Core Viewpoint - KT Corporation is transitioning into an AICT company, focusing on integrating IT and AI with telecommunications, while AT&T is enhancing its core wireless business and expanding 5G and fiber coverage in the U.S. [2][7] KT Corporation - KT is developing an AI lineup anchored by its proprietary Mi:dm2.0 large language model, with early contract wins from government and water resource sectors [2] - The company has partnered with Microsoft to integrate AI into its services and plans to introduce a tailored AI model by late 2025 [3] - KT's AI IT business revenues increased by 13.8% year over year, and KT Cloud revenues rose by 23% due to data center growth [3] - The company has a stable dividend policy and a KRW 1 trillion share buyback plan, reflecting confidence in future cash flows [4] - Management has committed KRW 1 trillion over five years for cybersecurity, which may pressure near-term profitability [5] - The domestic telecom market is heavily penetrated, limiting organic growth opportunities, and competition from SK Telecom and LG Uplus poses risks [6] AT&T - AT&T is focusing on its core wireless business and expanding its 5G and fiber coverage, with a strategy based on mobile 5G, fixed wireless, and edge computing [7] - The acquisition of mid-band spectrum from EchoStar is expected to enhance 5G performance and reduce capital investment needs [8] - AT&T reported 270,000 net adds for Internet Air, doubling year over year, and over 550,000 new subscribers to advanced broadband services [9] - The company aims to reach over 60 million fiber customer locations by 2030, with significant growth in fiber subscribers [10] - AT&T generated $4.9 billion in free cash flow in Q3 2025 and returned $3.5 billion to shareholders, indicating strong cash flow generation [11] - The wireline division faces persistent losses, with revenues down 7.8% year over year due to competitive pressures [12] Share Performance and Valuation - Over the past month, KT and AT&T shares declined by 1.9% and 9%, respectively [14] - KT's shares are trading at a price/book ratio of 0.75X, lower than AT&T's 1.45X [16] - Analysts have revised earnings estimates downward for KT, while AT&T's estimates remain unchanged [17][19] Consensus Estimates - Current earnings estimates for KT show a downward revision of 3.21% for F1 and 2.53% for F2 [18] - AT&T's earnings estimates have seen a positive revision trend, particularly for Q1 and F2 [19] Investment Outlook - AT&T holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), while KT Corporation has a rank of 4 (Sell), suggesting AT&T may be a better investment choice at this time [20]

Core Insights - Verizon Communications Inc. reported strong third-quarter 2025 results with wireless service revenues of $21 billion, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 2.1% [1][4] - Adjusted earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate, while total revenues fell short of expectations [1][4] Financial Performance - Net income for the quarter was $5.06 billion, or $1.17 per share, compared to $3.41 billion, or 78 cents per share, in the same quarter last year, driven by top-line growth and reduced operating expenses [3] - Total operating revenues increased by 1.5% to $33.82 billion, but missed the consensus estimate of $34.18 billion [4] - Adjusted earnings were $1.21 per share, slightly above the previous year's $1.19 per share [3] Segment Results - Consumer segment revenues rose by 2.9% year over year to $26.1 billion, exceeding estimates [5] - Business segment revenues declined by 2.8% to $7.14 billion due to lower wholesale and enterprise revenues, falling short of estimates [8] Subscriber Growth - Fixed wireless access net additions reached 261,000, bringing the total subscriber base to nearly 5.4 million, with a target of 8 to 9 million by 2028 [2] - Wireless retail postpaid churn was recorded at 1.12%, while retail postpaid phone churn was 0.91% [6] Operating Metrics - Operating income improved by 36.8% to $8.1 billion, with total operating expenses down by 6.2% to $25.72 billion [11] - Consolidated adjusted EBITDA increased to $12.77 billion, reflecting growth in wireless service revenue [11] Cash Flow and Guidance - Verizon generated $28 billion in net cash from operating activities for the first nine months of 2025, compared to $26.48 billion in the previous year [12] - For 2025, the company anticipates wireless service revenue growth of 2%-2.8% and adjusted EBITDA growth of 2.5%-3.5% [13]

About this content About Sean Mason Sean Mason is a Senior Journalist at Proactive, having researched and written about Canadian and US equities for 20 years. Sean graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA in history and economics and has also passed the Canadian Securities Course. He previously worked at Investors Digest of Canada, Stockhouse, and SmallCapPower.com. Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and action ...

