Telephone and Data Systems (TDS) Competitors $38.58 -0.23 (-0.59%) Closing price 10/16/2025 03:59 PM EasternExtended Trading$38.53 -0.05 (-0.13%) As of 10/16/2025 04:35 PM Eastern Extended trading is trading that happens on electronic markets outside of regular trading hours. This is a fair market value extended hours price provided by Polygon.io. Learn more. Add Compare Share Share Competitors Stock AnalysisAnalyst ForecastsChartCompetitorsDividendEarningsFinancialsHeadlinesInsider TradesOptions ChainOwnershipSEC FilingsShort InterestTrendsBuy This Stock TDS vs. USM, BB, SHEN, SPOK, CCI, SBAC, LNT, KEP, SBS, and WTRGShould you be buying Telephone and Data Systems stock or one of its competitors? The main competitors of Telephone and Data Systems include United States Cellular (USM), BlackBerry (BB), Shenandoah Telecommunications (SHEN), Spok (SPOK), Crown Castle (CCI), SBA Communications (SBAC), Alliant Energy (LNT), Korea Electric Power (KEP), Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp (SBS), and Essential Utilities (WTRG). Telephone and Data Systems vs. Its Competitors United States Cellular BlackBerry Shenandoah Telecommunications Spok Crown Castle SBA Communications Alliant Energy Korea Electric Power Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp Essential Utilities Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE:TDS) and United States Cellular (NYSE:USM) are both mid-cap wireless telecommunication services companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, valuation, risk, institutional ownership, dividends, profitability, media sentiment and analyst recommendations. Which has more volatility & risk, TDS or USM? Telephone and Data Systems has a beta of 0.39, suggesting that its share price is 61% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, United States Cellular has a beta of 0.38, suggesting that its share price is 62% less volatile than the S&P 500. Which has better valuation & earnings, TDS or USM? Telephone and Data Systems has higher revenue and earnings than United States Cellular. United States Cellular is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Telephone and Data Systems, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. CompanyGross RevenuePrice/Sales RatioNet IncomeEarnings Per SharePrice/Earnings RatioTelephone and Data Systems$4.96B0.89-$28M-$0.97-39.77United States Cellular$3.71B1.78-$39M-$0.30-259.60 Is TDS or USM more profitable? United States Cellular has a net margin of -0.68% compared to Telephone and Data Systems' net margin of -0.85%. United States Cellular's return on equity of 1.68% beat Telephone and Data Systems' return on equity.Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Telephone and Data Systems-0.85% 0.92% 0.32% United States Cellular -0.68%1.68%0.74% Do insiders & institutionals have more ownership in TDS or USM? 80.0% of Telephone and Data Systems shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 18.0% of United States Cellular shares are owned by institutional investors. 15.0% of Telephone and Data Systems shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.0% of United States Cellular shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Do analysts recommend TDS or USM? Telephone and Data Systems presently has a consensus price target of $52.00, suggesting a potential upside of 34.78%. United States Cellular has a consensus price target of $85.33, suggesting a potential upside of 9.57%. Given Telephone and Data Systems' higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Telephone and Data Systems is more favorable than United States Cellular.Company Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Telephone and Data Systems 0 Sell rating(s) 2 Hold rating(s) 2 Buy rating(s) 0 Strong Buy rating(s) 2.50United States Cellular 0 Sell rating(s) 0 Hold rating(s) 3 Buy rating(s) 0 Strong Buy rating(s) 3.00 Does the media prefer TDS or USM? In the previous week, Telephone and Data Systems had 9 more articles in the media than United States Cellular. MarketBeat recorded 10 mentions for Telephone and Data Systems and 1 mentions for United States Cellular. Telephone and Data Systems' average media sentiment