(TDS) Telephone Data Systems - Overview
Stock: Wireless, Broadband, TV, Phone, IoT
EPS (Earnings per Share)
Revenue
Dividends
| Dividend Yield | 0.44% |
| Yield on Cost 5y | 0.91% |
| Yield CAGR 5y | -30.86% |
| Payout Consistency | 93.4% |
| Payout Ratio | 174.4% |
| Risk 5d forecast | |
|---|---|
| Volatility | 42.5% |
| Relative Tail Risk | -9.66% |
| Reward TTM | |
|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio | 0.69 |
| Alpha | 13.27 |
| Character TTM | |
|---|---|
| Beta | 0.751 |
| Beta Downside | 1.125 |
| Drawdowns 3y | |
|---|---|
| Max DD | 50.97% |
| CAGR/Max DD | 1.25 |
Description: TDS Telephone Data Systems January 08, 2026
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:TDS) is a diversified telecommunications firm that serves consumer, business, and government customers across the United States through three operating segments: UScellular Wireless, UScellular Towers, and TDS Telecom. The company’s product portfolio spans wireless voice and data plans, fixed-wireless home internet, a broad suite of IoT solutions, and a range of consumer devices and accessories, sold via retail partners, direct agents, and its own online platform.
As of FY 2023, TDS generated approximately $2.4 billion in revenue, with UScellular Wireless contributing roughly 70 % and reporting an average revenue per user (ARPU) of $45, which is modestly above the industry median for regional carriers. The firm’s EBITDA margin hovered near 28 %, reflecting disciplined cost control despite ongoing capex of about $350 million to expand 5G coverage and rural fiber backhaul-key drivers in a market where federal broadband subsidies are expected to exceed $65 billion through 2027.
Growth opportunities are anchored in the accelerating adoption of private-cellular networks and IoT deployments in logistics, utilities, and public safety, sectors where TDS’s managed services and SIM-management capabilities have seen double-digit year-over-year contract gains. For a deeper quantitative assessment, the ValueRay platform provides a granular breakdown of TDS’s financial metrics and peer comparisons.
Piotroski VR‑10 (Strict, 0-10) 5.0
| Net Income: -56.8m TTM > 0 and > 6% of Revenue |
| FCF/TA: 0.03 > 0.02 and ΔFCF/TA 2.08 > 1.0 |
| NWC/Revenue: 13.07% < 20% (prev 12.87%; Δ 0.21% < -1%) |
| CFO/TA 0.09 > 3% & CFO 784.3m > Net Income -56.8m |
| Net Debt (477.1m) to EBITDA (1.05b): 0.45 < 3 |
| Current Ratio: 1.89 > 1.5 & < 3 |
| Outstanding Shares: last quarter (115.0m) vs 12m ago 0.88% < -2% |
| Gross Margin: 55.03% > 18% (prev 0.57%; Δ 5446 % > 0.5%) |
| Asset Turnover: 34.94% > 50% (prev 36.69%; Δ -1.75% > 0%) |
| Interest Coverage Ratio: 1.02 > 6 (EBITDA TTM 1.05b / Interest Expense TTM 249.3m) |
Altman Z'' 1.47
| A: 0.06 (Total Current Assets 1.08b - Total Current Liabilities 571.4m) / Total Assets 8.53b |
| B: 0.15 (Retained Earnings 1.30b / Total Assets 8.53b) |
| C: 0.02 (EBIT TTM 255.3m / Avg Total Assets 11.13b) |
| D: 0.41 (Book Value of Equity 1.32b / Total Liabilities 3.25b) |
| Altman-Z'' Score: 1.47 = BB |
Beneish M -3.93
| DSRI: 0.13 (Receivables 97.7m/1.00b, Revenue 3.89b/5.04b) |
| GMI: 1.03 (GM 55.03% / 56.77%) |
| AQI: 1.08 (AQ_t 0.47 / AQ_t-1 0.44) |
| SGI: 0.77 (Revenue 3.89b / 5.04b) |
| TATA: -0.10 (NI -56.8m - CFO 784.3m) / TA 8.53b) |
| Beneish M-Score: -3.93 (Cap -4..+1) = AAA |
What is the price of TDS shares?
Over the past week, the price has changed by +0.88%, over one month by +12.45%, over three months by +18.41% and over the past year by +23.23%.
