AT&T valuation
AT&T INC. · NYSE: T · Telecom & media · Updated Sep 25, 2026
AT&T's revenue grew 2.6% over the last twelve months and 1.3% a year over three years. Today's price of $25.46 implies 8.8% revenue growth in year 1, fading to 4.8% by year 10, at an operating margin of 20.1%.
Our base case continues the trend (2.0%, fading), moves the operating margin from 21.0% to 20.1% by year 5 and reinvests $1.61 of capital for each additional dollar of revenue. Discounted at 5.9%, that gives a base-case model value of $20.63 per share (bear $10.42, bull $35.55); the price is 23% above the base case.
Bear: growth 5 percentage points lower, target margin 20% lower. Bull: growth 5 points higher, target margin 20% higher. Cost of capital and capital intensity as in the base case.
Model value = output of a fixed, published method; not a price target, not a recommendation. How the model works
- How we got this number
- Multiples vs. peers
- What management says
- Competitors and their recent moves
- Analyst ratings
- Disclosure (MAR Art. 20)
How we got this number
1Historical base from the filings
All figures come from the XBRL data in the company's SEC filings (10-K, 10-Q), in US dollars. "TTM" = trailing twelve months. EBITA = operating income before amortisation of acquired intangibles and before expensed acquired R&D – both consequences of past acquisitions, which the model does not extrapolate.
| Data table | FY12/2020 | FY12/2021 | FY12/2022 | FY12/2023 | FY12/2024 | FY12/2025 | TTM06/2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $143B | $134B | $121B | $122B | $122B | $126B | $127B |
| Revenue growth | – | −6.3% | −9.9% | 1.4% | −0.1% | 2.7% | 2.6% |
| Operating income (EBIT) | $8.37B | $25.9B | −$4.59B | $23.5B | $19.0B | $24.2B | $25.6B |
| + Amortisation of acquired intangibles | $8.24B | $4.29B | – | – | – | – | – |
| EBITA | $16.6B | $30.2B | −$4.59B | $23.5B | $19.0B | $24.2B | $25.6B |
| EBITA margin | 11.6% | 22.5% | −3.8% | 19.2% | 15.6% | 19.2% | 20.1% |
| Effective tax rate | – | 18.5% | – | 21.3% | 26.6% | 13.4% | – |
| Net income | −$5.18B | $20.1B | −$8.52B | $14.4B | $10.9B | $22.0B | $21.6B |
| Operating cash flow | $43.1B | $42.0B | $35.8B | $38.3B | $38.8B | $40.3B | $40.3B |
| Capital expenditure | $14.7B | $15.5B | $19.6B | $17.9B | $20.3B | $20.8B | $22.2B |
| Free cash flow (CFO − capex) | $28.4B | $26.4B | $16.2B | $20.5B | $18.5B | $19.4B | $18.0B |
| Operating invested capital | – | – | $189B | $200B | $196B | $202B | $207B |
| Sales / capital | – | – | 0.64 | 0.61 | 0.63 | 0.62 | 0.62 |
| ROIC | – | – | −1.8% | 9.2% | 7.1% | 10.3% | 10.4% |
Operating invested capital = equity + financial debt incl. leases − cash − goodwill − acquired intangibles − equity-method stakes: the capital that organic growth actually ties up. ROIC = EBITA × (1 − tax rate) / operating capital (TTM column: incl. lease interest, latest balance sheet). TTM revenue = FY ending 2025-12-31 ($126B) + year-to-date to 2026-06-30 ($63.1B) − prior-year period ($61.5B).
XBRL source of each line
- revenue: us-gaap:Revenues · TTM · period end 2026-06-30 · 0000732717-26-000297
- ebit: us-gaap:OperatingIncomeLoss · TTM · period end 2026-06-30 · 0000732717-26-000297
- pretax: us-gaap:IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest · TTM · period end 2026-06-30 · 0000732717-26-000297
- tax: us-gaap:IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit · TTM · period end 2026-06-30 · 0000732717-26-000297
- net_income: us-gaap:NetIncomeLoss · TTM · period end 2026-06-30 · 0000732717-26-000297
- da: us-gaap:DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization · TTM · period end 2026-06-30 · 0000732717-26-000297
- cfo: us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities · 10-K · period end 2025-12-31 · 0000732717-26-000120
- capex: us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets · TTM · period end 2026-06-30 · 0000732717-26-000297
- sbc: us-gaap:AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense · 10-K · period end 2025-12-31 · 0000732717-26-000120
- interest: us-gaap:InterestExpenseNonoperating · TTM · period end 2026-06-30 · 0000732717-26-000297
2Cost of equity (CAPM)
- rf 4.79% – 10-year US Treasury yield on Sep 1, 2026, the date of the equity risk premium estimate (the two must match; today: 5.18% on Sep 24, 2026) (U.S. Treasury).
