The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Sprint, AT&T, Verizon Communications, BCE and America Movil
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – December 05, 2014 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include the Sprint Corp. (S-Free Report), AT&T Inc. (T-Free Report), Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ-Free Report), BCE Inc. (BCE-Free Report) and America Movil SAB (AMX-Free Report).
Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.
Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:
Telecom Stock Roundup
Last week, most of the major telecom stocks witnessed significant declines. However, this did not deter the telecom sector from engaging in consequential activities.
Sprint Corp. (S-Free Report) intensified pricing competition in the wireless industry by offering same data plan at 50% concession in perpetuity to all AT&T Inc. (T-Free Report) and Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ-Free Report) customers if they switch to Sprint. This is seen to be a desperate attempt to make a turnaround as the company is gradually losing its foothold in the U.S. wireless industry.
Notably, the ongoing AWS-3 spectrum auction in the U.S. conducted by the Federal Communications Commission has accumulated a whopping $40.14 billion after 46th round of bidding. The spectrum auction is still continuing. Meanwhile, Canada’s BCE Inc. (BCE-Free Report) has decided to acquire Glentel to consolidate its retail footprint and Mexico’s America Movil SAB (AMX-Free Report) recently won 3G and 4G spectrum in Argentina.
In a separate development, cable MSOs (multi-service operators) strengthened their footprint in the small and mid-sized business (SMB) segment. Additionally, strong demand for next-generation CCAP product-suit by cable MSOs also bodes well for cable TV equipment manufacturers.
Recap of the Week’s Most Important Stories
1. Sprint is leaving no stone unturned to intensify the wireless pricing war in the U.S. The third largest wireless communication company in the country has claimed that it will reduce the phone bills of AT&T and Verizon customers by 50% if they switch to Sprint. Sprint’s new Cut Your Bill in Half Event, which will kick off from Dec 5, 2014, will give its network users unlimited talk and text options to anywhere in the U.S., irrespective of their current plan.
Sprint also promises to cut the monthly data plan charges by 50% for customers who are willing to change over from Verizon or AT&T. Moreover, the company will also pay early termination fee of up to $350 for customers interested to switch over to its network. (Read More: Sprint's Cut Your Bill in Half Deal to Target Rivals' Customers.)
2. Rapidly growing demand for the next-generation Converged Cable Access Platform (:CCAP) spells good times for cable TV gear manufacturers. According to a recent report by Infonetics Research Inc., global revenues generated by the CCAP segment rose 7% sequentially to $360 million in the third quarter of 2014.
The combined shipments of upstream and downstream DOCSIS channels for CCAP, CMTS, edge QAM modulator and coaxial media converts stood at around 1.2 million generating total revenue of $445 million. (Read More: Solid CCAP Demand: A Boon for Cable TV Equipment Makers.)
4. In an effort to enhance its retail presence in Canada, BCE Inc. has agreed to purchase Canadian retailer, Glentel Inc., for $586 million. The deal is expected to be sealed by the end of the first quarter of 2015, subject to consent from shareholders and regulators.Glentel has roughly 500 wireless outlets in Canada and sells wireless products and services from different carriers like Rogers Wireless, Bell Mobility, Fido, Virgin Mobile and SaskTel. The company runs 735 wireless outlets in the U.S. and 147 in Australia and the Philippines. (Read More: BCE Consolidates Retail Footprint in Canada with Glentel Buy.)
5. Argentine telecom operator Claro Argentina – a subsidiary of Mexican telecom behemoth America Movil S.A.B. – has stolen the show in Argentina’s airwaves auction which was conducted last month. The Argentine government has started distributing the spectrum lots and Claro has become the first company to win airwaves allocated for 3G and 4G services. Argentina's national federal entity, SeCom, revealed that Claro has won airwaves of frequencies 1800 MHz and 1900 MHz bands designated as 3G spectrum and two 4G frequency bands of 1700 MHz and 2100 MHz. (Read More: America Movil Wins 3G, 4G Airwaves Spectrum in Argentina.)
Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.
About Zacks Equity Research
Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.
Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.
Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today.
About Zacks
Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros.
Get the full Report on S - FREE
Get the full Report on T - FREE
Get the full Report on VZ - FREE
Get the full Report on BCE - FREE
Get the full Report on AMX - FREE
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacksresearch
Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts
Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
support@zacks.com
http://www.zacks.com
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Read the analyst report on S
Read the analyst report on T
Read the analyst report on VZ
Read the analyst report on BCE
Read the analyst report on AMX
Zacks Investment Research
