By Adriano Marchese


BCE Inc., formerly Bell Canada Enterprises Inc., on Thursday reported higher profit and revenue in the three months ended March 31, and said this was the first quarter that results have surpassed pre-Covid levels since the beginning of the pandemic.

The Canadian telecom company said first-quarter earnings per share were 96 Canadian cents (75 U.S. cents), compared with C$0.71 a share in the prior-year period.

Net earnings rose to C$934 million from C$687 million a year ago.

Adjusted earnings were C$0.89 a share, compared with C$0.78. According to FactSet, analysts were expecting C$0.81 a share.

Operating revenues rose to C$5.85 billion from C$5.71 billion, virtually in line with analyst expectations of C$5.86 billion.

The company noted that retail internet activations amounted to 26,024 in the period, an increase of 23%, driving residential internet revenue growth of 8% in the quarter.

Media revenue rose nearly 16% in the period, benefiting from strong year-over-year TV performance and 84% higher digital revenue.


Write to Adriano Marchese at adriano.marchese@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

05-05-22 0734ET