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Telephone and Data Systems, U.S. Cellular, AT&T, Verizon and DISH Network Inc.

^{Published on 2010-05-11 14:10:33 - Market Wire}
 

CHICAGO--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Zacks.com Analyst Blog features: Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE: [ TDS ]), U.S. Cellular (NYSE: [ USM ]), AT&T (NYSE: [ T ]), Verizon (NYSE: [ VZ ]) and DISH Network Inc.(Nasdaq: [ DISH ]).

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Here are highlights from Mondaya™s Analyst Blog:

TDS Meets, Lifts Wireline Outlook

Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE: [ TDS ]) announced first-quarter 2010 results with earnings per share (EPS) of 46 cents matching the Zacks Consensus Estimate while falling from 66 cents a year-ago. Net income (attributable to TDS) dipped 34% year-over-year to $49.1 million, impacted by lower revenues.

The Chicago-based operator posted operating revenues of $1,222.6 million, down 2.8% year-over-year, as revenues declined across its wireline and wireless segments. Revenue missed the Zacks Consensus Estimates of $1,255 million.

U.S. Cellular (Wireless)

Revenues from the companya™s wireless subsidiary U.S. Cellular (NYSE: [ USM ]) fell 3% year-over-year to $1,024 million. Service revenue decreased 2% to $965.2 million on account of lower voice and roaming revenues, partly offset by healthy data revenue growth (up 28% year over year). Retail service ARPU (average revenue per user) increased to $46.99 from $46.87 a year ago. Expansion of smartphone range helped the carrier to reduce postpaid churn to 1.4% from 1.5% a year ago.

US Cellular added 6,000 customers in the quarter (down from 47,000 net additions a year ago), bringing the total subscriber base to nearly 6.15 million (including retail customers of 5.77 million). The entity remains susceptible to aggressive product/pricing strategies of Tier-1 carriers such as AT&T (NYSE: [ T ]) and Verizon (NYSE: [ VZ ]), resulting in customer defection.

DISH Network Slips but Beats

DISH Network Inc.(Nasdaq: [ DISH ]) declared better-than-expected first quarter 2010 financial results. Although the companya™s quarterly earnings slipped 26% year-over-year on higher subscriber-acquisition costs, they topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate.

DISH Network reported first quarter earnings of $231 million or 52 cents per share, compared to $312.7 million or 70 cents in the year-ago quarter. Quarterly EPS of 52 cents was well above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 49 cents.

Quarterly total revenue increased 5.2% to $3.06 billion, compared to $2.91 billion in the year-ago quarter. This was mainly due to a huge increase in subscriber-related revenue. Quarterly total revenue was also above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.04 billion.

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