Rogers Communications (Symbol-RCI.B)

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IdOp
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Rogers Communications (Symbol-RCI.B)

Post by IdOp »

Starting new thread to reply to question in Aliant (AIT) thread:
rigpig wrote:What about Rogers? is there any growth there?
I'm looking for a long-term hold not a trader.
I'm assuming you mean RCI.NV.B ? What I've noticed about this one is, for a number of years the analysts' earnings estimates start out good, then get revised down, and finally end in real losses. Also, the balance sheet (4Q'05) shows tangible book value per diluted share of NEGATIVE $6.90. Both of these are big red flags to me, and as a result I don't own it and wouldn't touch it.

That being said, what matters now is forward earnings, as you asked about. If they could deliver consistent positive earnings ... who knows. Because of the above factors though, I haven't followed them very closely and so have no feeling for their business prospects.

Disclaimer: all of this is unprofessional opinion, and worth less than you paid for it (-;
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Post by dakota »

Rogers to hike cable, Internet prices
Mar. 1, 2006. 06:40 AM


Rogers Communications Inc. expects more moderate growth in its Internet and digital cable TV subscriber base this year but will be able to push through price increases, a senior executive said yesterday.

"The good news, I think, on both is that there is actually some pricing power," Rogers vice-president of finance John Gossling told an investor conference in Palm Beach, Fla.

"Unlike the competitive situation (in the U.S.), the prices on Internet and TV have been actually moving up quite nicely (for Rogers).

"We don't seem to have the competitive pressure to take these decent-margin products and move their prices down, so we're seeing good lift there." Rogers Communications, which owns Canada's largest cable company as well as its largest wireless carrier and one of its biggest media businesses, announced several price increases when it released its fourth-quarter and 2005 financial results on Feb. 9
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Conten ... 9048863851

If there is slower growth find other ways to make the bucks :)
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Post by Taggart »

Has anyone ever been able to figure this company out? I"ve glanced at the financial statements off and on for the last few years, and every time I can't think how they've survived this long. Their debt/equity ratio is huge, they've never had much in the way of earnings. A few years ago the company says it relies more on it's cash flow than it's earnings, but when you look at it's free cash flow (after capital expenditures) for the last five years, the figure has been negative each and every one of these years. Can anyone shed some light? :roll:
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Post by lystgl »

Doesn't Mr. Rogers have half his family "working" there? I'm always loathe to buy into public companies run like a fiefdom even if they are / were profitable.
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Rogers

Post by Small Investor Activist »

Are their recent earnings report of $277 million clean, any special gains. Seems kind of unusual to jump to such a high profit from years of losses. Usually when Rogers announces earnings the gains are buried, this time in the press there was no such disclosure.
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Post by bubbalouie »

I agree with you SIA: the dramatic improvement looks suspicious. It looks like a buy but the turnaround is too fishy imo.
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Post by Bylo Selhi »

My latest cable bill suggests that Teddy's fallen a bit behind in his Y2K remediation efforts. (Or maybe he hasn't been paying his bills.)

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Post by Shakespeare »

Sorta tough when all you can get on your cable TV is Morse code. :shock:
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Post by mpav »

Rogers double's its dividend and plans to buy back shares and the stock drops almost 6%

I believe they missed analysts estimates on number of wireless subscribers, but still seems a pretty odd reaction (even with the new opening up of the landscape).

With a yield now of 2.40, 4 increases over the last 5 years, and a decent growth rate of the dividend, it may be something to watch more closely....still not sure if it is a buy from my perspective, but as said worth a closer look.
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Post by iluvnascar »

mpav wrote:Rogers double's its dividend and plans to buy back shares and the stock drops almost 6%

I believe they missed analysts estimates on number of wireless subscribers, but still seems a pretty odd reaction (even with the new opening up of the landscape).

With a yield now of 2.40, 4 increases over the last 5 years, and a decent growth rate of the dividend, it may be something to watch more closely....still not sure if it is a buy from my perspective, but as said worth a closer look.
TD just upgraded Rogers and added it to its "ACTION BUY" list......

Watch for a bounce today..........yesterday was way overdone.
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Post by JaydoubleU »

Interesting action to come in the wireless/internet/cable market.

Am wondering how it will all play out, and how RCI.B, T, MBT and SJR.B will fair. Any thoughts?
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Post by mpav »

Interesting article in the The Star today as it discussed Telus may opt to switch to GSM, which would let it compete for roaming fee's etc. (which now is Rogers domain).

That may be pricey for Telus to do, but makes Rogers life much more difficult.
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Post by JaydoubleU »

Yeah, I read that, txs. While moves by Telus are explained as the reason for Rogers fall Monday, it seems to me that both Rogers and Shaw have been falling steadily the past month.

