For the quarter ended March 2024, United States Cellular (USM - Free Report) reported revenue of $950 million, down 3.7% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.20, compared to $0.15 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $952.51 million, representing a surprise of -0.26%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -23.08%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.26.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.
Here is how U.S. Cellular performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
- Churn rate - Postpaid: 1.2% versus 1.2% estimated by three analysts on average.
- Net additions (losses) - Retail Connections - Prepaid: -13,000 thousand versus the three-analyst average estimate of -18,438.49 thousand.
- Customers -Total (Total connections): 4,487 thousand versus the three-analyst average estimate of 4,578.5 thousand.
- Net additions (losses) - Retail Connections - Postpaid: -44,000 thousand versus -31,132.69 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.
- Churn Rate - Prepaid: 4.1% compared to the 4.1% average estimate based on three analysts.
- ARPU - Prepaid: $32.25 versus $32.68 estimated by two analysts on average.
- ARPU - Postpaid: $51.96 compared to the $51.45 average estimate based on two analysts.
- Retail Connections Total at end of period - Prepaid: 436 thousand versus 438.85 thousand estimated by two analysts on average.
- Gross additions - Retail Connections - Postpaid: 106,000 thousand versus the two-analyst average estimate of 117,677 thousand.
- Retail Connections Total at end of period - Postpaid: 4,051 thousand compared to the 4,090.41 thousand average estimate based on two analysts.
- Operating Revenues- Equipment sales: $196 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $210.56 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -10.5%.
- Operating Revenues- Service: $754 million compared to the $745.15 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -1.7% year over year.
View all Key Company Metrics for U.S. Cellular here>>>Shares of U.S. Cellular have returned +3.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -2.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.
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For the quarter ended March 2024, United States Cellular (USM - Free Report) reported revenue of $950 million, down 3.7% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.20, compared to $0.15 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $952.51 million, representing a surprise of -0.26%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -23.08%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.26.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.
Here is how U.S. Cellular performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
- Churn rate - Postpaid: 1.2% versus 1.2% estimated by three analysts on average.
- Net additions (losses) - Retail Connections - Prepaid: -13,000 thousand versus the three-analyst average estimate of -18,438.49 thousand.
- Customers -Total (Total connections): 4,487 thousand versus the three-analyst average estimate of 4,578.5 thousand.
- Net additions (losses) - Retail Connections - Postpaid: -44,000 thousand versus -31,132.69 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.
- Churn Rate - Prepaid: 4.1% compared to the 4.1% average estimate based on three analysts.
- ARPU - Prepaid: $32.25 versus $32.68 estimated by two analysts on average.
- ARPU - Postpaid: $51.96 compared to the $51.45 average estimate based on two analysts.
- Retail Connections Total at end of period - Prepaid: 436 thousand versus 438.85 thousand estimated by two analysts on average.
- Gross additions - Retail Connections - Postpaid: 106,000 thousand versus the two-analyst average estimate of 117,677 thousand.
- Retail Connections Total at end of period - Postpaid: 4,051 thousand compared to the 4,090.41 thousand average estimate based on two analysts.
- Operating Revenues- Equipment sales: $196 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $210.56 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -10.5%.
- Operating Revenues- Service: $754 million compared to the $745.15 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -1.7% year over year.
View all Key Company Metrics for U.S. Cellular here>>>Shares of U.S. Cellular have returned +3.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -2.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.
Highest Returns for Any Asset Class
It’s not even close. Despite ups and downs, Bitcoin has been more profitable for investors than any other decentralized, borderless form of money.
No guarantees for the future, but in the past three presidential election years, Bitcoin’s returns were as follows: 2012 +272.4%, 2016 +161.1%, and 2020 +302.8%. Zacks predicts another significant surge in months to come.
Hurry, Download Special Report – It’s FREE >>
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