Charter Communications, Inc. operates as a broadband connectivity and cable operator company serving residential and commercial customers in the United States. The company offers subscription-based internet, video, and mobile and voice services; a suite of broadband connectivity services, including fixed internet, WiFi, and mobile; Advanced WiFi services; Spectrum Security Shield; in-home WiFi, which provides customers with high performance wireless routers and managed WiFi services to enhance their fixed wireless internet experience; out-of-home WiFi; and Spectrum WiFi services. It also offers voice communications services using voice over internet protocol technology; and broadband communications solutions, such as internet access, data networking, fiber connectivity, video entertainment, and business telephone services to cellular towers and office buildings for business and carrier organizations. In addition, the company provides mobile services; video programming, static IP and business WiFi, voice, and e-mail and security services; sells local advertising across various platforms for networks, such as TBS, CNN, and ESPN; sells advertising inventory to local sports and news channels; and offers Audience App to create data-driven linear TV campaigns for local advertisers. Further, the company offers communications products and managed service solutions; data connectivity services to mobile and wireline carriers on a wholesale basis; and owns and operates regional sports networks and news channels. It serves approximately 32 million customers in 41 states. Charter Communications, Inc.was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.

Charter Communications looks like a company with a very cheap valuation, but with notable balance sheet risk, and that is precisely what limits the upside potential for target revision. The valuation multiples — P/E of 3.42, P/S of 0.31, P/B of 0.77, and P/FCF of 4.11 — are significantly below the industry median, which points to clear market undervaluation and supports the investment case. At the same time, the trend in the multiples has generally deteriorated: P/E, P/S, P/B, and P/FCF have all declined, which may reflect not only a cheaper stock price but also market doubts about the sustainability of future growth. Profitability looks strong: ROE of 24.2% is above the industry median, operating margin of 23.57% is also noticeably higher, and both net income and operating income remain high in absolute terms. However, ROA and ROI are below the median, and net margin is slightly weaker than the industry, suggesting that the high return on equity is achieved on the back of substantial leverage. Debt burden is the main limiting factor: debt/equity at 4.56 is significantly above the industry level, long-term debt is around $96 billion, and current and quick liquidity are extremely weak. A zero quick ratio and a current ratio of 0.40 mean there is very limited short-term financial flexibility, increasing sensitivity to refinancing and the interest rate cycle. Revenue over the period has been broadly stable, but without noticeable growth, which reduces the case for an aggressive valuation upgrade. EBITDA, operating income, and earnings remain at a steady level, confirming the quality of the underlying cash flow, but not providing strong acceleration. Equity and net worth look high in absolute terms, but against the backdrop of massive liabilities they do not offset the debt burden. The absence of dividend yield removes one of the potential sources of support for investors. Overall, the fundamentals justify a cautious approach: the business remains profitable and cheap on valuation multiples, but the balance sheet and weak liquidity do not allow for a meaningful improvement in the target valuation.

Charter Communications, Inc.

Сильный индекс, значительно упал. Быки в растерянности.

Strong index, significantly down. The bulls are confused.

Сильный индекс, незначительно вырос. Рынок на стороне быков.

Strong index, slightly up. The market is on the bulls' side.

Средний индекс, значительно вырос. Приток средств в лонги увеличился и находится на высоком уровне.

Medium index, significantly up. The inflow of funds into longs has increased and is at a high level.

CHTR appears undervalued on valuation multiples and profitability, but its high debt burden and weak liquidity limit the potential for an upward revision of the target.

