https://www.investors.com/research/att-stock-buy-now/
This article is a perfect example of why the executive leadership team has failed. The stock has not performed well by ANY measurement for many years. The market score (stock price) is the only way to measure a corporations success or lack of. This is not the boy scouts, effort does not count, for executives, it's market grade (stock price) that counts. NOTHING ELSE. AT&T Executive team should be ashamed of their performance. Pitiful.
Compare T to an S&P 500 Index fund like Vanguard's VFIAX. Over the last 5 years T was down -12.6% while VFIAX was up +43%. So you would have given up about +56 percent in growth. If T stops going down and just hovers where it's at now it would take not quite two years to regain the lost value through the dividend, minus any taxes on this income. And, the S&P 500 Index is yielding +2% right now, so that's even more that needs to be made up (https://www.multpl.com/s-p-500-dividend-yield).
It's obvious where the risk is at.
To the folks who buy it for the dividend - s---ers! There are so many better stocks that not only appreciate (versus decline) in value AND pay dividends.... Do a present versus future value that INCLUDES the dividend payout and you will see why Investors Business Daily says DO NOT BUY T! BTW, Investors Business Daily only cares are the $$$ return.... If you want to buy it for some reason other than $$$ - knock your socks off... about 10 years ago T was over $40 per share.... Why the hell anyone thinks a 25% decline in their principal, while the market has gone up 100%, is good because they get a dividend is beyond me. So many other stocks will increase your principal AND pay a dividend. I'll follow Investors Business Daily advice - DONT BUY T !!!!! Track record since the early 90's not good.
You're missing the bigger picture.
T Stock will always be a buy* because it's one of the highest paying dividend stocks out there. That dividend is the ONLY reason anyone buys T stock. From Forbes:
AT&T stock has a 6.5% dividend yield, making it the highest yielding Dividend Aristocrat. And, the dividend is well covered by earnings. AT&T expects to pay out less than 60% of its fiscal 2019 profits as dividends.
*As long as they maintain or increase that dividend. If they ever cut it, investors won't even wait for the lifeboats before they jump ship.
Can't teach an old dog new tricks. I've been saying this stock was a buy at $30 (and below) and I'm considering selling at $34 and above, depending on news. This stock is a pure dividend play.
That said, this 5G is being hyped up, and AT&T is a player. It could be like "cloud" which was hyped up, but is panning out. 5G news is what I'm paying attention to.
YES. T is a good buy and will be much more attractive after...
T needs to hold employees accountable, and RIF secondary and tertiary employees who are redundant to the overall operation. Squeaky clean 1st Line, AM’s, and Directors, are likely hiding information or otherwise out of compliance in process and procedures. Audit them, discover their unethical ways, promote their peers who are doing the right thing, terminate those with a selfish interest to manipulate numbers and T will be great once again.
I believe that one reason I was selected for surplus is because I have integrity and I refused to execute a direct order to falsify company records. It was a no win situation and others in my workgroup complained all of the time but did nothing. And some in my workgroup are a part of the nepotism crowd and come and go as they please anyway.
Oh God no this stock isn't a buy! The stock may be cheap, but in this case there is a good reason. This could be a good turnaround stock, but that would require getting rid of the current 'leadership' team and bring in leadership with talent and some common sense.
T is still a buy imo. Need to get Randy and his cronies out before they ruin the company, though.