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LUMN vs FYBR
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Telecommunications Services
LUMN vs FYBR — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications Services | Telecommunications Services |
| Market Cap | $9.51B | $9.64B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $12.12B | $6.11B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-1.74B | $-381M |
| Gross Margin | 12.5% | 65.1% |
| Operating Margin | 2.6% | 5.3% |
| Total Debt | $17.71B | $12.03B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $1.00B | $806M |
LUMN vs FYBR — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 21 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lumen Technologies,… (LUMN) | 100 | 66.7 | -33.3% |
| Frontier Communicat… (FYBR) | 100 | 152.4 | +52.4% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: LUMN vs FYBR
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
LUMN is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability.
- Dividend streak 0 yrs, beta 2.74, yield 0.0%
- 0.0% yield; the other pay no meaningful dividend
- +118.2% vs FYBR's +5.3%
FYBR carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure and long-term compounding.
- Rev growth 3.2%, EPS growth -11.8%, 3Y rev CAGR -2.5%
- 42.8% 10Y total return vs LUMN's -32.9%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.06, current ratio 0.55x
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 3.2% revenue growth vs LUMN's -5.4% | |
| Quality / Margins | -6.2% margin vs LUMN's -14.3% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.06 vs LUMN's 2.74 | |
| Dividends | 0.0% yield; the other pay no meaningful dividend | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +118.2% vs FYBR's +5.3% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | -1.8% ROA vs LUMN's -5.3%, ROIC 1.7% vs -0.8% |
LUMN vs FYBR — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
LUMN vs FYBR — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
FYBR leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
LUMN is the larger business by revenue, generating $12.1B annually — 2.0x FYBR's $6.1B. FYBR is the more profitable business, keeping -6.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to LUMN's -14.3%. On growth, FYBR holds the edge at +4.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $12.1B | $6.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $3.0B | $2.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$1.7B | -$381M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $5.4B | -$1.4B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +12.5% | +65.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +2.6% | +5.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -14.3% | -6.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +44.9% | -23.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -8.9% | +4.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | 0.0% | +9.1% |
Valuation Metrics
LUMN leads this category, winning 2 of 3 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, LUMN's 10.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than FYBR's 10.5x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $9.5B | $9.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $26.2B | $20.9B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -5.27x | -29.61x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 10.22x | 10.55x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.77x | 1.62x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 1.93x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 25.62x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
FYBR leads this category, winning 8 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
FYBR delivers a -8.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-8 in annual profit, vs $-79 for LUMN. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), FYBR scores 5/9 vs LUMN's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -79.4% | -8.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -5.3% | -1.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -0.8% | +1.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -0.6% | +1.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 2.44x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $16.7B | $11.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.0B | $806M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $17.7B | $12.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -1.12x | 0.44x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
LUMN leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in FYBR five years ago would be worth $14,804 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,403 for LUMN. Over the past 12 months, LUMN leads with a +118.2% total return vs FYBR's +5.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors LUMN at 59.4% vs FYBR's 25.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +20.0% | +1.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +118.2% | +5.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +304.8% | +95.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -16.0% | +48.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -32.9% | +42.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +59.4% | +25.1% |
Risk & Volatility
FYBR leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
FYBR is the less volatile stock with a 0.06 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than LUMN's 2.74 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. FYBR currently trades 100.0% from its 52-week high vs LUMN's 77.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 2.74x | 0.06x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $11.95 | $38.50 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.37 | $36.04 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +77.2% | +100.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 69.9 | 72.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 12.2M | 0 |
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates LUMN as "Hold" and FYBR as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply -10.8% upside for FYBR (target: $34) vs -23.3% for LUMN (target: $7).
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $7.08 | $34.33 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 28 | 11 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.0% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.00 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.7% |
FYBR leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). LUMN leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns).
LUMN vs FYBR: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is LUMN or FYBR a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Frontier Communications Parent, Inc.
(FYBR) is the stronger pick with 3. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -5. 4% for Lumen Technologies, Inc. (LUMN). Analysts rate Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. (FYBR) a "Buy" — based on 11 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which is the better long-term investment — LUMN or FYBR?
Over the past 5 years, Frontier Communications Parent, Inc.
(FYBR) delivered a total return of +48. 0%, compared to -16. 0% for Lumen Technologies, Inc. (LUMN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FYBR returned +42. 8% versus LUMN's -32. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — LUMN or FYBR?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Frontier Communications Parent, Inc.
(FYBR) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 06β versus Lumen Technologies, Inc. 's 2. 74β — meaning LUMN is approximately 4157% more volatile than FYBR relative to the S&P 500.
04Which is growing faster — LUMN or FYBR?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Frontier Communications Parent, Inc.
(FYBR) is pulling ahead at 3. 2% versus -5. 4% for Lumen Technologies, Inc. (LUMN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. grew EPS -1183. 3% year-over-year, compared to -30. 4% for Lumen Technologies, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, FYBR leads at -2. 5% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
05Which has better profit margins — LUMN or FYBR?
Frontier Communications Parent, Inc.
(FYBR) is the more profitable company, earning -5. 4% net margin versus -14. 0% for Lumen Technologies, Inc. — meaning it keeps -5. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: FYBR leads at 5. 9% versus -1. 5% for LUMN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — FYBR leads at 64. 5%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Which pays a better dividend — LUMN or FYBR?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.
All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
07Is LUMN or FYBR better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Frontier Communications Parent, Inc.
(FYBR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 06)). Lumen Technologies, Inc. (LUMN) carries a higher beta of 2. 74 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (FYBR: +42. 8%, LUMN: -32. 9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
08What are the main differences between LUMN and FYBR?
Both stocks operate in the Communication Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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