META
Meta Platforms, Inc.
META has the edge over TDS overall, supported by stronger modeled upside and stronger fundamentals.
TDS
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc.
TDS offers stronger valuation, but that advantage does not outweigh its weaker overall profile.
META Fundamentals
| Metric | Status |
|---|---|
| Healthy | |
| Strong | |
| Stable | |
| Healthy |
META's revenue, profitability and balance sheet are currently healthy, and its cash flow is stable.
TDS Fundamentals
| Metric | Status |
|---|---|
| Under pressure | |
| Strong | |
| Weak | |
| Strong |
TDS's profitability and balance sheet are currently strong, but its revenue and cash flow are under pressure.
META PE Valuation
| Level | PE | Price | Vs current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | 19x | $624 | — |
| Cheap | 21x | $613 | -1.7% |
| Current | 21x | $624 | — |
| Fair | 27x | $803 | +29% |
| Expensive | 32x | $934 | +50% |
Historical ranges are pointers, not guarantees.
META's PE is in its cheap range at 21x. If earnings grow as analysts expect, today's price would be 19x next year's earnings.
TDS PE Valuation
| Level | PE | Price | Vs current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current | 7.5x | $30.73 | — |
| Cheap | 12x | $48.62 | +58% |
| Fair | 17x | $71.06 | +131% |
| Expensive | 23x | $94.77 | +208% |
| Forward | 116x | $30.73 | — |
Historical ranges are pointers, not guarantees.
TDS has the edge over META in the historical PE scenario, which offers more potential upside but is not a forecast.
META Forward outlook
| Metric | Outlook |
|---|---|
| Improving | |
| Growth | |
| Strong growth | |
| Strongly weakening | |
| Moderate | |
| Low |
Analysts expect earnings and revenue growth for META, but weaker profitability. However, they disagree widely on these estimates.
TDS Forward outlook
| Metric | Outlook |
|---|---|
| Strongly deteriorating | |
| Returning to profit | |
| Stable | |
| Strongly improving | |
| Limited | |
| High |
Analysts expect TDS to return to profit, with revenue holding steady.
META Earnings Per Share
| Quarter | TTM EPS | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Forward | $32.16 | +9.7% |
| Q3 2026 | $29.32 | +30% |
| Q2 2026 | $26.54 | -3.7% |
| Q1 2026 | $27.50 | +7.5% |
| Q4 2025 | $23.49 | -1.6% |
| Q3 2025 | $22.58 | +6.5% |
| Q2 2025 | $27.56 | +41% |
| Q1 2025 | $25.58 | +47% |
| Q4 2024 | $23.86 | +60% |
META earned $29.32 per share over the past year, up 30% from the year before.
TDS Earnings Per Share
| Quarter | TTM EPS | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Forward | $0.26 | -94% |
| Q3 2026 | $4.09 | +$5.16 |
| Q2 2026 | $3.00 | +$3.96 |
| Q1 2026 | $0.53 | +$1.57 |
| Q4 2025 | -$0.65 | +$0.20 |
| Q3 2025 | -$1.07 | +$4.34 |
| Q2 2025 | -$0.96 | +$3.88 |
| Q1 2025 | -$1.04 | +$3.84 |
| Q4 2024 | -$0.85 | +$4.21 |
TDS has the edge over META on earnings, with more consistent year-over-year improvement.
META Quarterly Revenue
| Quarter | Revenue | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | $64.6B | +26% |
| Q2 2026 | $60.8B | +28% |
| Q1 2026 | $56.3B | +33% |
| Q4 2025 | $59.9B | +24% |
| Q3 2025 | $51.2B | +26% |
| Q2 2025 | $47.5B | +22% |
| Q1 2025 | $42.3B | +16% |
| Q4 2024 | $48.4B | +21% |
META has the edge over TDS on sales, with more consistent year-over-year improvement.
| Quarter | Margin | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | 20% | -20 points |
| Q2 2026 | 31% | -12 points |
| Q1 2026 | 41% | -0.9 points |
| Q4 2025 | 41% | -7 points |
| Q3 2025 | 40% | -2.7 points |
| Q2 2025 | 43% | +5 points |
| Q1 2025 | 41% | +3.6 points |
| Q4 2024 | 48% | +7.4 points |
META has the edge over TDS on profitability, with a higher operating margin.
