Verizon Targets American Tower With Expensive Relocation Plan, Analysts Warn

Core Insights - American Tower's growth outlook is closely linked to limited carrier activity, with T-Mobile US leading colocations to comply with FCC buildout rules, while Verizon and AT&T's network upgrades yield only minor leasing revenue [1][3] - RBC Capital analyst Jonathan Atkin downgraded American Tower's stock rating from Outperform to Sector Perform and reduced the price target from $260 to $220 [2] - Colocation activity has increased, but American Tower is under pressure due to Verizon's high-rent relocation program targeting American Tower ahead of a master lease expiration [1][6] Company Performance - Carrier activity among the major U.S. tower companies remained subdued through Q3 2025, with no significant changes expected for site rental revenue [3] - T-Mobile is noted as the most active carrier, focusing on colocations and amendments to meet FCC requirements by Q1 2026 [3] - Verizon is concentrating on mid-band spectrum coverage, while AT&T is slightly ahead in its network modernization efforts, which provide only incremental benefits to tower leasing revenues [4] Financial Estimates - Atkin slightly raised financial estimates for American Tower, projecting 2025 revenue at $10.523 billion and adjusted EBITDA at $7.066 billion, up from previous estimates of $10.508 billion and $7.058 billion [7] - For 2026, revenue is forecasted at $11.071 billion and EBITDA at $7.459 billion, reflecting a modest increase from earlier projections [7] - Expected AFFO per share is $10.63 in 2025 and $11.65 in 2026, surpassing consensus estimates of $10.57 and $11.35 [7]