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 report released on Monday morning.

Telephone and Data Systems Price Performance

NYSE TDS opened at $15.29 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a current ratio of 1.58. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $15.65 and its 200-day moving average price is $17.32. Telephone and Data Systems has a 52-week low of $6.43 and a 52-week high of $21.75. The company has a market cap of $1.73 billion, a PE ratio of -3.14 and a beta of 0.81.

Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE:TDS) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, May 3rd. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.05) by $0.15. Telephone and Data Systems had a negative net margin of 9.36% and a positive return on equity of 0.62%. The firm had revenue of $1.26 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.26 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned ($0.08) earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 3.1% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that Telephone and Data Systems will post -1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Telephone and Data Systems Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th were paid a $0.19 dividend. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.97%. This is an increase from Telephone and Data Systems’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.19. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 14th. Telephone and Data Systems’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -15.61%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Telephone and Data Systems

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

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.