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AT&T Inc.
Communication Services · Telecom Services · United States · Stock
Score Breakdown
Scored for Aggressive Growth profile
Sub-scores are 0–20 each; Model Score is weighted by your selected investment goal. How it works →
Why Ranked Here
- Strong growth and momentum scores reflect the dramatic net income expansion to $21,953,000,000 and the recovery in quarterly operating income to $6,658,000,000 in 2026Q1.
- Solid profitability metrics — operating margin of 19.2% and net margin of 17.5% in FY2025 — contributed positively to the composite score.
- The flat dividend at $1.11 per share across four years and the absence of any macro theme assignment both weighed on the composite, contributing to the mid-range total score of 61.5/100.
Why Not Higher
- The dividend has shown zero growth since FY2022, remaining at $1.11 per share through FY2025, which limited the dividend factor's contribution to the composite.
- AT&T currently holds no macro theme assignment among the 24 tracked themes, meaning it captures no thematic score, which structurally constrains the total composite.
Data Confidence
10 / 10
Very High — full data coverage
Why This Score
Grounded in figures from this company's SEC EDGAR filings — not a restatement of the score itself.
Revenue grew from $122,336,000,000 in FY2024 to $125,648,000,000 in FY2025 (+2.7%), while net income nearly doubled from $10,948,000,000 in FY2024 to $21,953,000,000 in FY2025 (+100.5%), and diluted EPS rose from $1.49 in FY2024 to $3.04 in FY2025 (+104.0%).
The model rewarded the dramatic bottom-line expansion — a doubling of net income and EPS from FY2024 to FY2025 — even though top-line revenue growth was modest at 2.7% over the same period, producing a high but not perfect growth score.
In FY2025, AT&T reported a net margin of 17.5%, an operating margin of 19.2%, and a return on assets of 5.2%.
The model recognized solid margin performance — with operating and net margins both in the high teens for FY2025 — though the relatively modest return on assets of 5.2% in FY2025, reflecting the company's large asset base, likely tempered the score below the maximum.
In FY2025, AT&T carried a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07 against total assets of $420,198,000,000.
The model's moderate score reflects a leverage level that, at a debt-to-equity of 1.07 in FY2025, indicates meaningful debt relative to equity on a very large asset base of $420,198,000,000 in FY2025; the limited available data points constrain a fuller assessment of financial health.
Over the last four quarters, revenue ranged from $30,709,000,000 in 2025Q3 to $33,466,000,000 in 2025Q4 and $31,506,000,000 in 2026Q1, showing relative stability with a seasonal peak. Operating income trended from $6,501,000,000 in 2025Q2 down to $5,788,000,000 in 2025Q4 before recovering to $6,658,000,000 in 2026Q1, while net income was elevated at $9,314,000,000 in 2025Q3 before normalizing to $3,788,000,000 in 2025Q4 and $3,829,000,000 in 2026Q1.
The model rewarded the overall stability of revenue and the recovery in operating income to $6,658,000,000 in 2026Q1 — its highest level across the four quarters — suggesting resilient operational momentum, even as net income normalized after the 2025Q3 spike.
Dividends per share have remained flat at $1.11 across FY2022, FY2023, FY2024, and FY2025, and the dividend payout ratio in FY2025 was 37.3%.
The model appears to have penalized the multi-year absence of dividend growth — with DPS unchanged at $1.11 from FY2022 through FY2025 — while the relatively conservative payout ratio of 37.3% in FY2025 may have provided partial support, resulting in a mid-range score.
AT&T is not currently assigned to any of the 24 tracked macro themes.
Because no macro theme assignment exists for this security at this time, the model awarded no theme-based score; this reflects the current classification status and should not be read as a commentary on the company's business or prospects.
Research Summary
AI-generated analysis reflects data and conditions as of the report date shown above. Verify any specific figures through primary sources before acting on this analysis.
AT&T delivered modest top-line growth of 2.7% in FY2025, but net income nearly doubled to $21,953,000,000 and diluted EPS rose to $3.04, reflecting strong bottom-line expansion on a large revenue base of $125,648,000,000. Profitability metrics were solid, with an operating margin of 19.2% and a net margin of 17.5% in FY2025, though a return on assets of 5.2% reflects the weight of a $420,198,000,000 asset base. Financial leverage remains meaningful at a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07, and the dividend has been flat at $1.11 per share since FY2022, limiting income-growth appeal. The company scores 61.5/100 with a Medium risk rating and is labeled a Research Candidate.
Plain English
AT&T grew its profits dramatically in FY2025 — net income went from about $10.9 billion to nearly $22 billion — but its dividend hasn't budged in four years and it carries a significant debt load, which keeps its overall score in the middle of the range.
Bull Case vs. Bear Case
Bull Case
- Net income nearly doubled from $10,948,000,000 in FY2024 to $21,953,000,000 in FY2025, and diluted EPS rose from $1.49 to $3.04, demonstrating powerful bottom-line expansion.
- Operating margin of 19.2% and net margin of 17.5% in FY2025 reflect solid profitability on a very large revenue base, suggesting efficient core operations.
- Quarterly operating income recovered to $6,658,000,000 in 2026Q1 — its highest level across the last four quarters — indicating resilient operational momentum heading into the current period.
Bear Case
- AT&T's debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07 against a $420,198,000,000 asset base signals meaningful leverage, which could constrain financial flexibility.
- Dividends per share have remained flat at $1.11 from FY2022 through FY2025, offering no dividend growth for income-focused investors over a four-year stretch.
- AT&T is not assigned to any of the 24 tracked macro themes, meaning it receives no tailwind from thematic momentum in the model's current framework.
What Could Change the Picture
Bullish Triggers
- Sustained dividend growth above the current flat $1.11 per share level would signal improved capital return confidence and could lift the dividend score.
- Continued recovery and expansion of quarterly operating income beyond the $6,658,000,000 seen in 2026Q1 would reinforce the operational momentum narrative.
Bearish Triggers
- A meaningful increase in the debt-to-equity ratio beyond the current 1.07 level, given the already large $420,198,000,000 asset base, would heighten financial health concerns.
- A reversal of the bottom-line expansion — with net income falling back toward FY2024 levels of $10,948,000,000 — would undermine the growth thesis that drove the strong FY2025 results.
Risk Profile
Medium RiskAT&T carries a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07 against a total asset base of $420,198,000,000 in FY2025, indicating meaningful leverage on an already large balance sheet. Quarterly net income showed notable volatility — spiking to $9,314,000,000 in 2025Q3 before normalizing to $3,788,000,000 in 2025Q4 and $3,829,000,000 in 2026Q1 — suggesting that recent bottom-line results may not be uniformly repeatable quarter to quarter.
This report is for educational and research purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice — always conduct your own due diligence before making investment decisions.