TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC (TDS)
Communication Services · Telecommunications Services · NYSE
A diversified telecommunications provider delivering wireless, broadband, and managed services to retail and business customers.
What TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC does
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) is a diversified telecommunications company providing wireless, broadband, video, and voice services. The company also operates through its interest in Array, a subsidiary involved in infrastructure and telecommunications services. TDS provides these services across various regions through its multiple operating units.
Themes: telecommunications, broadband infrastructure, wireless network services, corporate M&A
Fundamentals
- Price$33.09 as of 2026-08-24 close
- Market cap$3.6B as of 2026-08-24
- 1-year return-14.9% 2025-08-22 close $38.90 → 2026-08-24 close $33.09
- P/E29.23 as of 2026-08-24
- Net margin+6.2% as of 2026-08-24
- Gross margin+59.1% as of 2026-08-24
- ROE+2.7% as of 2026-08-24
- Debt / equity0.14 as of 2026-08-24
- Revenue growth (YoY)-56.0% as of 2026-08-24
- Revenue CAGR (3y)-39.0% SEC XBRL
- Beta0.72 as of 2026-08-24
- Last reported earnings2026-08-07 SEC EDGAR Form 8-K (Item 2.02)
Dividend: yield +3.9%; 1-year non-decreasing per-share dividend streak (SEC XBRL).
How TDS compares in its sector
- price-to-earnings ratiomiddle range 68 covered Communication Services peers, as of 2026-08-24
- net profit marginmiddle range 132 covered Communication Services peers, as of 2026-08-24
- operating marginmiddle range 132 covered Communication Services peers, as of 2026-08-24
- gross marginmiddle range 132 covered Communication Services peers, as of 2026-08-24
- return on equitymiddle range 132 covered Communication Services peers, as of 2026-08-24
- 3-year revenue CAGRbottom 10% 121 covered Communication Services peers
- indicated dividend yieldmiddle range 48 covered Communication Services peers, as of 2026-08-24
- free cash flow (absolute dollars, latest fiscal year)middle range 114 covered Communication Services peers, as of FY2025
Position among covered Communication Services companies that report each metric (minimum 5 peers). A relative position within our covered catalog — not a valuation, quality, or investment judgment. A higher percentile is simply a higher value (for P/E, more expensive on earnings — never "better"). Informational only.
Top 10 scores & list membership
TDS is not currently in any published Top 10 list. Its scores are below.
Long-term score
29.8 #1563 of 1,605 scored · #61 of 63 in Communication Services
Valuation 70th (price to book 0.9, price to earnings 29.2) and financial health 45th (debt to equity 0.1, free cash flow margin 2.8%); weakest is growth (1st, 3-year revenue CAGR -39%, revenue growth year over year -56%).
Short-term score
36.6 #1383 of 1,698 scored · #54 of 66 in Communication Services
Volume and participation 64th: trading volume is about normal versus its 30-day average; momentum 45th: MACD momentum is positive; weakest is trend 0th: it is trading 6.8% below its 50-day average, the short-term trend line. Its trend score is set to zero: its 50-day average is below its 200-day and the price is below both. Its short interest was not measured, so no short-interest deduction applies.
Scores as of 24 Aug 2026. Each bar is a percentile: how this company ranked against every company the score ranked, 0–100. A list is a published formula and its output, not a recommendation. Method version 3.
Dividend coverage (FY2025)
Covered by reported results. In FY2025, TDS's dividend was covered by reported results (free-cash-flow payout 44%). This describes past coverage, not a forecast.
- Earnings payoutnot assessable earnings were not positive that year
- Free-cash-flow payout44% dividends / (operating cash flow − capex)
Coverage derived from reported SEC EDGAR XBRL figures for FY2025 (dividends paid vs. net income and free cash flow, same fiscal year). This describes PAST coverage for one fiscal year — it does not predict whether a dividend will be maintained, raised, or cut, and a one-year payout ratio can be distorted by non-recurring items. Informational only — not financial advice.
How TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC looks technically
TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC (TDS) is trading 18.6% below its 200-day average, the long-term trend line — a long-term downtrend. Its 50-day average crossed below its 200-day average about 38 trading days ago — a "death cross", a bearish long-term signal. There is no clear trend right now — the price is choppy (ADX, a 0–100 trend-strength gauge, is 19, below the 25 that marks a real trend). Momentum is neutral — its 14-day RSI (a 0–100 momentum gauge) is 41, neither overbought (above 70) nor oversold (below 30). It made a new 20-day low about 12 trading days ago. It is 32.6% below its highest point of the past year.
Trend
8
| Distance from the 200-day | it is trading 18.6% below its 200-day average, the long-term trend line — a long-term downtrend | -18.6% |
|---|---|---|
| 50-day moving average | its average price over the last 50 trading days — a short-term trend line — is $35.52 | $35.52 |
| 200-day moving average | its average price over the last 200 trading days — the long-term trend line — is $40.63 | $40.63 |
| Swing structure | each recent peak has been lower than the one before it and each dip deeper — the pattern chart-watchers call a downtrend, which describes where price has already been and not where it goes next | lower highs and lower lows |
| Last swing turn | its last significant turn was a swing high 10 calendar days ago — the swings before that are what the structure reading is measured on | 10 sessions |
| Wave structure | its recent swings can be read as a five-part downward sequence — what Elliott-wave chartists call an impulse — now in leg 3 of five; the labelling fails if price closes above 35.4. It is one of several labellings that fit, and it describes the swings already printed, not what comes next. The same swings also read as a three-part correction in leg C. | possible downward five-wave sequence, in wave 3 (one of several readings) |
| Since the 50/200 cross | its 50-day average crossed below its 200-day average about 38 trading days ago — a "death cross", a bearish long-term signal | 38 sessions |
| Trend strength (14-day ADX) | there is no clear trend right now — the price is choppy (ADX, a 0–100 trend-strength gauge, is 19, below the 25 that marks a real trend) | 19.0 |
Momentum
3
| 14-day RSI | momentum is neutral — its 14-day RSI (a 0–100 momentum gauge) is 41, neither overbought (above 70) nor oversold (below 30) | 40.7 |
|---|---|---|
| Position in its 14-day range | it is trading in the lower half of its 14-day range ($31.51 to $36.03) — its "stochastic" reading is 35 out of 100, where 0 would mean closing exactly at the 14-session low and 100 exactly at the high. This measures WHERE the price sits inside its recent range, which is a different question from the RSI beside it: RSI is a momentum gauge, measuring how FAST the price has been moving, so a stock can drift quietly to the bottom of its range with an ordinary RSI, or fall sharply and still sit in the middle. It has been slipping within that range over the last few sessions. | 35.0 |
| Since the MACD crossed zero | MACD, a trend-momentum gauge, is in positive territory (momentum leaning bullish) | 24 sessions |
Range
12
| 52-week high | its highest closing price over the past year (about 252 trading days) was $49.12 | $49.12 |
|---|---|---|
| From the 52-week high | it is 32.6% below its 52-week high (its highest price of the past year) | -32.6% |
| Above the 52-week low | it is 5.0% above its 52-week low (its lowest price of the past year) | +5.0% |
| Below the 52-week high | it is 32.6% below its highest point of the past year | 32.6% |
| Since a 20-day breakout | it made a new 20-day low about 12 trading days ago | 12 sessions |
| Since a 55-day breakout | it made a new 55-day low about 12 trading days ago | 12 sessions |
| All-time high | its highest closing price on record is $67.77 (set on 2007-07-19) | $67.77 |
| Given back of the 52-week move | over the past year its closes ranged ($32.98 to $47.59), and it has recovered essentially none of its fall from last year’s high — 1% of it. Chart-watchers call 61.8%-65% given back the "golden pocket" — for this company that is $42.01 to $42.48. It is watched widely enough that orders cluster there, which is the honest reason it matters; it is not a forecast. | 0.8% |
