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U.S. Telecom Sector Analysis

UpdatedMay 13, 2026
DataAggregated Company Financials
Companies487
  • 7D-0.2%
  • 3M8.9%
  • 1Y41.8%
  • YTD7.9%

Over the last 7 days, the Telecom industry has remained flat, although notably Walt Disney gained 5.7%. As for the the longer term, the industry is up 42% over the past 12 months. Looking forward, earnings are forecast to grow by 14% annually.

Sector Valuation and Performance

Has the U.S. Telecom Sector valuation changed over the past few years?

DateMarket CapRevenueEarningsPEAbsolute PEPS
Thu, 14 May 2026US$8.3tUS$1.7tUS$308.8b16.1x27x4.8x
Sat, 11 Apr 2026US$7.6tUS$1.7tUS$272.5b15.3x28.1x4.6x
Mon, 09 Mar 2026US$7.6tUS$1.7tUS$272.1b17.9x27.8x4.5x
Wed, 04 Feb 2026US$8.1tUS$1.7tUS$279.1b16.3x29.1x4.9x
Fri, 02 Jan 2026US$7.8tUS$1.6tUS$282.6b15.9x27.6x4.7x
Sun, 30 Nov 2025US$7.8tUS$1.6tUS$282.5b16.5x27.7x4.8x
Tue, 28 Oct 2025US$7.4tUS$1.6tUS$295.4b17.9x25.2x4.6x
Thu, 25 Sep 2025US$7.5tUS$1.6tUS$286.0b20.2x26.3x4.7x
Sat, 23 Aug 2025US$7.0tUS$1.6tUS$286.8b21.4x24.2x4.3x
Mon, 21 Jul 2025US$6.6tUS$1.6tUS$250.6b17.7x26.3x4.1x
Wed, 18 Jun 2025US$6.5tUS$1.6tUS$250.1b17.1x25.9x4x
Fri, 16 May 2025US$6.1tUS$1.6tUS$248.0b17x24.8x3.8x
Sun, 13 Apr 2025US$5.5tUS$1.6tUS$227.2b15.5x24.2x3.5x
Tue, 11 Mar 2025US$6.1tUS$1.6tUS$228.0b16x26.6x3.8x
Thu, 06 Feb 2025US$6.7tUS$1.6tUS$216.9b19x30.8x4.2x
Sat, 04 Jan 2025US$6.1tUS$1.6tUS$189.8b18.8x32x3.9x
Mon, 02 Dec 2024US$5.9tUS$1.6tUS$189.7b20.2x31x3.7x
Wed, 30 Oct 2024US$5.6tUS$1.5tUS$180.7b18.3x31.2x3.7x
Fri, 27 Sep 2024US$5.5tUS$1.5tUS$188.2b17.8x29.4x3.6x
Sun, 25 Aug 2024US$5.4tUS$1.6tUS$189.2b18.6x28.5x3.5x
Tue, 23 Jul 2024US$5.4tUS$1.5tUS$191.7b20.1x28x3.5x
Thu, 20 Jun 2024US$5.4tUS$1.5tUS$191.0b16.4x28.2x3.5x
Sat, 18 May 2024US$5.3tUS$1.5tUS$191.8b18.4x27.6x3.5x
Mon, 15 Apr 2024US$5.1tUS$1.5tUS$176.0b18.4x29.1x3.4x
Wed, 13 Mar 2024US$4.8tUS$1.5tUS$173.8b17.3x27.9x3.2x
Fri, 09 Feb 2024US$4.8tUS$1.5tUS$171.9b14.4x28.2x3.3x
Sun, 07 Jan 2024US$4.6tUS$1.5tUS$128.1b15.4x35.7x3x
Tue, 05 Dec 2023US$4.4tUS$1.5tUS$128.1b16.3x34.5x2.9x
Thu, 02 Nov 2023US$4.1tUS$1.5tUS$123.7b12.6x33.2x2.7x
Sat, 30 Sep 2023US$4.2tUS$1.5tUS$104.7b14.1x40.4x2.8x
Mon, 28 Aug 2023US$4.2tUS$1.5tUS$104.0b13.6x40.1x2.8x
Wed, 26 Jul 2023US$4.2tUS$1.5tUS$104.0b15.3x40.2x2.8x
Fri, 23 Jun 2023US$4.1tUS$1.5tUS$107.1b17.1x38.1x2.7x
Sun, 21 May 2023US$4.0tUS$1.5tUS$106.1b17.5x37.6x2.7x
Price to Earnings Ratio

37.6x


Total Market Cap: US$4.0tTotal Earnings: US$106.1bTotal Revenue: US$1.5tTotal Market Cap vs Earnings and Revenue0%0%0%
U.S. Telecom Sector Price to Earnings3Y Average 30.2x202420252026
Current Industry PE
  • Investors are pessimistic on the American Communication Services industry, indicating that they anticipate long term growth rates will be lower than they have historically.
  • The industry is trading at a PE ratio of 27.0x which is lower than its 3-year average PE of 30.2x.
  • The 3-year average PS ratio of 3.7x is lower than the industry's current PS ratio of 4.8x.
Past Earnings Growth
  • The earnings for companies in the Communication Services industry have grown 43% per year over the last three years.
  • Revenues for these companies have grown 4.9% per year.
  • This means that more sales are being generated by these companies overall, and subsequently their profits are increasing too.

