AMP Capital takes advantage of strong Telecom price to trim holding

Friday 13th July 2012

AMP Capital Investors (New Zealand) has sold down its stake in Telecom to below 5 percent, taking advantage of a stock price trading around its highest levels in four years.

The Wellington-based fund manager, one of New Zealand's largest, sold 18.9 million shares of Telecom between April 1 and July 7, reducing its stake to about 4.9 percent from 5.7 percent.

Shares of Telecom, which spun off its Chorus network company in November, fell 0.9 percent to $2.56 and have climbed 22 percent this year. They traded as high as $2.75 on May 10, the highest since August 2008.

The stock is rated a 'hold' based on the consensus of 10 analyst recommendations compiled by Reuters with a price target of $2.33. The stock has a dividend yield of 11.6 percent.

Analysts say the company may face more intense competition from Vodafone, which this week agreed to acquire Telstra's local TelstraClear unit, giving it about 25 percent of the fixed-line market and increasing is dominance in mobile calling.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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