A Look Back at Wireless, Cable and Satellite Stocks’ Q3 Earnings: AT&T (NYSE:T) Vs The Rest Of The Pack

Wrapping up Q3 earnings, we look at the numbers and key takeaways for the wireless, cable and satellite stocks, including AT&T (NYSE:T) and its peers.

The Industry’s Challenge

The massive physical footprints of cell phone towers, fiber in the ground, or satellites in space make it challenging for companies in this industry to adjust to shifting consumer habits. Over the last decade-plus, consumers have ‘cut the cord’ to their landlines and traditional cable subscriptions in favor of wireless communications and streaming video. These trends do mean that more households need cell phone plans and high-speed internet. Companies that successfully serve customers can enjoy high retention rates and pricing power since the options for mobile and internet connectivity in any geography are usually limited.

Earnings Summary

The 8 wireless, cable and satellite stocks we track reported a slower Q3. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates. Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 6.1% since the latest earnings results.

AT&T (NYSE:T)

Founded by Alexander Graham Bell, AT&T (NYSE:T) is a multinational telecomm conglomerate providing a range of communications and internet services. AT&T reported revenues of $30.21 billion, flat year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 0.8%. Overall, it was a slower quarter for the company with a miss of analysts’ EPS and Mobility revenue estimates.

• AT&T Total Revenue

Interestingly, the stock is up 6% since reporting and currently trades at $22.80.

• Full Report on AT&T

Read our full report on AT&T here, it’s free.

Best Q3: Charter (NASDAQ:CHTR)

Operating as Spectrum, Charter (NASDAQ:CHTR) is a leading telecommunications company offering cable television, high-speed internet, and voice services across the United States. Charter reported revenues of $13.8 billion, up 1.6% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 1%. The business had a satisfactory quarter with a decent beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

• Charter Total Revenue

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 7% since reporting. It currently trades at $350.44.

• Full Analysis of Charter’s Earnings Results

Is now the time to buy Charter? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q3: Sirius XM (NASDAQ:SIRI)

Known for its commercial-free music channels, Sirius XM (NASDAQ:SIRI) is a broadcasting company that provides satellite radio and online radio services across North America. Sirius XM reported revenues of $2.17 billion, down 4.4% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 0.8%. It was a slower quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income and EPS estimates.

• Story Continues

Sirius XM delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates and weakest full-year guidance update in the group. The company reported 39.07 million users, down 2.5% year on year. As expected, the stock is down 18.9% since the results and currently trades at $22.23.

• Full Analysis of Sirius XM’s Earnings Results

Read our full analysis of Sirius XM’s earnings results here.

Other Notable Stocks

• Cable One (NYSE:CABO): A leading provider of broadband, video, and phone services to residential and commercial customers. The company reported revenues of $1.03 billion, down 3.4% year on year.
• Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA): A leading media and telecommunications company that provides a range of services including cable television, internet, and phone. The company reported revenues of $143.9 billion, up 2.5% year on year.

Market Update

Thanks to the Fed’s series of rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has cooled significantly from its post-pandemic highs, drawing closer to the 2% goal. This disinflation has occurred without severely impacting economic growth, suggesting the success of a soft landing. The stock market has thrived in 2024, spurred by recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% each in November and December), and a notable surge followed Donald Trump’s presidential election win in November, propelling indices to historic highs. Nonetheless, the outlook for 2025 remains clouded by the pace and magnitude of future rate cuts as well as potential changes in trade policy and corporate taxes once the Trump administration takes over. The path forward is marked by uncertainty.

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