Connect with us

Technology

Bell Announces Upsizing and Results of its Cash Tender Offers for Two Series of Debt Securities

Published

1 year ago

on

This news release contains forward-looking statements. For a description of the related risk factors and assumptions, please see the section entitled “Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements” later in this news release.

MONTRÉAL, March 24, 2025 /CNW/ – Bell Canada (“Bell” or the “Company”) today announced (i) the release of the results of its previously announced two separate offers (the “Offers”) to purchase for cash the outstanding debentures of the series listed in the table below (collectively, the “Debentures”) and (ii) that it has amended the Offers by increasing the Maximum Purchase Amount from C$400,000,000 in aggregate purchase price, excluding accrued and unpaid interest, to an amount necessary to repurchase all tendered C$1,130,937,000 principal amount of the 3.50% MTN Debentures Series M-51 due 2050.

The Offers

The Offers were made upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase dated March 17, 2025 relating to the Debentures (the “Offer to Purchase”). The Debentures are unconditionally guaranteed as to payment of principal, interest and other obligations by BCE Inc. (“BCE”), Bell Canada’s parent company. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this news release have the meanings given to them in the Offer to Purchase.

According to information provided by TSX Trust Company, the Tender Agent, C$1,584,041,000 combined aggregate principal amount of the Debentures were validly tendered in connection with the Offers prior to or at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on March 24, 2025 (the “Expiration Date”) and not validly withdrawn. The table below provides certain information about the Offers, including the aggregate principal amount of each series of Debentures validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date.

Title of
Debentures(1)

Principal 
Amount 
Outstanding  

CUSIP / ISIN
Nos.(1)

Reference 
Security(2) 

Bloomberg
Reference
Page(2)

Fixed Spread 
(Basis

Points)(2)

Principal 
 Amount 
Tendered 

Indicative
Acceptance
Amount

 

3.50% MTN
Debentures
Series M-51 due 
2050

C$1,250,00
0,000

07813ZCD4 /
CA07813ZCD48 

CAN 2 ¾
12/01/55

FIT CAN0-50 

165

C$1,130,937,000 

C$1,130,937,000

4.05% MTN
Debentures
Series M-55 due 
2051

C$550,000,0
00

07813ZCH5 /
CA07813ZCH51 

CAN 2 ¾
12/01/55

FIT CAN0-50 

175

C$453,104,000

C$0

(1)

No representation is made by the Company as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP numbers or ISINs listed in this news release or printed on the Debentures. They are provided solely for convenience.

(2)

The total consideration for each series of Debentures (such consideration, the “Total Consideration”) payable per each C$1,000 principal amount of such series of Debentures validly tendered and accepted for purchase will be based on the applicable Fixed Spread specified in the table above for such series of Debentures, plus the applicable yield based on the bid-side price of the applicable Canadian reference security as specified in the table above, as quoted on the applicable Bloomberg Reference Page as of 11:00 a.m. (Eastern time) on March 25, 2025, unless extended by the Company with respect to the applicable Offer. The Total Consideration does not include the applicable Accrued Coupon Payment, which will be payable in cash in addition to the applicable Total Consideration.

Indicative Series Acceptance Amounts

The Company expects to accept for purchase C$1,130,937,000 in aggregate principal amount of the 3.50% MTN Debentures Series M-51 due 2050 and C$0 in aggregate principal amount of the 4.05% MTN Debentures Series M-55 due 2051 tendered into the Offer for such Debentures.

Pricing and Settlement

Pricing in respect of the Debentures is expected to occur at 11 a.m. (Eastern time) on March 25, 2025, following which the Final Acceptance Amount, the Offer Yield and the Total Consideration in respect of the Debentures validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offers will be announced by the Company.

The “Settlement Date” in respect of any Debentures validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer for such Debentures is expected to be March 27, 2025. The Company will also pay an Accrued Coupon Payment in respect of Debentures validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer for such Debentures. Holders whose Debentures are accepted for purchase will lose all rights as Holder of the tendered Debentures and interest will cease to accrue on the Settlement Date for all Debentures accepted in the Offer for such Debentures.