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) on Friday fell -0.08%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) rose +0.39%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) fell -1.27%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU26) fell -0.08%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU26) fell -1.34%.
A sharp sell-off in chip stocks put downward pressure on the overall market Friday, with the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) falling by more than -4%. Chip stocks fell amid ongoing concerns about the sustainability of AI demand, even though Intel forecast a sharp short-term increase in Q3 sales tied to data center demand.
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Another bearish factor was President Trump’s new tariff regime on 60 nations and his threat of new EU tariffs in retaliation for the EU’s $1 billion fine for Alphabet. Also, the markets are worried that the US might expand its military attacks on Iran, as President Trump said he is considering.
On the bullish side, WTI crude oil prices fell by -3% as oil shipments in the Red Sea continue despite Houthi threats. Stocks also saw support as the 10-year T-note yield fell -1.4 bp.
President Trump late Thursday announced broad tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on 60 nations, replacing the 10% global import tax that expired. The new tariffs are based on trade authority under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 tied to a claim of forced labor in supply chains. Mr. Trump had to seek new trade authority after the Supreme Court struck down his so-called reciprocal tariffs in February. Mr. Trump replaced the reciprocal tariffs with a 10% global import tax that expired Friday.
The new forced-labor tariffs exclude some key items such as fuel, foods, fertilizer, and products covered by the North American trade agreement with Mexico and Canada. The new tariffs also exclude automobiles, metals, and drugs, which are covered by tariffs based on a different trade authority. The Trump administration has a raft of other Section 301 investigations underway that could be used to impose more tariffs in the future, stacked on top of today’s forced-labor tariff.
Sep WTI crude oil prices (CLU26) fell -3.12% on Friday, reversing about half of Thursday’s +6.17% rally. Meanwhile, Sep Brent crude oil prices (CBU26) fell back to the $97-per-barrel area after hitting a 2-month high of $102 on Thursday. Oil prices fell as oil tankers continued to move through the Red Sea despite Houthi threats, with some oil tankers turning off their location transponders.
WTI oil prices soared by more than +6% on Thursday after the Iran-backed Houthis launched a missile and drone attack on two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea, expanding the oil disruptions beyond the Strait of Hormuz and threatening oil shipments in the Red Sea. President Trump responded by saying on Thursday that he holds Iran responsible for the Houthi attacks and telling Axios in an interview that he is considering a "massive attack" that would be "bigger than ever before" and is "close to making a decision on it."
The Houthis have vowed to blockade shipping linked to Saudi Arabia and warned shipowners against calling at the nation's ports. The move threatens Saudi oil exports from Yanbu, a Red Sea hub that the Saudi's are using to ship crude since the war brought shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to a near halt.
Friday’s US PMI report was mixed for the dollar. The S&P July manufacturing PMI fell slightly by -0.1 point to 53.8, weaker than expectations for a +0.5 point increase to 54.4. However, the S&P July services PMI rose by +2.4 points to 53.6, which was stronger than expectations for a +0.3 point increase to 51.5.
US June new home sales rose by +1.6% m/m to 628,000 from a revised May level of 618,000 (preliminary 580,000), which was stronger than expectations of 607,000. However, June building permits fell -2.6% to 1.374 million.
The outlook for strong Q2 earnings, which began in earnest this week, is a bullish factor for stocks. Forecasts compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence suggest Q2 earnings may increase by +23%, close to Q1’s blowout earnings of +30%, which was more than double the +12% analysts had expected. AI spending is expected to account for most of earnings, with AI infrastructure stocks set to contribute nearly 60% of the S&P 500's earnings-per-share growth in Q2. So far, earnings results have been positive, with 89% of S&P 500 companies that reported Q2 earnings beating estimates, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
The markets are discounting a 38% chance of a +25 bp rate hike at the next FOMC meeting on July 28-29.
Overseas stock markets on Friday closed mixed. The Euro Stoxx 50 closed up +1.14%. China's Shanghai Composite closed down -1.61% on Friday. Japan's Nikkei-225 Stock Average closed down -2.73%.
Interest Rates
September 10-year T-notes (ZNU6) on Friday rose +6.5 ticks. The 10-year T-note yield fell -1.4 bp to 4.679%, down from the 1.5-year high of 4.712% posted early in the session. The 10-year T-note yield rose by a net +13 bp this week on inflation concerns tied to the surge in oil prices and President Trump’s new round of tariffs. Yet, the T-note yield Friday fell back as the 10-year inflation expectations rate fell by -1.9 bp to 2.245%, tied in part to the idea that the surge in oil prices and the new tariffs will dampen US economic growth and possibly cause the Fed to be less hawkish.
European government bond yields traded lower. The 10-year German bund yield fell -3.0 bp to 3.172%, down from Thursday’s 15-year high of 3.128%. The 10-year UK gilt yield fell -7.0 bp to 5.032%, down from Thursday’s 2-month high of 5.122%.
The ECB at its policy meeting on Thursday left its key deposit rate unchanged at 2.25%, in line with market expectations. The ECB said it left rates unchanged, awaiting further data to determine whether additional rate hikes are necessary to address the inflation outlook. However, ECB President Christine Lagarde said, "Risks to the inflation outlook are to the upside." The markets are discounting a 90% chance of a +25 bp ECB rate hike at its next policy meeting on September 10.
US Stock Movers
The Magnificent 7 closed mixed, stabilizing after Thursday’s sharp sell-off. Alphabet (GOOGL) rose +0.65% on Friday after falling -7% on Thursday. Tesla (TSLA) on Friday closed down -2%, adding to Thursday’s -14% plunge. Apple (AAPL) closed the day up +3.53%.
The chip sector closed sharply lower on Friday, despite Intel's (INTC) blockbuster revenue forecast, on concerns about overspending on data centers and an AI bubble. Intel forecasted Q3 revenue of $15.8-16.8 billion, well above the analyst consensus of $15.1 billion, with an expected +59% q/q surge in data center sales. Despite that revenue forecast, Intel (INTC) fell more than -7%. Other than Intel, chip companies that closed more than -5% lower included Arm Holdings (ARM), Marvell Technologies (MRVL), Micron Technology (MU), and GlobalFoundries (GFS).
Software stocks showed strength, rebounding higher after Thursday’s losses. Atlassian (TEAM) closed up more than +8%, ServiceNow (NOW) closed up more than +7%, and Adobe (ADBE) closed up more than +6%. Workday (WDAY) and Intuit (INTU) closed up more than +5%.
Oracle (ORCL) fell by more than -4% despite its favorable announcement of a 10-year contract with the US Department of Defense, valued at more than $3 billion for the first 5 years and possibly as much as $7 billion over 10 years. Oracle fell amid market concerns about its heavy capital spending and data center exposure.
Charter Communications (CHTR) fell -1.47% after reporting an earnings miss.
Newmont Corp (NEM) fell -1.62% despite reporting favorable Q2 earnings and maintaining its full-year production guidance.
Earnings Reports (7/27/2026)
Rambus Inc (RMBS), Welltower Inc (WELL), Kilroy Realty Corp (KRC), Brown & Brown Inc (BRO), Principal Financial Group Inc (PFG), UDR Inc (UDR), Sanmina Corp (SANM), Nucor Corp (NUE), Sun Communities Inc (SUI), Universal Health Services Inc (UHS), Amkor Technology Inc (AMKR), F5 Inc (FFIV), Cincinnati Financial Corp (CINF), Element Solutions Inc (ESI), Applied Digital Corp (APLD), Cadence Design Systems Inc (CDNS), Brixmor Property Group Inc (BRX).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
More news from Barchart
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Chip Stock Sell-off Puts Downward Pressure on Broader Market

