.
Product revenues were up 5.7% to C$1,040 million, driven by increased wireless transaction volumes and a greater sales mix of higher-value smartphones. The top line surpassed the consensus estimate of $4,782 million. For 2019, revenues increased 2.1% year over year to C$23,964 million.
Quarterly Segment Results
Revenues at Bell Wireless increased 3.6% year over year to C$2,493 million ($1,888.6 million). Service revenues improved 1.6% to C$1,619 million, driven by subscriber base growth and higher revenue contribution from prepaid services. Product revenues increased 7.4% to C$874 million supported by higher sales mix of premium smartphones and higher-value rate plans.
Revenues at Bell Wireline remained almost flat year over year at C$3,138 million ($2,377.2 million). Higher Internet and IPTV revenues was offset by lower voice revenues from traditional NAS and long distance services, the impact of acquisition and retention discounts on residential service bundles to match aggressive competitor promotions, and lower TV pay-per-view revenues compared with last year. Service revenues were up 0.1% to C$2,969 million, while product revenues declined 0.6% to C$169 million.
Bell Media generated revenues of C$879 million ($665.9 million), up 3.4% year over year, led by higher revenues from Crave subscriber growth and contract renewals with TV distributors. Advertising revenues were stable as increases in entertainment, sports and news specialty services and at Astral out of home were offset by soft conventional TV and radio performance.
Other Details
Adjusted EBITDA was C$2,508 million, up 4.8%, driven by increase of 7.4% in wireless, 1.5% in wireline and 16.5% in media. Adjusted EBITDA margin improved to 39.7% from 38.5%, backed by flow-through of service revenue growth, increasing broadband Internet scale and ongoing cost discipline as reflected in a 0.3% reduction in total operating costs.
Cash Flow & Liquidity
In 2019, BCE generated C$7,958 million of cash from operating activities compared with C$7,384 million in 2018. The increase was mainly due to adjusted EBITDA growth and lower income tax. Free cash flow for the same period was C$3,818 million compared with C$3,567 million in 2018, driven by higher cash flows from operating activities (excluding acquisition and other costs paid).
As of Dec 31, 2019, the company had C$145 million ($111.4 million) in cash and equivalents with C$22,415 million ($17,218.6 million) of long-term debt compared with the respective tallies of C$425 million and C$19,760 million a year ago.
2020 Outlook
BCE has provided its financial targets for 2020 in accordance with IFRS 16 accounting standards. The company expects revenues to grow between 1% and 3%. While adjusted EBITDA is expected to rise 2-4%, adjusted EPS is expected between C$3.50 and C$3.60. Free cash flow is estimated to grow in the range of 3-7%.
Zacks Rank & Other Stocks to Consider
BCE currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
A few other top-ranked stocks in the broader sector are Splunk Inc. , Anaplan, Inc. and Appian Corp. (APPN - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Splunk topped earnings estimates in the trailing four quarters, the surprise being 74.3%, on average.
Anaplan surpassed earnings estimates in the trailing four quarters, the beat being 28.8%, on average.
Appian topped earnings estimates thrice in the trailing four quarters, the positive surprise being 15.1%, on average.
Conversion rate used:
C$1 = $0.757560 (period average from Oct 1, 2019 to Dec 31, 2019)
C$1 = $0.768174 (as of Dec 31, 2019)
Just Released: Zacks’ 7 Best Stocks for Today
Experts extracted 7 stocks from the list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys that has beaten the market more than 2X over with a stunning average gain of +24.7% per year.
These 7 were selected because of their superior potential for immediate breakout.
See these time-sensitive tickers now >>