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Compared to Estimates, AT&T (T) Q3 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

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For the quarter ended September 2026, AT&T (T - Free Report) reported revenue of $32.32 billion, up 5.3% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.65, compared to $0.54 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +2.02% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $31.68 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.61, the EPS surprise was +6.56%.

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.

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 AT&T performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
  • Retail Wireless Net Adds- Phone - Postpaid: 379 thousand versus 365.63 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.
  • Internet Net Adds- AT&T Fiber: 416 thousand versus 369.33 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.
  • Internet Net Adds- AT&T Business Fiber: 26 thousand versus 20.67 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.
  • Retail Wireless Net Adds- Phone - Prepaid: -21 thousand versus -69.85 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.
  • Operating Revenues- Corporate and Other: $82 million compared to the $92.53 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of -16.3% year over year.
  • Operating Revenues- Legacy: $1.52 billion versus $1.54 billion estimated by five analysts on average.
  • Operating Revenues- Latin America: $1.24 billion versus the five-analyst average estimate of $1.15 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +13.2%.
  • Operating Revenues- Advanced Connectivity: $29.48 billion versus the five-analyst average estimate of $28.89 billion.
  • Operating Revenues- Advanced Connectivity- Business fiber and advanced connectivity: $1.99 billion versus $2 billion estimated by three analysts on average.
  • Operating Revenues- Advanced Connectivity- Business transitional and other: $1.02 billion compared to the $1.02 billion average estimate based on three analysts.
  • Operating Revenues- Advanced Connectivity- Other service: $148 million versus $153.41 million estimated by three analysts on average.
  • Operating Revenues- Advanced Connectivity- Advanced home internet: $2.98 billion versus $3.05 billion estimated by three analysts on average.

View all Key Company Metrics for AT&T here>>>

Shares of AT&T have returned -6.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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