AT&T - Future Growth and Dividends
Updated
AT&T (NYSE:T) shares recently fell by approximately 10% after the firm released its second-quarter earnings. Despite better-than-expected earnings per share and revenue, excitement was muted by cash flow issues. Following the current drop, AT&T's stock yields around 7.3 percent. Furthermore, AT&T is dirt cheap again, trading at approximately 7.4 times forward EPS expectations. The market may be overreacting because the most recent earnings report was strong, and the cash flow decrease is most likely a one-time occurrence.
AT&T Financials
Furthermore, the corporation has set a clear strategy for future growth over the next several years. Furthermore, AT&T is recession-proof and may profit from a management shuffle. AT&T's downside looks to be limited, and the stock is appealing in this environment. Multiple growth and other factors might cause AT&T's stock price to rise significantly from here while also paying a sizable dividend.
AT&T announced non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.65, above average projections by $0.03. Revenue of $29.6 billion was also $130 million more than expected. During the quarter, the business added over 800,000 postpaid phone net adds and over 300,000 AT&T Fiber net adds. While AT&T raised its mobile service revenue forecast to 4.5-5 percent, it lowered its free cash flow forecast to the $14 billion range. The headline statistics for AT&T are impressive, but the cash flow drop is depressing. Cashflows are being impacted by heavy expenditures in 5G and working capital requirements. However, inflation is most likely a role, and when the economy recovers, AT&T's cash flow problems may be resolved rapidly.
AT&T's figures were pretty strong. Revenues from standalone companies were $29.7 billion, up 2% from $26 billion in the same period last year. Adjusted EBITDA increased by $175 million, or 1.7 percent, year on year. In the most recent quarter, standalone adjusted EPS climbed by 1 cent to 65 cents. Perhaps most critically, AT&T's core Wireless Service expanded by 4.6 percent year on year and is expected to rise similarly in 2022 and 2023. In addition, we observe certain FCF remarks implying that the decline in FCF is a transient event. While AT&T's performance have remained excellent, and the company has demonstrated persistence in exceeding consensus analyst predictions in recent quarters, this has not prevented the stock from underperforming its competitors.
AT&T's stock has underperformed the market, falling nearly 32% in the previous five years. AT&T's nearest competition, Verizon (VZ), is up marginally over the same time period. T-Mobile US (TMUS) is also higher, while Comcast (CMCSA) has destroyed the competition over the previous five years. If we extend the picture further, we see that AT&T's is down by around one-third during the last 10 years.
How much longer will shareholders have to wait for a genuine management revamp? For many years, AT&T's management has done nothing useful with the corporation. For decades, AT&T's stock has been worse than dead money, and it currently trades at the same price it did in 1996. AT&T has become extremely inefficient and has devolved into a bureaucracy that must be changed fast. AT&T requires new management to restore order and return the firm to growth and profitability. AT&T's previous regime, which we don't want. We'd like an expert. We are looking for someone who will offer a unique perspective and creativity to AT&T. We need someone to turn AT&T around and bring the firm back on track. A management revamp would likely be welcomed by the market.
High Dividend Yield
Furthermore, with its extremely low forward P/E multiple of 7.4, AT&T might experience a slight multiple expansion, resulting in a much higher stock price as time goes on. Even a P/E multiple of nine times, as Verizon has, would result in an increase of around 18% for AT&T. If the company's P/E multiple rises to 10, its share price will grow by around 30%. also, because of the dividend and the potential for numerous expansions. We recommend owning AT&T
AT&T Financials
Furthermore, the corporation has set a clear strategy for future growth over the next several years. Furthermore, AT&T is recession-proof and may profit from a management shuffle. AT&T's downside looks to be limited, and the stock is appealing in this environment. Multiple growth and other factors might cause AT&T's stock price to rise significantly from here while also paying a sizable dividend.
AT&T announced non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.65, above average projections by $0.03. Revenue of $29.6 billion was also $130 million more than expected. During the quarter, the business added over 800,000 postpaid phone net adds and over 300,000 AT&T Fiber net adds. While AT&T raised its mobile service revenue forecast to 4.5-5 percent, it lowered its free cash flow forecast to the $14 billion range. The headline statistics for AT&T are impressive, but the cash flow drop is depressing. Cashflows are being impacted by heavy expenditures in 5G and working capital requirements. However, inflation is most likely a role, and when the economy recovers, AT&T's cash flow problems may be resolved rapidly.
AT&T's figures were pretty strong. Revenues from standalone companies were $29.7 billion, up 2% from $26 billion in the same period last year. Adjusted EBITDA increased by $175 million, or 1.7 percent, year on year. In the most recent quarter, standalone adjusted EPS climbed by 1 cent to 65 cents. Perhaps most critically, AT&T's core Wireless Service expanded by 4.6 percent year on year and is expected to rise similarly in 2022 and 2023. In addition, we observe certain FCF remarks implying that the decline in FCF is a transient event. While AT&T's performance have remained excellent, and the company has demonstrated persistence in exceeding consensus analyst predictions in recent quarters, this has not prevented the stock from underperforming its competitors.
AT&T's stock has underperformed the market, falling nearly 32% in the previous five years. AT&T's nearest competition, Verizon (VZ), is up marginally over the same time period. T-Mobile US (TMUS) is also higher, while Comcast (CMCSA) has destroyed the competition over the previous five years. If we extend the picture further, we see that AT&T's is down by around one-third during the last 10 years.
How much longer will shareholders have to wait for a genuine management revamp? For many years, AT&T's management has done nothing useful with the corporation. For decades, AT&T's stock has been worse than dead money, and it currently trades at the same price it did in 1996. AT&T has become extremely inefficient and has devolved into a bureaucracy that must be changed fast. AT&T requires new management to restore order and return the firm to growth and profitability. AT&T's previous regime, which we don't want. We'd like an expert. We are looking for someone who will offer a unique perspective and creativity to AT&T. We need someone to turn AT&T around and bring the firm back on track. A management revamp would likely be welcomed by the market.
High Dividend Yield
Furthermore, with its extremely low forward P/E multiple of 7.4, AT&T might experience a slight multiple expansion, resulting in a much higher stock price as time goes on. Even a P/E multiple of nine times, as Verizon has, would result in an increase of around 18% for AT&T. If the company's P/E multiple rises to 10, its share price will grow by around 30%. also, because of the dividend and the potential for numerous expansions. We recommend owning AT&T
Note
AT&T's overall debt was $155 billion at the end of the second quarter. This is a decrease from the previous quarter's total of $233 billion. At the conclusion of 2022, the net debt / EBITDA ratio was x3.20. They intends to reduce that ratio to 2.5x by the end of 2023. The current yield is 8%. With the new Free cash flows figures, the payout ratio should be about 58%. However, management has frequently emphasised that the amount of Free cash flow that would be allocated to dividend payments will be in the $8 billion to $9 billion range. The current yearly payment lies somewhere in the centre of this range.
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