Broker snap: Credit Suisse pleased with cost-cutting at BT

Credit Suisse has reiterated its 'outperform' rating and 300p target price for telecoms titan BT Group saying that the firm's second-quarter results last week support its positive view on cost-cutting and of rising demand for high-speed broadband."In the Q2 results BT again demonstrated its ability to cut costs in its core UK wireline business and compensate for declining EBITDA [earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation] trends in Global Services [known as GS]," said research analyst Paul Sidney.He said that with BT announcing a "substantial three-year cost-cutting initiative" within GS, EBITDA trends can improve within GS from March 2014 onwards."We cut medium-term group revenue and EBITDA by 1-2% in this report mainly due to GS although we believe we have seen the worst pace of revenue downgrades in GS now," Sidney said.BT is currently trading at nine times full-year earnings, versus the sector average multiple of 10.5.Shares were up 0.48% at 230.9p in mid-morning trade.BC