BCE (NYSE:BCE) versus B Communications (OTCMKTS:BCOMF) Head-To-Head Survey

BCE (NYSE:BCE) and B Communications (OTCMKTS:BCOMF) are both utilities companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, valuation, analyst recommendations, risk, dividends, institutional ownership and profitability.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares BCE and B Communications”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
BCE	$17.82 billion	1.15	$251.05 million	$0.26	84.13
B Communications	$2.40 billion	0.24	$29.19 million	$0.19	28.79

BCE has higher revenue and earnings than B Communications. B Communications is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than BCE, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for BCE and B Communications, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
BCE	4	6	1	2	2.08
B Communications	0	0	0	0	0.00

BCE currently has a consensus price target of $38.67, suggesting a potential upside of 76.76%. Given BCE’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe BCE is more favorable than B Communications.

Profitability

This table compares BCE and B Communications’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
BCE	1.82%	19.22%	3.87%
B Communications	0.82%	19.13%	2.80%

Volatility and Risk

BCE has a beta of 0.61, indicating that its stock price is 39% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, B Communications has a beta of 1.17, indicating that its stock price is 17% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

41.5% of BCE shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of BCE shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

BCE beats B Communications on 14 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About BCE

BCE Inc., a communications company, provides wireless, wireline, Internet, and television (TV) services to residential, business, and wholesale customers in Canada. The company operates through two segments, Bell Communication and Technology Services, and Bell Media. The Bell Communication and Technology Services segment provides wireless products and services including mobile data and voice plans and devices; wireline products and services comprising data, including internet access, internet protocol television, cloud-based services, and business solutions, as well as voice, and other communication services and products; and satellite TV and connectivity services for residential, small and medium-sized business, government, and large enterprise customers. This segment also buys and sells local telephone, long distance, and data and other services from or to resellers and other carriers; and operates consumer electronics retail stores. The Bell Media segment provides conventional TV, specialty TV, pay TV, streaming services, digital media services, radio broadcasting services, and out-of-home advertising services. BCE Inc. was founded in 1880 and is headquartered in Verdun, Canada.

About B Communications

B Communications Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides a range of telecommunications services for business and private customers in Israel. It operates through Interior Landline Communication, Cellular Communication, Bezeq International Services, and Multi-Channel TV segments. The company offers landline interior communications, including telephony, internet services and infrastructure, transmission and data communication, and wholesale services; and cellular radio-telephone services. It is also involved in the installation, operation, and maintenance of equipment and systems in the field of cellular communications; distribution of television and radio broadcasts; and marketing of equipment. In addition, the company provides international communication, network endpoint, and ICT solutions; and digital multi-channel TV broadcasting services to subscriptions over satellite and over the internet, as well as value-added services to subscribers. The company was formerly known as 012 Smile. Communications Ltd. and changed its name to B Communications Ltd. in March 2010. B Communications Ltd was incorporated in 1999 and is based in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.