New York, February 12, 2026, 07:34 EST — Premarket
- AT&T slipped roughly 0.3% in premarket trading following a 3.9% jump on Wednesday
- Telecom stocks got a boost in the previous session, with Verizon and T-Mobile leading the charge as sentiment in the sector turned more positive
- Traders are eyeing weekly jobless claims due Thursday and the January CPI report set for Friday
AT&T shares slipped roughly 0.3% to $28.39 in Thursday’s premarket, following a 3.9% gain that closed the stock at $28.47 the day before. Verizon pushed up 3.3% and T-Mobile surged 5.1% on Wednesday. 1
The fast shift is crucial since major U.S. carriers act as a blunt instrument for rate signals. With heavy debt and sizable dividend payments, fluctuations in bond yields quickly shake the sector.
It also serves as a proxy for how fierce competition really is. When one carrier highlights strong long-term cash flow and pricing power, the rest are pulled into that conversation—even if their own operations haven’t shifted at all.
T-Mobile set the tone Wednesday, raising its 2027 service-revenue forecast to as much as $81.5 billion and boosting its 2027 adjusted free cash flow estimate to between $19.5 billion and $20.5 billion. The company added 962,000 monthly-bill-paying phone customers in Q4, falling short of the 981,330 analysts expected, according to FactSet. It also announced it will stop reporting postpaid phone subscriber additions starting this quarter. Craig Moffett, senior analyst at MoffettNathanson, called it a case where “more is more.” CFO Peter Osvaldik revealed that 60% of new accounts are opting for premium plans, while CEO Srini Gopalan noted, “Our ARPA has grown by 13% since 2020.” 2
AT&T faces a familiar challenge. Investors are focused on boosting its count of higher-value wireless customers and expanding broadband, all without resorting to more discounting. They’re scrutinizing cash flow just as much as top-line revenue.
Postpaid phone additions track the number of subscribers billed monthly and remain the clearest measure of wireless growth. Churn—the percentage of customers who leave—can spike rapidly when promotions ramp up.
The wider market is charting its own path. U.S. stock index futures nudged up slightly, though traders pulled back on rate-cut bets following robust jobs figures. Inflation now looms as the next key test. Weekly jobless claims for the U.S. drop later Thursday, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the January CPI report Friday, Feb. 13 at 8:30 a.m. ET. 3
That inflation figure is crucial for dividend-heavy telecoms. A higher number can push yields up and reignite concerns over funding costs; a lower reading usually does the reverse, if only briefly.
There’s a catch, and it’s significant. While the sector’s best-case scenario depends on stable pricing and better transparency, recent results reveal rising churn and subscriber growth falling short of expectations at the industry leader — clear signs that customers still switch, and that perks come at a high cost.
AT&T’s stock dipped slightly in premarket trading, but it needs momentum when the market opens. Investors are focused on the reaction after the weekly claims report, with Friday’s CPI data looming even larger.