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is down -0.06%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is up +0.07%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down -1.17%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU26) are down -0.10%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU26) are down -1.19%.
A sell-off in chip stocks is putting downward pressure on the overall market today, with the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) down by more than -3%. Chip stocks are lower on continued concerns about the sustainability of AI demand, even though Intel forecasted a sharp increase in Q3 sales tied to data center demand.
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President Trump’s new tariff regime is also undercutting US stocks. The markets are also worried that the US might expand its military attacks on Iran, as President Trump said he is considering. However, stocks are seeing some underlying support today as WTI crude oil prices fell by more than -2%.
President Trump late Thursday announced broad tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on 60 nations, replacing the 10% global import tax that expired. The new tariffs are based on trade authority under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 tied to a claim of forced labor in supply chains. Mr. Trump had to seek new trade authority after the Supreme Court struck down his so-called reciprocal tariffs in February. Mr. Trump replaced the reciprocal tariffs with a 10% global import tax that expired this week.
The new forced-labor tariffs exclude some key items such as fuel, foods, fertilizer, and products covered by the North American trade agreement with Mexico and Canada. The new tariffs also exclude automobiles, metals, and drugs, which are covered by tariffs based on a different trade authority. The Trump administration has a raft of other Section 301 investigations underway that could be used to impose more tariffs in the future, stacked on top of today’s forced-labor tariff.
Sep WTI crude oil prices (CLU26) are down more than -2% today, reversing part of Thursday’s +6.17% rally. Meanwhile, Sep Brent crude oil prices (CBU26) fell back to the $97-per-barrel area after hitting a 2-month high of $102 on Thursday. Oil prices fell today as oil tankers continued to move through the Red Sea despite Houthi threats.
WTI oil prices soared by more than +6% on Thursday after the Iran-backed Houthis launched a missile and drone attack on two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea, expanding the oil disruptions beyond the Strait of Hormuz and threatening oil shipments in the Red Sea. President Trump responded by saying on Thursday that he holds Iran responsible for the Houthi attacks and telling Axios in an interview that he is considering a "massive attack" that would be "bigger than ever before" and is "close to making a decision on it."
The Houthis have vowed to blockade shipping linked to Saudi Arabia and warned shipowners against calling at the nation's ports. The move threatens Saudi oil exports from Yanbu, a Red Sea hub that the Saudi's are using to ship crude since the war brought shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to a near halt.
Today's US PMI report was mixed for the dollar. The S&P July manufacturing PMI fell slightly by -0.1 point to 53.8, weaker than expectations for a +0.5 point increase to 54.4. However, the S&P July services PMI rose by +2.4 points to 53.6, which was stronger than expectations for a +0.3 point increase to 51.5.
US June new home sales rose by +1.6% m/m to 628,000 from a revised May level of 618,000 (preliminary 580,000), which was stronger than expectations of 607,000. However, June building permits fell -2.6% to 1.374 million.
The outlook for strong Q2 earnings, which began in earnest this week, is a bullish factor for stocks. Forecasts compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence suggest Q2 earnings may increase by +23%, close to Q1’s blowout earnings of +30%, which was more than double the +12% analysts had expected. AI spending is expected to account for most of earnings, with AI infrastructure stocks set to contribute nearly 60% of the S&P 500's earnings-per-share growth in Q2. So far, earnings results have been positive, with 89% of S&P 500 companies that reported Q2 earnings beating estimates, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
The markets are discounting a 35% chance of a +25 bp rate hike at the next FOMC meeting on July 28-29.
Overseas stock markets today are mixed. The Euro Stoxx 50 is up +0.65%. China's Shanghai Composite closed down -1.61% on Friday. Japan's Nikkei-225 Stock Average closed down -2.73%.
Interest Rates
September 10-year T-notes (ZNU6) are up +7.5 ticks. The 10-year T-note yield is down -2.4 bp at 4.669%, falling back from a new 1.5-year high of 4.712% posted early in the session. The 10-year T-note yield this week has risen sharply by a net +12 bp on inflation concerns tied to the surge in oil prices and President Trump’s new round of tariffs. Yet, the T-note yield today fell back as the 10-year inflation expectations rate fell by -1.2 bp to 2.252%, tied in part to the idea that the surge in oil prices and the new tariffs will dampen US economic growth and possibly cause the Fed to be less hawkish.
European government bond yields are trading lower. The 10-year German bund yield is down -2.2 bp at 3.181%, falling back from Thursday’s 15-year high of 3.128%. The 10-year UK gilt yield is down -5.6 bp to 5.046%, falling back from Thursday’s 2-month high of 5.122%.
The ECB at its policy meeting on Thursday left its key deposit rate unchanged at 2.25%, in line with market expectations. The ECB said it left rates unchanged, awaiting further data to determine whether additional rate hikes are necessary to address the inflation outlook. However, ECB President Christine Lagarde said, "Risks to the inflation outlook are to the upside." The markets are discounting a 90% chance of a +25 bp ECB rate hike at its next policy meeting on September 10.
US Stock Movers
The Magnificent 7 are mixed today, stabilizing after yesterday’s sell-off. Alphabet (GOOGL) is up +0.8% after plunging -7% on Thursday. Tesla (TSLA) is down more than -3%, adding to yesterday’s -14% plunge. Apple (AAPL) is up more than +2% today.
The chip sector is trading sharply lower today despite Intel's (INTC) blockbuster revenue forecast. Intel is forecasting Q3 revenue of $15.8-16.8 billion, well above the analyst consensus of $15.1 billion, with an expected +59% q/q surge in data center sales. Intel (INTC) is down more than -3% despite the revenue forecast. Elsewhere in the chip sector, Marvell Technology (MRVL) and Micron Technology (MU) are down more than -5%.
Software stocks are showing strength today, rebounding higher after Thursday’s losses. Atlassian (TEAM), ServiceNow (NOW) and Workday (WDAY) are up about +6%. Adobe (ADBE) and Intuit (INTU) are up more than +5%.
Oracle (ORCL) is down more than -1% despite its favorable announcement of a 10-year contract with the US Department of Defense, valued at more than $3 billion for the first five years and possibly as much as $7 billion over 10 years.
Charter Communications (CHTR) is down more than -4% after reporting an earnings miss.
Newmont Corp (NEM) is up +0.3% after reporting favorable Q2 earnings and maintaining its full-year production guidance.
Earnings Reports(7/24/2026)
Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Co (BAH), Liberty Global Ltd (LBTYA), Verizon Communications Inc (VZ), First Hawaiian Inc (FHB), HCA Healthcare Inc (HCA), Gentex Corp (GNTX), American Express Co (AXP), Ensign Group Inc/The (ENSG), Charter Communications Inc (CHTR), SLB Ltd (SLB), NextEra Energy Inc (NEE), Lamb Weston Holdings Inc (LW).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
More news from Barchart
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Weak Chip Stocks Put Downward Pressure on Broader Market

