Morgan Stanley Begins Coverage on AT&T (NYSE:T)

Key Points

• Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on AT&T with an Overweight rating and a $30 price target, implying about a 14.9% upside from the prior close.
• AT&T beat Q4 estimates with $0.52 EPS and $33.47B revenue, set FY2026 guidance of $2.25–$2.35 EPS, and trades around $26.11 with a P/E of 8.55 and $182.4B market cap.
• The consensus from analysts is a Moderate Buy with an average price target of $30.74, based on mostly Buy/Hold ratings (1 Strong Buy, 14 Buy, 8 Hold).

Stock analysts at Morgan Stanley began coverage on shares of AT&T (NYSE:T - Get Free Report) in a report issued on Thursday. The firm set an "overweight" rating and a $30.00 price target on the technology company's stock. Morgan Stanley's price objective suggests a potential upside of 14.89% from the stock's previous close.

A number of other analysts have also weighed in on the company. Barclays reduced their target price on AT&T from $28.00 to $26.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Scotiabank upped their price target on shares of AT&T from $31.00 to $31.50 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $31.00 price target on shares of AT&T in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. UBS Group reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of AT&T in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Williams Trading set a $32.00 price objective on shares of AT&T in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $30.74.

AT&T Trading Up 2.6%

Shares of NYSE:T traded up $0.65 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $26.11. 2,910,926 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 44,128,953. AT&T has a 1 year low of $22.95 and a 1 year high of $29.79. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $27.93 and a 200-day moving average price of $26.09. The firm has a market capitalization of $182.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.86.

AT&T (NYSE:T - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The technology company reported $0.52 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.06. AT&T had a return on equity of 12.33% and a net margin of 17.47%.The firm had revenue of $33.47 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $32.91 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.43 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. AT&T has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.250-2.350 EPS. Equities analysts expect that AT&T will post 2.14 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in T. Tsfg LLC raised its stake in AT&T by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. Tsfg LLC now owns 10,656 shares of the technology company's stock worth $265,000 after acquiring an additional 366 shares in the last quarter. Lifestyle Asset Management Inc. increased its position in AT&T by 3.6% during the 4th quarter. Lifestyle Asset Management Inc. now owns 10,511 shares of the technology company's stock worth $261,000 after purchasing an additional 368 shares in the last quarter. Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in AT&T by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. now owns 31,970 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $794,000 after purchasing an additional 370 shares during the last quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of AT&T by 1.7% during the fourth quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC now owns 22,398 shares of the technology company's stock worth $556,000 after buying an additional 374 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rockline Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of AT&T by 3.8% during the fourth quarter. Rockline Wealth Management LLC now owns 10,445 shares of the technology company's stock worth $259,000 after buying an additional 378 shares in the last quarter. 57.10% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

AT&T News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting AT&T this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlights AT&T as a long-term value pick, citing attractive valuation metrics that may appeal to yield/value investors. Why AT&T (T) is a Top Value Stock for the Long-Term
• Positive Sentiment: Benzinga lists AT&T among communication stocks with low RSI, implying potential technical oversold opportunity for momentum/mean-reversion traders. Top 3 Tech And Telecom Stocks That Could Blast Off This Month
• Positive Sentiment: Adaptive ML appoints senior go-to-market executives after production-scale deployments at AT&T — a sign AT&T is investing in AI partners to support advanced connectivity/services revenue. Adaptive ML Appoints Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Revenue Officer to Lead Next Phase of Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Preview pieces note Q1 2026 is the first quarter under AT&T’s new segment reporting (includes Lumen and EchoStar) — investors will watch whether acquisitions meaningfully boost free cash flow and support the dividend narrative. Can AT&T’s (T) New Segment Reporting Clarify Whether Acquisitions Truly Support Its Dividend Story?
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation previews emphasize contrasts between near-term legacy declines and longer-term shareholder returns; Q1 commentary on churn, legacy revenue trends and FCF will be the primary catalysts. A Look At AT&T (T) Valuation Ahead Of First 2026 Earnings Under New Segment Structure
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparisons with Comcast highlight competition in broadband/wireline strategy; useful context for investors assessing relative growth and capital allocation choices. AT&T vs Comcast: Which Telecom Stock is the Smarter Pick Now?
• Negative Sentiment: Two lawsuits allege AT&T’s relocation mandate discriminated against older employees — litigation raises execution/HR risk and could lead to reputational or financial costs. Lawsuits claim AT&T's CEO saw the relocation mandate as a way to replace older workers with younger ones
• Negative Sentiment: Rumors of an “Elite” AT&T plan priced above $100 could provoke customer backlash or churn if rollout/marketing misfires; watch execution and uptake. Does AT&T really think customers will pay over $100 for rumored Elite plan?
• Negative Sentiment: Federal scrutiny of the nation’s emergency cell backup network (operated by AT&T) is rising after failures in emergencies, creating potential regulatory and contract risks. The Nation’s Emergency Cell Network Failed in Emergencies. Lawmakers Want Change.

AT&T Company Profile

AT&T Inc is a global telecommunications company that provides a broad range of communications and digital entertainment services. Its core activities include consumer and business wireless services, broadband and fiber internet, and network infrastructure. The company operates branded wireless services through AT&T Mobility and deploys fixed-line and fiber networks to deliver high-speed internet and related home services.

AT&T's product and service portfolio spans mobile voice and data plans, smartphones and device sales, home internet (including fiber-to-the-home where available), and managed connectivity solutions for enterprise customers.

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