Investing Topics: Telecom Stocks

Coronavirus (COVID-19) isn’t finished inflicting pain and suffering, particularly on China, and the global economic cost is only beginning to be felt. But one Chinese industry seems to still be moving full-steam ahead.

Cable companies still enjoy success in the B2B market. But these results raise a critical question for the rest of US communications: Who are they taking commercial customers from?

5-G communications networks promise to unlock a whole host of previously unimaginable applications as they’re rolled out over the next several years, and telecoms around the world are claiming a “lead” over rivals in the race to deploy them.

Trial testimony has concluded in the court challenge of the proposed merger of two US wireless giants and we expect an early 2020 close. The real issue is whether management will be able to deliver on lofty expectations.

The key takeaway from third-quarter results: The Big Three of US communications are still building wealth and selling cheaply.

Can the sum of the parts actually be greater than the whole? Shareholders of AT&T Inc (NYSE: T) will get a chance to find out, now that activist investor Paul Singer’s Elliott Management has taken a $3.2 billion stake in the communications giant.

Despite good news, several essential services companies have seen a 10% drop so far in 2019. The reason: politics. Our view for some of them is investors are over-estimating risks and underpricing their strengths.

Few sectors have dealt as much pain to unwary yield seekers over the past decade as communications. Here's the rundown on the weakest of the herd.

Barron's is piling on with an article concerning AT&T Inc’s (NYSE: T) loss of DirectTV subscribers, following up on a cover story critiquing the telecom giant's acquisition of Time Warner last year. Investors, however, saw the situation quite differently, pushing the stock to solid gains on earnings day, despite media mono-focus on the pay television unit.

Get big or go home: The "Big Four" will likely soon become the "Big Three."