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Welcome to Yahoo Finance's flagship show, The Morning Brief. I'm Julie Hyman. Let's get to the three things you need to know today.First off, Nvidia set to open with a $5 trillion valuation. This will be the first ever company to reach that milestone. The stock did close at a record high on Tuesday after announcing a slate of new technologies and partnerships at its GTC event in Washington DC.analysts this morning saying CEO Jensen Wang's keynote speech there hinted at higher thanex expected data center rev ...

Nvidia - Nvidia has reached a market cap of five trillion, driven by optimism from its developers conference [1] Boeing - Boeing's latest quarter showed a mixed performance, with a reported EPS loss of $747, missing expectations of a $2.38 loss [2][3] - Revenue increased by over 30% to $23.3 billion compared to $17.8 billion in the same quarter last year, with commercial aviation up 49% [3][4] - The backlog remains strong at $636 billion with over 5,900 units, despite a $4.9 billion pre-tax charge due to production delays [4][5] - Boeing shares are down about 2% following the earnings report, but the stock is up over 40% year-over-year [5] Caterpillar - Caterpillar reported an adjusted EPS of $4.95, down 4% year-over-year but beating estimates of $4.50 [6][7] - Sales increased by 10% to $17.6 billion compared to $16.77 billion, with construction and industrial segments up 7% and energy and transport up 17% [7][8] - The backlog increased by 11.2%, and the company announced an increase in dividends and share buybacks [8][9] Verizon - Verizon's EPS came in at $1.21, slightly beating estimates of $1.19, and significantly higher than $0.78 from the same quarter last year [11] - Total sales decreased by 33.82 billion, missing expectations by about $500 million, but were still up 1.5% year-over-year [11][12] - The consumer unit lost about 7,000 subscribers, while the broadband division gained over 36,000 new subscribers, and the business services division added 110,000 subscribers [12][13] - Verizon provided guidance for a recovery in the consumer wireless division, expecting growth of 2% to 2.5% for the remainder of the fiscal year [14]

