Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE:TDS) Lifted to “Hold” at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE:TDS) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Monday morning.

Telephone and Data Systems Stock Performance

Shares of TDS opened at $19.68 on Monday. Telephone and Data Systems has a 1 year low of $6.43 and a 1 year high of $21.75. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $15.74 and its 200 day simple moving average is $17.34. The company has a market capitalization of $2.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -4.04 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a current ratio of 1.58.

Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE:TDS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 3rd. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.10 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.05) by $0.15. The company had revenue of $1.26 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.26 billion. Telephone and Data Systems had a positive return on equity of 0.62% and a negative net margin of 9.36%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 3.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted ($0.08) EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Telephone and Data Systems will post -1 EPS for the current year.

Telephone and Data Systems Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th were issued a dividend of $0.19 per share. This is a positive change from Telephone and Data Systems’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.19. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.86%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 14th. Telephone and Data Systems’s dividend payout ratio is presently -15.61%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Telephone and Data Systems

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of TDS. Principal Securities Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Telephone and Data Systems in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Anchor Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Telephone and Data Systems during the fourth quarter valued at about $46,000. Quarry LP acquired a new stake in Telephone and Data Systems during the fourth quarter worth about $60,000. GAMMA Investing LLC purchased a new position in shares of Telephone and Data Systems in the 4th quarter worth about $93,000. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Telephone and Data Systems by 14.0% in the 4th quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 5,062 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock valued at $93,000 after purchasing an additional 622 shares in the last quarter. 80.00% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Telephone and Data Systems

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc, a telecommunications company, provides communications services in the United States. It operates through two segments: UScellular and TDS Telecom. The company offers wireless solutions to consumers, and business and government customers, including a suite of connected Internet of things (IoT) solutions, and software applications for monitor and control, business automation/operations, communication, fleet and asset management, smart water solutions, private cellular networks and custom, and end-to-end IoT solutions; wireless priority services and quality priority and preemption options; smartphones and other handsets, tablets, wearables, mobile hotspots, fixed wireless home internet, and IoT devices; and accessories, such as cases, screen protectors, chargers, and memory cards, as well as consumer electronics, including audio, home automation and networking products.