Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE:TDS) Upgraded to “Hold” at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE:TDS) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Telephone and Data Systems in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Telephone and Data Systems from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, January 1st. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Telephone and Data Systems from $45.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $51.67.

Telephone and Data Systems Stock Down 0.7%

Shares of NYSE:TDS opened at $45.21 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.20 billion, a PE ratio of -69.55 and a beta of 0.32. Telephone and Data Systems has a 1 year low of $31.07 and a 1 year high of $47.79. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 1.89 and a quick ratio of 1.88. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $43.11 and its two-hundred day moving average is $40.31.

Telephone and Data Systems Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be issued a $0.04 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $0.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Telephone and Data Systems’s dividend payout ratio is presently -14.81%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Telephone and Data Systems

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Bessemer Group Inc. boosted its stake in Telephone and Data Systems by 65.6% in the third quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 699 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 277 shares in the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC increased its position in shares of Telephone and Data Systems by 51.3% during the fourth quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 681 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 231 shares in the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its holdings in shares of Telephone and Data Systems by 121.3% in the 3rd quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 830 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 455 shares during the last quarter. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Telephone and Data Systems in the 3rd quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Assetmark Inc. grew its stake in Telephone and Data Systems by 53.1% during the 2nd quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 1,297 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 450 shares during the last quarter. 80.00% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Telephone and Data Systems News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Telephone and Data Systems this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results: TDS beat expectations with $0.33 EPS vs. $0.09 consensus and revenue of $330.7M (+12% y/y), a clear beat that drove an intraday rally. Telephone & Data Systems (TDS) shares up over 5% on Q4 earnings, revenue beat
• Positive Sentiment: Fiber expansion & guidance: TDS Telecom raised its long‑term marketable fiber target to 2.1M addresses and provided 2026 guidance for its operating units, supporting longer‑term revenue growth from fiber buildouts. TDS reports fourth quarter and full year 2025 results
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst action: Wall Street Zen upgraded TDS, which can bolster demand from some retail/SMB investors. Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE:TDS) Stock Rating Upgraded by Wall Street Zen
• Neutral Sentiment: Dividend: Board declared a quarterly common‑share dividend of $0.04 (yield ~0.4%), payable March 31 (record March 16). This provides modest income support but is not a material yield. TDS announces first quarter 2026 dividends
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call commentary: Management discussed strategic moves and operational highlights on the Q4 call — useful context for execution but not a single catalyst on its own. Telephone and Data Systems Inc (TDS) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights
• Negative Sentiment: Profitability & valuation caveats: TDS still shows a negative net margin and a negative P/E metric, and the dividend yield is small — fundamentals that may cap upside for income/value investors until margins improve. Telephone and Data Systems earnings / press release

About Telephone and Data Systems

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc (NYSE: TDS) is a diversified telecommunications company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides a broad array of communications services, including wireless voice and data, wireline broadband and voice, cable television, and managed IT and cloud solutions. Its two primary operating units—TDS Telecom and U.S. Cellular—serve residential, business and wholesale customers across the United States.

TDS Telecom focuses on delivering broadband internet, digital voice, video and data communications services in primarily rural and suburban markets.