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AT&T Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 21 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 1 lowered, 9 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue grew 5.3% to $32.3 billion: Revenue growth came mainly from Advanced Connectivity wireless service and equipment revenues and fiber revenues, including the acquired Lumen mass markets fiber business. Latin America and Legacy also moved. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose to $12.5 billion: Adjusted EBITDA was $12.5 billion, up 5.4% year over year. Income from continuing operations was $1.3 billion. Source
  • Reported EPS fell, adjusted EPS rose: Diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.13, against $1.29 a year earlier, which included a DIRECTV gain. Adjusted EPS was $0.65, versus $0.54. Source
  • Record internet net adds: Advanced Connectivity added 769,000 internet customers, a record quarter: 442,000 fiber and 327,000 fixed wireless. This is the second straight quarter above one million customer additions. Source
  • Expenses rose on Mexico impairment: Operating expenses were $28.2 billion, including a $2.6 billion non-cash impairment on the held-for-sale Mexico wireless business and employee separation charges. That impairment did not affect segment results. Source
  • Mexico wireless sale agreed: Held-for-sale accounting for the Mexico wireless business started at September 30, after the October 13 agreement. AT&T will still report Latin America results. Source

“We are growing valuable customer relationships as more homes and businesses choose AT&T for all their advanced connectivity needs across both internet and on-the-go wireless”

John Stankey, AT&T Chairman and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted EPS Source2026$2.40 rangeRaised from $2.25 to $2.35
Capital investment Source2026$23 billion to $24 billionKept
Capital investment Source2027 and 2028$22 billion to $23 billion annuallyLowered from $23 billion to $24 billion annually during 2026-2028
Adjusted EBITDA growth Source2026upper portion of the 3% to 4% range
Adjusted EBITDA growth Source20285% or betterKept
Free cash flow Source2026-2028$18 billion+ (2026), $19 billion+ (2027), $21 billion+ (2028)Kept
Share repurchases Source2026-2028$24 billion+
Share repurchases Source2026approximately $10 billionKept
Common dividend Source2026$1.11 per share annualizedKept
Net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA Source20292.5x range
Fiber locations Sourceend of 2026over 40 million total fiber locationsKept
Fiber locations Sourceend of 2030more than 60 million locationsKept
Advanced Connectivity service revenue growth Source2026 and annually 2026-2028mid-single-digit range annually, including 5%+ in 2026Kept
Legacy service revenue Source2026decline of 20%+Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: The 2026 adjusted EPS guidance moved to the $2.40 range from $2.25 to $2.35 in the prior quarter. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Long-term capital investment guidance for 2027 and 2028 was lowered to $22 billion to $23 billion a year, from $23 billion to $24 billion. Source
  • New: On October 13, 2026, the company agreed to sell its Mexico wireless business, which is the whole Latin America segment. Long-term guidance for 2027-2028 excludes it. Source
  • New: The company has agreed to sell a controlling interest in Forged Fiber 37, the subsidiary holding the acquired Lumen fiber network assets, which is reported as discontinued operations. Source

Consolidated results and growth

  • Revenue grew 5.3% to $32.3 billion: Revenue growth came mainly from Advanced Connectivity wireless service and equipment revenues and fiber revenues, including the acquired Lumen mass markets fiber business. Latin America and Legacy also moved. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose to $12.5 billion: Adjusted EBITDA was $12.5 billion, up 5.4% year over year. Income from continuing operations was $1.3 billion. Source
  • Reported EPS fell, adjusted EPS rose: Diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.13, against $1.29 a year earlier, which included a DIRECTV gain. Adjusted EPS was $0.65, versus $0.54. Source
  • Advanced Connectivity service revenue up 6.1%: Advanced Connectivity service revenue reached $23.9 billion, growing 6.1%, the company's main growth segment this quarter. Source

Advanced Connectivity customers and products

  • Record internet net adds: Advanced Connectivity added 769,000 internet customers, a record quarter: 442,000 fiber and 327,000 fixed wireless. This is the second straight quarter above one million customer additions. Source
  • Postpaid phone adds and churn: Postpaid phone net adds were 379,000, with postpaid phone churn of 0.92%. Source
  • Converged relationships grew by 350,000: The base of high-value converged relationships, which combine home internet and wireless, grew by about 350,000 in the quarter. Source
  • Home internet households also on wireless: Of households with AT&T's advanced home internet services, 42.8% also chose AT&T wireless, as the company reports it. Source

“Our asset base positions us well for the AI era, with a leading position in fiber - the best technology available.”