The Company has retained RBC Dominion Securities Inc. (“RBC”), Scotia Capital Inc. (“Scotia”) and TD Securities Inc. (“TD”) are actingto act as lead dealer managers (, and BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., Merrill Lynch Canada Inc., CIBC World Markets Inc., Desjardins Securities Inc., National Bank Financial Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Canada Inc., Wells Fargo Securities Canada, Ltd., Mizuho Securities Canada Inc., SMBC Nikko Securities Canada, Ltd. and Barclays Capital Canada Inc. to act as co-dealer managers (collectively, the “Dealer Managers”) for the Offers. Questions regarding the terms and conditions for the Offers or for copies of the Offer to Purchase should be directed to RBC at 1.877.381.2099 (toll-free) or 1.416.842.6311 (collect), Scotia at 416.863.7438 or TD at 1.866.584.2096 (toll-free) or 416.982.6451 (collect). You may also contact your broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance concerning the Offers.

If the Company terminates any Offer with respect to one or more series of Debentures, it will give prompt notice to the Tender Agent, and all Debentures tendered pursuant to such terminated Offer will be returned promptly to the tendering Holders thereof. With effect from such termination, any Debentures blocked in CDS will be released.

Offer and Distribution Restrictions

The Offers were made solely pursuant to the Offer to Purchase. This news release does not constitute a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States. No Offer constitutes an offer or an invitation by, or on behalf of, BCE, the Company or the Dealer Managers (i) to participate in the Offers in the United States; (ii) to, or for the account or benefit of, any “U.S. person” (as such term is defined in Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended); or (iii) to participate in the Offers in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction, and such persons are not eligible to participate in or tender any securities pursuant to the Offers. No action has been or will be taken in the United States or any other jurisdiction that would permit the possession, circulation or distribution of this news release, the Offer to Purchase or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the Offers to (i) any person in the United States; (ii) any U.S. person; (iii) anyone in any other jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not authorized; or (iv) any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation. Accordingly, neither this news release, the Offer to Purchase nor any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the Offers may be distributed or published, in or from the United States or any such other jurisdiction (except in compliance with any applicable rules or regulations of such other jurisdiction). Tenders will not be accepted from any holder located or resident in the United States.

In any jurisdiction in which the securities laws require the Offers to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the Offers will be deemed to have been made on behalf of the Company by the Dealer Managers or one or more registered brokers or dealers that are licensed under the laws of such jurisdiction.

This news release is for informational purposes only. This news release is not an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell any Debentures or any other securities of BCE, the Company or any of their subsidiaries.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this news release are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the terms and timing for completion of the Offers. All such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the “safe harbour” provisions of applicable Canadian securities laws and of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements, by their very nature, are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties and are based on several assumptions, both general and specific, which give rise to the possibility that actual results or events could differ materially from our expectations expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and we caution you against relying on any of these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release describe our expectations at the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this news release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are provided herein for the purpose of giving information about the proposed Offers referred to above. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. 

About Bell

Bell is Canada’s largest communications company,1 providing advanced broadband Internet, wireless, TV, media and business communication services. Founded in Montréal in 1880, Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca or BCE.ca.

Through Bell for Better, we are investing to create a better today and a better tomorrow by supporting the social and economic prosperity of our communities. This includes the Bell Let’s Talk initiative, which promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let’s Talk Day and significant Bell funding of community care and access, research and workplace leadership initiatives throughout the country. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

1 Based on total revenue and total combined customer connections.

Media Inquiries:
Ellen Murphy
media@bell.ca

Investor Inquiries:
Richard Bengian
richard.bengian@bell.ca

SOURCE Bell Canada (MTL)

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Technology

Profile Customization Habits Come Into Focus in Soulmatemeets Analysis

Published

36 minutes ago

on

May 4, 2026

By

What users choose to show — and quietly leave blank — reveals something profound about digital self-presentation, Soulmatemeets finds.

GIBRALTAR, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — There is a particular kind of care that goes into the small, almost invisible decisions people make before they ever say a word in an online space. The choice of a display name, the selection of a profile image, the subtle arrangement of a bio that says enough without saying too much — these are acts of self-presentation that unfold in private, away from the scroll of conversation, in the quiet margins of a platform where no one is watching. And yet, taken together, Soulmatemeets finds they begin to form a picture worth pausing over.

Drawn from aggregated, anonymized behavioral patterns observed across its user base, a new internal analysis from Soulmatemeets offers a measured look at how people approach the customization of their digital profiles — not in sweeping, dramatic terms, but in the patient, accumulating way that data tends to reveal human behavior when given enough time and enough people.

Soulmatemeets’ study suggests that the choice of profile images yielded some nuance. Abstract or illustrative images — patterns, illustrations, stylized icons — were selected more frequently than photographs across most user segments, a finding that aligns with broader research into digital identity construction, which has long noted the preference, in informal or interest-based spaces, for symbolic self-representation over literal portraiture.

