Heading into second-quarter earnings season, we feel reasonably confident that our Lifelong Income Portfolio holdings should post solid results. However, developments at several companies bear watching over the coming weeks.
The market will focus on AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon Communications’ (NYSE: VZ) customer additions or losses and the effect of new pricing plans on profit margins. How they fare on these metrics will dictate how the stocks perform when they announce earnings.
But the extent to which these telecom giants’ operating cash flow covers their capital expenditures will be far more important indicators of their health and prospects. We’ll also look for updates on Verizon Communications’ 5G wireless rollout and machine-to-machine communications, areas where the company has built a big lead.