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AT&T to Acquire EchoStar's Spectrum Licenses: Growth Catalyst or Risk?
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Key Takeaways
AT&T will acquire 50 MHz of spectrum from EchoStar for $23B to enhance 5G capacity and coverage.
The deal raises AT&T's debt-to-EBITDA ratio to 3x, with a plan to return to 2.5x within three years.
Spectrum boost strengthens AT&T's converged connectivity and supports growth in AI, IoT and fixed wireless.
AT&T, Inc. (T - Free Report) recently announced that it is set to acquire wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStarSATS. The deal, valued at $23 billion, is set to add approximately 20 MHz of nationwide 600 MHz low-band spectrum and about 30 MHz of nationwide 3.45 GHz mid-band spectrum to AT&T’s spectrum portfolio. The company has reaffirmed its full-year 2025 guidance during the second quarter of 2025 results. However, it has stated that the acquisition is set to increase the debt-to-adjusted EBITDA ratio to the 3x range and will return to AT&T’s long-term leverage target of 2.5x within three years.
The acquisition of EchoStar’s spectrum assets will expand AT&T’s presence across 400 markets across the United States. In a highly saturated U.S. wireless market, greater network capacity, coverage and performance drive retention and growth in average revenue per user. This will significantly bolster the company’s 5G capabilities and close the competitive gap with T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS - Free Report) and Verizon Communications, Inc. (VZ - Free Report) in mid-band deployment. Moreover, the acquisition eliminates the need for the construction of additional cell sites for network capacity expansion. This will lower the capital investment requirements and drive operational efficiency in the long term.
The strategy aligns with the company’s converged connectivity push. The spectrum boost will strengthen its 5G offerings, and when paired with AT&T’s growing fiber footprint, will position the company to meet the critical connectivity needs of consumers, small businesses and first responders. The enhanced network infrastructure will allow AT&T to support highly demanding AI applications and IoT devices. This will also empower the company to accelerate the expansion of its fixed wireless services, AT&T Internet Air.
How Are Competitors Faring?
T-Mobile boasts a strong position in the 5G market. The company’s 5G network covers 98% or 330 million people in the country. T-Mobile continues to deploy 5G with the mid-band 2.5 GHz spectrum from Sprint. The 2.5 GHz provides fast delivery, superfast speeds and extensive coverage with signals that go through walls and trees, unlike 5G networks, which are controlled by the mmWave spectrum.
Verizon holds a total of 2,035 MHz of spectrum with the acquisition of C-band spectrum – 294 MHz in Sub 6 GHz spectrum (low and mid band) and 1,741 MHz of mmWave spectrum (high band). The low-band spectrum (nationwide 700 MHz licenses and 850 MHz spectrum) continues to provide one of the best connectivity experiences in the industry and supports nationwide 5G service, giving customers in more than 2,700 markets access to 5G. Verizon is rapidly deploying new C-band equipment on macro towers to expedite the expansion of 5G ultra-wideband.
T’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
AT&T stock has rallied 46.3% over the past year compared with the Wireless National industry’s growth of 20.9%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company’s shares currently trade at 13.06 forward earnings, lower than the industry’s 13.63 but above its mean of 12.09.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 have moved upward for the past 60 days.
Image: Bigstock
AT&T to Acquire EchoStar's Spectrum Licenses: Growth Catalyst or Risk?
Key Takeaways
AT&T, Inc. (T - Free Report) recently announced that it is set to acquire wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar SATS. The deal, valued at $23 billion, is set to add approximately 20 MHz of nationwide 600 MHz low-band spectrum and about 30 MHz of nationwide 3.45 GHz mid-band spectrum to AT&T’s spectrum portfolio. The company has reaffirmed its full-year 2025 guidance during the second quarter of 2025 results. However, it has stated that the acquisition is set to increase the debt-to-adjusted EBITDA ratio to the 3x range and will return to AT&T’s long-term leverage target of 2.5x within three years.
The acquisition of EchoStar’s spectrum assets will expand AT&T’s presence across 400 markets across the United States. In a highly saturated U.S. wireless market, greater network capacity, coverage and performance drive retention and growth in average revenue per user. This will significantly bolster the company’s 5G capabilities and close the competitive gap with T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS - Free Report) and Verizon Communications, Inc. (VZ - Free Report) in mid-band deployment. Moreover, the acquisition eliminates the need for the construction of additional cell sites for network capacity expansion. This will lower the capital investment requirements and drive operational efficiency in the long term.
The strategy aligns with the company’s converged connectivity push. The spectrum boost will strengthen its 5G offerings, and when paired with AT&T’s growing fiber footprint, will position the company to meet the critical connectivity needs of consumers, small businesses and first responders. The enhanced network infrastructure will allow AT&T to support highly demanding AI applications and IoT devices. This will also empower the company to accelerate the expansion of its fixed wireless services, AT&T Internet Air.
How Are Competitors Faring?
T-Mobile boasts a strong position in the 5G market. The company’s 5G network covers 98% or 330 million people in the country. T-Mobile continues to deploy 5G with the mid-band 2.5 GHz spectrum from Sprint. The 2.5 GHz provides fast delivery, superfast speeds and extensive coverage with signals that go through walls and trees, unlike 5G networks, which are controlled by the mmWave spectrum.
Verizon holds a total of 2,035 MHz of spectrum with the acquisition of C-band spectrum – 294 MHz in Sub 6 GHz spectrum (low and mid band) and 1,741 MHz of mmWave spectrum (high band). The low-band spectrum (nationwide 700 MHz licenses and 850 MHz spectrum) continues to provide one of the best connectivity experiences in the industry and supports nationwide 5G service, giving customers in more than 2,700 markets access to 5G. Verizon is rapidly deploying new C-band equipment on macro towers to expedite the expansion of 5G ultra-wideband.
T’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
AT&T stock has rallied 46.3% over the past year compared with the Wireless National industry’s growth of 20.9%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company’s shares currently trade at 13.06 forward earnings, lower than the industry’s 13.63 but above its mean of 12.09.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 have moved upward for the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
AT&T currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.