Moody's offers preliminary views on BCE ratings

TORONTO – Moody’s Investors Service said this week that BCE Inc’s successor company, BCE Almalco, could receive a corporate family rating in the B2 to Ba3 range based on an analysis of information that has been publicly disclosed so far. Ratings though on individual debt instruments could be as low as Caa1 and as high as Baa3, noted Moody’s in a statement. “It is clear that the rating signal from financial metrics will deteriorate dramatically,” said Moody’s vice-president and senior credit officer Bill Wolfe. “Our pro forma estimates suggest financial metrics could fall into the B/Caa range.” Moody’s emphasizes that...