Financial Performance - For the quarter ended June 2025, United States Cellular (USM) reported revenue of $916 million, down 1.2% year-over-year, with EPS at $0.36 compared to $0.20 in the same quarter last year [1] - The reported revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $904.19 million by +1.31%, while the EPS surprise was +9.09% against the consensus estimate of $0.33 [1] Key Metrics - U.S. Cellular's shares returned +6.1% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.7% change [3] - The company experienced net losses in retail connections, with postpaid at -42 million versus an estimate of -30 million, and prepaid at -2 million against an estimate of 4 million [4] - Gross additions for postpaid retail connections were 109 million, exceeding the average estimate of 101.81 million [4] Customer and Revenue Insights - Total connections stood at 4.33 million, slightly below the average estimate of 4.39 million [4] - Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) for prepaid was $31.72, above the average estimate of $31.08, while postpaid ARPU was $51.91, also exceeding the estimate of $51.77 [4] - Operating revenues from service were reported at $736 million, surpassing the estimate of $728.62 million, but reflecting a -0.9% change year-over-year [4] - Net operating revenues from service retail were $652 million, compared to an estimate of $650.86 million, indicating a -2.1% year-over-year change [4] - Equipment sales generated $180 million, exceeding the estimate of $175.58 million, with a -2.2% change year-over-year [4]

Core Insights - T-Mobile US, Inc. reported better-than-expected first-quarter fiscal 2025 results with non-GAAP earnings of $2.58 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by $0.13. Revenues increased by 6.6% year over year to $20.88 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $20.57 billion [1] Segment Performance - Total postpaid revenues rose by 7.6% year over year to $13.59 billion, exceeding the estimate of $13.54 billion. The company achieved its strongest first-quarter postpaid net addition with 1.3 million net customer additions, an increase of 117,000 year over year [2] - The majority of new customers are opting for premium plans, leading to a 4% year-over-year growth in Postpaid average revenues per account, marking the best first-quarter growth in eight years [3] - In 5G broadband, T-Mobile added 424,000 net high-speed Internet customers with record-low churn, supported by updated pricing plans and a focus on network slicing and advanced 5G infrastructure [4] Financial Position - T-Mobile generated $6.84 billion in cash from operating activities, up from $5.08 billion in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted free cash flow was reported at $4.39 billion, indicating strong operational efficiency [7] - As of March 31, 2025, the company had $12 billion in cash and cash equivalents, with long-term debt of $76 billion, an increase from $72.7 billion at the end of the previous quarter [8] Share Buyback and Guidance - During the March quarter, T-Mobile repurchased 10.1 million shares for approximately $2.5 billion, with $10.5 billion remaining under its 2025 buyback program [9] - For 2025, T-Mobile expects postpaid net customer additions between 5.5-6 million and has raised its growth expectation for postpaid ARPA to 3.5% for the full year [9][10]