March 16, 2012

BCE is buying Astral Media:

BCE Inc.’s (BCE-T39.64-0.42-1.05%) massive bet on media is going truly national, as the communications giant makes a $3-billion play for Astral Media Inc. (ACM.A-T48.5512.3033.93%)to shore up its broadcasting business in the one province where it was weak: Quebec.

The deal, announced Friday, gives the country’s largest communications firm a stable of French-language television and radio stations to compete with rival Quebecor Inc. It also cements BCE’s position as the leading force of consolidation in Canada’s media industry: Since 2010, it has announced deals worth nearly $7-billion to buy control of CTV Inc., Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment Ltd., and now Montreal-based Astral.

DBRS considers it a non-event for credit:

DBRS has today confirmed the long- and short-term ratings of BCE Inc. (BCE) and its wholly-owned operating subsidiary, Bell Canada (the Company), at BBB (high)/R-1 (low) and A (low)/R-1 (low), respectively, following BCE Inc. and Bell Canada’s announcement today that they have entered into a definitive agreement to purchase the shares of Astral Media Inc. (Astral Media) for roughly $3 billion (valuing Astral Media at a total enterprise value of roughly $3.4 billion). The trend on all ratings is Stable.

With an EBITDA multiple of roughly 10 times (x) Astral Media’s F2012 EBITDA, DBRS notes that this transaction is reasonable and consistent with other recent media transactions in Canada. BCE/Bell Canada plans to fund the acquisition of the equity purchase price with cash/debt (for roughly three-quarters) and BCE Inc. common shares (for the remaining quarter, or $750 million). As part of the transaction, Ian Greenberg – one of the co-founders of Astral Media – will join the board of BCE Inc. upon closure of the acquisition.

From a financial perspective, DBRS notes that leverage is expected to increase for Bell Canada with the addition of Astral Media, from approximately 1.8x gross debt-to-EBITDA expected at the end of 2011 to roughly 2.0x expected at the end of 2013. However, the Company’s commitment to deleverage within 24 months of the close of the transaction gives DBRS greater comfort that Bell Canada’s leverage will improve to more historical levels (and back within its own target range).

It was another quiet day for the Canadian preferred share market, with PerpetualPremiums down 5bp, FixedResets gaining 7bp and DeemedRetractibles off 5bp. The Performance Highlights table is suitably short. Volume was quite low.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.2440 % 2,448.3
FixedFloater 4.57 % 3.96 % 38,510 17.35 1 -0.0961 % 3,412.5
Floater 2.95 % 2.93 % 48,666 19.91 3 0.2440 % 2,643.6
OpRet 4.92 % 2.64 % 54,511 1.25 6 0.3805 % 2,506.2
SplitShare 5.28 % -2.61 % 83,675 0.75 4 -0.1195 % 2,675.0
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.3805 % 2,291.7
Perpetual-Premium 5.40 % 0.77 % 100,944 0.21 25 -0.0529 % 2,214.8
Perpetual-Discount 5.10 % 5.07 % 189,730 15.28 7 0.1239 % 2,424.8
FixedReset 5.05 % 3.00 % 193,724 2.22 67 0.0658 % 2,385.2
Deemed-Retractible 4.95 % 3.92 % 200,489 2.89 46 -0.0511 % 2,306.0
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
SLF.PR.G FixedReset -1.00 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.65
Bid-YTW : 3.55 %
NA.PR.M Deemed-Retractible 1.04 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2013-05-15
Maturity Price : 26.00
Evaluated at bid price : 27.21
Bid-YTW : 2.12 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
BAM.PF.A FixedReset 292,467 Recent new issue.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2042-03-16
Maturity Price : 23.05
Evaluated at bid price : 24.87
Bid-YTW : 4.33 %
MFC.PR.A OpRet 90,266 RBC crossed blocks of 50,000 and 36,300 shares, both at 25.75.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Soft Maturity
Maturity Date : 2015-12-18
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.71
Bid-YTW : 3.30 %
MFC.PR.H FixedReset 54,219 RBC crossed 37,000 shares at 25.20.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2017-03-19
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.18
Bid-YTW : 4.53 %
RY.PR.F Deemed-Retractible 53,270 TD crossed 50,000 at 25.60.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-05-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.50
Bid-YTW : 4.02 %
ENB.PR.D FixedReset 46,165 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2042-03-16
Maturity Price : 23.26
Evaluated at bid price : 25.48
Bid-YTW : 3.67 %
TD.PR.R Deemed-Retractible 43,187 RBC crossed 20,700 at 26.80.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2013-04-30
Maturity Price : 26.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.82
Bid-YTW : 3.11 %
There were 21 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
BNS.PR.Y FixedReset Quote: 25.28 – 25.59
Spot Rate : 0.3100
Average : 0.2150

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.28
Bid-YTW : 2.87 %

BMO.PR.M FixedReset Quote: 25.91 – 26.16
Spot Rate : 0.2500
Average : 0.1629

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2013-08-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.91
Bid-YTW : 2.64 %

FTS.PR.G FixedReset Quote: 25.50 – 25.83
Spot Rate : 0.3300
Average : 0.2501

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2042-03-16
Maturity Price : 23.92
Evaluated at bid price : 25.50
Bid-YTW : 3.53 %

CU.PR.B Perpetual-Premium Quote: 25.45 – 25.65
Spot Rate : 0.2000
Average : 0.1336

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2012-06-01
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.45
Bid-YTW : -1.34 %

CIU.PR.A Perpetual-Premium Quote: 25.21 – 25.49
Spot Rate : 0.2800
Average : 0.2212

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2042-03-16
Maturity Price : 24.92
Evaluated at bid price : 25.21
Bid-YTW : 4.58 %

PWF.PR.F Perpetual-Premium Quote: 25.25 – 25.52
Spot Rate : 0.2700
Average : 0.2120

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2012-04-15
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.25
Bid-YTW : 0.77 %

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.