Credit Suisse ups target price on BT

(Sharecast News) - Credit Suisse has upped the price target for BT Group shares, and reiterated its 'outperform' rating, after the telecoms group hiked its prices.
BT - which also owns mobile phone brand EE - confirmed earlier this month that landline, broadband, TV, sport and mobile bills will increase in line with inflation plus 3.9% from March 2020.

Credit Suisse said it was increasing the target price to 185p from 180p after upgrading 2023 earnings per share forecasts by 4% on the back of the move.

It raised full-year 2022-23 EBITDA by 0-1% "to reflect the impact of the consumer price increases. Full-year 2022-23 EPS estimates rise 1-4% and BT Group FY 22-23 normalised free cashflow forecasts rise 1-5%."

The bank said: "We reiterate our thesis of BT returning to EBITDA growth in 2022 as near-term Covid-19 impacts on global sports events and the UK economy reverse.

"We forecast a 1% BT Group EBITDA growth between 2020 and 2023 to £8.90bn, with consensus much too pessimistic, in our view, in forecasting a 4% decline over the same period."

As at 1300 BST, shares in the blue chip were up nearly 2% at 100.79p.