- ERP 4.14% – implied equity risk premium of the S&P 500 by Aswath Damodaran as of Sep 1, 2026 (NYU Stern). It is backed out of current index prices and expected cash flows, not historical averages.
- β 0.64 – bottom-up beta: the "Telecom. Services" industry (39 US firms, Damodaran, January 2026) has a cash-corrected unlevered beta of 0.38. Relevered with AT&T's leverage (debt incl. leases / market value = 92.1%): β = βU × (1 + (1 − t) × D/E) = 0.38 × (1 + 0.75 × 0.921) = 0.64
- In the mature state (from year 10) we set β = 1: kE = 4.79% + 4.14% = 8.93%, the market's expected return. In years 6–10 the cost of capital moves there linearly.
3Cost of debt
Interest coverage = EBIT / interest expense (TTM) = $25.6B / $7.19B = 3.6x. In Damodaran's table for large non-financial firms (January 2026) this maps to a synthetic rating of A3/A- with a 0.89% default spread.
Tax rate 25%: 21% federal plus about 4% state taxes (marginal rate).
4Weighted average cost of capital (WACC)
E = market value $177B (Sep 24, 2026); D = financial debt incl. lease liabilities $163B (book value as a proxy). This WACC applies to years 1–5; by year 10 it moves to 8.93%, the cost of capital of an average mature company (rf + ERP) – the rate at which Damodaran's implied premium discounts the market beyond year 5.
5Forecast and discounted cash flows
| Driver | Base case | How it is set |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth, year 1 | 2.0% | Average of the 3-year CAGR (1.3%) and trailing-twelve-month growth (2.6%); fades linearly to 4.8% by year 10. |
| Operating margin | 21.0% → 20.1% | Currently 21.0% (EBITA incl. lease interest); target in year 5: halfway from its own level (19.4%) to the industry margin (20.8%). |
| Tax rate | 19.3% → 25% | Effective rate of the last three years (years 1–5), then moving to the marginal rate. |
| Sales / capital | 0.62 | Reinvestment = revenue increase / 0.62. Company's 3-year average (0.62). |
| Terminal ROIC | 10.4% | The lower of the company's return on capital (10.4%) and the industry's (12.0%), but at least the cost of capital (8.9%). Terminal reinvestment rate = g / ROIC = 46.0%. |
| Growth after year 10 | 4.79% | = risk-free rate (Damodaran's default; his implied premium is computed the same way). |
Industry values: Damodaran, "Telecom. Services", January 2026 (pre-tax lease-adjusted operating margin; sales / invested capital; after-tax return on capital).
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 2.0% | 2.3% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 3.2% | 3.5% | 3.9% | 4.2% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Revenue | $130B | $133B | $136B | $140B | $145B | $150B | $156B | $162B | $169B | $177B |
| Operating margin | 20.8% | 20.6% | 20.4% | 20.3% | 20.1% | 20.1% | 20.1% | 20.1% | 20.1% | 20.1% |
| Operating income | $27.0B | $27.4B | $27.8B | $28.4B | $29.1B | $30.1B | $31.3B | $32.6B | $34.0B | $35.7B |
| Tax rate | 19.3% | 19.3% | 19.3% | 19.3% | 19.3% | 20.5% | 21.6% | 22.7% | 23.9% | 25.0% |
| NOPAT | $21.8B | $22.1B | $22.5B | $22.9B | $23.5B | $23.9B | $24.5B | $25.2B | $25.9B | $26.7B |
| − Reinvestment | $4.07B | $4.80B | $5.58B | $6.41B | $7.31B | $8.27B | $9.32B | $10.5B | $11.7B | $13.1B |
| = FCFF | $17.7B | $17.3B | $16.9B | $16.5B | $16.1B | $15.7B | $15.2B | $14.7B | $14.2B | $13.6B |
| WACC | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 6.5% | 7.1% | 7.7% | 8.3% | 8.9% |
| Discount factor | 0.944 | 0.891 | 0.842 | 0.794 | 0.750 | 0.704 | 0.657 | 0.610 | 0.563 | 0.517 |
| Present value | $16.7B | $15.4B | $14.2B | $13.1B | $12.1B | $11.0B | $9.98B | $8.97B | $7.99B | $7.06B |
| ROIC (model capital) | 10.6% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 10.4% | 10.4% | 10.2% | 10.1% | 10.0% | 9.9% | 9.8% |
The terminal value is 62% of enterprise value. Cash flows are discounted at year end with the cumulative cost of capital of each year.