Core Insights - Investors favor businesses with consistent profitability, measured effectively by net profit margin, which indicates a company's efficiency in converting sales into profits [1][2] - Companies like Mission Produce, Inc. (AVO), Standard Motor Products, Inc. (SMP), Dycom Industries, Inc. (DY), and Century Aluminum Company (CENX) demonstrate strong net profit margins, making them attractive to investors [1][8] Financial Metrics - Net profit margin is calculated as Net Profit/Sales * 100, representing the profit retained after all expenses [2] - A higher net profit margin not only attracts investors but also skilled employees, enhancing overall business value [3] Investment Considerations - A strong net profit margin provides clarity on a company's pricing policy, cost structure, and manufacturing efficiency, making it a preferred metric among investors [4] - However, net profit margin varies significantly across industries, and its relevance can diminish for technology companies [4][5] Screening Criteria - The screening parameters for selecting stocks include a net margin of at least 0%, positive percentage change in EPS, and a broker rating of 1, indicating strong bullishness [7] - Stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 are expected to outperform their peers in various market conditions [8] Company Profiles - **Mission Produce, Inc. (AVO)**: Engages in sourcing, producing, and marketing avocados, with a Zacks Rank of 1 and a VGM Score of A. The fiscal 2025 earnings estimate was revised upward by 13.6% to $0.67 per share [9][10] - **Standard Motor Products, Inc. (SMP)**: A leading manufacturer of automotive replacement parts, currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 with a VGM Score of A. The earnings estimate for 2025 remains at $3.76 per share [11][12] - **Dycom Industries, Inc. (DY)**: Operates in the telecom industry, providing various services. It has a Zacks Rank of 2 and a VGM Score of A, with a revised earnings estimate of $10.01 per share for fiscal 2026 [13][14] - **Century Aluminum Company (CENX)**: Engaged in aluminum production, currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 and a VGM Score of A. The earnings estimate for 2025 increased by 11.7% to $2.30 per share [14][15]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The third quarter consolidated revenue was $33.8 billion, up 1.5% from the prior year period [10] - Adjusted EBITDA was $12.8 billion, up 2.3% year over year, with year-to-date adjusted EBITDA growth of 3.5% at the top end of the guided range [12][13] - Adjusted EPS was $1.21 in the quarter, up 1.7% year over year [13] - Free cash flow for the third quarter was $7 billion, representing a nearly 17% improvement year over year [14] - Net unsecured debt at the end of the quarter was $112 billion, a $9.4 billion improvement year over year [15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Postpaid phone gross adds were up 8.4% from the prior year, but net losses were 7,000 due to a churn rate of 0.91% [7][8] - Consumer upgrades increased by 16% year over year, driven by the best value guarantee [8] - Core prepaid delivered 47,000 net adds, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of positive subscriber growth [8] - Verizon Business added 51,000 phone net adds, offsetting disconnect pressure in the public sector [9] - Broadband net adds were 306,000, with a total of over 13.2 million subscribers, and FiOS Internet delivered 61,000 net adds, the best quarterly result in two years [9][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Converged customers on fiber have a mobility churn rate nearly 40% lower than the overall mobility base [8] - The company is focused on expanding its fiber footprint and enhancing its broadband offerings through partnerships [10][92] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to shift from a technology-centric to a customer-centric approach, focusing on delighting customers and improving retention [19][32] - A fundamental change in strategic approach is planned, emphasizing financial discipline and sustainable growth [6][26] - The acquisition of Frontier is expected to create significant cross-sell opportunities and enhance the company's fiber capabilities [23][24] - The company plans to leverage AI to improve customer experience and operational efficiency [22][86] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The management acknowledges that Verizon has not captured customer growth opportunities despite its strong network foundation [5][17] - There is a commitment to transforming the culture and financial profile of the company, focusing on customer satisfaction and shareholder returns [19][26] - The company expects to close the Frontier deal in the first quarter of 2026 and is making progress with regulatory approvals [15][16] Other Important Information - The company raised its dividend for the 19th consecutive year, reflecting its commitment to shareholder returns [14] - The management is focused on reducing costs and improving operational efficiency across all business aspects [12][22] Q&A Session Questions and Answers Question: Can you expand on your vision for the company and how you expect to turn consumer volumes? - The vision includes shifting to a customer-centric approach, focusing on retention and creating the best value proposition [30][32] Question: How do you drive share for Verizon higher without going through a painful back book repricing exercise? - The strategy involves addressing customer pain points and creating targeted value propositions without relying solely on price increases [40][42] Question: Are there any parallels between Verizon and PayPal that inform your view of the opportunity for improvement? - Similarities exist in the need to focus on customer satisfaction and addressing pain points to drive growth [53][55] Question: What is the company's perspective on convergence and its fiber footprint? - Convergence is seen as a powerful opportunity for revenue synergies, and the company plans to invest in both fiber and fixed wireless [65][66] Question: How does the company plan to address cost opportunities? - The focus will be on identifying areas for cost reductions and reallocating those savings to enhance the value proposition [90][94]

Verizon share are higher pre-market after beating EPS but missing revenue estimates. ...

Financial Performance - Total revenue reached $33.8 billion, showing a 1.5% year-over-year increase[18] - Adjusted EBITDA was $12.8 billion, up 2.3% year-over-year, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 37.8%[18] - Adjusted EPS increased by 1.7% year-over-year to $1.21[18] - Free cash flow increased from $14.5 billion to $15.8 billion year-over-year[22] Subscriber Growth - Wireless retail postpaid phone gross adds totaled 2.8 million, a 5.4% year-over-year increase[8] - Consumer wireless retail postpaid phone gross adds were 2.0 million, up 8.4% year-over-year[8] - Wireless postpaid upgrades increased by 12.1% year-over-year to 4.2 million[8] - Fios internet net adds reached 61,000[8] Debt and Cash Flow - Total debt decreased from $150.6 billion to $146.8 billion[22] - Unsecured debt decreased from $126.4 billion to $119.7 billion[22] - Cash and cash equivalents increased from $5.0 billion to $7.7 billion[22] - Net unsecured debt to adjusted EBITDA improved from 2.5x to 2.2x[22]