What gives? Is it the wireless spectrum auction coming up in May?

Shaw has been a dividend growth machine, and Rogers just doubled the dividend. Why should these stocks be getting pounded?

I am trying to decide which to buy: RCI.B, SJR.B, or perhaps T. Already own some MBT.

It seems to me that money leaving BCE will have to find an equally stable, lower risk and higher-yielding home.
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Post by Profit not Prophet »

I guess we will have to see if the neverending Bell deal actually happens. I thought there would be more interest in Rogers that just a dozen posts. They seem to call the entire nation every week to ask for the sale so they are trying to bring it in.
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Post by JaydoubleU »

I am still watching this sector closely.

I currently hold MBT, RCI/B and SJR.B. Am wondering if knowledgeable people here think it prudent to add Telus, thus holding 4 telecom/cable stocks, or is this overkill.

Telus appears to be a key holding of most dividend mutual funds, and it is currently not expensive, IMO.

My primary interest is long-term dividend growth.
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Post by brad911 »

Overkill :?:

For a dividend growth strategy it might seem like a good idea considering the yield of Telus/Shaw and the GR of Rogers, but there's clearly the case that you don't need to be overweight in telecom for obvious reasons. Now for someone who is overweight in financials it might be tempting, but there certainly must be other sectors you haven't gained any/enough exposure to before you consider adding another telecom name.

If your portfolio begins to model the TSX60, then most investors would feel you might as well buy the index.

If I were you, I might be looking at something like Atco (ACO) or Brookfield (BAM.A) for exposure to sectors I lack or have yet to gain exposure to. I added PWF recently (already having positions in IGM, MFC & SLF) to get exposure to GWO and the rest of its european assets. Adding to current names might still be the best idea and worrying about the diversification when/if those valuations become more attractive (ex: utilities)
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Post by JaydoubleU »

mmmm. Txs brad

Yeah, that makes some sense.

BAM is in one sector to which I have no exposure yet, but as for ACO, I already hold FTS.

I had thought of simply adding to existing positions in RCI and SJR, but it was worthwhile asking.
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Post by brad911 »

JaydoubleU wrote:as for ACO, I already hold FTS
And that's partially why I mentioned it. I think if you have a closer look at their make-up (divisions, group of assets, geography) you'll find that they're a very nice compliment to your existing holdings of FTS vs. some of the other utility stocks in that space that would provide considerably more overlap.
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Post by JaydoubleU »

I will.

We're off the track of Rogers here, but I might ask why you added PWF when you have IGM. I mean, yes, to get exposure to GWO, but then why not just GWO?

Studying the dividend funds, I've seen a number that hold POW + GWO, or PWF and IGM. I myself hold PWF and IGM, but was even considering adding POW: top of the food chain, as Tom Connoly said.
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Post by JaydoubleU »

Ah, sorry, read your message more carefully: yes, the Pargesa exposure of PWF. Very attractive assets there.
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Post by mpav »

In my portfolio I don't hold any telco's/cable companies....which in the case of Rogers I actually regret.

But the thing that concerns me the most is that I lived most of my life in Europe, and in the US prior to Canada (which is the best of the three by far!), and I can comment that what we see here in terms of aggressive marketing campaigns is nothing.

If the competitive forces that I saw in other markets comes to Canada, the margins on these guys will be shredded.

I was in shock coming from the US, as my cellular costs dramatically increased (not sure if there are infrastructure differences or not).

If the business stays cozy like the banks, these could be cash cows.

I have only done limited research, but I am generally steered to the cable companies over the likes of Telus etc.

Still debating if now is the right time to weigh into RCI.
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Post by spencer »

Rogers has a GSM monopoly in Canada, and all their services, cable, internet and cell phone are lousy and overpriced at best. I would never invest in such company.
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Post by mpav »

Curious to see what other posters think the future dividend growth of Rogers will be.

While I am a bit concerned margins will be squeezed by additional competition, the company looks like it will throw off a lot of cash. THe question is how friendly they will be to shareholders, as traditionally the have get their capital for growth (and it seems to have worked).
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Rogers Communication RCI-B-TO

Post by Keithm »

It beats the the street by I think 4 cents with big numbers and the stock goes down by $2.00.

I guess your not allowed to surprise the street.

Anyone here follow this stock?
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Re: Rogers Communication RCI-B-TO

Post by DavidR »

Keithm wrote:It beats the the street by I think 4 cents with big numbers and the stock goes down by $2.00.

I guess your not allowed to surprise the street.
Perhaps the street is now focusing on next quarter's numbers. They also reported fewer new wireless customers than expected?
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