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is up +0.11%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is up +0.08%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down -0.15%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU26) are up +0.06%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU26) are down -0.08%.
Stock indexes are stabilizing today after yesterday’s sharp sell-off. Stocks are seeing support as oil prices fell back. Software stocks are trading higher, but chip stocks are trading lower despite a blockbuster revenue forecast from Intel tied to data center demand. Bearish sentiment lingers as President Trump announced a new round of tariffs that could prove inflationary. Also, the market is braced for a possible expansion of US military attacks on Iran, which Mr. Trump said he is considering.
Join 200K+ Subscribers: Find out why the midday Barchart Brief newsletter is a must-read for thousands daily.
President Trump late Thursday announced broad tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on 60 nations, replacing the 10% global import tax that expired. The new tariffs are based on trade authority under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 tied to forced labor in supply chains. Mr. Trump had to seek new trade authority after the Supreme Court struck down his so-called reciprocal tariffs in February. Mr. Trump replaced the reciprocal tariffs with a 10% global import tax that expired this week.
The new forced-labor tariffs exclude some key items such as fuel, foods, fertilizer, and products covered by the North American trade agreement with Mexico and Canada. The new forced labor tariffs also exclude automobiles, metals, and drugs, which are covered by tariffs tied to a different trade authority. The Trump administration has a raft of other Section 301 investigations underway that could be used to impose more tariffs in the future, stacked on top of today’s forced-labor tariff.
Sep WTI crude oil prices (CLU26) are down more than -2% today, reversing part of Thursday’s +6.17% rally. Meanwhile, Sep Brent crude oil prices (CBU26) fell back to the $ 97-per-barrel area after hitting a 2-month high of $102 on Thursday. Oil prices fell today as oil tankers continued to move through the Red Sea despite Houthi threats.
WTI oil prices soared by more than +6% on Thursday after the Iran-backed Houthis launched a missile and drone attack on two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea, expanding the oil disruptions beyond the Strait of Hormuz and threatening oil shipments in the Red Sea. President Trump responded by saying on Thursday that he holds Iran responsible for the Houthi attacks and telling Axios in an interview that he is considering a "massive attack" that would be "bigger than ever before" and is "close to making a decision on it."
The Houthis have vowed to blockade shipping linked to Saudi Arabia and warned shipowners against calling at the nation's ports. The move threatens Saudi oil exports from Yanbu, a Red Sea hub that the Saudi's are using to ship crude since the war brought shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to a near halt.
The outlook for strong Q2 earnings, which began in earnest this week, is a bullish factor for stocks. Forecasts compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence suggest Q2 earnings may increase by +23%, close to Q1’s blowout earnings of +30%, which was more than double the +12% analysts had expected. AI spending is expected to account for most of earnings, with AI infrastructure stocks set to contribute nearly 60% of the S&P 500's earnings-per-share growth in Q2. So far, earnings results have been positive, with 89% of S&P 500 companies that reported Q2 earnings beating estimates, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
The markets are discounting a 35% chance of a +25 bp rate hike at the next FOMC meeting on July 28-29.
Overseas stock markets today are mixed. The Euro Stoxx 50 is up +0.77%. China's Shanghai Composite closed down -1.61% on Friday. Japan's Nikkei-225 Stock Average closed down -2.73%.
Interest Rates
September 10-year T-notes (ZNU6) are up +6 ticks. The 10-year T-note yield is down -1.2 bp at $4.681, falling back from a new 1.5-year high of 4.712% posted early in the session. The 10-year T-note yield this week has risen sharply by a net +13 bp on inflation concerns tied to the surge in oil prices and President Trump’s new round of tariffs. Yet, the T-note yield fell back as the 10-year inflation expectations rate fell by -3.8 bp to 2.260%, tied in part to the idea that the surge in oil prices and the new tariffs will dampen US economic growth and possibly cause the Fed to be less hawkish.
European government bond yields are trading lower. The 10-year German bund yield is down -1.8 bp at 3.185%, falling back from Thursday’s 15-year high of 3.128%. The 10-year UK gilt yield is down -4.7 bp to 5.055%, falling back from Thursday’s 2-month high of 5.122%.
The ECB at its policy meeting on Thursday left its key deposit rate unchanged at 2.25%, in line with market expectations. The ECB said it left rates unchanged, awaiting further data to determine whether additional rate hikes are necessary to address the inflation outlook. However, ECB President Christine Lagarde said, "Risks to the inflation outlook are to the upside." The markets are discounting a 90% chance of a +25 bp ECB rate hike at its next policy meeting on September 10.
US Stock Movers
The Magnificent 7 are mixed today, stabilizing after yesterday’s sell-off. Alphabet (GOOGL) is up +0.6% after plunging -7% on Thursday. Tesla (TSLA) is down -0.7%, adding to yesterday’s -14% plunge. Apple (AAPL) is up more than +1% today.
The chip sector is trading lower today despite Intel's (INTC) blockbuster revenue forecast. Intel is forecasting Q3 revenue of $15.8-16.8 billion, well above the analyst consensus of $15.1 billion, with an expected +59% q/q surge in data center sales. Intel (INTC) is down more than -3% despite the revenue forecast. Elsewhere in the chip sector, Marvell Technology (MRVL) and Micron Technology (MU) are down more than -3%.
Software stocks are showing strength today, rebounding higher after Thursday’s losses. ServiceNow (NOW) is up more than +4%. Atlassian (TEAM) and Intuit (INTU) are up more than +2%.
Oracle (ORCL) is down -1.7% despite its favorable announcement of a 10-year contract with the US Department of Defense, valued at more than $3 billion for the first five years and possibly as much as $7 billion over 10 years.
Charter Communications (CHTR) is down more than -1% after reporting an earnings miss.
Newmont Corp (NEM) is down -0.4% despite reporting favorable Q2 earnings and maintaining its full-year production guidance.
Earnings Reports(7/24/2026)
Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Co (BAH), Liberty Global Ltd (LBTYA), Verizon Communications Inc (VZ), First Hawaiian Inc (FHB), HCA Healthcare Inc (HCA), Gentex Corp (GNTX), American Express Co (AXP), Ensign Group Inc/The (ENSG), Charter Communications Inc (CHTR), SLB Ltd (SLB), NextEra Energy Inc (NEE), Lamb Weston Holdings Inc (LW).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Stocks Stabilize as Oil Prices Fall Back, But Caution Prevails

