BCE Q3 Adj. Profit Beats View, Reaffirms FY15 Outlook

(RTTNews) - Canada's largest communications company BCE (BCE.TO, BCE) Thursday confirmed its adjusted earnings per share and revenue growth as projected on February 5. For the third quarter, the company recorded 13 percent increase in earnings.

For the full year 2015, the company continues to expect adjusted earnings per share in a range of $3.28 to $3.38, while revenue is expected to grow 1 to 3 percent. Adjusted EBITDA growth is reaffirmed in a range of 2 to 4 percent.

On average, 15 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to earn $3.33 per share on revenue of $21.49 billion. Analysts estimates usually exclude special items.

For the third quarter, the company reported net earnings attributable to the company of $739 million or $0.87 per share, up from $600 million or $0.77 per share last year. On an adjusted basis, earnings were $790 million or $0.93 per share. Analysts expected $0.85 per share on revenue of $5.30 billion.

Revenue for the quarter increased 2.9 percent to $5.345 billion from $5.195 billion last year. The company said its subscriber base grew 3.9 percent to 2.7 million.

The company declared a dividend of $0.65 to shareholders on record December 15, payable on January 15, 2015.