score of 0.92 beat United States Cellular's score of 0.00 indicating that Telephone and Data Systems is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Telephone and Data Systems 4 Very Positive mention(s) 0 Positive mention(s) 3 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive United States Cellular 0 Very Positive mention(s) 0 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Neutral SummaryTelephone and Data Systems beats United States Cellular on 9 of the 16 factors compared between the two stocks. Get Telephone and Data Systems News Delivered to You Automatically Sign up to receive the latest news and ratings for TDS and its competitors with MarketBeat's FREE daily newsletter. Subscribe Now View SMS TermsBy entering your phone number and clicking the sign-up button, you agree to receive periodic text messages from MarketBeat at the phone number you submitted, including texts that may be sent using an automatic telephone dialing system. Message and data rates may apply. 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The averaged score is equivalent to the following: Very Negative Sentiment <= -1.5, Negative Sentiment > -1.5 and <= -0.5, Neutral Sentiment > -0.5 and < 0.5, Positive Sentiment >= 0.5 and < 1.5, and Very Positive Sentiment >= 1.5.Skip Chart TDS vs. The Competition Export to ExcelMetricTelephone and Data SystemsWireline IndustryUtilities SectorNYSE ExchangeMarket Cap$4.46B$4.46B$17.17B$21.97BDividend Yield0.41%0.41%4.60%3.59%P/E Ratio-39.77N/A58.0432.64Price / Sales0.890.8933.5282.90Price / Cash4.424.4219.3224.53Price / Book0.920.922.304.62Net Income-$28M-$28M$748.50M$1.01B7 Day Performance0.60%0.60%1.23%1.64%1 Month Performance0.60%0.60%8.92%-0.07%1 Year Performance52.73%52.73%68.01%11.46% Telephone and Data Systems Competitors List Export to ExcelCompanyMarketRankShare PriceAnalysts' Price Target1Y Price PerformanceMarket CapRevenueP/E RatioEmployee CountIndicator(s)TDSTelephone and Data Systems3.345 of 5 stars$38.58-0.6%$52.00+34.8%+51.5%$4.46B$4.96B-39.777,900News CoverageAnalyst RevisionUSMUnited States Cellular2.207 of 5 stars$77.88+4.9%$85.33+9.6%+30.5%$6.62B$3.71B-259.594,100High Trading VolumeBBBlackBerry2.7112 of 5 stars$4.56+1.7%$5.10+12.0%+73.2%$2.69B$536.60M-455.501,820SHENShenandoah Telecommunications2.4937 of 5 stars$13.30+1.4%$26.00+95.5%-5.9%$729.64M$328.06M-23.751,089SPOKSpok3.9355 of 5 stars$15.69+0.4%$20.00+27.5%+5.9%$323.07M$140.74M18.90380Analyst ForecastCCICrown Castle4.6944 of 5 stars$96.13-1.5%$115.76+20.4%-15.3%$41.86B$6.57B-9.013,900Positive NewsUpcoming EarningsAnalyst ForecastShort Interest ↓SBACSBA Communications4.7667 of 5 stars$188.12-0.5%$249.07+32.4%-20.6%$20.20B$2.68B23.901,720News CoverageAnalyst ForecastLNTAlliant Energy4.0684 of 5 stars$67.66-0.1%$66.78-1.3%+8.5%$17.39B$4.14B20.882,998Positive NewsAnalyst ForecastKEPKorea Electric Power2.008 of 5 stars$12.70+1.5%N/A+90.1%$16.30B$68.46B3.6248,440News CoverageSBSCompanhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp2.3753 of 5 stars$22.64+1.7%N/A+46.2%$15.47B$6.70B7.8310,552WTRGEssential Utilities4.7189 of 5 stars$39.75-2.4%$45.17+13.6%+2.2%$11.15B$2.34B17.063,291Positive News Related Companies and Tools Related Companies USM Alternatives BB Alternatives SHEN Alternatives SPOK Alternatives CCI Alternatives SBAC Alternatives LNT Alternatives KEP Alternatives SBS Alternatives WTRG Alternatives Top 10 Stock Comparisons Semiconductor Stocks Artificial Intelligence Stocks Growth Stocks Magnificent Seven Stocks Pharmaceutical Stocks Ecommerce Stocks Bitcoin Stocks Meme Stocks Cryptocurrency Stocks Cybersecurity Stocks This page (NYSE:TDS) was last updated on 10/17/2025 by MarketBeat.com Staff From Our PartnersINVESTOR ALERT: Tiny “$3 AI Wonder Stock” on the Verge of Blasting OffRight now, we’re witnessing a monumental shift in the world.Traders Agency | SponsoredIf You Keep Cash In A U.S. Bank Account… Read This NOWThe Treasury Department just issued a stunning warning: U.S. banks could lose up to $6.6 trillion of custom...Banyan Hill Publishing | SponsoredFront-Run Buffett's Shocking Gold MoveA Historic Gold Announcement Is About to Rock Wall Street? 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