John Stankey, AT&T Chairman and CEO

Segments and regions

  • Advanced Connectivity profit rose: Advanced Connectivity operating income was $7.6 billion, up 18.9%, with operating margin at 25.9% and EBITDA margin at 41.8%. Source
  • Legacy revenue down 24.5%: Legacy revenue fell to $1.5 billion as copper network decommissioning reduced service demand. Legacy operating income and EBITDA were $498 million, down $181 million. Source
  • Business transitional revenue declined: Business transitional and other revenues fell 14.6% to $1.0 billion, with lower demand for VPN and wholesale services. Source
  • Latin America revenue up 13.2%: Latin America revenue rose 13.2% to $1.24 billion, helped by favorable foreign exchange and postpaid subscriber growth. EBITDA reached $236 million, up 18.6%. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Expenses rose on Mexico impairment: Operating expenses were $28.2 billion, including a $2.6 billion non-cash impairment on the held-for-sale Mexico wireless business and employee separation charges. That impairment did not affect segment results. Source
  • Transformation cuts offset increases: Cost reductions from transformation initiatives and prior-year legal settlements partly offset higher wireless equipment costs and other increases. Source
  • Pricing gains net of promotions: Wireless service revenue rose on pricing actions and subscriber growth, partly offset by promotional discounts on new wireless subscribers. Source
  • Depreciation fell on legacy assets: Depreciation fell year over year as legacy assets became fully depreciated, partly offset by ongoing spending on strategic initiatives. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow of $5.0 billion: Free cash flow was $5.0 billion, against $4.9 billion a year earlier. Cash from operating activities was $10.5 billion, with timing of working capital payments cited. Source
  • Capital spending of $5.1 billion: Capital expenditures were $5.1 billion. Capital investment, which adds vendor financing payments, was $5.6 billion. Source
  • Net debt rose after EchoStar closing: Total debt was $159.6 billion and net debt was $149.8 billion, both higher sequentially because of the EchoStar spectrum transaction closing. Source
  • $4.8 billion returned to shareholders: The company returned about $4.8 billion to shareholders in the quarter, including $2.8 billion of common share repurchases. Source

Strategy, footprint and portfolio changes

  • Mexico wireless sale agreed: Held-for-sale accounting for the Mexico wireless business started at September 30, after the October 13 agreement. AT&T will still report Latin America results. Source
  • Fiber network stake sale: Forged Fiber 37 holds the Lumen fiber network assets and is reported as discontinued operations. The company agreed to sell a controlling stake in it. Source
  • Fiber reach passed 39 million: The company reached more than 39 million total consumer and business locations with fiber, counting its own network and fiber venture locations. Source
  • Lumen mass markets fiber acquisition closed: AT&T closed its acquisition of substantially all of Lumen's Mass Markets fiber business on February 2, 2026, and kept the fiber customer relationships. Source

Coming up, as management said on 21 October 2026

  • Fiber reach to 40 million by 2026: The company expects to reach over 40 million total fiber locations by the end of 2026. Source
  • Mexico sale pending buyers: The Mexico wireless business is agreed for sale to Grupo Televisa and Fintech Holdings. No closing date is given in the documents. Source
  • Leverage back to 2.5x in 2029: The company expects its net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA ratio to return to its 2.5x target range during 2029. Source
  • Copper network shutdown by 2029: The company's goal is to decommission the large majority of its copper-based network by the end of 2029. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Advanced Connectivity internet net adds Source769,000 (442,000 fiber; 327,000 fixed wireless)
Postpaid phone net adds Source379,000
Postpaid phone churn Source0.92%
Capital expenditures Source$5.1 billion
Capital investment Source$5.6 billion

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Approvals needed to decommission legacy infrastructure could delay the copper network shutdown beyond 2029. Source
  • Financial: The benefit-plan mark-to-market adjustment is driven by interest rates and investment returns and is expected to be a significant item. Source
  • Operational: Higher bad debt expense and advertising costs came with subscriber growth, adding to operating expenses. Source
  • External: Latin America operating expenses rose on unfavorable foreign exchange rates. Source
  • Demand: Legacy revenue is declining as customers leave the copper network and demand for legacy services falls. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management says it remains on track for the fiber location target by the end of 2026. Source
  • On track: Management says it remains on track for the 60 million fiber location target by the end of 2030. Source
  • Not stated: The company's stated goal is to decommission most of its copper network by the end of 2029. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.