| From the all-time high | it is 51.2% below its all-time high | -51.2% |
| Nearest price level | it is trading 0.8% above a support level at $32.82 — a price it turned at four times since 2024-12-18, most recently on 2025-06-23. Since 2024-08-26 it has 6 such levels below the current price and 9 above. Levels like these describe where the price has reversed or paused before; they are not a forecast of where it will go. | -0.8% |
| All-time low | its lowest closing price on record is $1.10 (set on 1982-02-19) | $1.10 |
| Above the all-time low | it is 2907.8% above its all-time low | +2,908% |
Volatility
5
| Band width vs its own 6 months | day-to-day price swings are about average versus its own recent 6-month history | 49th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Typical daily range | in a typical session it travels about $1.19 between its high and its low — about 3.6% of its price. That is its "average true range" over the last 14 sessions, which also counts the distance from the previous close, so a day that opens well away from yesterday counts as the large move it was | $1.19 |
| Bollinger bands (20-day, ±2σ) | most of its recent trading has stayed between about $32.49 and $35.99 — the "Bollinger bands", a range drawn two standard deviations either side of its 20-day average price, which widens when the stock gets more volatile and narrows when it settles | $32.49 – $34.24 – $35.99 |
| Typical daily range (% of price) | its price moves about 3.6% in a typical session — about typical for the companies we cover. This is the average gap between a session's high and low over the last 14 sessions, counting overnight moves, expressed against the current price so it can be compared with companies trading at any price | 3.6% |
| Stretch from the 200-day average | it is trading 6.4 daily ranges below its 200-day average price (18.6% below it in plain percentage terms) — a way of asking how far it has stretched from its own average in units of how far it normally moves in a day, so a calm company and a jumpy one can be compared on the same scale | 6.4 daily ranges below its 200-day average |
Volume
1
| Volume vs its 30-day average | trading volume is about normal versus its 30-day average | 0.89× |
|---|
Analyst
2
| Change in the average price target | analysts have cut their average price target by 3.0% since the prior reading | -3.0% |
|---|---|---|
| Change in the consensus rating | the analyst consensus rating is unchanged since the prior reading | unchanged |
Candlestick patterns
1
| Since a bearish engulfing | 1 session ago it opened above the previous session's close and finished below that session's open — a "bearish engulfing" pair, where one down day more than undid the up day before it | 1 session ago |
|---|
Price gaps
2
| Gap at the open | it opened on 2026-08-24 at essentially the same price it closed at the session before — no meaningful overnight gap | +0.1% |
|---|---|---|
| Gap filled | a 3.1% gap up opened on 2026-07-27 has been "filled" 18 sessions ago — price traded back through the level the gap left behind, and it took 2 sessions to close | 18 sessions ago |
Price streaks
1
| Closing streak | it has closed lower 2 sessions in a row, a -4.67% move over the run — an unbroken run of down days, which describes what has already happened and says nothing about the next session | 2 sessions down |
|---|
Relative strength
4
| vs market, 1 month | over the past 1 month this stock lagged the market by 5.0 percentage points (the stock lost 1.5% while the market gained 3.4%) | -5.0% |
|---|---|---|
| vs market, 3 months | over the past 3 months this stock lagged the market by 18.2 percentage points (the stock lost 15.8% while the market gained 2.4%) | -18.2% |
| vs market, 6 months | over the past 6 months this stock lagged the market by 36.7 percentage points (the stock lost 25.6% while the market gained 11.1%) | -36.7% |
| vs market, 12 months | over the past 12 months this stock lagged the market by 33.2 percentage points (the stock lost 14.9% while the market gained 18.3%) | -33.3% |
Signal agreement
2