Charter Communications CHTR has reported second quarter 2026 diluted earnings of $10.66 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.96 by 7.03%. The reported figure increased 16.1% year over year from $9.18 in the year-ago quarter.
Revenues of $13.5 billion declined 1.7% year over year, primarily driven by lower residential video revenues. The reported figure exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $13.518 billion by a marginal 0.06%. Excluding advertising sales revenue and costs allocated to programmer streaming applications and netted within video revenue, total revenue declined 0.8% year over year.
CHTR has shown weak performance, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the trailing four quarters, with an average negative surprise of 6.95%.
Charter Communications, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
CHTR’s Segmental Details
Residential revenues totaled $10.4 billion, down 3.5% year over year due to a decline in residential customers of 1.8% and a decrease in monthly residential revenue per residential customer of 1.8%. Excluding costs allocated to programmer streaming applications and netted within video revenues, residential revenues declined 1.8% year over year.
Internet revenues declined 3.2% year over year to $5.8 billion, driven by a decline in Internet customers year over year and pricing and packaging mix within the customer base, partly offset by more favorable bundled revenue allocation.
Mobile service revenues increased 18.9% year over year to $1.1 billion, driven by mobile line growth and rate adjustments.
Video revenues totaled $3.1 billion in the second quarter, a decrease of 9.7% year over year, driven by a higher mix of lower priced video packages, $251 million of costs allocated to programmer streaming applications and netted within video revenue versus $67 million in the year ago period, more unfavorable bundled revenue allocation and a decline in video customers, partly offset by promotional rate step ups and video rate adjustments.
Voice revenues decreased 4.5% year over year to $331 million, driven by a decline in wireline voice customers, partly offset by voice rate adjustments.
Commercial revenues increased 1.5% year over year to $1.9 billion, driven by mid market and large business revenue growth of 2.8% and an increase in small business revenue of 0.7%.
Mid market and large business revenues excluding wholesale increased 3.5% year over year, mostly reflecting primary service unit growth.
Second-quarter advertising sales revenues of $416 million increased 12.3% year over year, primarily driven by higher political revenues. Excluding political revenues in both periods, advertising sales revenues decreased 4.6% year over year, reflecting lower linear advertising revenues, partly offset by higher streaming advertising revenues.
Other revenues totaled $894 million in the second quarter, an increase of 7.1% year over year, primarily driven by higher mobile device sales, partly offset by a $45 million one-time benefit in the year-ago period.
CHTR’s Subscriber Statistics
Second quarter total customer relationships declined 1.7% year over year to 31.5 million. Total connectivity customers decreased 1.3% year over year to 30.4 million.
Total Internet customers decreased by 172,000 in the second quarter of 2026, compared with a decline of 116,000 in the year-ago period. As of June 30, 2026, Charter served 29.4 million total Internet customers, down 1.7% year over year.
The company added 406,000 total mobile lines in the second quarter compared with 491,000 in the year-ago quarter. As of June 30, 2026, it served 12.5 million mobile lines, up 15.5% year over year.
Total video customers decreased 21,000 in the second quarter of 2026 compared with a decline of 80,000 in the year-ago quarter. As of June 30, 2026, Charter served 12.5 million total video customers, down 0.8% year over year. The year-over-year improvement in video net losses was driven by simplified pricing and packaging and benefits from the inclusion of programmer streaming applications in Spectrum's expanded basic video packages.
Total wireline voice customers declined by 178,000 in the second quarter of 2026 compared with a decline of 220,000 in the year-ago quarter. As of June 30, 2026, Charter served 5.7 million total wireline voice customers.
Charter activated 127,000 subsidized rural passings in the second quarter of 2026. Within the subsidized rural footprint, total customer relationships increased by 47,000.
CHTR’s Operating Details
Total operating costs and expenses were flat year over year at $8.1 billion, driven by lower programming costs offset by higher other costs of revenue and higher transition expenses.
Second quarter programming costs decreased 9.7% year over year, reflecting $251 million of costs allocated to programmer streaming applications and netted within video revenues versus $67 million in the year ago period, a higher mix of lower cost packages and fewer video customers, partly offset by contractual programming rate increases and renewals.
Other costs of revenues increased 11.3% year over year, primarily driven by higher mobile device sales, higher mobile service direct costs and higher advertising sales costs, given higher political revenues.
Field and technology operations expenses increased 1.6% year over year, primarily driven by higher vehicle fuel costs and medical expenses.
Customer operations expenses increased 1.1% year over year, driven by medical expenses.
Marketing and residential sales expenses decreased 3.1% year over year, due to lower marketing expenses from cost savings despite higher marketing activity.
Transition expenses of $65 million represent incremental costs incurred to prepare for the integration of the previously announced Cox Communications transaction. There were no comparable transition expenses in the year ago quarter.
Capital expenditures totaled $2.9 billion in the second quarter, down 0.1% year over year, with lower line extension spend offset by higher upgrade and rebuild spend related primarily to network evolution. Charter continues to expect full year 2026 capital expenditures, excluding impacts from the previously announced Cox transaction, to total approximately $11.4 billion.
Balance Sheet & Cash Flow
As of June 30, 2026, the total principal amount of debt was $93.8 billion, and Charter's credit facilities provided approximately $3.7 billion in additional liquidity in excess of Charter's $509 million cash position.
During the second quarter of 2026, Charter repurchased $1.2 billion in aggregate principal amount of Charter Communications Operating, LLC and CCO Holdings, LLC notes under an open market repurchase program for $1 billion in cash.
Free cash flow in the second quarter of 2026 totaled $969 million, a decrease from $1.4 billion in the first quarter of 2026.
In the second quarter of 2026, Charter purchased 4 million shares of Charter Class A common stock for $838 million compared with 4.3 million shares for $963 million in the first quarter of 2026.
Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider
CHTR currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector are Cimpress CMPR, The Marcus MCS and News Corporation NWSA, each currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Shares of Cimpress have returned 46.2% in the year-to-date period. Cimpress is slated to report fourth-quarter of fiscal 2026 results on July 29.
Shares of The Marcus have returned 53.4% in the year-to-date period. The Marcus is slated to report second-quarter 2026 results on July 30.
Shares of News Corporation have returned 0.8% in the year-to-date period. News Corporation is slated to report fourth-quarter of fiscal 2026 results on Aug. 05.
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Charter Earnings Beat Estimates in Q2, Revenues Decline Y/Y

