Core Insights - AT&T's shares rose over 10% following a strong quarterly financial report and a positive long-term growth outlook [1][2] Financial Performance - The company generated $16.6 billion in free cash flow in 2024, with expectations to exceed $21 billion by 2028 [5] - AT&T's current dividend yield stands at 4.2%, and a new $10 billion share buyback program has been approved by the board [1][5] Customer Growth - AT&T attracted 421,000 postpaid phone and 283,000 fiber subscribers in the fourth quarter [2] - The fiber convergence rate increased by 200 basis points year over year to 42%, marking the fastest annual growth since tracking began [3] Customer Retention - The postpaid churn rate was reported at less than 1%, indicating effective customer retention despite competition from rivals like Verizon and T-Mobile [4]

Core Viewpoint - Verizon Communications has shown significant improvement in its financial performance, making it an attractive option for income investors, particularly due to its robust free cash flow growth, accelerating earnings, and an improving underlying business. Group 1: Financial Performance - Verizon's shares increased by 11.83% following its Q4 update, reflecting positive investor sentiment [2][3] - The company reported free cash flow of $20.1 billion for 2025, an increase from $19.8 billion in the previous year, with guidance projecting a further growth of at least 7% to $21.5 billion in 2026 [3][4] - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be between $4.90 and $4.95 in 2026, indicating a year-over-year growth of 4% to 5% [5][6] Group 2: Business Improvement - Verizon's underlying business is showing noticeable improvement, with the highest quarterly postpaid phone net additions since 2019 [6][8] - Wireless services revenue rose by 1.1% to $21 billion in Q4, while wireless equipment revenue increased by 9.1% year over year to $8.2 billion [8] - The company has successfully reduced its net unsecured debt to $110.1 billion at the end of Q4 2025, down from $113.7 billion the previous year [8] Group 3: Strategic Moves - The acquisition of Frontier Communications, set to close on January 20, 2026, is viewed as a pivotal step in Verizon's turnaround strategy, significantly expanding its fiber footprint to over 30 million homes and businesses [9]

Key Takeaways RCI posted Q4 adjusted EPS of $1.08, beating estimates; revenues rose 13% y/y.Rogers Communications saw Media revenues surge 126% y/y, offsetting softer wireless and cable growth.RCI generated C$1.02B in free cash flow and raised the 2025 free cash flow guidance to C$3.3C$3.5B.Rogers Communications (RCI) reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings of $1.08 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 10.2% and increased 3.8% year over year.Revenues of $4.43 billion beat the consens ...

Verizon Stock: Verizon Earnings And Wireless Subscriber Gains Beat, Outlook Strong | Investor's Business DailyBREAKING: [Trump Names Warsh New Fed Chairman]---Verizon Communications (VZ) on Friday reported fourth-quarter earnings, revenue and wireless subscriber additions that topped Wall Street estimates. Verizon stock popped amid 2026 profit guidance that came in above expectations under a new chief executive. On its earnings call with Wall Street analysts, Verizon announced a stock repurchase of "up to $ ...

Core Viewpoint - Verizon's annual profit and free cash flow forecasts exceed market expectations, driven by aggressive promotions during the peak holiday period, resulting in the highest quarterly wireless subscriber growth for the company [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - Verizon reported a significant increase in quarterly wireless subscriber growth, attributed to effective promotional strategies [1] - The company anticipates annual profit and free cash flow to surpass market expectations, indicating strong financial health [1] Group 2: Market Strategy - Aggressive promotions during the holiday season played a crucial role in enhancing Verizon's market position and subscriber acquisition [1]

Core Insights - AT&T reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.52, exceeding estimates of $0.46, and revenue of $33.47 billion, surpassing expectations of $32.88 billion [1][6] Subscriber Growth - The company added 283,000 fiber subscribers and 421,000 net postpaid phone subscribers in the latest quarter, contributing to significant revenue growth in its wireless and consumer segments [2][3] - AT&T experienced its best year for consumer broadband subscriber growth in a decade, with 42% of AT&T Fiber households also opting for AT&T's wireless services [5] Financial Performance - AT&T's financial performance for the fourth quarter and full year of 2025 exceeded all consolidated financial guidance, driven by growth in converged fiber and 5G customers [3] - The company reported a P/E ratio of 7.39 and a price-to-sales ratio of 1.31, indicating its market valuation and financial health [5] Shareholder Returns - In 2025, AT&T returned over $12 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, with plans to return an additional $45 billion or more from 2026 to 2028 [4][6] - This shareholder return strategy is part of AT&T's customer-centric, investment-led approach, aimed at enhancing profitability [4]

Core Insights - AT&T experienced higher sales in the fiscal fourth quarter, driven by revenue growth in its wireless and consumer segments [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - The increase in sales was primarily attributed to the performance of the wireless business [1] - Consumer business also contributed positively to the overall revenue growth [1]