6From enterprise value to equity value
| Enterprise value | $305B |
| + Cash and equivalents us-gaap:CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue · 2026-06-30 | $17.6B |
| + Equity-method stakes (book value) us-gaap:EquityMethodInvestments · 2026-06-30 | $1.13B |
| − Long-term debt us-gaap:LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations · 2026-06-30 | −$135B |
| − Current debt us-gaap:DebtCurrent · 2026-06-30 | −$9.32B |
| − Operating lease liabilities us-gaap:OperatingLeaseLiabilityNoncurrent · 2026-06-30 | −$18.9B |
| − Non-controlling interests us-gaap:MinorityInterest · 2026-06-30 | −$16.0B |
| − Redeemable non-controlling interests us-gaap:RedeemableNoncontrollingInterestEquityCarryingAmount · 2026-06-30 | −$2.00B |
| = Equity value (model) | $143B |
| ÷ Diluted shares WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding · 2026-06-30 | 6.946 bn |
| = Base-case model value per share | $20.63 |
| Reference price (IEX last trade) · 2026-09-24 19:59 UTC | $25.46 |
Lease liabilities count as debt; in turn, the operating margin excludes the interest component of lease payments. Share count: diluted weighted-average shares, latest quarter. Data provided for free by IEX. By accessing or using IEX Historical Data, you agree to the IEX Historical Data Terms of Use.
7Scenarios and reverse DCF: what the price implies
| Case | Growth Y1 | Target margin | Model value per share | Price vs. case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear | −3.0% | 16.1% | $10.42 | +144% |
| Base | 2.0% | 20.1% | $20.63 | +23% |
| Bull | 7.0% | 24.1% | $35.55 | −28% |
| Implied by the price | 8.8% | 22.2% | $25.46 | ±0% |
Reverse DCF: holding everything else fixed, we solve for the single assumption at which the model value equals the price – the starting growth rate (8.8%), the target margin (22.2%) or the cost of capital (5.5% instead of 5.9%).
8Sensitivity: WACC × terminal growth
Base-case model value per share for other costs of capital (rows: WACC of years 1–5; the shift applies to all years) and other growth after year 10 (columns). Outlined: base case. Reference price: $25.46.
| WACC \ g | 2.8% | 3.3% | 3.8% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.9% | $25.01 | $26.50 | $28.32 | $30.61 | $33.60 |
| 5.4% | $20.76 | $21.76 | $22.95 | $24.41 | $26.23 |
| 5.9% | $17.21 | $17.86 | $18.62 | $19.53 | $20.63 |
| 6.4% | $14.19 | $14.59 | $15.05 | $15.59 | $16.22 |
| 6.9% | $11.58 | $11.81 | $12.06 | $12.34 | $12.66 |
Multiples vs. peers
Peer group "Telecom & media" within our coverage. Ratios use trailing-twelve-month figures and market values as of Sep 24, 2026. EV = market value + debt incl. leases + minorities − cash.
| Company | Market value | Impliedgrowth | Basegrowth | Price vs.base case | EV/EBITDA | P/E | P/S | EBIT-margin | Growthlast FY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile US | $179B | 13.7% | 6.6% | +22% | 9.0x | 16.9x | 1.9x | 19.8% | 8.5% |
| Verizon | $197B | 4.2% | 0.9% | +11% | 8.1x | 12.2x | 1.4x | 20.5% | 2.5% |
| AT&T | $177B | 8.8% | 2.0% | +23% | 7.4x | 8.2x | 1.4x | 20.1% | 2.7% |
| Walt Disney | $184B | −1.3% | 4.6% | −21% | 9.6x | 21.4x | 1.9x | 18.4% | 3.4% |
| Peer median | 4.2% | 4.6% | 9.0x | 16.9x | 1.9x | 19.8% | 3.4% |
Median excludes AT&T. "n/m": negative or not meaningful.
What management says
Short, attributed excerpts from the company's own latest earnings release (SEC Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.1). Quotes are reproduced verbatim; they are management's statements, not ours.