For the quarter ended June 2026, Charter Communications (CHTR) reported revenue of $13.53 billion, down 1.7% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $10.66, compared to $9.18 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $13.52 billion, representing a surprise of +0.06%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +7.03%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $9.96.
While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how Charter performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Internet - Total Net Additions/Losses: -172 thousand versus -129.68 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.
Video - Total Net Additions/Losses: -21 thousand versus -61.82 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.
Video - Small Business - Net Additions/Losses: -10 thousand versus -5.15 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.
Residential - Video - Net Additions/Losses: -11 thousand versus the three-analyst average estimate of -56.67 thousand.
Revenues- Residential- Total: $10.35 billion versus $10.42 billion estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -3.4% change.
Revenues- Commercial- Total: $1.87 billion versus $1.85 billion estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +1.6% change.
Revenues- Other: $894 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $836.81 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +6.6%.
Revenues- Advertising sales: $416 million compared to the $382.47 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +12.1% year over year.
Revenues- Residential- Voice: $331 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $313.86 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -4.3%.
Revenues- Residential- Internet: $5.78 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $5.85 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -3.2%.
Revenues- Connectivity: $6.87 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $6.9 billion.
Revenues- Residential- Mobile service: $1.1 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $1.05 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +18.9%.
Shares of Charter have returned -2.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.6% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.
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Charter (CHTR) Reports Q2 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say