Short bios, when completed, tended to favor the particular over the general — a named hobby, a specific place, a single sentence that gestures toward personality without overexplaining it. Brevity, it appears, is not absence. It is a form of curation, according to Soulmatemeets.

Soulmatemeets’ analysis does not claim to resolve the larger questions that surround digital self-presentation. Those questions — about authenticity, about performance, about the distance or Soulmatemeets that screen names create — belong to a much longer conversation. What the data from Soulmatemeets study offers instead is a set of quiet observations: that profile completeness and conversational engagement tend to move together; that customization is less a prerequisite to participation than an accompaniment to it; and that the small expressive choices available to users are not merely decorative but functional, even social.

It would be easy to read these findings in purely instrumental terms — as a guide to what features might drive engagement, or what design choices might nudge users toward fuller profiles. But there is another reading available, one that is perhaps more in keeping with what Soulmatemeets has set out to be. The platform’s interest in this data is, at its core, an interest in how people make themselves at home in a shared space — in what it takes for a digital environment to feel, over time, genuinely inhabited rather than merely visited. Soulmatemeets continues to examine these patterns not to optimize for metrics, but to better understand what makes a space feel worth returning to.

About Soulmatemeets

Soulmatemeets came into being as an attempt to make room for something that can be surprisingly hard to find online: conversation that feels genuinely good to be part of. The platform is designed around the idea that people benefit from spaces where they can exchange stories, share what’s on their minds, or simply spend a few minutes talking with someone they wouldn’t otherwise encounter — without the ambient weight of metrics, virality, or noise. There is a deliberate lightness to what Soulmatemeets offers, a sense that the point is the exchange itself, not what comes after it. Users arrive from different places and different states of mind, and the hope — reflected in every small design decision — is that most of them leave feeling, in some modest but real sense, a little better than when they came.

Media Contact

Debbie Hammond, Soulmatemeets, 1 14844578736, review@soulmatemeets.com, https://soulmatemeets.com/

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/profile-customization-habits-come-into-focus-in-soulmatemeets-analysis-302759956.html

SOURCE Soulmatemeets

Continue Reading

Technology

Global Automotive Lead Acid Battery Market | USA, South Korea, European Union Lead | Clarios, Exide Technologies, GS Yuasa Drive Reliable Automotive Energy Storage Transition

Published

36 minutes ago

on

May 4, 2026

By

NEWARK, Del., May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — According to the latest analysis by Future Market Insights, the global automotive lead acid battery market is entering a stable growth phase, driven by expanding vehicle populations, rising replacement demand, and increasing adoption of start-stop vehicle technologies. Valued at USD 31.3 billion in 2025, the market is projected to reach USD 52.40 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 5.3%.

For automotive OEMs, aftermarket distributors, and battery manufacturers, lead acid batteries are no longer viewed as purely conventional power sources—they remain essential infrastructure supporting vehicle ignition, auxiliary electronics, and energy management systems across passenger, commercial, and hybrid vehicles.

Quick Stats – Automotive Lead Acid Battery Market

Market Size (2025): USD 31.3 BillionForecast Value (2035): USD 52.40 BillionCAGR (2025–2035): 5.3%Leading Battery Type: Flooded Batteries (60.0% Market Share)Fast-Growing Technology Segment: AGM Batteries (30.0% Market Share)Dominant End Market: OEM Vehicle Production (62.38% Share)Key Growth Markets: United States (5.4%), South Korea (5.3%), European Union (5.3%)Key Players: Clarios (Johnson Controls), Exide Technologies, GS Yuasa Corporation, East Penn Manufacturing, EnerSys

Get detailed market forecasts, competitive benchmarking, and pricing trends:
https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1482

Executive Insight for Decision Makers

The automotive lead acid battery market is at a strategic transition point where reliability, affordability, and compatibility with modern vehicle electronics are redefining energy storage demand. Despite the rise of electric mobility, lead acid batteries continue to serve as the backbone of starting, lighting, ignition (SLI), and auxiliary vehicle systems.

Organizations that fail to upgrade toward advanced AGM and Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB) technologies risk losing competitiveness in start-stop and hybrid vehicle platforms. Meanwhile, manufacturers investing in improved cycling durability, maintenance-free designs, and recycling efficiency are strengthening long-term market positioning.

