As previously reported, BCE.PR.C will reset to 4.38% effective 2018-03-01. Prior to the reset announcement, conversion notices were sent to holders of BCE.PR.C and BCE.PR.D. Holders have until 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on February 19, 2018 to communicate a desire to exchange to the company (brokerages will want to know a day or two in advance so they can communicate on your behalf), so there’s not much time to waste if you are holding one and wish to convert to the other.
The new rate of 4.38% is a nice improvement over the past five years’ rate of 3.55% and significantly better than the November, 2017, reset of BCE.PR.Z to 3.904%.
In my terminology, BCE.PR.D is a Ratchet Rate preferred, currently paying 100% of Prime, reset quarterly. BCE.PR.C is a FixedFloater with the rate being reset to a somewhat arbitrary number every five years. Both issues have been relegated to the Scraps subindex on credit concerns.
The most logical way to analyze the question of whether or not to convert is through the theory of Preferred Pairs, for which a calculator is available. Briefly, a Strong Pair is defined as a pair of securities that can be interconverted in the future (e.g., BCE.PR.C and BCE.PR.D). Since they will be interconvertible on this future date, it may be assumed that they will be priced identically on this date (if they aren’t then holders will simply convert en masse to the higher-priced issue). And since they will be priced identically on a given date in the future, any current difference in price must be offset by expectations of an equal and opposite value of dividends to be received in the interim. And since the dividend rate on one element of the pair is both fixed and known, the implied average rate of the other, floating rate, instrument can be determined. Finally, we say, we may compare these average rates and take a view regarding the actual future course of that rate relative to the implied rate, which will provide us with guidance on which element of the pair is likely to outperform the other until the next interconversion date, at which time the process will be repeated.
We can show the break-even rates for each FixedFloater / RatchetRate Strong Pair graphically by plotting the implied average Prime rate against the next Exchange Date (which is the date to which the average will be calculated).
Click for Big
The average break-even rate for the BCE pairs is 4.84%, while the average for all FixedFloater – RatchetRate pairs is 5.47% (BAM.PR.G / BAM.PR.E is way out of line!).
Predictions are difficult, particularly when they are about the future! It will be remembered that Prime is currently at 3.45%; therefore, if we assume that future hikes are evenly sized and spaced, an average of 4.85% implies an end-value in five years of about 6.25%. I’m inclined to believe that it will turn out to be a little less than that, but if you disagree I won’t put up much of an argument!
Since credit quality of each element of the pair is equal to the other element, it should not make any difference whether the pair examined is investment-grade or junk, although we might expect greater variation of implied rates between junk issues on grounds of lower liquidity, and this is just what we see (when it comes to FixedReset / FloatingReset pairs, anyway, with their greater number of issues).
If we plug in the current bid price of the BCE.PR.C FixedFloater, we may construct the following table showing consistent prices for its BCE.PR.D FloatingReset counterpart given a variety of Implied Breakeven yields consistent with issues currently trading:
| Estimate of BCE.PR.D (received in exchange for BCE.PR.C) Trading Price In Current Conditions | |||||
| Assumed RatchetRate Price if Implied Prime is equal to |
|||||
| FixedFloater | Bid Price | Fixed Rate | +4.25% | 4.75% | 5.25% |
| BCE.PR.C | 21.12 | 4.38% | 21.08 | 21.58 | 22.08 |
Based on current market conditions and the 4.38% reset rate for the BCE.PR.C FixedFloater, I consider it likely that the FixedFloater BCE.PR.C will trade at somewhat less than the price of BCE.PR.D, its RatchetRate counterpart. Therefore, I recommend holders retain, or switch to, BCE.PR.D. Those with strong convictions regarding future movements in Prime may, of course, wish to emerge from the Exchange holding BCE.PR.D with the intent of swapping for BCE.PR.C in the market place on better terms than offered by the company; other investors may wish to select which of the pair they wish to hold for the next five years based on their personal circumstances (e.g., if you’re hedging a prime-linked mortgage with this issue [not a wise move], you will want to hold BCE.PR.D). Holders have until 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on February 19, 2018 to communicate a desire to exchange to the company (brokerages will want to know a day or two in advance so they can communicate on your behalf), so there’s not much time to waste if you are holding one and wish to convert to the other.
are you expecting any change to the amount of dividends that get taxed in the feb. 27 budget ? you know all in an effort by glorious leader trudoh to help the middle class
are you expecting any change to the amount of dividends that get taxed in the feb. 27 budget ?
No. There have been no trial balloons floated and the Dividend Tax Credit and Gross-Up is not controversial.
I wouldn’t mind seeing a cap on the amount eligible for this treatment per individual, though; same with the Capital Gains preferential tax treatment.
On cue, no more than five minutes after writing the above, I stumbled across the Broadbent Institute’s Filthy Five Canada’s Tax Loopholes – the bulk of the tax expenditure is on the dividend tax credit and capital gains treatment:
For the first, I believe they mean they want the inclusion rate raised to 100%, not the tax rate.
The second would be a paperwork monstrosity. Can you imagine? Still, I suppose it would mean more fees for deserving preferred share specialists, which is always desirable.
Still, I’ve had a hard time taking the words “Broadbent” and “tax policy” seriously ever since he campaigned on the premise “Deferred taxes? Send us a cheque!”
thank you for that . you say “The second would be a paperwork monstrosity. ” the paper work would not affect glorious leader trudoh , my guess a change (for the worse) is coming .it will raise taxes and i would think reduce the value of all div paying stocks both common and prefs. that will help the middle class. thanks again .