BCE (NYSE:BCE) Releases Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.04 EPS

BCE (NYSE:BCE) (TSE:BCE) issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The utilities provider reported $0.49 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.45 by $0.04, Zacks reports. The company had revenue of $4.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.55 billion. BCE had a return on equity of 17.35% and a net margin of 25.62%.BCE’s quarterly revenue was down .3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.79 earnings per share. BCE updated its FY 2026 guidance to 1.790-1.910 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from BCE’s conference call:

• BCE said it met its 2025 guidance with strong profitability and cash generation, including adjusted EBITDA up 0.7% and a 43.6% margin, free cash flow up 10% to CAD 3.2 billion, and lower capital intensity as CapEx fell to CAD 3.7 billion.
• Adjusted EPS fell 7.9% in 2025 and BCE is guiding 2026 adjusted EPS of CAD 2.50–2.65 (5%–11% lower), citing an expected ~CAD 250 million step-up in depreciation & amortization and ~CAD 100 million higher interest largely from the Ziply acquisition.
• The Ziply Fiber acquisition is positioned as a growth engine — Q4 revenue US$232 million and EBITDA US$100 million (43.1% margin) — with a reprioritized U.S. build to ramp in H2 2026 targeting ~3 million fiber passings by end‑2028 (up to 8 million longer term).
• BCE’s AI-powered enterprise businesses (Ateco, Bell Cyber, Bell AI Fabric) grew ~60% YoY to ~CAD 700 million in 2025 and management targets CAD 1.5 billion in AI revenue by 2028, supported by tuck‑ins like SDK Tech Services.
• Bell Media accelerated its digital shift — digital revenue +6% to represent 44% of media revenue, Crave reached 4.6 million subscribers after adding >1 million in 2025 — and management expects sports (NFL playoffs, FIFA World Cup) to boost 2026 monetization.

BCE Stock Down 1.1%

NYSE:BCE traded down $0.28 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $25.30. The company had a trading volume of 3,984,968 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,596,142. BCE has a 12-month low of $20.28 and a 12-month high of $26.49. The firm has a market capitalization of $23.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.26 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a current ratio of 0.58, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.81. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $23.96 and its 200-day simple moving average is $23.86.

BCE Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be given a dividend of $0.4375 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $1.75 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.9%. BCE’s dividend payout ratio is currently 25.99%.

Trending Headlines about BCE

Here are the key news stories impacting BCE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat — BCE reported $0.49 EPS vs. consensus ~$0.45, showing underlying profit resilience that partially offset weaker top-line trends. BCE Q4 earnings (MarketBeat)
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly dividend raised/confirmed — BCE announced a $0.4375 quarterly dividend (annualized yield ~6.8%), supporting income-focused investors and cash-flow narratives. (Dividend details announced Feb 5)
• Positive Sentiment: Service and content growth — Management highlighted subscriber growth for Crave and continued service gains (including Ziply Fiber expansion), which lends credibility to stable recurring revenue longer term. BCE quarterly profit rises, Crave subscriptions surge (Globe and Mail)
• Neutral Sentiment: Company issued 2026 financial targets — BCE published its FY2026 EPS range and revenue targets as part of the results; the release reiterates financial priorities but contains forward-looking assumptions investors will watch. BCE reports 2025 Q4 and full-year results (PR Newswire)
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue came in well below expectations — Q4 revenue was reported at $4.66B and declined year-over-year; the pronounced revenue shortfall (and slide in product sales) is the main driver of investor concern. BCE Q4 Earnings Beat Despite Revenue Headwinds (Zacks)
• Negative Sentiment: FY2026 EPS guidance below consensus — Management set 2026 EPS at $1.79–$1.91 vs. the street ~$1.94, and provided a revenue range slightly under/near expectations, which pushed traders to mark down the stock despite the EPS beat. (Guidance disclosed with results)
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term market reaction — Analysts and traders focused on the revenue miss and softer guidance, producing selling pressure despite dividend and service momentum; several coverage pieces highlight the “shares tank” reaction. BCE shares tank commentary (Zacks)

Analysts Set New Price Targets

BCE has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of BCE from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, December 28th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised BCE from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $35.00 to $37.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. Barclays reduced their price objective on BCE from $22.00 to $21.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Barrington Research raised shares of BCE from an “underperform” rating to an “equal weight” rating and raised their target price for the stock from $21.00 to $26.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded BCE from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Wednesday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $28.00.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On BCE

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of BCE. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of BCE by 15.7% during the second quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 3,581 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $79,000 after purchasing an additional 485 shares in the last quarter. Binnacle Investments Inc lifted its holdings in BCE by 17.1% during the 3rd quarter. Binnacle Investments Inc now owns 4,164 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $97,000 after buying an additional 609 shares during the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd boosted its position in shares of BCE by 735.3% during the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 1,161 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 1,022 shares in the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC boosted its position in shares of BCE by 8.2% during the 3rd quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 23,238 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $544,000 after acquiring an additional 1,760 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV increased its holdings in shares of BCE by 15.5% in the 3rd quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 13,241 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $310,000 after acquiring an additional 1,774 shares during the last quarter. 41.46% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

BCE Company Profile

BCE Inc (NYSE: BCE) is a Canadian communications, media and entertainment company that operates through its primary subsidiaries, including Bell Canada and Bell Media. As a large integrated telecommunications provider, BCE delivers a broad range of connectivity services and content to residential, business and wholesale customers across Canada. The company combines network infrastructure with media assets to offer bundled communications and entertainment solutions.

On the services side, BCE provides fixed-line and wireless voice services, mobile data, high-speed internet, fibre and broadband access, and television services through platforms such as Bell Fibe and Bell TV.