TDS Quarterly Revenue
| Quarter | Revenue | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | $306.7M | -0.6% |
| Q2 2026 | $309.3M | -74% |
| Q1 2026 | $309.5M | -73% |
| Q4 2025 | $330.7M | -73% |
| Q3 2025 | $308.5M | -75% |
| Q2 2025 | $1.2B | -4.2% |
| Q1 2025 | $1.2B | -8.6% |
| Q4 2024 | $1.2B | -5.5% |
TDS's revenue has slid since its 2022 peak: $307M last quarter, about level with the same quarter a year ago.
| Quarter | Margin | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | -9.8% | +12 points |
| Q2 2026 | 121% | +117 points |
| Q1 2026 | 46% | +43 points |
| Q4 2025 | 5.1% | +2.2 points |
| Q3 2025 | -22% | -16 points |
| Q2 2025 | 3.4% | +0.2 points |
| Q1 2025 | 3% | -2.3 points |
| Q4 2024 | 2.9% | +43 points |
TDS's operating margin was −9.8% last quarter, up 12 points from the same quarter a year ago, near the bottom of its range since 2019.
META Free Cash Flow
| Quarter | Free cash flow | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | -$1.2B | -110% |
| Q2 2026 | $1.7B | -81% |
| Q1 2026 | $13.2B | +19% |
| Q4 2025 | $14.8B | +9.3% |
| Q3 2025 | $11.2B | -32% |
| Q2 2025 | $9B | -19% |
| Q1 2025 | $11.1B | -14% |
| Q4 2024 | $13.6B | +16% |
META has the edge over TDS on cash generation, producing positive trailing cash flow while its opponent burns cash.
TDS Free Cash Flow
| Quarter | Free cash flow | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | -$305.5M | -$292.8M |
| Q2 2026 | -$113.3M | -143% |
| Q1 2026 | -$81.6M | -243% |
| Q4 2025 | -$108.9M | -$91.9M |
| Q3 2025 | -$12.7M | -112% |
| Q2 2025 | $264M | +42% |
| Q1 2025 | $57M | +$68M |
| Q4 2024 | -$17M | +$69M |
TDS has burned cash in six of the last eight quarters: −$609M over the past year, against $291M the year before.
META Total Shares
| Period | Change % | Net change |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly | +0.3% | +7M shares |
| 1 year | 0% | +1M shares |
| 3 years | -2.6% | -68M shares |
| 5 years | -10% | -286M shares |
| Available history | -11% | -303M shares |
META has 2.6B diluted shares, about the same as a year ago.
| Quarter | Spent |
|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | — |
| Q2 2026 | — |
| Q1 2026 | — |
| Q4 2025 | — |
| Q3 2025 | $3.3B |
| Q2 2025 | $10.2B |
| Q1 2025 | $12.8B |
| Q4 2024 | — |
META hasn't bought back shares in the past year.
TDS Total Shares
| Period | Change % | Net change |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly | -1.1% | -1.3M shares |
| 1 year | -3.2% | -3.8M shares |
| 3 years | +1.8% | +2M shares |
| 5 years | -0.9% | -1M shares |
| Available history | -0.9% | -1M shares |
TDS has the edge over META on shareholder dilution, with a more favorable share count trend.
| Quarter | Spent |
|---|---|
| Q4 2025 | $67.4M |
| Q4 2024 | — |
| Q3 2024 | — |
| Q2 2024 | — |
| Q1 2024 | — |
| Q4 2023 | — |
| Q3 2023 | — |
| Q2 2023 | $3M |
META Net Leverage
| Quarter | Net Leverage | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | 0.7x | Very low |
| Q2 2026 | 0.6x | Very low |
| Q1 2026 | 0.3x | Very low |
| Q4 2025 | 0.2x | Very low |
| Q3 2025 | 0.2x | Very low |
| Q2 2025 | 0.2x | Very low |
| Q1 2025 | 0.0x | Very low |
| Q4 2024 | -0.2x | Net Cash |
META's net debt is less than a year of its operating earnings (EBITDA).