Market Momentum: Powering Vehicle Reliability and Energy Management

Three structural forces are accelerating market demand globally:

Growing Vehicle Population: Expanding global vehicle fleets are creating sustained replacement battery demandStart-Stop Technology Adoption: Fuel-efficiency regulations are driving AGM and EFB battery integrationIncreasing Vehicle Electronics: Advanced infotainment, ADAS, and onboard electronics require robust auxiliary power systems

Automotive lead acid batteries are evolving from commodity components into optimized energy storage systems supporting modern vehicle architectures.

Segment Leadership Defining Market Direction

Flooded Batteries (60.0%) dominate due to low cost, proven reliability, and widespread aftermarket adoptionAGM Batteries (30.0%) are gaining traction in premium and start-stop vehicles requiring enhanced cycling performanceOEM Segment (62.38%) leads through long-term supply contracts with global automotive manufacturers

Demand is expanding across passenger vehicles, commercial fleets, hybrid vehicles, and micro-hybrid systems where reliability and cost efficiency remain critical.

Speak to Analyst: Customize insights for your business strategy:     
https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-1482

Regional Growth Landscape

United States (5.4% CAGR): Growth supported by large vehicle fleet and strong aftermarket demandSouth Korea (5.3% CAGR): Advanced automotive manufacturing and start-stop vehicle integration driving expansionEuropean Union (5.3% CAGR): Emission regulations accelerating AGM battery adoptionJapan (5.2% CAGR): Technology leadership in hybrid and premium vehicle battery systemsIndia (5.0% CAGR): Rising vehicle ownership and expanding automotive production fueling demand

Global market expansion remains closely tied to vehicle production volumes, replacement cycles, and increasing electrification of automotive systems.

Competitive Landscape: Reliability Meets Technology Advancement

The automotive lead acid battery market remains highly competitive, with manufacturers focusing on durability, charge acceptance, and recycling efficiency:

Clarios (Johnson Controls) – Leading global OEM and aftermarket battery supply platformsExide Technologies – Expanding advanced lead acid and recycling capabilitiesGS Yuasa Corporation – Strengthening premium AGM and hybrid battery solutionsEast Penn Manufacturing – Advancing high-performance maintenance-free battery technologiesEnerSys – Expanding commercial and industrial automotive battery applications

Competition is increasingly defined by battery lifespan, cold-cranking performance, recycling infrastructure, and compatibility with modern vehicle energy systems.

Strategic Takeaways

OEMs: Integrate AGM and EFB technologies to support start-stop and hybrid platformsBattery Manufacturers: Focus on longer lifecycle, maintenance-free operation, and sustainable recyclingAftermarket Distributors: Expand premium battery portfolios to capture replacement demandInvestors: Target companies supporting reliable automotive electrification and energy storage upgrades

Why This Market Matters

The automotive lead acid battery market remains a foundational pillar of the global automotive ecosystem. While new battery chemistries continue to emerge, lead acid technology retains a critical role due to its affordability, reliability, mature recycling infrastructure, and compatibility with conventional and hybrid vehicles.

As vehicle fleets expand and automotive electronics become increasingly complex, demand for dependable and cost-effective energy storage solutions will remain resilient across both OEM and aftermarket channels.

For forward-looking stakeholders, this market represents not just steady expansion—but a long-term opportunity driven by evolving vehicle architectures, sustainable recycling ecosystems, and the ongoing modernization of global transportation systems.

Unlock 360° insights for strategic decision making and investment planning:      
https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/1482  

Related Reports:  

Motorcycle Lead Acid Battery Market – https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/motorcycle-lead-acid-battery-market

Automotive Battery Pack Compression Pad Market – https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/automotive-battery-pack-compression-pad-market

Automotive Battery Pack Fire Barrier Pad Market – https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/automotive-battery-pack-fire-barrier-pad-market

Automotive Battery Tester Market – https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/automotive-battery-tester-market

Automotive Battery Disconnect Unit (BDU) Market – https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/automotive-battery-disconnect-unit-bdu-market

About Future Market Insights (FMI)  

Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. Headquartered in Delaware, USA, with a global delivery center in India and offices in the UK and UAE, FMI delivers actionable insights to businesses across industries including automotive, technology, consumer products, manufacturing, energy, and chemicals.  

An ESOMAR-certified research organization, FMI provides custom and syndicated market reports and consulting services, supporting both Fortune 1,000 companies and SMEs. Its team of 300+ experienced analysts ensures credible, data-driven insights to help clients navigate global markets and identify growth opportunities.  