AT&T Delivers Strong Second-Quarter Results as Investment-Led Strategy Gains Momentum
Earnings release · Form 8-K · filed Jul 22, 2026 · Document at the SEC
“The accelerated growth we delivered this quarter shows our structural advantages to lead the next era of connectivity”
Outlook excerpt: “AT&T maintains its outlook for improved growth in adjusted EBITDA* and adjusted EPS* and higher free cash flow* through 2028, its plans to return $45 billion+ to shareholders during 2026-2028 through dividends and share repurchases, and an expectation that its net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA ratio* will return to a level …”
- Annual report (10-K) · period 2025-12-31 · filed Feb 9, 2026 – includes management's discussion and analysis (MD&A)
- Latest quarterly report (10-Q) · period 2026-06-30 · filed Jul 22, 2026
- All filings by AT&T INC. (SEC EDGAR)
Competitors and their recent moves
Notable filings by peers in the last 120 days (SEC Form 8-K items such as acquisitions, material agreements, restructurings, leadership changes and results).
- Sep 3, 2026 · T-Mobile US
Board or executive changeRegulation FD disclosureT-Mobile Announces Planned Chief Financial Officer Transition · 8-K - Aug 5, 2026 · Walt Disney
Quarterly or annual results · 8-K - Jul 24, 2026 · Verizon
Board or executive change · 8-K - Jul 24, 2026 · Verizon
Quarterly or annual resultsVerizon Delivers Record 2Q26 Results as Strategic Transformation Ignites Accelerated Growth · 8-K - Jul 23, 2026 · T-Mobile US
Quarterly or annual resultsT-Mobile Delivers Continued Strong Account Growth, Translating into Industry-Leading Service Revenue Growth Driven by Widening Differentiation · 8-K - Jul 7, 2026 · T-Mobile US
Board or executive changeRegulation FD disclosureT-Mobile Appoints Chris Sambar Chief Enterprise Officer and Evolves Leadership Team to Advance its · 8-K - Jun 29, 2026 · Verizon
Regulation FD disclosure · 8-K - Jun 17, 2026 · Verizon
Other material eventVerizon announces expiration and final results of its private exchange offers and consent solicitations for · 8-K - Jun 2, 2026 · Verizon
Other material eventVerizon announces extension of early participation date and early results of its private exchange offers and · 8-K - May 28, 2026 · Verizon
Board or executive change · 8-K
Analyst ratings
Consensus ratings and price targets from brokers are licensed data. We do not republish them. You can compare our model with the analyst consensus at these public sources:
External links; we are not responsible for their content.
Disclosure (MAR Art. 20)
- Producer
- NyxAI GmbH, Reiterkasernstraße 2a, 85049 Ingolstadt, Germany · responsible: Lars Heppert · Legal notice
- Model completed
- 2026-09-25 14:19 UTC (automated daily run)
- First published / last updated
- 2026-09-25 14:11 UTC / 2026-09-25 14:19 UTC
- Prices used
- Last regular-session trade on IEX on 2026-09-24 at 19:59:59 UTC: $25.46. This is not the official closing price of the primary exchange.
- Financial data
- SEC Form 10-Q, period 2026-06-30, filed 2026-07-22; balance sheet date 2026-06-30
- Methodology
- How the model works · steps 1–8 above
- Main assumptions
- rf 4.79% · ERP 4.14% · β 0.64 · WACC 5.92% → 8.93% · growth 2.0% → 4.79% · target margin 20.1% · sales/capital 0.62 · ROICterm 10.4% · scenarios: step 7, sensitivity: step 8
- Nature of this information
- Model-based estimate (base-case model value with a bear–bull range), computed automatically from public data with a fixed method. Not investment advice, not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold, not a price target, no investment horizon. The result depends heavily on the assumptions. Reported facts, market data, assumptions and model outputs are labelled above.
- Conflicts of interest
- Neither NyxAI GmbH (producer) nor its affiliated companies nor the responsible person hold positions in AT&T INC..NyxAI GmbH receives no payment from the companies covered for these pages, and they had no influence on content or results. Disclosures (as of Sep 25, 2026).
Sources for this page
- Financial statements: SEC EDGAR, XBRL company facts (CIK 732717), 10-Q 2026-07-22
- Share price: IEX Historical Data (TOPS), 2026-09-24. Data provided for free by IEX. By accessing or using IEX Historical Data, you agree to the IEX Historical Data Terms of Use. IEX Historical Data Terms of Use
- Risk-free rate: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Daily Treasury Par Yield Curve Rates (10 Yr), 2026-09-01
- Equity risk premium: Aswath Damodaran, implied equity risk premium for the S&P 500 (trailing 12-month cash yield, adjusted payout), 2026-09-01
- Default spreads: Aswath Damodaran, Ratings, Interest Coverage Ratios and Default Spread (January 2026)
- Industry betas: Aswath Damodaran, Betas by Sector (US) (January 2026)
- Industry values: Aswath Damodaran, Operating margins, Sales/Invested capital, Return on capital (January 2026)