TDS Net Leverage
| Quarter | Net Leverage | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | -1.1x | Net Cash |
| Q2 2026 | -1.8x | Net Cash |
| Q1 2026 | -1.1x | Net Cash |
| Q4 2025 | 0.1x | Very low |
| Q3 2025 | -0.1x | Net Cash |
| Q2 2025 | 3.6x | Elevated |
| Q1 2025 | 3.8x | Elevated |
| Q4 2024 | 3.7x | Elevated |
TDS has the edge over META on leverage, with a lower net debt burden relative to earnings.
META Weekly Momentum
| Metric | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| RSI | 48.2 | Neutral |
| Stochastic | 33.7 | Neutral |
META's weekly RSI is 48 (neutral) and its Stochastic is 34 (neutral).
TDS Weekly Momentum
| Metric | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| RSI | 33.6 | Neutral |
| Stochastic | 25.1 | Neutral |
TDS's weekly RSI is 34 (neutral) and its Stochastic is 25 (neutral).
META PE vs Communication Services Sector
| Metric | META | Sector median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE | 21x | 16x | 29% above |
| PE % | 18 | 26 | 8 pts below |
META is trading at 21x earnings, a 29% premium to the Communication Services sector's median of 16x.
TDS PE vs Communication Services Sector
| Metric | TDS | Sector median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE | 7.5x | 16x | 54% below |
| PE % | 0 | 26 | 26 pts below |
TDS has the edge over META on valuation relative to its sector.
META Weekly Moving Averages
| Moving average | MA price | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| 8 week MA | $674.9 | 7.6% below |
| 20 week MA | $634.5 | 1.7% below |
| 50 week MA | $630.8 | 1.1% below |
| 100 week MA | $647.8 | 3.7% below |
| 200 week MA | $517.5 | 21% above |
META has fallen below most of its moving averages, though it's still 21% above its 200-week average.
TDS Weekly Moving Averages
| Moving average | MA price | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| 8 week MA | $34.0 | 9.6% below |
| 20 week MA | $34.6 | 11% below |
| 50 week MA | $39.4 | 22% below |
| 100 week MA | $38.1 | 19% below |
| 200 week MA | $27.8 | 11% above |
TDS has fallen below most of its moving averages, though it's still 11% above its 200-week average.
META Yearly ROI
| Year | Start price | End price | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $208.1 | $267.4 | +28% |
| 2021 | $267.4 | $335.2 | +25% |
| 2022 | $335.2 | $118.0 | -65% |
| 2023 | $118.0 | $354.0 | +200% |
| 2024 | $354.0 | $599.8 | +69% |
| 2025 | $599.8 | $663.3 | +11% |
| 2026 YTD | $663.3 | $623.6 | -6% |
META has the edge over TDS on returns for 2026, with the stronger performance.
TDS Yearly ROI
| Year | Start price | End price | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $24.9 | $18.3 | -27% |
| 2021 | $18.3 | $20.6 | +13% |
| 2022 | $20.6 | $10.6 | -49% |
| 2023 | $10.6 | $18.4 | +74% |
| 2024 | $18.4 | $34.8 | +90% |
| 2025 | $34.8 | $40.3 | +16% |
| 2026 YTD | $40.3 | $30.7 | -24% |
TDS has finished higher in four of the last six years, two of them by more than 50%. It's down 24% so far in 2026.