| Bullish technical signals | 1 of the 9 technical signals we can compute for it is currently in a bullish state: MACD momentum is positive — these describe past price behaviour, not a forecast | 1 of 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Bearish technical signals | 4 of the 9 technical signals we can compute for it are currently in a bearish state: a "death cross" — its 50-day average is below its 200-day, trading below its 200-day average, lagging the market over 6 months, trading below the Ichimoku cloud — these describe past price behaviour, not a forecast | 4 of 9 |
Trend (Ichimoku cloud)
1
| Vs the Ichimoku cloud | trading 7.7% below the Ichimoku cloud — a band drawn from where its own highs and lows sat up to 2026-07-16 and projected forward over today's price, the side traders read as an established downtrend, with the band above acting as the level that would have to be cleared. The band itself is thick, spanning 16.3% of the share price, which is taken to mean a barrier that has held for a while and takes effort to cross. | -7.7% |
|---|
Volume-weighted price
2
| Vs this year’s average price paid | the price is 18% below the average price paid so far this year, so the typical buyer over that stretch is under water. That average is $40.57 — a volume-weighted average of daily closes over 160 sessions, not a true tick-by-tick VWAP. | -18.4% |
|---|---|---|
| Vs the average paid since it last reported | the price is 2% below the average price paid since it last reported on 2026-08-07 (its 10-Q), so the typical buyer over that stretch is under water. That average is $33.77 — a volume-weighted average of daily closes over 12 sessions, not a true tick-by-tick VWAP. | -2.0% |
Price levels it has turned at before
TDS last closed at $33.09 on 2026-08-24. Since 2024-08-26 it has turned at 6 prices below its last close and 9 above; the 3 nearest below and the 3 nearest above are listed, nearest first.
| Level | Side | Distance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| $32.82 | Support | 0.8% below the last close | turned there four times · 2024-12-18 to 2025-06-23 |
| $33.46 | Resistance | 1.1% above the last close | turned there twice · 2025-06-04 to 2026-07-13 |
| $31.89 | Support | 3.6% below the last close | turned there twice · 2025-01-13 to 2025-03-10 |
| $34.68 | Resistance | 4.8% above the last close | turned there five times · 2024-11-07 to 2026-07-27 |
| $31.29 | Support | 5.4% below the last close | turned there twice · 2025-05-06 to 2026-08-07 |
| $35.56 | Resistance | 7.5% above the last close | turned there 7 times · 2024-12-13 to 2026-08-14 |
A level is a price this company reversed or paused at more than once — they describe past behaviour, not a forecast of where the price will go.
Wave structure
Its recent swings can be read as a five-part downward sequence — what Elliott-wave chartists call an impulse — now in leg 3 of five.
This labelling fails — stops being a possible reading at all — if it closes above $35.40.
This is one of several labellings that fit the same swings, so treat it as a reading rather than the reading. It was chosen from 2 labellings that survived the rules, counting shorter readings of the same bars.
On past moves of this shape the leg has usually ended somewhere between $27.21 and $30.34 — that is where it has tended to end if the count holds, not a forecast of where the price goes.
Alternate reading: The same swings also read as a three-part correction in leg C, which fails on a close above $35.40.
This reading has stood for 2 trading days, since 2026-08-21.
Read from daily closes as of 2026-08-24.
An Elliott-wave count describes the swings already printed and the level that would disprove it. It is not a forecast, a target, or advice.
Screens: Trading below the 200-day moving average · Pulled back from the 12-month high · trendless / choppy (low ADX) · Analyst price target recently CUT · lagging the market · Stretched far below its 200-day average (6+ daily ranges) | Learn: moving average · golden cross · adx · rsi · breakout · fifty two week high low
Based on daily closing prices as of 2026-08-24. Describes past price behavior only — informational, not financial advice.
Analyst consensus
- Consensus ratingBuy (2.00 mean, 1=Strong Buy…5=Strong Sell) — 2 analysts
- Mean price target$49.00 range $47.00 – $51.00
Analyst estimates, as of 2026-08-17. These are third-party analyst opinions and price targets, aggregated — not a recommendation, prediction, or advice from stocks-llm. Informational only.
