AlphaQuest LLC Lowers Stock Position in Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:TDS)

AlphaQuest LLC cut its position in shares of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:TDS) by 57.6% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 6,313 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock after selling 8,584 shares during the quarter. AlphaQuest LLC’s holdings in Telephone and Data Systems were worth $215,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Independence Bank of Kentucky purchased a new stake in Telephone and Data Systems during the fourth quarter worth $41,000. Quarry LP boosted its holdings in Telephone and Data Systems by 35.5% during the third quarter. Quarry LP now owns 2,643 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock worth $61,000 after buying an additional 692 shares in the last quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. purchased a new stake in Telephone and Data Systems during the fourth quarter worth $74,000. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its position in Telephone and Data Systems by 14.5% during the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 2,395 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock worth $82,000 after acquiring an additional 303 shares during the period. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its position in Telephone and Data Systems by 139.9% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 3,749 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock worth $128,000 after acquiring an additional 2,186 shares during the period. 80.00% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Telephone and Data Systems from $53.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, February 24th.

Telephone and Data Systems Stock Performance

NYSE:TDS opened at $35.03 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 1.44 and a current ratio of 1.59. The company has a fifty day moving average of $35.87 and a two-hundred day moving average of $31.33. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.99 billion, a PE ratio of -6.49 and a beta of 0.75. Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $14.04 and a fifty-two week high of $41.21.

Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE:TDS) last issued its earnings results on Friday, February 21st. The Wireless communications provider reported ($0.09) EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.32) by $0.23. The business had revenue of $1.24 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.23 billion. Telephone and Data Systems had a negative net margin of 10.72% and a positive return on equity of 1.12%. As a group, research analysts forecast that Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. will post -0.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Telephone and Data Systems Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 17th will be given a $0.04 dividend. This represents a $0.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.46%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 17th. Telephone and Data Systems’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -18.60%.

About Telephone and Data Systems

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc, a telecommunications company, provides communications services in the United States. It operates through two segments: UScellular and TDS Telecom. The company offers wireless solutions to consumers, and business and government customers, including a suite of connected Internet of things (IoT) solutions, and software applications for monitor and control, business automation/operations, communication, fleet and asset management, smart water solutions, private cellular networks and custom, and end-to-end IoT solutions; wireless priority services and quality priority and preemption options; smartphones and other handsets, tablets, wearables, mobile hotspots, fixed wireless home internet, and IoT devices; and accessories, such as cases, screen protectors, chargers, and memory cards, as well as consumer electronics, including audio, home automation and networking products.