Charter Communications (CHTR) came out with quarterly earnings of $10.66 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.96 per share. This compares to earnings of $9.18 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +7.03%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this cable provider would post earnings of $9.97 per share when it actually produced earnings of $9.17, delivering a surprise of -8.02%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates just once.
Charter, which belongs to the Zacks Cable Television industry, posted revenues of $13.53 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.06%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $13.77 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Charter shares have lost about 39.4% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.2%.
What's Next for Charter?
While Charter has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Charter was unfavorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $9.98 on $13.55 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $41.29 on $54.3 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Cable Television is currently in the bottom 21% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
One other stock from the same industry, Cable One (CABO), is yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026.
This telecommunications company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $9.20 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +184.8%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
Cable One's revenues are expected to be $348.64 million, down 8.5% from the year-ago quarter.
Should You Invest in Charter Communications, Inc. (CHTR)?
Before you invest in Charter Communications, Inc. (CHTR), want to know the best stocks to buy for the next 30 days? Check out Zacks Investment Research for our free report on the 7 best stocks to buy.
Zacks Investment Research has been committed to providing investors with tools and independent research since 1978. For more than a quarter century, the Zacks Rank stock-rating system has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +24.08% per year. (These returns cover a period from January 1, 1988 through May 6, 2024.)
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Charter Communications (CHTR) Q2 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates

(RTTNews) - Charter Communications, Inc. (CHTR) revealed a profit for second quarter of $1.292 billion
The company's earnings came in at $1.292 billion, or $10.66 per share. This compares with $1.301 billion, or $9.18 per share, last year.
The company's revenue for the period fell 1.7% to $13.526 billion from $13.766 billion last year.
Charter Communications, Inc. earnings at a glance (GAAP) :
-Earnings: $1.292 Bln. vs. $1.301 Bln. last year. -EPS: $10.66 vs. $9.18 last year. -Revenue: $13.526 Bln vs. $13.766 Bln last year.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Charter Communications, Inc. Q2 Sales Decline

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Charter Communications Q2 26 Earnings Conference Call At 8:00 AM ET

The following companies are expected to report earnings prior to market open on 07/24/2026. Visit our Earnings Calendar for a full list of expected earnings releases.
American Express Company (AXP)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The financial services company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 8 analysts that follow the stock is $4.41. This value represents a 8.09% increase compared to the same quarter last year. AXP missed the consensus earnings per share in the 4th calendar quarter of 2025 by -0.28%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for AXP is 19.74 vs. an industry ratio of 9.70, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The electric power utilities company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 4 analysts that follow the stock is $1.08. This value represents a 2.86% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year NEE has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 1st calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 11.22%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for NEE is 22.24 vs. an industry ratio of 19.50, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The wireless (national) company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 8 analysts that follow the stock is $1.27. This value represents a 4.10% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year VZ has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 1st calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 4.92%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for VZ is 8.89 vs. an industry ratio of -6.80, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The medical services company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 2 analysts that follow the stock is $7.57. This value represents a 10.67% increase compared to the same quarter last year. HCA missed the consensus earnings per share in the 1st calendar quarter of 2026 by -0.28%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for HCA is 12.74 vs. an industry ratio of -16.30, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Canadian National Railway Company (CNI)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The transportation (rail) company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 8 analysts that follow the stock is $1.39. This value represents a 2.96% increase compared to the same quarter last year. CNI missed the consensus earnings per share in the 2nd calendar quarter of 2025 by -1.46%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for CNI is 22.56 vs. an industry ratio of 17.90, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
SLB Limited (SLB)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The technology services company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 9 analysts that follow the stock is $0.51. This value represents a 31.08% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year SLB has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 1st calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 1.96%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for SLB is 18.92 vs. an industry ratio of 9.40, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The hospital company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 7 analysts that follow the stock is $4.08. This value represents a 1.49% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year THC has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 1st calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 14.49%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for THC is 11.16 vs. an industry ratio of 9.60, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Charter Communications, Inc. (CHTR)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The cable tv company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 8 analysts that follow the stock is $9.96. This value represents a 8.50% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for CHTR is 3.13 vs. an industry ratio of 5.40.
Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The consulting company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 5 analysts that follow the stock is $1.49. This value represents a 0.68% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year BAH has met analyst expectations once and beat the expectations the other three quarters. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2027 Price to Earnings ratio for BAH is 10.48 vs. an industry ratio of 15.00.
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW)is reporting for the quarter ending May 31, 2026. The food company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 5 analysts that follow the stock is $0.62. This value represents a 28.74% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year LW has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 1st calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 18.03%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for LW is 16.84 vs. an industry ratio of 1.60, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Flagstar Bank, N.A. (FLG)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The banks (southeast) company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 8 analysts that follow the stock is $0.06. This value represents a 142.86% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for FLG is 34.60 vs. an industry ratio of 12.60, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Gentex Corporation (GNTX)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The auto (truck) company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 3 analysts that follow the stock is $0.50. This value represents a 6.38% increase compared to the same quarter last year. GNTX missed the consensus earnings per share in the 3rd calendar quarter of 2025 by -2.13%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for GNTX is 12.14 vs. an industry ratio of 7.00, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Pre-Market Earnings Report for July 24, 2026 : AXP, NEE, VZ, HCA, CNI, SLB, THC, CHTR, BAH, LW, FLG, GNTX

