Telephone and Data Systems Beats Q3 EPS Estimates but Revenue Falls Short at $306.69 million

Telephone and Data Systems reported Q3 2026 earnings of $0.26 per share on November 6, beating estimates of $0.12 by $0.14, while revenue of $306.69 million missed estimates of $312.34 million by $5.65 million. Quiver Quantitative published the results. Telephone and Data Systems is a Madison-based communications company founded in 1969 that provides wireless, broadband, video and voice services through its subsidiaries.

Telephone and Data Systems' Q3 Results and Buyback

Seeking Alpha reported Q3 GAAP earnings of $0.26 per share, beating by $0.15, and revenue of $306.69 million that missed by $2.56 million. Seeking Alpha also reported that the company authorized a $250 million share repurchase plan and updated its 2026 financial outlook.

Quiver Quantitative reported that insiders traded the stock once on the open market in the past six months, with no purchases and one sale. Vice Chair Leroy T. Jr. Carlson sold 77,100 shares for an estimated $3 million. In the most recent quarter, 169 institutional investors added shares and 172 decreased their positions, according to Quiver Quantitative. Rubric Capital Management LP removed 1,850,000 shares, a 100.0% reduction, for an estimated $68.5 million in Q2 2026. Oaktree Capital Management LP added 1,594,519 shares, a 43.2% increase, for an estimated $59 million.

Telephone and Data Systems' Spectrum Sales and Fiber Footprint

According to akta.pro company records, Array Digital Infrastructure completed the sale of select spectrum licenses to Verizon for total consideration of $1.0 billion, along with additional spectrum sales to T-Mobile totaling $168 million completed in May 2026. The same records show TDS Telecom expanded its marketable fiber service footprint to 1.1 million addresses as of Q1 2026, with a goal to reach 2.1 million addresses by 2028-2030. Array Digital Infrastructure owns and operates 4,452 cell towers across 19 U.S. states.

Earlier Earnings and Dividend Moves

In August 2026, Telephone and Data Systems announced it would maintain its quarterly dividend at $0.04 per share, payable September 30 to shareholders of record as of September 15, MarketScreener reported. Zacks Research upgraded the company to a strong-buy rating on Tuesday, according to Markets Daily. Yahoo reported that the company cited progress in fiber expansion and tower operations during its second-quarter earnings call, with a focus on accelerating fiber deployment.

What Comes Next for Telephone and Data Systems

The company updated its 2026 financial outlook alongside the Q3 results, according to Seeking Alpha. Telephone and Data Systems authorized a $250 million share repurchase plan, Seeking Alpha reported.