Bank of America Corp DE Has $122.10 Million Stake in BCE, Inc. $BCE

Key Points

• Bank of America increased its BCE stake by 6.2% in the first quarter, holding 4.84 million shares worth approximately $122.1 million, or 0.52% of the company. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 41.46% of BCE.
• BCE’s second-quarter adjusted EPS of $0.47 beat estimates of $0.46, while revenue also exceeded expectations. However, overall profit declined year over year, and full-year 2026 EPS guidance of $1.798–$1.919 was somewhat cautious.
• BCE maintained its quarterly dividend at $0.4375 per share, equivalent to $1.75 annually and an indicated yield of about 7.7%. Analysts’ consensus rating is “Hold,” with a target price of $30 compared with the stock’s recent price near $22.75.

Bank of America Corp DE lifted its holdings in shares of BCE, Inc. (NYSE:BCE - Free Report) TSE: BCE by 6.2% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 4,837,452 shares of the utilities provider's stock after acquiring an additional 282,287 shares during the quarter. Bank of America Corp DE owned approximately 0.52% of BCE worth $122,097,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in BCE. Quadrature Capital Ltd acquired a new position in shares of BCE in the fourth quarter valued at $100,999,000. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of BCE during the 4th quarter worth about $91,811,000. Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec lifted its stake in shares of BCE by 9.7% during the 3rd quarter. Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec now owns 34,107,306 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $797,161,000 after buying an additional 3,024,110 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia boosted its holdings in shares of BCE by 15.1% during the 4th quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 17,136,466 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $408,749,000 after buying an additional 2,250,106 shares during the period. Finally, FIL Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of BCE by 5.6% during the 4th quarter. FIL Ltd now owns 37,579,448 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $896,398,000 after buying an additional 1,992,000 shares during the period. 41.46% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

BCE News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting BCE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 earnings beat expectations. BCE reported adjusted earnings of $0.47 per share, up from $0.46 a year earlier and ahead of the $0.46 analyst consensus. BCE Q2 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Revenue also topped Wall Street estimates. Bell Media benefited from increased advertising and broadcast activity associated with the FIFA World Cup, providing support for BCE’s media operations. FIFA World Cup Helps Lift Bell Media Revenues
• Positive Sentiment: The dividend remains a major attraction. BCE declared a quarterly dividend of $0.4375 per share, or $1.75 annualized, representing an indicated yield of approximately 7.7%. Investors of record on September 15 will be paid on October 15.
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue guidance broadly aligns with expectations. BCE forecast fiscal 2026 revenue of $17.9 billion to $18.6 billion, a range that contains the $18.2 billion analyst consensus. BCE Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Profit declined year over year. Despite the EPS beat, BCE’s overall second-quarter profit fell, highlighting continued pressure on the business and limiting the positive impact of the earnings surprise.
• Negative Sentiment: Full-year EPS guidance is slightly cautious. BCE provided a 2026 EPS range of $1.798 to $1.919, below the $1.900 consensus at the low end and around 2% below consensus at the midpoint. BCE Q2 Earnings Key Metrics

BCE Stock Up 3.2%

NYSE BCE opened at $22.75 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.84. BCE, Inc. has a 1-year low of $20.87 and a 1-year high of $26.52. The company has a 50 day moving average of $22.61 and a 200-day moving average of $24.15. The company has a market cap of $21.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.62 and a beta of 0.51.

BCE (NYSE:BCE - Get Free Report) TSE: BCE last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The utilities provider reported $0.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.01. BCE had a return on equity of 13.87% and a net margin of 25.66%.BCE has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.798-1.919 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that BCE, Inc. will post 1.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

BCE Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be given a dividend of $0.4375 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $1.75 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.7%. BCE's dividend payout ratio is currently 25.81%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. TD Securities upgraded shares of BCE from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 1st. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce reiterated an "outperform" rating on shares of BCE in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Zacks Research lowered BCE from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Raymond James Financial assumed coverage on BCE in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. They set a "market perform" rating for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c)" rating on shares of BCE in a report on Friday, May 29th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, BCE currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $30.00.

About BCE

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.

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