Core Viewpoint - AT&T exceeded expectations by adding more wireless subscribers in Q3, driven by bundled plans and promotions related to the iPhone launch, leading to a 4% increase in shares during premarket trading [1]. Subscriber Growth - AT&T added 405,000 monthly bill-paying wireless subscribers, surpassing the expected 334,100 additions [2]. Bundled Services and Customer Retention - The company has successfully encouraged customers to adopt multiple services by offering discounts on bundled wireless and fiber broadband plans, with over 41% of fiber households also opting for mobile plans [3]. Strategic Moves - AT&T announced a significant $23 billion deal to acquire wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar, aimed at enhancing its network capabilities [3]. Revenue and Financial Performance - Equipment revenue grew by 6.1% in Q3, driven by stronger phone sales, while operating costs in the mobility unit increased by 3.8% due to higher expenses from selling more expensive phones and increased marketing costs [4]. - Total revenue for Q3 was $30.7 billion, slightly below the estimated $30.87 billion [5]. - The business wireline unit experienced a 7.8% decline in revenue, impacted by decreases in legacy voice and data services [4]. - On an adjusted basis, AT&T earned 54 cents per share, aligning closely with estimates [4].

AT&T Inc. Financial Data | Consolidated | | Statements | of | Income | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Dollars in millions except per share amounts | | | | | | | | | Unaudited | | Third Quarter | | Percent | Nine-Month Period | | Percent | | | | 2025 | 2024 | Change | 2025 | 2024 | Change | | Operating Revenues | | | | | | | | | Service | $ | 25,336 $ | 25,134 | 0.8 % $ | 75,766 $ | 74,982 | 1.0 % | | Equipment | | 5,373 | 5,079 | 5.8 % | 16,416 | 15,056 | 9.0 % | | Total Operating ...

Core Insights - AT&T reported strong third-quarter results, highlighting continued customer demand for its wireless and fiber offerings, positioning the company to meet its full-year financial outlook [1][2] Financial Performance - Revenues for the third quarter totaled $30.7 billion, up 1.6% from $30.2 billion in the year-ago quarter, driven by higher Mobility, Consumer Wireline, and Mexico revenues [14] - Net income was $9.7 billion, including a $5.5 billion gain on the sale of the DIRECTV investment, compared to $0.1 billion in the year-ago quarter [14] - Adjusted EPS was $0.54, consistent with the year-ago quarter, while diluted EPS was $1.29, reflecting a significant gain from the DIRECTV sale [14][27] Segment Performance - Mobility service revenues grew 2.3% year over year to $16.9 billion, with operating income of $7.1 billion, up 1.7% [11] - Consumer Wireline revenues increased by 4.1% year over year, driven by a 16.8% increase in fiber revenue, resulting in operating income of $325 million [16][17] - Business Wireline revenues declined by 7.8% year over year, impacted by secular pressures on legacy services, although partially offset by growth in fiber services [12][15] Customer Growth and Strategy - AT&T added 405,000 postpaid phone net adds with a postpaid phone churn rate of 0.92% [6][11] - Over 41% of AT&T Fiber households also subscribed to AT&T Mobility, indicating strong convergence strategy execution [6][21] - The company continues to pursue an investment-led strategy, focusing on customer growth and enhancing connectivity offerings [2][5] Capital Management - AT&T repurchased $1.5 billion in common shares during the quarter, with over $2.4 billion repurchased under the 2024 authorization [6] - The company plans to maintain a consistent approach to capital returns and aims to reduce its net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA ratio over the coming years [5][35] Future Outlook - AT&T reiterated its full-year 2025 financial guidance, expecting consolidated service revenue growth in the low-single-digit range and adjusted EBITDA growth of 3% or better [5][6] - The company anticipates free cash flow in the low-to-mid $16 billion range and adjusted EPS in the higher end of the $1.97 to $2.07 range for 2025 [5][6]

