Zacks Research Analysts Trim Earnings Estimates for BCE

On February 25, 2025, Zacks Research Analysts revised their earnings per share (EPS) estimates for BCE Inc. (NYSE:BCE) following the latest analysis of the company’s expected financial performance. In their updated forecast, the analysts project that BCE will register earnings of $0.47 per share for the first quarter of 2025, a decrease from the previous estimate of $0.50 per share. The anticipated earnings for the entire fiscal year 2025 now stand at $1.94 per share.

Furthermore, the analysts provided additional earnings projections for the upcoming quarters, predicting that BCE will achieve a Q2 2025 EPS of $0.50, FY2025 EPS of $2.00, Q1 2026 EPS of $0.48, Q2 2026 EPS of $0.48, Q3 2026 EPS of $0.49, Q4 2026 EPS of $0.48, FY2026 EPS of $1.93, and FY2027 EPS of $1.95.

BCE Inc. last disclosed its quarterly earnings on February 6, 2025, reporting an EPS of $0.56 for the quarter, which exceeded analysts' average estimate of $0.53 by $0.03. The company’s return on equity stood at 17.89%, while its net margin was 0.99%.

Several other brokerage firms have also reviewed BCE recently. On February 25, the Royal Bank of Canada reiterated its "sector perform" rating on BCE and established a price target of $39.00. Earlier, on January 14, Bank of America downgraded BCE from "neutral" to "underperform." Additionally, Canaccord Genuity Group changed its rating from "buy" to "hold" back in November. On December 16, Morgan Stanley began coverage of BCE, giving the stock an "underweight" rating, while Barclays reaffirmed its "underweight" rating on January 21. Overall, the market shows mixed sentiments as four analysts have issued a sell rating for BCE, seven analysts have recommended holding shares, one has a buy rating, and one an aggressive buy rating. According to MarketBeat, the current consensus rating for BCE is "Hold" with an average price target of $40.00.

BCE Stock Performance Overview

On February 27, 2025, BCE shares opened at $23.40. The company possesses a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.26, and liquidity ratios such as a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.62. BCE's market capitalization is noted at $21.57 billion, with a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 194.96 and a P/E growth (P/E/G) ratio of 4.13. Over the past fifty days, BCE's moving average stands at $23.40, whereas the two-hundred-day moving average is $28.72. The stock has seen a 52-week low of $21.87 and a peak of $37.33.

Recent Institutional Activity

In terms of institutional involvement, several hedge funds have recently adjusted their holdings in BCE. For instance, FIL Ltd increased its ownership by 9.7% during the fourth quarter and now holds 26.29 million shares, valued at $609.47 million. The Bank of Nova Scotia raised its stake by 22.2% during the same period, with ownership rising to 19.95 million shares, worth approximately $462.26 million. Additionally, National Bank of Canada FI increased its holdings by 4.8%, bringing their total to 18.87 million shares valued at $656.42 million. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec raised its interest by 10.8%, while Vanguard Group Inc. also expanded its stake by 2.7% in the last quarter. Collectively, institutional investors hold around 41.46% of BCE's shares.

Dividend Announcements

BCE has recently announced a quarterly dividend, set to be distributed on April 15, 2025. Shareholders registered by March 14 will receive a dividend payment of $0.6965 per share, translating to an annualized dividend of $2.79 and a yield of 11.91%. BCE’s payout ratio currently stands at a staggering 2,350.00%.

About BCE Inc.

BCE Inc. is a prominent North American communications company, offering wireless, wireline, internet, and television services to individual, business, and wholesale clients throughout Canada. The company's operations are divided into two main segments: Bell Communication and Technology Services, and Bell Media. The Bell Communication and Technology Services segment encompasses a variety of products, including mobile data and voice plans, internet services, cloud-based solutions, and satellite television.

BCE, Earnings, Estimates, Investment