Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE:TDS) Sets New 12-Month High – Should You Buy?

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:TDS)’s share price hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $35.39 and last traded at $35.26, with a volume of 225351 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $34.33.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently issued reports on TDS. Raymond James raised Telephone and Data Systems from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $51.00 price target for the company in a research note on Thursday, November 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Telephone and Data Systems from $39.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, November 4th.

Telephone and Data Systems Price Performance

The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $33.56 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $26.81. The company has a quick ratio of 1.44, a current ratio of 1.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -6.70 and a beta of 0.81.

Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE:TDS) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 1st. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.01 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.18) by $0.19. Telephone and Data Systems had a positive return on equity of 1.12% and a negative net margin of 10.72%. The business had revenue of $1.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.24 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted ($0.16) earnings per share. The company’s revenue was down 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. will post -0.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Telephone and Data Systems Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Investors of record on Monday, December 16th were issued a $0.04 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 16th. This represents a $0.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.44%. Telephone and Data Systems’s payout ratio is currently -2.96%.

Institutional Trading of Telephone and Data Systems

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Quarry LP acquired a new stake in shares of Telephone and Data Systems during the 2nd quarter valued at $40,000. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its position in shares of Telephone and Data Systems by 14.5% during the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 2,395 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock worth $82,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares during the period. CWM LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Telephone and Data Systems by 26.8% during the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 4,995 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock valued at $116,000 after purchasing an additional 1,056 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its position in shares of Telephone and Data Systems by 10.2% in the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 5,302 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock valued at $123,000 after purchasing an additional 490 shares during the period. Finally, Pallas Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Telephone and Data Systems in the 4th quarter worth about $237,000. 80.00% of the stock is currently owned by 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.