Bell Aliant (BA.TO)

(A Top Pick Oct 22/13. Up 19.25%.) Being acquired by Bell Canada (BCE-T). He sold his holdings at $31.20.

Will trade off BCE until the deal closes. You could sell it here if you don’t want to end up with the BCE shares.

You are going to get a fair price on this as Bell Canada (BCE-T) has to treat all shareholders the same. Sold his holdings a day after the deal was announced. There is a whole tax situation that you are going to have to look at on your own.

Whether you take cash, Bell Canada (BCE-T) stock, or a combination, it depends on your tax situation. If you are in a taxable account, you pay a capital gains tax. If you take the stock, there is no tax. You should really consult with your tax advisor.

Why is this selling below the bid price? He did some quick calculations when the bid came out and sold at a price over $31. The reason for this is that they have cut out the dividend. You are going to wait to November, and at that point in time you are going to get $31, so you have to discount that (The no dividend aspect?) Or you are going to get some mix of Bell stocks. In the meantime, the stock is going to trade off the Bell component. The stock is not going to do much. He would probably just sit with this.

Deal should complete in 6-8 months. There is a big long process that has to happen. BA-T holders should accept the deal.

Bell Canada (BCE-T) taking over was a long time coming. Everybody knew this was coming. Makes sense for Bell Canada to start selling digital bundles, etc to other consumers. He is a huge believer in the telcos and the cable companies. If you own, he would recommend you roll over into Bell stocks.

Wait for the takeover to complete before selling. Being acquired allows BCE to increase their dividend.

Thinks it is a decent buy. Management reiterated in Q1 the commitment to the dividend. Good fiber penetration. Potentially a fit for BCE-T next year and it could be accretive for them to buy. Bell will have the cash next year and BA’s costs should be lower next year.

Stock vs. Stock: MBT-T vs. BA-T. Both have their challenges. BA: very good management. Almost through rolling out fiber to the home. Decent dividend. High payout and no wireless exposure. BA has more catalysts. Payout ratio will come down when fiber to the home is complete. Maybe someday BCE will buy them out.

They have a high payout ratio while trying to install the fiber optic line. He would not be playing it. From a seasonal perspective, they tend to do well in June, but this one is at the top of its range so it may not do well. He would choose a different telecom.

(A Top Pick March 15/13. Down 0.58%.) Preferred E series 4.25%. Trading above $1.30 lower than it was last year. Thinks this one will do better as we go along.

Does not know if BCE will take over BA. The dividend is probably safe. He would want to lose the dividend and move to T-T. BA is safe and steady if you want the income.

(Market Call Minute.) Good hold for yield, but there is not a lot of cash flow growth. If you just want to collect the dividend that is fine.

Continues to surprise him. Has a 150% payout ratio, but no one expects a dividend cut in the near-term. They take care of a lot of the remote regional parts of delivering the Bell (BC-T) platform and have about a 25% penetration rate all the way from Atlantic Canada to South-western Ontario. Doesn’t see any reason why the dividend should be cut. He would rather just move into the parent company which will give you a better growth profile.