Core Viewpoint - AT&T offers a strong income potential with a 4.25% dividend yield, significantly above the sector average, and is expected to report stable earnings despite anticipated profit declines [1][4][19] Financial Performance - Over the past year, AT&T's stock has increased by 18.76%, with a year-to-date rise of 13.86%, indicating improved management execution and cash generation [2] - In Q2, AT&T reported revenue of $30.8 billion and diluted EPS of $0.62, up from $0.49 a year earlier, with operating income at $6.5 billion and net income at $4.9 billion [6] - The company generated $9.8 billion in cash flow from operations and $4.4 billion in free cash flow, an increase from $4.0 billion the previous year [7] Business Segments - Mobility revenue grew by 3.5% to $16.9 billion, while fiber broadband revenue surged nearly 19% year-over-year to $2.1 billion, driven by the addition of 446,000 new connections [8] - The sale of AT&T's remaining 70% stake in DIRECTV has streamlined operations and allowed for more investment in 5G and fiber initiatives [8] Market Context - Telecom stocks have shown strong momentum, with traditional telecom companies averaging a 14.3% gain since the last reporting cycle, supported by optimism in the sector [5] - Global telecom spending is projected to increase by about 4% this year to approximately $1.42 trillion, indicating steady demand for connectivity [5] Analyst Sentiment - Analysts expect a 10% year-over-year drop in profit but remain optimistic about AT&T's ability to offset weaknesses in older business lines with growth in wireless and fiber [4] - The consensus among analysts is a "Moderate Buy" rating, with a mean price target of $30.65, suggesting an estimated 18% upside from the current stock price [17] Future Outlook - AT&T anticipates service revenue growth in 2025, with mobility revenue expected to rise by about 3% or more and consumer fiber broadband climbing in the mid-to-high teens [14] - The company plans to spend between $22 billion and $22.5 billion this year while generating around $16 billion in free cash flow [14]

Core Insights - AT&T and other phone carriers are experiencing increased profits due to a shift in consumer behavior away from traditional cable internet services towards fixed wireless internet options [1][3] Consumer Behavior - An average internet price increase of $20.78 per month in 2024 has led 75% of Americans to cancel, downgrade, or consider switching their internet providers [2] - Only 40.2% of consumers now rely on cable TV companies for internet service, down from 45% in late 2024, while reliance on 5G home internet has risen to 11% from 8.4% a year ago [4] Company Performance - AT&T gained 203,000 new customers for its 5G home internet service and 243,000 new fiber internet customers in the second quarter, contributing to an operating income of $6.5 billion, a 10% increase year-over-year [5] - Despite the growth in demand, AT&T announced a $5 increase in monthly bills for all internet plans starting December 1, 2025, affecting both new and existing customers [6][7]

Market Overview - US stock index futures showed mixed movements with Dow futures up 0.08% and S&P 500 futures up 0.03%, while Nasdaq futures fell 0.05% [1] - European indices also experienced gains, with Germany's DAX up 0.17%, UK's FTSE 100 up 0.30%, France's CAC40 up 0.55%, and the Euro Stoxx 50 up 0.26% [2][3] - WTI crude oil rose by 0.79% to $57.47 per barrel, and Brent crude oil increased by 0.67% to $61.42 per barrel [3][4] Market Sentiment - The recent rebound in US stocks is attributed to short covering rather than genuine investor confidence, indicating a potential "false prosperity" [5] - Concerns about the US credit market tightening could lead to forced selling by pension funds, which may trigger a significant market downturn [5] - Allianz's chief economist noted that the current AI investment boom is a "rational bubble" that could help the US outperform global markets [5] Federal Reserve Insights - Wall Street analysts predict that the Federal Reserve may announce the end of its balance sheet reduction plan in the upcoming meeting, which could stabilize monetary policy [6] - Recent market fluctuations have led to increased use of the Fed's repurchase agreement tool, indicating liquidity concerns [6] Individual Company Performance - General Motors (GM) reported Q3 revenue of $48.59 billion, exceeding expectations of $45.26 billion, and raised its full-year EPS guidance to $9.75-$10.50 [7][8] - Coca-Cola (KO) posted Q3 revenue of $12.46 billion, surpassing the expected $12.41 billion, and reaffirmed its 2025 guidance [8] - GE Aerospace's Q3 revenue increased by 24% to $12.18 billion, driven by strong performance in its commercial engine business [8] - Zion Bank's Q3 profit exceeded expectations, with revenue of $872 million, indicating that credit pressure in regional banks may be isolated incidents [8] - DocGo's stock surged nearly 27% following its acquisition of virtual healthcare platform SteadyMD [8] Upcoming Earnings Reports - Notable earnings reports expected include Netflix, Texas Instruments, and Alliance West Bank on Wednesday morning, and Barclays, Teck Resources, and AT&T before market open [10]

