T vs CHTR: Which Telecom Stock Has More Upside Right Now?

Core Insights - AT&T and Charter Communications are significant players in the U.S. connectivity market, with Charter being the second-largest cable operator and AT&T the second-largest wireless service provider in North America [1][2] Group 1: Company Performance - Charter added 493,000 mobile lines in Q3 2025, bringing its total mobile customer base to 11.4 million, a 22% increase year over year [4] - AT&T's Consumer wireline revenues improved by 4.1% year over year to $3.56 billion in Q3 2025, driven by strong momentum in the fiber broadband business [7] - AT&T recorded net fiber additions of 288,000 during the same quarter, while also adding 270,000 subscribers [8] Group 2: Strategic Initiatives - Charter is transforming its business model from legacy cable to integrated broadband and mobile connectivity, focusing on high-speed Internet and 5G solutions [4] - AT&T is expanding its portfolio to cater to high-growth markets, including IoT solutions aimed at enhancing enterprise visibility [11] - Both companies are increasing infrastructure spending to meet rising data demand, with Charter committing $7 billion to expand its fiber-optic network by over 100,000 miles [5][20] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Charter faces stiff competition from major players like AT&T and Verizon, which is rapidly expanding its fiber footprint [6] - AT&T is upgrading its network infrastructure, deploying mid-band spectrum to enhance speed and capacity across 48 states [10] - The telecom market is highly saturated, with both companies navigating customer churn and competition [10][20] Group 4: Financial Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Charter's 2025 sales indicates a year-over-year decline of 0.29%, while EPS is expected to grow by 5.03% [13] - For AT&T, the 2025 sales estimate indicates growth of 2.14%, but EPS is projected to decline by 8.85% [14] Group 5: Valuation and Performance - Over the past year, AT&T's stock has gained 7.7%, while Charter's has returned 41.9% [16] - Charter's shares trade at a forward P/E ratio of 4.67, which is lower than AT&T's 10.44, making Charter appear more attractive from a valuation standpoint [17]