BCE Q1 2026 revenue rises 4% as fibre, streaming and AI push offset profit dip
BCE Inc. reported a 4.0% rise in operating revenues to $6,168 million for the first quarter of 2026, even as net earnings declined 2.3% to $667 million, with the company pointing to fibre, streaming and enterprise AI initiatives as growth drivers. The results are unaudited.
Service revenue increased 3.4% to $5,350 million and product revenue rose 7.9% to $818 million compared with the first quarter of 2025. Net earnings attributable to common shareholders totalled $616 million, or $0.66 per share, down 2.2% and 2.9%, respectively.
BCE said adjusted net earnings fell 7.0% to $589 million, with adjusted EPS down 8.7% to $0.63, while adjusted EBITDA increased 2.9% to $2,631 million. “Fibre continues to be a key growth driver,” President and CEO Mirko Bibic said, noting BCE added close to 43,000 residential fibre subscribers in Canada.
Combined with the contribution from Ziply Fiber, total residential fibre net subscriber additions were close to 50,000, with Internet revenue growing nearly 15% year over year, he said. Bibic added that Crave had its most watched quarter in its history, with subscribers up 25% year over year to 4.74 million.
Bell Media digital revenues grew 8% year over year, driven by Crave and sports direct-to-consumer streaming subscriber growth, according to the company. Bibic said BCE is advancing its strategy for AI-powered enterprise solutions launched last year with Ateko, Bell Cyber and Bell AI Fabric.
For the first time, the company disclosed revenue for Bell Business Markets, which it said was up 9.7%, driven by 113% growth in AI-powered solutions revenue. He also said BCE is progressing on capital allocation and investment plans aimed at simplifying the business, strengthening the balance sheet and focusing capital on higher-return opportunities.
BCE said it will continue to execute on the plan outlined at its 2025 Investor Day as it seeks to create long-term value for shareholders, while pursuing its four strategic priorities across networks, enterprise solutions, and digital media.