Core Viewpoint - Lumen Technologies, Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Mass Markets fiber-to-the-home business, including Quantum Fiber, to AT&T for $5.75 billion in cash, marking a significant step in Lumen's transformation into a digital enterprise networking company [1] Group 1: Transaction Details - The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, pending regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions [2] - The sale includes approximately 95% of Quantum Fiber, covering around 4 million fiber-enabled locations and nearly 1 million subscribers as of March 31, 2025, projected to generate over $750 million in annualized revenues [3] Group 2: Financial Implications - Net proceeds from the deal, estimated at approximately $4.2 billion, will be used to retire about $4.8 billion in super priority debt, reducing annual interest expenses by $300 million and lowering the projected 2025 net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio from 4.9 to 3.9 [4] - The deal will also decrease annual capital expenditures related to Mass Markets fiber by about $1 billion, allowing Lumen to reinvest in enterprise offerings and strengthen its balance sheet [4] Group 3: Future Strategy - Lumen plans to continue new fiber buildouts at a similar pace as in 2024 through the end of 2025 while retaining its existing copper network for consumer customers [5] - The company aims to expand its intercity fiber network to 47 million miles by 2028 and focus on growing the Lumen Digital Platform to provide enhanced networking solutions for business customers [6] - Management emphasized that the transaction enhances financial flexibility to innovate enterprise networking in a multi-cloud, AI-first environment, retaining core infrastructure assets for enterprise services [7] Group 4: Market Demand and Partnerships - Increasing demand for Lumen's Private Connectivity Fabric (PCF) solutions is noted, with $8.5 billion in PCF deals secured in 2024, driven by the urgent need for fiber capacity among large companies [8] - Lumen has established partnerships with major tech firms like Microsoft, Amazon, Google Cloud, and Meta Platforms to support AI innovation through enhanced network capabilities [8]

Investors interested in Utilities stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Telefonica (TEF) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Utilities peers, we might be able to answer that question.Telefonica is a member of the Utilities sector. This group includes 106 individual stocks and currently ...

Core Insights - Investors are evaluating the value opportunities between Telefonica (TEF) and Chunghwa (CHT) in the Diversified Communication Services sector [1] Valuation Metrics - Telefonica has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings outlook, while Chunghwa has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [3] - TEF's forward P/E ratio is 12.20, significantly lower than CHT's forward P/E of 28.66, suggesting TEF is undervalued [5] - TEF has a PEG ratio of 0.71, while CHT's PEG ratio is 22.74, indicating TEF's expected earnings growth is more favorable [5] - TEF's P/B ratio is 1.11 compared to CHT's P/B of 2.72, further supporting TEF's valuation advantage [6] - Based on these metrics, TEF has a Value grade of A, while CHT has a Value grade of D, positioning TEF as the superior value option [6]

In a major move to strengthen its position in the global health and well-being sector, TELUS Corporation (TU) has partnered with GTCR, a prominent private equity firm with deep expertise in healthcare, to support TELUS Health’s acquisition of Workplace Options.This acquisition, valued at approximately C$500 million ($350 million) in cash, excluding about C$100 million ($70 million) in assumed debt, marks a pivotal step in TELUS Health’s journey to become a global leader in digital-first wellness solutions. ...

TELUS Corporation (TU) reported first-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of C$0.26, flat year over year.Quarterly total operating revenues increased 3% from a year ago to C$5,057 million owing to strong revenue growth across all the segments.Starting from the first quarter of 2025, TELUS introduced a separate TELUS Health segment, previously part of TTech, which will now be reported alongside TTech (excluding Health) and TELUS Digital.The company’s operating revenues (from contracts with custome ...

BCE Inc. (BCE) reported first-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of C$0.68 (48 cents) compared with C$0.44 in the prior-year quarter. The figure topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 44 cents.Quarterly total operating revenues dipped 1.3% year over year to C$5,930 million ($4,131 million). The top line lagged the consensus estimate of $4,222 million. The contraction was due to a 7.4% drop in product revenues to C$758 million and a 0.4% dip in service revenues to C$5,172 million, with declines a ...

Core Viewpoint - BCE reported quarterly earnings of $0.48 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.44 per share, but down from $0.53 per share a year ago, indicating a 9.09% earnings surprise [1] - The company posted revenues of $4.13 billion for the quarter, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.17% and down from $4.46 billion year-over-year [2] Earnings Performance - BCE has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times over the last four quarters [2] - The company had an earnings surprise of 12% in the previous quarter, with actual earnings of $0.56 per share against an expectation of $0.50 [1][2] Stock Performance - BCE shares have declined approximately 8.3% since the beginning of the year, compared to a 4.3% decline in the S&P 500 [3] - The current Zacks Rank for BCE is 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the market in the near future [6] Future Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.51 on revenues of $4.2 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $1.96 on revenues of $17.1 billion [7] - The trend of estimate revisions for BCE is mixed, which could change following the recent earnings report [6] Industry Context - The Diversified Communication Services industry, to which BCE belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 32% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [8]

Shenandoah Telecommunications (SHEN) came out with a quarterly loss of $0.19 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.14. This compares to loss of $0.08 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -35.71%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this telecommunications service provider in parts of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia would post a loss of $0.15 per share when it actually produ ...

Momentum investing revolves around the idea of following a stock's recent trend in either direction. In the 'long' context, investors will be essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." With this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving that way. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.Even though momentum is a popular stock char ...

Lumen Technologies, Inc. (LUMN) will report its first-quarter 2025 results on May 1, after the market opens. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the bottom line in the to-be-reported quarter is pegged at a loss of 25 cents, compared with a loss of 4 cents reported in the prior year quarter. The estimate has been unchanged in the past 60 days. The consensus estimate for total revenues is pinned at $3.1 billion, implying a 5.8% year-over-year decline. LUMN beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in the la ...