AT&T (T) Beats on Q4 Earnings, Achieves All Targets for 2019

T ATNI BAND

AT&T Inc. (T - Free Report) ticked all the boxes it set to achieve in 2019 and reported healthy fourth-quarter results with solid cash flow and adjusted earnings. The company expects to deliver significant progress in its three-year financial allocation plan through continuous improvement in margins and bottom-line growth driven by sustained investments and debt reduction.

Net Income

On a GAAP basis, AT&T reported net income of $2,394 million or 33 cents per share compared with $4,858 million or 66 cents per share in the year-ago quarter. The slump in GAAP earnings despite lower operating costs was primarily attributable to lower revenues, write-off on certain copper facilities and merger and integration-related expenses. For full year 2019, GAAP earnings declined to $13,903 million or $1.89 per share from $19,370 million or $2.85 per share primarily due to higher operating expenses.

Excluding non-recurring items, adjusted earnings for the quarter were 89 cents per share compared with 86 cents in the year-earlier quarter, and exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. Adjusted earnings for 2019 improved to $3.57 per share from $3.52 in 2018.

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