Industry Trends

Which industries have driven the changes within the U.S. Telecom sector?

US Market1.52%
Telecom-0.15%
Entertainment1.48%
Media0.20%
Interactive Media and Services-0.36%
Wireless Telecom-0.55%
Telecom Services and Carriers-0.63%
Industry PE
  • Investors are most optimistic about the Entertainment industry which is trading above its 3-year average PE ratio.
    • Analysts are expecting annual earnings growth of 22.4%, which is higher than its past year's earnings decline of 3.2% per year.
Forecasted Growth
  • Analysts are most optimistic on the Media industry, expecting annual earnings growth of 33% over the next 5 years.
  • This is better than its past earnings growth rate of 5.0% per year.
  • In contrast, the Telecom Services and Carriers industry is expected to see its earnings grow by 11% per year over the next few years.

Top Stock Gainers and Losers

Which companies have driven the market over the last 7 days?

CompanyLast Price7D1YValuation
GOOGL AlphabetUS$402.621.2%
+US$55.5b		143.5%PE30.4x
META Meta PlatformsUS$616.630.6%
+US$9.5b		-6.5%PE22.2x
BIDU BaiduUS$150.507.0%
+US$3.4b		62.7%PE74.6x
SATS EchoStarUS$133.235.9%
+US$2.3b		484.7%PS2.6x
FOXA FoxUS$66.476.8%
+US$1.5b		21.7%PE16.3x

Latest News

FOXA
US$66.47
Fox
7D
6.8%
1Y
21.7%
TMUS
US$190.28
T-Mobile US
7D
-1.5%
1Y
-19.1%
BIDU
US$150.50
Baidu
7D
7.0%
1Y
62.7%
Seeking Alpha • 12h

Baidu Q1 Earnings Preview: Kunlunxin IPO Makes BIDU's Valuation Math Irrational

Summary Baidu is scheduled to report Q1 earnings on May 18. More than the headline numbers, my primary focus will be on the progress of its AI cloud business. The strengthening AI cloud subscription revenue momentum and AI-native marketing are key growth drivers amid core search headwinds. The planned Kunlunxin IPO, targeting a RMB 100 billion valuation, will unlock value, shift the CapEx burden, and enhance Baidu's financial profile. Dividend policy initiation and share buybacks reinforce Baidu's commitment to shareholder returns, with potential for special dividends from excess capital. Read the full article on Seeking Alpha
ASTS
US$74.81
AST SpaceMobile
7D
5.8%
1Y
185.0%
META
US$616.63
Meta Platforms
7D
0.6%
1Y
-6.5%
NFLX
US$87.56
Netflix
7D
-0.8%
1Y
-23.9%
CMCSA
US$24.94
Comcast
7D
-5.7%
1Y
-27.8%
GOOGL
US$402.62
Alphabet
7D
1.2%
1Y
143.5%
TTD
US$20.49
Trade Desk
7D
-14.7%
1Y
-74.1%
Seeking Alpha • May 12

The Trade Desk: Is This The Explanation?

Summary The Trade Desk reported a weak quarter and an even weaker Q2 guidance. Is Jeff Green playing a very risky but potentially very disruptive game? Some things seem to indicate this. This could also explain many of the issues like slow revenue growth, management leaving and Jeff Green being uncharacteristically quiet about this. Does that make TTD a BUY, HOLD or SELL? Read the full article on Seeking Alpha
SPOT
US$430.90
Spotify Technology
7D
1.3%
1Y
-32.0%
RDDT
US$154.12
Reddit
7D
-7.5%
1Y
23.0%
DIS
US$104.90
Walt Disney
7D
-2.9%
1Y
-7.1%
WMG
US$32.69
Warner Music Group
7D
7.7%
1Y
19.9%
CHTR
US$143.06
Charter Communications
7D
-8.6%
1Y
-65.4%
T
US$24.74
AT&T
7D
-3.2%
1Y
-6.4%
Seeking Alpha • May 09

AT&T: Locking In A 6.2-6.3% Yield With Baby Bonds And Preferred Stock

Summary AT&T continues to deliver robust financial results, supporting its senior securities with strong coverage ratios. Preferred shares yield 6–6.5% with a payout ratio under 1%, reflecting limited risk premium and excellent dividend coverage. Baby bonds (TBB) offer a slightly lower yield but may present a superior risk/reward profile, especially for investors with favorable tax treatment on interest income. I remain constructive on AT&T’s senior securities, favoring baby bonds but considering preferreds attractive above a 6.5% yield. Read the full article on Seeking Alpha
SATS
US$133.23
EchoStar
7D
5.9%
1Y
484.7%
Seeking Alpha • May 06

EchoStar: There's More To This Company Than Just SpaceX Shares

Summary EchoStar is now primarily valued as a SpaceX tracking stock, with its legacy businesses largely discounted by the market. SATS' upside is tightly linked to SpaceX's IPO and valuation, with its stake potentially worth $44 billion if SpaceX achieves a $1.75 trillion valuation. Operational segments—wireless and pay-TV—continue to decline, offering little long-term value; lawsuits and FCC penalties pose manageable but non-trivial risks. At a $35 billion market cap, SATS prices in SpaceX's best-case scenario, leaving limited further upside; I rate it a Hold. Read the full article on Seeking Alpha