Lumen(US:LUMN) ZACKS·2026-01-19 15:01Core Insights - Lumen Technologies, Inc. (LUMN) shares have increased by 18% over the past year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's growth of 4.3% and contrasting with a 4.5% decline in the Diversified Communications Services sector [1][8] Price Performance - Lumen's stock performance has surpassed that of competitors such as Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, which have seen declines of 4.6%, 10%, and 19% respectively during the same period [4] - LUMN's current stock price is $8.45, below its 52-week high of $11.95 [5] Growth Drivers - The demand for low-latency, high-bandwidth fiber connectivity driven by AI workloads is boosting Lumen's Private Connectivity Fabric (PCF) and network-as-a-service (NaaS) solutions, leading to $10 billion in secured PCF deals [6][8] - Lumen anticipates that the existing PCF business will generate $400-$500 million in recurring revenues by the end of 2028 [7] Customer Growth and New Offerings - Lumen has surpassed 1,500 customers on its NaaS platform, with a 32% sequential increase in active customers and a 36% increase in services sold [9] - The company has introduced Internet on Demand (IoD Offnet), which is expected to enhance market reach significantly [9] Strategic Initiatives - Lumen is targeting $1 billion in cost savings by 2027 through infrastructure simplification and AI-driven operational efficiencies [11] - The company is focused on deleveraging, with a planned sale of its fiber-to-the-home business to AT&T for $5.75 billion, expected to close in early 2026 [12][13] Financial Position - Lumen is trading at a discounted valuation with a price-to-sales ratio of 0.74, compared to the industry average of 1.53 [14][16] Future Outlook - Lumen's new business model, including the PxQ model and Project Berkeley, aims to enhance its service offerings and market position [10] - The company expects to generate between $500 million and $600 million in incremental revenues from its digital capabilities by the end of 2028 [10]