Core Insights - The upcoming earnings reports for AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon are anticipated to provide insights into competitive dynamics in the telecom sector, particularly against the cable TV industry by 2026 [1][2][12] - Verizon's unexpected CEO transition to Dan Schulman raises questions about the company's strategic direction and potential impacts on its dividend policy [3][4][6] Company-Specific Summaries AT&T - AT&T's stock has increased by 14% this year, aligning with the S&P 500, but has seen a decline since mid-September [1] - The company is focusing on fiber expansion and has returned to its core telecom operations by divesting from satellite TV and WarnerMedia [15] T-Mobile - T-Mobile is expected to lead in Q3 subscriber additions, with an estimated 840,000 postpaid phone subscribers, compared to AT&T's 332,000 and Verizon's 47,000 [9][10] - The company is undergoing a leadership transition with Srinivasan Gopalan set to take over as CEO on Nov. 1, following Mike Sievert [3][7] Verizon - Verizon appointed Dan Schulman as CEO, replacing Hans Vestberg, which analysts view as a significant and unexpected change [3][4] - Analysts suggest that Schulman may prioritize aggressive fiber expansion, potentially impacting free cash flow and leading to a suspension of dividend growth [5][6] - Verizon's consumer business is under pressure due to subscriber losses to competitors, and the company anticipates closing its $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications by early 2026 [5][6] Industry Trends - The wireless competition is intensifying, with increased subsidies and trade-in promotions as companies respond to the launch of higher-priced iPhone models [8] - Analysts predict that 2026 will be a pivotal year for the telecom and cable sectors, with heightened competition in consumer connectivity services [12] - Telecom companies are aggressively expanding fiber networks and fixed wireless broadband services, which may lead to pricing and margin pressures in the market [13]

Market Sentiment - Initial trends indicate a moderately higher open for Wall Street, driven by easing trade tensions between the U.S. and China, which is likely to boost investor sentiment [1] - Major U.S. indices finished positively on Friday, with the Dow up 238.37 points (0.5%), Nasdaq up 117.44 points (0.5%), and S&P 500 up 34.94 points (0.5%) [2] Economic Indicators - The Leading Indicators for September are expected to show a decline of 0.3%, an improvement from the previous month's decline of 0.5% [3] - Treasury Bill auctions for both three-month and six-month maturities are scheduled, indicating ongoing government financing activities [3][4] Company Earnings - A number of significant companies, including Coca-Cola, General Motors, Netflix, AT&T, IBM, Tesla, and Intel, are set to report their quarterly results this week, which may attract investor attention [1]

Core Viewpoint - Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell hinted at potential interest rate cuts due to labor market weakness, suggesting investors consider adding dividend stocks for stable income [1] Group 1: EOG Resources - EOG Resources is a crude oil and natural gas exploration and production company, recently acquiring Encino Acquisition Partners for $5.6 billion, which is expected to enhance its free cash flow and shareholder returns [3][4] - EOG raised its quarterly dividend by 5% to $1.02 per share, resulting in an annualized dividend of $4.08 per share and a yield of 3.8% [4] - RBC Capital analyst Scott Hanold reiterated a buy rating on EOG, raising the price target from $140 to $145, while TipRanks' AI Analyst has an "outperform" rating with a price target of $133 [4][6] - Hanold updated his earnings per share (EPS) estimates for 2025 and 2026 to $10.07 and $9.46, respectively, reflecting higher oil price expectations [5] - Hanold believes EOG will outperform its peers due to its technological edge, strong balance sheet, and capital efficiency [6] Group 2: Coterra Energy - Coterra Energy, focused on exploration and production in the Permian Basin, Marcellus Shale, and Anadarko Basin, paid a quarterly dividend of 22 cents per share, yielding 3.4% [7] - Analyst Gabriele Sorbara reiterated a buy rating on Coterra but lowered the price target from $35 to $32, while TipRanks' AI Analyst has a "neutral" rating with a price target of $26 [8] - Sorbara expects Q3 oil production to exceed expectations but anticipates EBITDA and free cash flow may lag due to gas pricing issues [10] - Sorbara maintains a buy rating on Coterra, citing attractive valuation and potential for strong capital returns [11] Group 3: AT&T - AT&T declared a quarterly dividend of 27.75 cents per share, with an annualized dividend of $1.11 per share, yielding 4.3% [13] - Citigroup analyst Michael Rollins reiterated a buy rating on AT&T with a price target of $32, expecting strong Q3 performance across strategic products [14][15] - Rollins forecasts 300,000 postpaid phone net additions and 2.5% year-over-year growth in wireless service revenue for Q3 [15] - The analyst also estimates 286,000 fiber net additions and 210,000 net additions for fixed wireless access in Q3 [16] - Rollins believes AT&T's broadband opportunity is an under-appreciated aspect of its financial growth prospects [17]

The share price of AT&T (NYSE: T ) has been under pressure lately as the telecom sector in the United States is changing. In this excellent preview by fellow author Vladimir Dimitrov, the key elements to look out for in next week’sHe is the leader of the investment group European Small Cap Ideas which offers exclusive access to actionable research on appealing Europe-focused investment opportunities not found elsewhere. The a focus is on high-quality ideas in the small-cap space, with emphasis on capital ga ...