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TDS (TDS) Reports Q4 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say

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For the quarter ended December 2024, Telephone & Data Systems (TDS - Free Report) reported revenue of $1.24 billion, down 5.6% over the same period last year. EPS came in at -$0.09, compared to -$0.11 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.23 billion, representing a surprise of +1.12%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +71.88%, with the consensus EPS estimate being -$0.32.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how TDS performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

  • US Cellular Postpaid ARPU: $51.73 compared to the $52.46 average estimate based on two analysts.
  • US Cellular Retail Connections Prepaid - Net additions (losses): -4 thousand compared to the -1 thousand average estimate based on two analysts.
  • US Cellular Postpaid Churn rate: 1.3% versus 1.3% estimated by two analysts on average.
  • US Cellular Retail Connections Postpaid - Total at end of period: 3.99 million compared to the 3.97 million average estimate based on two analysts.
  • Operating Revenues- U.S. Cellular: $970 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $937.45 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -3%.
  • Operating Revenues- TDS Telecom: $264 million compared to the $264.60 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +1% year over year.
  • Operating Revenues- TDS Telecom- Service- Wholesale: $44 million compared to the $40.96 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -1.3% year over year.
  • Operating Revenues- All other: $6 million versus $36.33 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -88.2% change.
  • Operating Revenues- TDS Telecom- Service- Residential - Wireline, Incumbent: $86 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $89.17 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -2.4%.
  • Operating Revenues- TDS Telecom- Service- Residential - Wireline, Expansion: $31 million compared to the $29.88 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +37.5% year over year.
  • Operating Revenues- TDS Telecom- Service- Residential - Cable: $65 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $67.76 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -5.1%.
  • Operating Revenues- TDS Telecom- Service- Commercial: $37 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $34.13 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -1.1%.
View all Key Company Metrics for TDS here>>>

Shares of TDS have returned +10.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.2% 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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