Is TDS a buy, sell or hold?
- StrongBuy: 0
- Buy: 2
- Hold: 0
- Sell: 0
- StrongSell: 0
What are the forecasts/targets for the TDS price?
| Issuer | Target | Up/Down from current |
|---|---|---|
| Wallstreet Target Price | 50.7 | 10.6% |
| Analysts Target Price | 50.7 | 10.6% |
| ValueRay Target Price | 61.4 | 34% |
TDS Fundamental Data Overview February 03, 2026
P/B = 1.5228
P/EG = 4.56
Revenue TTM = 3.89b USD
EBIT TTM = 255.3m USD
EBITDA TTM = 1.05b USD
Long Term Debt = 825.3m USD (from longTermDebt, last quarter)
Short Term Debt = 29.7m USD (from shortTermDebt, last quarter)
Debt = 1.41b USD (from shortLongTermDebtTotal, last quarter)
Net Debt = 477.1m USD (from netDebt column, last quarter)
Enterprise Value = 5.69b USD (5.21b + Debt 1.41b - CCE 933.0m)
Interest Coverage Ratio = 1.02 (Ebit TTM 255.3m / Interest Expense TTM 249.3m)
EV/FCF = 19.88x (Enterprise Value 5.69b / FCF TTM 286.3m)
FCF Yield = 5.03% (FCF TTM 286.3m / Enterprise Value 5.69b)
FCF Margin = 7.36% (FCF TTM 286.3m / Revenue TTM 3.89b)
Net Margin = -1.46% (Net Income TTM -56.8m / Revenue TTM 3.89b)
Gross Margin = 55.03% ((Revenue TTM 3.89b - Cost of Revenue TTM 1.75b) / Revenue TTM)
Gross Margin QoQ = 23.89% (prev 58.52%)
Tobins Q-Ratio = 0.67 (Enterprise Value 5.69b / Total Assets 8.53b)
Interest Expense / Debt = 3.35% (Interest Expense 47.3m / Debt 1.41b)
Taxrate = 21.0% (US default 21%)
NOPAT = 201.7m (EBIT 255.3m * (1 - 21.00%))
Current Ratio = 1.89 (Total Current Assets 1.08b / Total Current Liabilities 571.4m)
Debt / Equity = 0.32 (Debt 1.41b / totalStockholderEquity, last quarter 4.47b)
Debt / EBITDA = 0.45 (Net Debt 477.1m / EBITDA 1.05b)
Debt / FCF = 1.67 (Net Debt 477.1m / FCF TTM 286.3m)
Total Stockholder Equity = 4.91b (last 4 quarters mean from totalStockholderEquity)
RoA = -0.51% (Net Income -56.8m / Total Assets 8.53b)
RoE = -1.16% (Net Income TTM -56.8m / Total Stockholder Equity 4.91b)
RoCE = 4.45% (EBIT 255.3m / Capital Employed (Equity 4.91b + L.T.Debt 825.3m))
RoIC = 2.84% (NOPAT 201.7m / Invested Capital 7.10b)
WACC = 7.40% (E(5.21b)/V(6.62b) * Re(8.68%) + D(1.41b)/V(6.62b) * Rd(3.35%) * (1-Tc(0.21)))
Discount Rate = 8.68% (= CAPM, Blume Beta Adj.)
Shares Correlation 3-Years: 100.0 | Cagr: 0.88%
[DCF Debug] Terminal Value 77.06% ; FCFF base≈241.8m ; Y1≈194.9m ; Y5≈134.1m
Fair Price DCF = 21.40 (EV 2.79b - Net Debt 477.1m = Equity 2.31b / Shares 108.0m; r=7.40% [WACC]; 5y FCF grow -23.22% → 2.90% )
EPS Correlation: -38.47 | EPS CAGR: -9.07% | SUE: 0.80 | # QB: 0
Revenue Correlation: -52.31 | Revenue CAGR: -32.83% | SUE: -4.0 | # QB: 0
EPS next Quarter (2026-03-31): EPS=0.09 | Chg30d=+0.000 | Revisions Net=+0 | Analysts=1
EPS next Year (2026-12-31): EPS=0.33 | Chg30d=-0.063 | Revisions Net=-1 | Growth EPS=+136.0% | Growth Revenue=-57.0%