At&T Stock Price, News & Analysis

DIRECTV has announced a definitive agreement to acquire EchoStar's video distribution business, including DISH TV and Sling TV, through a debt exchange transaction. The combination aims to create a more robust competitive force in the video industry dominated by streaming services owned by large tech companies and programmers.

Key points of the transaction:

• DIRECTV expects to have increased scale to negotiate better content packages at lower prices
• The combined company will be better positioned to aggregate multiple content sources
• EchoStar will have an improved financial profile to enhance its 5G Open RAN wireless network
• DIRECTV estimates cost synergies of at least $1 billion per annum by the third anniversary of closing
• The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2025, subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions

Additionally, TPG Inc. has announced a separate agreement to acquire AT&T's 70% stake in DIRECTV.

AT&T (NYSE:T) has agreed to sell its remaining 70% stake in DIRECTV to TPG, subject to customary closing conditions. This non-contingent transaction marks the complete divestiture of AT&T's interest in DIRECTV. Over the past three years, AT&T has received $19 billion in cash distributions from its initial transaction with TPG and expects an additional $7.6 billion following this agreement.

The sale aligns with AT&T's strategy to focus on being the leading wireless 5G and fiber connectivity company in America. It also aims to strengthen AT&T's balance sheet by accelerating cash inflows. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2025.

AT&T has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.2775 per share on its common shares, payable on November 1, 2024. The board of directors also announced dividends on the company's preferred stock series. For Series A, the dividend is $312.50 per preferred share ($0.3125 per depositary share), while for Series C, it's $296.875 per preferred share ($0.296875 per depositary share). These dividends will be paid to stockholders of record as of the close of business on October 10, 2024.

Dense Air and Millennium Parking Garages have successfully completed a groundbreaking pilot project to enhance cellular connectivity in underground locations. The project, integrated with AT&T and T-Mobile networks, achieved continuous coverage from entrance to exit in just 28 days, significantly faster than traditional solutions. The cellShare™ multi-carrier small cell solution delivered download speeds up to 250 Mbps, transforming the user experience from zero coverage to high-speed connectivity.

During Lollapalooza, users experienced download speeds as high as 160Mbps in peak periods. The project's success opens doors for future applications like navigation wayfinding, EV charging, digital signage, and connected sensors. This rapid deployment sets a new industry standard for reliable service in challenging environments.

UniDoc Health Corp. (CSE: UDOC) has announced a strategic partnership with Carefluence® to enhance eHealth interoperability. The collaboration will integrate Carefluence's FHIR-based platform into UniDoc's telehealth solutions, enabling seamless data exchange across multiple health IT systems. This integration aims to improve care continuity, coordination, and patient safety.

Key features of the partnership include:

• Embedding FHIR-based interoperability into UniDoc's telehealth solutions
• Enabling broad interfacing with EHRs, HISs, and other digital health platforms
• Bridging gaps between health monitoring devices, central healthcare systems, and billing systems

UniDoc has also extended its engagement with Rumble Strip Media Inc. for social media and marketing services for an additional three months, with a payment of US$500,000. The company has received approximately $1,632,330 from the exercise of share purchase warrants since June 28, 2024.

AT&T (NYSE: T) has entered into a strategic contract with Unsupervised after identifying over $100 million in insights using Unsupervised's AI Data Analysts. The agreement expands their collaboration, with AT&T planning to use Unsupervised's AI technology more extensively over the next year to analyze internal data sources, provide natural language query answers, and generate insights and predictions for employees.

Unsupervised's AI Data Analysts automate complex data analysis, uncovering valuable patterns and communicating key findings across vast datasets. This technology has delivered strong ROI for AT&T, improving key metrics and empowering teams with faster, smarter access to data insights. The collaboration showcases the potential of AI Agents to augment and support existing teams in various industries.

AT&T CEO John Stankey provided an update on the company's progress at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference. Key highlights include:

• AT&T remains on track to meet all consolidated financial guidance
• The company is focused on growing durable converged relationships with high-quality 5G and fiber customers
• Wireless industry trends are healthy but normalizing
• Fiber penetration rates exceed initial business case assumptions
• AT&T's connectivity portfolio now includes 5G, fiber, and fixed wireless access in 204 geographies
• Capital investment for 2024 is expected to be in the $21-22 billion range
• The company aims for $2 billion+ in run-rate cost savings by mid-2026
• AT&T is on track to achieve a net-debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 2.5x in the first half of 2025

AT&T, America's largest fiber provider, is expanding its high-speed fiber internet reach through various initiatives. The company is growing its Gigapower joint venture with BlackRock and has announced four new agreements with commercial open-access providers: Boldyn Networks, Digital Infrastructure Group, PRIME FiBER, and Ubiquity. These partnerships will enable AT&T to offer fiber and 5G services in new areas.

AT&T currently serves over 8.8 million fiber customers and passes 28 million+ total consumer and business fiber locations. The company aims to pass 30 million+ locations by the end of 2025, with potential to expand by an additional 10-15 million in-footprint locations. AT&T's fiber expansion strategy includes organic growth, joint ventures, commercial open-access agreements, and public-private partnerships supported by federal infrastructure funding.

AT&T's CFO Pascal Desroches will update shareholders at the Bank of America Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference on September 5, 2024. Key points include:

• AT&T remains on track to meet all consolidated financial guidance
• The company sees healthy customer demand for 5G and fiber connectivity
• AT&T is focusing on growing durable converged relationships with high-quality customers
• Wireless industry trends are healthy but normalizing
• Fiber penetration rates exceed initial business case assumptions
• AT&T's connectivity portfolio now includes 5G, fiber, and fixed wireless access in 204 geographies
• Capital investment for 2024 is expected to be in the $21-22 billion range
• The company aims for $2 billion+ in run-rate cost savings by mid-2026
• AT&T targets a net-debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 2.5x by first half of 2025