BCE Inc. says its fourth-quarter profit fell compared with a year earlier, as an asset writedown and other expenses offset higher revenue for the telecommunications and media company.
The owner of Bell Canada says its net income attributable to common shareholders fell to $606 million or 68 cents per share for the three months ended Dec. 31.
That was down from $656 million of net income attributable to common shareholders or 72 cents per share for the fourth quarter of 2017.
BCE’s operating revenues rose three per cent to $6.22 billion from $6.04 billion. On an adjusted basis, the company earned 89 cents per share, up from 82 cents per share a year ago.
Analysts on average had expected $6.17 billion of revenue and 86 cents per share of adjusted earnings, according to Thomson Reuters Eikon.
BCE also announced a five per cent increase in its common share dividend, which rises to $3.17 per year or 79.25 cents per quarter.
