BCE posts 1.5% Q2 revenue growth as free cash flow falls 9.5%

Scotiabank raised its BCE price target to C$40 and kept an "Outperform" rating after Q2 2026 results showed revenue growth, stronger adjusted earnings and higher capital spending tied to AI and fibre expansion.

Summary

BCE reported Q2 2026 operating revenue of $6,176 million, up 1.5% from a year earlier, while adjusted EBITDA rose 1.0% to $2,702 million and adjusted EPS increased 3.2% to $0.65. Net earnings declined, and free cash flow fell 9.5% to $1,042 million as capital expenditures jumped 41.5% to support Bell AI Fabric data centres in Canada and Ziply Fiber's fibre-to-the-premise network in the U.S. BCE said results were supported by fibre subscriber growth, Bell Media strength and the contribution from Ziply Fiber, and it confirmed its 2026 financial guidance. Following the results, Scotiabank raised its price target on BCE to C$40 and reiterated an "Outperform" rating.

Terms & Concepts
  • Adjusted EBITDA: A measure of operating profit that excludes certain non-operating and non-cash items, used to assess core business performance.
  • Free cash flow: Cash generated after operating and capital expenditures, indicating how much cash a company has available for debt service, dividends or reinvestment.
  • FTTH: Fibre-to-the-home, a broadband network architecture that delivers fibre-optic connections directly to residences.