AT&T Inc. T is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 earnings on July 22, before the opening bell. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues and earnings is pegged at $32.04 billion and 59 cents per share, respectively. The earnings estimate for AT&T for 2026 has increased 0.43% to $2.32 per share over the past 60 days, while the same for 2027 has increased 0.79% to $2.55 per share.
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Earnings Surprise History
The communications service provider delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 5.19%, on average.
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Earnings Whispers
Our proven model predicts a likely earnings beat for AT&T for the second quarter. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. This is exactly the case here. AT&T currently has an ESP of +4.83% and a Zacks Rank #3.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Factors Shaping the Upcoming Results
During the quarter, AT&T strengthened its enterprise connectivity portfolio with several strategic initiatives. The company launched North America's first Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)-enabled Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) service in collaboration with Cisco. The solution is designed to help enterprises protect sensitive data against emerging quantum computing-related cyber threats.
The company also expanded its connected vehicle ecosystem by extending its collaboration with Cisco and LiveOne. The enhanced Connected Car platform integrates in-vehicle connectivity with digital entertainment services. Such innovative product launches are expected to have a positive impact on upcoming results.
In the to be reported quarter, the company continued to expand its consumer connectivity offerings by introducing the Unlimited Day Pass for eligible iPad users. The on-demand service provides flexible wireless connectivity without requiring a long-term subscription.
AT&T also reaffirmed its long-term commitment to fiber and wireless expansion by announcing a $19 billion investment in California through 2030. The initiative aims to extend fiber connectivity to more than 4 million additional households and businesses.
However, AT&T continues to face intense competition in the U.S. telecom market from Verizon Communications, Inc. VZ and Charter Communications CHTR. This could limit subscriber additions and weigh on revenue growth.
Price Performance
Over the past year, AT&T has declined 17.5% against the industry’s growth of 83.2%, outperforming its peers like Charter but underperforming Verizon. Charter has declined 65%, while Verizon has improved 8.8% during this period.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Key Valuation Metric
From a valuation standpoint, AT&T appears to be trading relatively cheaper than the industry and below its mean. Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company shares currently trade at 9.03 forward earnings, lower than 44.18 for the industry and the stock’s mean of 11.4
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Investment Considerations
AT&T is aggressively expanding its fiber footprint. The company has reached more than 37 million fiber locations, the highest in America. It is aiming to expand this footprint to more than 60 million locations by the end of the decade. Fiber is emerging as a critical component for AI native connectivity, cloud applications, streaming, gaming, enterprise workloads and next-generation digital experiences. Amid this backdrop, AT&T’s continuous investment in developing a robust fiber architecture nationwide will likely bring long-term benefits.
However, the U.S. telecom market is highly competitive. Major rivals like Verizon and Charter are also aggressively investing in fiber, fixed wireless access, and customer acquisition. T must continue offering attractive pricing, bundled services and network improvements to maintain subscriber growth. In the wireless domain, T-Mobile is also rapidly expanding its 5G network. This could pose a threat to AT&T’s wireless subscriber growth.
It has been implementing several initiatives to drive customer retention over the past several quarters. Its convergence strategy has become one of the central pillars of these retention efforts. The company is focused on increasing the number of households that subscribe to both AT&T wireless and broadband services, including AT&T Fiber and AT&T Internet Air.
When customers get dependent on multiple services from a single vendor, it becomes difficult for them to change service providers. From a user’s point of view, opting for fiber and wireless services from a single vendor reduces complexity for them as well. This trend improves customer retention, lowers churn and increases long-term customer value.
AT&T continues to experience steep declines in legacy wireline and copper-based services as customers migrate to newer technologies. The company's long-term growth story relies on massive investments in fiber and wireless infrastructure. It is accelerating fiber deployment, investing $19 billion in California alone through 2030, which places pressure on free cash flow.
End Note
AT&T continues to invest in fiber and 5G to expand advanced Internet reach and drive more households to buy wireless and home Internet together. Management expects fiber reach to grow by about 8 million locations in 2026, including over 4 million locations acquired from Lumen, and remains on track to reach over 40 million total fiber locations by the end of 2026. The effort of portfolio expansion and venture into new high-growth markets, such as network security and automotive, is a positive.
However, the U.S. wireless market remains saturated. This makes the market highly price sensitive and limits average revenue per user growth. Amid stiff competition from other major players, the company has to continuously invest in network upgrades and improve customer experience to maintain its market share, which impacts profitability. With a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), AT&T appears to be treading in the middle of the road, and new investors could be better off if they trade with caution.
7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days
Just released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops."
Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +23.9% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention.
See them now >>
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.