For Press & Corporate Inquiries 
Rahul Singh  
AVP – Marketing and Growth Strategy  
Future Market Insights, Inc.  
+91 8600020075  
For Sales - sales@futuremarketinsights.com  
For Media - Rahul.singh@futuremarketinsights.com  
For web - https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/
For Web: https://www.factmr.com/

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1197648/3531122/FMI_Logo.jpg

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-automotive-lead-acid-battery-market–usa-south-korea-european-union-lead–clarios-exide-technologies-gs-yuasa-drive-reliable-automotive-energy-storage-transition-302761222.html

SOURCE Future Market Insights

Continue Reading

Technology

Sowell Management Launches Advisor Partnership Program Providing Equity in the Firm and Growth Capital to Affiliated Advisors

Published

36 minutes ago

on

May 4, 2026

By

Sowell partners with Merchant to fund the program, accelerate the firm’s M&A strategy and build on strong momentum

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark., May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sowell Management (Sowell), a leading Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) serving financial advisors and their clients nationwide, announced the launch of its Advisor Partnership Program (APP) to provide its new and existing advisors with the resources and capital needed to grow their practices and plan for their futures. Additionally, Sowell announced it is partnering with Merchant for a capital infusion to fund APP, enhance its technology and investment management capabilities, and execute an ambitious M&A strategy to accelerate its momentum in the evolving, consolidating independent wealth management sector. 

Designed for both current advisors and those considering joining, APP provides a meaningful opportunity to participate in the equity and long-term enterprise value of Sowell. Backed by strategic capital, APP is built to drive growth, operational scale and new opportunities. It also provides for succession and continuity planning, allowing advisors to create a defined path for their future on their own terms.

“As we considered the next chapter of our growth, we wanted to demonstrate our appreciation for our advisors’ loyalty and their dedication to serving clients with distinction, while giving them additional incentive to support the ongoing success of the firm,” said Daryl Seaton, CEO, Sowell Management. “We created our Advisor Partnership Program to ensure it reflected the values and culture that have made Sowell a unique presence in the RIA space for the past 25 years. We have always treated our advisors as partners in the business, and our new Program enables us to formalize that approach.”

Sowell has experienced steady growth since its founding in 2001 as one of the nation’s earliest RIAs. It has grown to over $6.5 billion in client assets through organic growth and traditional recruiting of advisors drawn to the firm’s straightforward approach to financial planning, investment management, and client service.

As the industry evolved over the years, so has Sowell, increasing investment management solutions through a CIO model, adding a private wealth division with Cache River, enhancing its technology, marketing, and business development support, and building out an impressive leadership team with expertise from across wealth management. The new APP and partnership with Merchant will propel Sowell into its next phase of growth.

“Scale has become increasingly critical for sustained success in wealth management, and it will become more so as the industry continues to consolidate,” said Bill Sowell, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Sowell Management. “After a thorough due diligence process, we invited Merchant to be the partner who will take us into the future. Merchant’s team has a deep understanding of the RIA space and respect for what we have built here at Sowell under the current leadership team.”

Merchant is a well-respected global operating company providing growth capital, strategic resources, and support to independent financial services firms. Merchant’s ecosystem comprises over 130+ partner firms and RIA practices in six countries, collectively managing more than $340 billion in assets.

“Sowell is an ideal partner firm for us,” said Matt Brinker, Managing Partner at Merchant. “With Daryl and Bill at the helm, they lead a strong management team that knows where they want to take the business and be a premier destination for established financial advisors serving the needs of sophisticated clients. The firm’s Midwest roots, values, and approach to wealth management are refreshing, and we look forward to supporting their continued growth and making their vision a reality.”

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

About Sowell Management
Sowell Management is a privately held Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and a trusted partner to financial advisors. Founded by financial advisor Bill Sowell in 2001, Sowell Management provides a transformative platform of services and solutions to guide advisors on the path toward true independence. Sowell has a nationwide network of financial advisors representing over $6.5 billion* in client assets (AUA/AUM) as of April 2026.

*Regulatory assets under management (AUM) are assets where Sowell provides continuous and regular supervisory or management services to client portfolios. Assets under administration (AUA) is a measure of the total assets for which Sowell provides administrative services. Working with a highly rated advisor does not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results. 

For more information, visit sowellmanagement.com.

Media Contact
Haven Tower Group
Brandon Blackwell
(424) 317-4868
bblackwell@haventower.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sowell-management-launches-advisor-partnership-program-providing-equity-in-the-firm-and-growth-capital-to-affiliated-advisors-302760773.html

SOURCE Sowell Management

Continue Reading

Trending