BCE (TSE:BCE) Stock Passes Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Here's What Happened

BCE Inc. (TSE:BCE - Get Free Report) NYSE: BCE crossed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of C$31.98 and traded as high as C$32.96. BCE shares last traded at C$32.57, with a volume of 4,196,256 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on BCE shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of BCE from C$28.00 to C$29.00 in a research report on Monday, May 12th. Canaccord Genuity Group increased their price target on shares of BCE from C$31.50 to C$32.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 9th. Cibc World Mkts lowered shares of BCE from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, July 3rd. National Bank Financial raised shares of BCE from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Thursday, April 3rd. Finally, National Bankshares set a C$35.00 target price on shares of BCE and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, June 6th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, one has given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of C$36.73.

BCE Stock Performance

The firm's 50 day simple moving average is C$30.48 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$31.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 226.73, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a current ratio of 0.62. The company has a market cap of C$29.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 110.81, a PEG ratio of 4.67 and a beta of 0.48.

BCE Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, July 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, July 15th will be issued a $0.4375 dividend. This represents a $1.75 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.30%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 16th. BCE's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 1,338.57%.

About BCE

BCE is both a wireless and internet service provider, offering wireless, broadband, television, and landline phone services in Canada. It is one of the big three national wireless carriers, with its roughly 10 million customers constituting about 30% of the market. It is also the ILEC (incumbent local exchange carrierthe legacy telephone provider) throughout much of the eastern half of Canada, including in the most populous Canadian provincesOntario and Quebec.