Shareholders of Australia's top Telco, Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS), have today been given another 1.1 billion reasons to rejoice, after the company announced that it had signed a contract worth $1.1 billion with Defence for the provision of telecommunication services for the next six-and-a-half-years.
It has recently been speculated that Telstra's shares may have run their race, after climbing from $2.55 in 2010 to a new five-year high of $4.84 yesterday. According to The Australian, major Telstra shareholder Anton Tagliaferro recently stated that he believed that at today's prices, Telstra's shares had reached their full value. This deal may have him – and many other investors – reconsidering that belief.
With an aim to "deliver technology that can become the backbone of Australian Defence for the next decade and beyond", the agreement will allow for more efficient, effective and secure communications in what will be a major transformation of the Australian Defence's telecommunications environment.
Telstra's CEO, David Thodey, stated that "the agreement represents the largest customer undertaking in Telstra's history", supporting some 100,000 users both in Australia and abroad. Thodey also added the significance of the deal, as drawing upon Telstra's 'heritage' of serving government customers on a large scale.
The agreement has forced Telstra to create 350 new jobs to assist in serving the contract, where the company will be looking to recruit leading Australian experts in IT, networks and security to ensure a positive outcome.
In trading yesterday, Telstra wasn't the only telecommunications company to climb the market. As a defensive mechanism against plunging resource stocks, news on Chinese GDP and the tragic bombings that occurred in Boston earlier this week, investors flocked to high-yielding stocks and telecommunications companies. Shares in iiNet (ASX: IIN) soared 5% yesterday, whilst TPG Telecom (ASX: TPM) gained 4.45%.
Telstra's project is currently expected to be completed by mid-2016.
Foolish takeaway
Many Australians have enjoyed the pleasure of owning shares in Telstra through their resurgence since late 2010, stacking on 90% in value plus a healthy dividend yield. As the telecommunications behemoth continues to attract new customers and large corporations, shareholders should be well rewarded with further share growth and increasingly attractive dividend payments.
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The Motley Fool's purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool's free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson. Motley Fool contributor Ryan Newman does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned in this article.