Key risks (from latest filing)
["Risks associated with the proposed acquisition of remaining Array common shares, including management diversion and financial volatility.","Exposure to interest rate fluctuations on variable-rate debt obligations."]
What changed in the latest 10-Q
AI-assisted comparison of TDS's 10-Q filed 2026-05-08 against the prior one filed 2025-11-07.
Management's Discussion & Analysis (MD&A)
- Reworded:
- Page range for Item 2 (MD&A) changed from 1-31 to 1-25 (filed 2026-05-08)
- Page number for Item 3 (Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk) changed from 43 to 28 (filed 2026-05-08)
- Page number for Item 4 (Controls and Procedures) changed from 72 to 49 (filed 2026-05-08)
- Page number for Item 1 (Legal Proceedings) in Part II changed from 73 to 50 (filed 2026-05-08)
- Notes:
- Changes reflect pagination differences only; substantive content of sections not provided for comparison
- Page number changes may indicate document length reduction or reformatting between the two periods
Risk Factors
- Added:
- New risk factor added (filed 2026-05-08): 'Announced Transactions and Strategic Alternatives Review Risk Factors' disclosing May 7, 2026 non-binding proposal by TDS to acquire outstanding Array Common Shares not owned by TDS
- Added detailed description of risks associated with the Array acquisition proposal, including diversion of management attention, failure to achieve objectives, adverse effects on financial condition, failure to retain key personnel, stock price volatility, and potential significant expenses
- Added reference to TDS Current Report on Form 8-K filed May 8, 2026 regarding the Array acquisition proposal
- Added Market Risk section (filed 2026-05-08) with debt composition and interest rate information as of March 31, 2026
- Added table of scheduled principal payments on long-term debt, lease obligations, and weighted average interest rates by maturity dates at March 31, 2026
- Added consolidated financial statements section with Statement of Operations for three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025
- Added Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025
- Removed:
- Removed reference to Form 10-K for year ended December 31, 2024 (filed 2025-11-07) and replaced with reference to Form 10-K for year ended December 31, 2025 (filed 2026-05-08)
- Removed risk factor about T-Mobile transaction closing on August 1, 2025 and related operational changes (filed 2025-11-07)
- Removed risk factor about uncertainty regarding Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile spectrum license sales and the strategic alternatives review process (filed 2025-11-07)
- Removed operational risk factor about inability to monetize remaining spectrum assets and ongoing costs to retain spectrum (filed 2025-11-07)
- Removed discussion of FCC build-out requirements for spectrum licenses (filed 2025-11-07)
- Reworded:
- Opening language changed from 'have been updated as disclosed below' to 'could materially affect TDS' business' and added statement about risks in Form 10-Q and Form 10-K for year ended December 31, 2025
- Risk factors introduction now states 'The following additional risk factor should be read in conjunction with the risk factors previously disclosed' (filed 2026-05-08) versus prior version's focus on updates to prior year's Form 10-K
- Notes:
- The older filing (2025-11-07) text appears truncated at the end, cutting off mid-sentence in the operational risk factors section
- Comparison is between Q1 2026 10-Q and Q3 2025 10-Q, which are different fiscal periods and may have different content structures
- The newer filing includes financial statements for Q1 2026 which are not present in the older Q3 2025 10-Q for direct comparison purposes
AI-assisted comparison of two SEC filing sections. It describes wording and theme changes only, makes no materiality, legal, or investment judgement, and is not financial advice. Informational only — not financial advice.
Insider activity (SEC Form 4)
No open-market insider purchases or sales are on record for TDS — recent Form 4 activity was compensation-related (awards, option exercises, or tax withholding), not open-market buying or selling.
View full insider trading history → View SEC Form 3/4/5 filingsOnly open-market purchases (SEC code P) and sales (code S) are counted here. Option exercises, vesting/awards, gifts, and shares withheld for taxes are excluded — they are compensation or mechanical, not open-market conviction. Sales may be planned and non-discretionary (e.g. a Rule 10b5-1 plan) and are not necessarily bearish; open-market buying is not a recommendation to buy. Informational only — not financial advice.
