Telephone and Data Systems stock gains 2.37 percent as earnings beat estimates

Published on 09/23/2026 at 00:44 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Telephone and Data Systems stock closed at USD 36.75 on September 21, 2026, up 2.37 percent. Quarterly EPS reached USD 2.24 against USD 0.09 expected.

TDS, US8794331075, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (US8794331075) closed at USD 36.75 on the NYSE on September 21, 2026, gaining 2.37 percent from the prior close. The latest reported quarter delivered EPS of USD 2.24, compared with the USD 0.09 consensus estimate, giving the stock a clear earnings-based reference point.

EPS beat masks a revenue miss

According to MarketBeat on September 22, 2026, TDS reported quarterly revenue of USD 309.28 million, below the USD 315.78 million consensus estimate. Revenue nevertheless increased 3.6 percent from the same period a year earlier, while EPS improved from a loss of USD 0.05 in the prior-year period to USD 2.24.

The numerical split matters. Revenue missed expectations by USD 6.50 million, but EPS exceeded consensus by USD 2.15, and the reported net margin was 33.20 percent for the quarter. That combination points to earnings quality and non-revenue items as the main explanation for the unusually wide gap between sales performance and per-share profit.

Analysts remain cautious

MarketBeat reported on September 22, 2026, that the consensus rating was Hold and that the average one-year price target stood at USD 47.50. The target was USD 10.75 above the September 21 closing price, while the stock's 52-week range extended from USD 31.51 to USD 49.12.

The valuation picture is therefore mixed rather than one-directional. TDS traded USD 12.37 below its 52-week high and USD 5.24 above its 52-week low on September 21, while its 50-day moving average was USD 34.96 and its 200-day moving average was USD 39.27, according to the same dated market overview.

Stock stays below its 200-day line

TDS ended September 21 at USD 36.75 with volume of 1.39 million shares and market capitalization of USD 4.23 billion. The closing price stood USD 2.21 below the 200-day moving average, so the latest earnings beat has not yet translated into a return above that longer-term reference level.

For investors, the next assessment point is the relationship between revenue growth and the exceptional EPS result. The quarter's 3.6 percent year-over-year revenue increase provides operating momentum, while the USD 2.15 EPS beat supplies the stronger immediate earnings signal.