Core Insights - Investors with significant capital have adopted a bearish stance on T-Mobile US, indicating potential insider knowledge of upcoming events [1] - The overall sentiment among large investors is predominantly bearish, with 70% of trades being bearish and only 20% bullish [2] Options Activity - A total of 10 uncommon options trades were identified for T-Mobile US, with 3 puts amounting to $269,865 and 7 calls totaling $581,893 [2] - The projected price targets for T-Mobile US based on trading activity range from $180.0 to $200.0 over the past three months [3] Volume and Open Interest - An analysis of volume and open interest provides insights into the liquidity and interest in T-Mobile US's options, particularly within the $180.0 to $200.0 strike price range over the last 30 days [4] Recent Options Activity - Noteworthy options activity includes various trades with differing sentiments, such as: - A bullish call option with a total trade of $283.5K at a strike price of $185.00 [7] - Bearish put options with total trades of $137.1K and $90.4K at strike prices of $187.50 and $180.00 respectively [7] Company Overview - T-Mobile US, formed from the merger of T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS in 2013, and later with Sprint in 2020, is the second-largest wireless carrier in the US, serving approximately 85 million postpaid and 26 million prepaid customers [8] - The company has aggressively entered the fixed-wireless broadband market, currently serving 7 million residential and business customers, along with nearly 1 million fiber broadband customers through joint ventures [8] Market Performance - The current trading volume for T-Mobile US is 1,206,438, with the stock price at $184.23, reflecting a 0.61% increase [11] - An expert from Bernstein has maintained a Market Perform rating on T-Mobile US, with an average target price of $245.0 [10]

Core Viewpoint - Dividend investing can build wealth and provide passive income, with dividend stocks outperforming non-dividend payers in the long run [1] Group 1: Dividend Stocks Overview - Dividend stocks can be ideal long-term investments even for those focused on growth stocks, as they provide stability during market fluctuations [2] - Companies that are essential in their industries and offer in-demand products and services are key targets for dividend investing [2] Group 2: Verizon Communications - Verizon is a leading telecom company in the U.S. with over 146 million wireless customers, playing a significant role in the economy [4] - The company is expanding its broadband business and plans to add over 2.2 million new fiber subscribers through the acquisition of Frontier Communications [5] - Verizon's stock has a yield of 7.01%, a payout ratio of 57.68%, and has raised dividends for 21 consecutive years, paying an annual dividend of $2.76 per share [5] - Despite recent struggles in gaining new wireless customers, Verizon is viewed as a long-term stability and dividend investment opportunity [7] Group 3: Johnson & Johnson - Johnson & Johnson is now a pure-play health company focusing on medical technology and innovative drugs, operating in a non-cyclical industry [8] - The stock has a yield of 2.37%, priced at $219.57, and has gained 48% over the past year [9] - The company reported a 4.4% year-over-year revenue increase and a 15.7% EPS jump in the third quarter, generating $14.3 billion in free cash flow in the first nine months of 2025 [10] - Johnson & Johnson has a payout ratio of 48.94%, has increased dividends for 63 years, and pays an annual dividend of $5.20 per share with a 5-year dividend growth rate of 5.25% [12] Group 4: Coca-Cola - Coca-Cola is a blue-chip dividend stock with a yield of 2.89%, having raised dividends for 63 consecutive years [13] - The stock is priced at $70.48, with a 13% gain over the past year, and has a payout ratio of 67.85%, paying an annual dividend of $2.04 per share [14] - Coca-Cola operates an asset-light business model, selling concentrates and syrups to bottling partners, which minimizes operating costs and generates steady revenue [15] - The company has demonstrated resilience, generating over 100% total return over the past decade, making it a reliable choice for dividend investors [16]

Telecom Industry Overview - Telecom stocks, including AT&T, Dycom Industries, and America Movil, are highlighted as key companies to watch due to their significant trading volume recently [2] - These stocks are valued for their steady cash flows and dividends but are sensitive to capital expenditures, regulatory changes, and technological shifts in connectivity consumption [2] AT&T (T) - AT&T, Inc. operates as a holding company providing telecommunications and technology services through its Communications and Latin America segments [3] - The Communications segment offers wireless, wireline telecom, and broadband services to both businesses and consumers in the US and globally [3] Dycom Industries (DY) - Dycom Industries, Inc. specializes in providing contracting services to the telecommunications infrastructure and utility industries in the US [3] - The company offers engineering services for telecommunications providers, including planning and design for various cable systems and wireless networks [3] America Movil (AMX) - América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. provides telecommunications services across Latin America and internationally [4] - The company offers a range of services including wireless and fixed voice services, data services, and value-added services such as Internet access and mobile payment solutions [4]