Institutional ownership (13F)
4 institutional 13F filers reported holding TDS as of 2026-03-31 (quarter-end position, filed within 45 days).
- Distinct 13F filers 4
- Reported shares held 19,789,701
- Reported value $833,146,426
reported quarterly holdings change (2025-12-31 → 2026-03-31): 0 new, 3 increased, 1 decreased, 1 exited. Change counts cover only managers that filed 13F reports in BOTH quarters, derived between two quarter-end snapshots — not same-day trades; a single manager is never said to have "bought" or "sold".
Institutional holdings are quarter-end long positions reported on SEC Form 13F-HR, filed up to 45 days after the quarter ends — they are delayed, are not real-time trades, exclude short positions and most non-US securities, and are not investment advice. Any increase/decrease is a reported change between two quarterly snapshots, not a same-day purchase or sale. These are quarter-end snapshots from the 13F filings on SEC EDGAR, filed within 45 days — not real-time, and any change is a difference between two quarterly reports, not a same-day trade. Informational only — not financial advice.
Short interest (FINRA)
TDS had 5,030,856 shares of reported short interest as of the 2026-07-31 FINRA settlement date (delayed, bi-monthly; not real-time).
Short interest as a percent of shares outstanding is not shown for TDS because we do not hold a verified share count to divide it by. The reported figures above are unaffected.
- Reported short interest (shares) 5,030,856
- Prior settlement (shares) 4,851,251
- Reported change 3.7%
- Days to cover (reported) 6.29
Reported to FINRA as of the 2026-07-31 settlement date. Short interest is reported to FINRA and published on a delayed, bi-monthly schedule (as of a settlement date, disseminated roughly eight business days later) — it is NOT real-time, does not cover every venue or all US trading, and is not a short-squeeze prediction or investment advice. Days-to-cover is the value FINRA reports; percent of float is not shown because the source file carries no share-count denominator — where a percent appears it is of shares OUTSTANDING, the larger base, and is therefore a floor on percent of float. Informational only — not financial advice.
Competitors & peers
AI-enriched competitor set. Linked names are companies covered by stocks-llm; other named peers are shown for reference only.
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Frequently asked questions
What does TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC (TDS) do?
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) is a diversified telecommunications company providing wireless, broadband, video, and voice services. The company also operates through its interest in Array, a subsidiary involved in infrastructure and telecommunications services. TDS provides these services across various regions through its multiple operating units.
What sector is TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC (TDS) in?
TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC (TDS) is classified in the Communication Services sector. Its industry is Telecommunications Services. It trades on NYSE.
Does TDS pay a dividend?
Yes — TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC (TDS) pays a dividend, with an indicated yield of about 3.85% and 1-year non-decreasing per-share dividend streak (SEC EDGAR XBRL) (market data, as of 2026-08-24). Informational only — not financial advice.
Who are TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC's (TDS) competitors?
Notable peers of TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC (TDS) include Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile US, Charter Communications and Comcast. This peer set is informational only — not financial advice.
Is TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC (TDS) overbought or oversold right now?
TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC (TDS) is currently neither overbought nor oversold — its 14-day RSI (a 0–100 momentum gauge) is 41, in the neutral middle (as of 2026-08-24). RSI describes recent price momentum, not a forecast — informational only, not financial advice.
Where does stocks-llm's data on TDS come from?
Fundamentals and prices come from market data, as of 2026-08-24; company filings and profile facts come from SEC EDGAR. All figures are delayed daily-close data shown with their as-of date — informational only, not financial advice.
Fundamentals: market data, as of 2026-08-24. Filings: SEC EDGAR. Prices are delayed daily-close data.
Last updated 2026-08-24.
Informational only — NOT financial advice. All figures are delayed daily-close data from SEC EDGAR & market data, shown with their as-of date.