BCE Q4 Earnings Beat Despite Revenue Headwinds, Fall Y/Y, Shares Tank

Core Insights - BCE Inc. reported a decline in fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) to C$0.69 from C$0.79 in the prior-year quarter, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 45 cents [2] - Total operating revenues for the quarter decreased by 0.3% year over year to C$6.4 billion, below the consensus estimate of $4.7 billion, primarily due to a 15% drop in Product revenues [3] Financial Performance - For 2025, BCE's operating revenue increased slightly by 0.2% to C$24.5 billion, with a quarterly dividend declared at C$0.4375 per share [4] - The company anticipates higher revenue and adjusted EBITDA for 2026, driven by contributions from Ziply Fiber and growth in AI-powered enterprise solutions, despite a forecasted decline in adjusted EPS [5] Segment Results - The Bell CTS segment generated C$5.7 billion in revenue, a 0.2% year-over-year increase, supported by higher service revenue [7] - Bell CTS Canada experienced a 3.9% decline in operating revenue to C$5.5 billion, impacted by lower product and service sales [8] Subscriber Metrics - Postpaid net additions slightly decreased to 56,124, with improved churn rates at 1.49%, while prepaid subscriber losses narrowed [11] - The acquisition of Ziply Fiber contributed to the new Bell CTS U.S. segment, generating C$232 million in operating revenues since its inception [12] Media Performance - Bell Media's operating revenue fell by 3.4% to C$804 million, affected by weak advertising demand, although subscriber revenue increased by 1.5% [13] - Total digital revenue rose by 3%, supported by growth in Crave and sports direct-to-consumer subscribers [14] Operational Efficiency - BCE's adjusted EBITDA increased by 2.3% year over year to C$2.66 billion, with an expanded adjusted EBITDA margin of 41.6%, the highest in over 30 years [15] - Capital expenditures surged by 36.8% to C$1.3 billion, primarily due to investments in Ziply Fiber's FTTP expansion [16] Cash Flow Analysis - Operating cash flow decreased by 16.8% to C$1.6 billion, while free cash flow plummeted by 74.3% to C$225 million due to higher capital expenditures [17] 2026 Outlook - Management projects revenue growth of 1-5% and adjusted EBITDA growth of 0-4% for 2026, with adjusted EPS expected to decline between 11% and 5% [18]