Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Telefónica, S.A. (TEF) vs América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. (AMX) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | AMX | 1.8% revenue growth vs TEF's 1.6% |
| Value | AMX | Lower P/E (0.8x vs 12.8x) |
| Quality / Margins | AMX | 8.8% net margin vs TEF's -5.5% |
| Stability / Safety | TEF | Beta 0.11 vs AMX's 0.34, lower leverage |
| Dividends | TEF | 8.5% yield, vs AMX's 2.3% |
| Momentum (1Y) | AMX | +86.8% vs TEF's +5.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AMX | 4.6% ROA vs TEF's -2.3%, ROIC 11.2% vs 2.9% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Telefónica is a multinational telecommunications company providing mobile, fixed-line, and broadband services across Europe and Latin America. It generates revenue primarily from mobile services (~50% of total), fixed-line telephony (~25%), and broadband/data services (~20%), with the remainder from wholesale and enterprise solutions. The company's moat lies in its extensive physical infrastructure—including fiber networks and mobile towers—and its established market positions in key Spanish-speaking regions.
América Móvil is a Latin American telecommunications giant providing wireless and fixed-line services across the region. It generates revenue primarily from mobile services (~60% of sales), fixed-line services (~25%), and pay-TV/broadband (~15%) through its extensive network infrastructure. The company's key advantage is its massive scale and first-mover position — it operates the largest wireless network in Latin America with over 300 million subscribers, creating significant network effects and cost advantages.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
AMX leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). TEF leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AMX is the larger business by revenue, generating $939.7B annually — 24.6x TEF's $38.3B. AMX is the more profitable business, keeping 8.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to TEF's -5.5%. On growth, AMX holds the edge at -2.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | TEFTelefónica, S.A. | AMXAmérica Móvil, S.… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $38.3B | $939.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $12.3B | $372.8B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$2.1B | $82.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $4.0B | $173.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +83.7% | +42.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +6.9% | +20.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -5.5% | +8.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +10.5% | +18.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -6.6% | -2.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +98.1% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, TEF's 5.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than AMX's 6.3x.
| Metric | TEFTelefónica, S.A. | AMXAmérica Móvil, S.… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $24.4B | $78.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $68.0B | $129.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -65.09x | 17.38x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 12.75x | 0.80x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.89x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 5.15x | 6.29x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.50x | 1.53x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.91x | 3.16x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 3.98x | 11.19x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AMX delivers a 19.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $19 in annual profit, vs $-10 for TEF. TEF carries lower financial leverage with a 1.98x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AMX's 2.14x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AMX scores 7/9 vs TEF's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | TEFTelefónica, S.A. | AMXAmérica Móvil, S.… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -9.9% | +19.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -2.3% | +4.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.9% | +11.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.1% | +14.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.98x | 2.14x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $37.0B | $883.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $8.1B | $35.0B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $45.0B | $918.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.80x | 2.54x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AMX five years ago would be worth $39,073 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $13,474 for TEF. Over the past 12 months, AMX leads with a +86.8% total return vs TEF's +5.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AMX at 33.8% vs TEF's 8.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | TEFTelefónica, S.A. | AMXAmérica Móvil, S.… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +8.3% | +25.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +5.3% | +86.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +29.0% | +139.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +34.7% | +290.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -13.3% | +284.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +8.9% | +33.8% |
Risk & Volatility
TEF is the less volatile stock with a 0.11 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AMX's 0.34 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AMX currently trades 99.9% from its 52-week high vs TEF's 75.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | TEFTelefónica, S.A. | AMXAmérica Móvil, S.… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.11x | 0.34x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $5.72 | $26.05 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.67 | $13.10 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +75.7% | +99.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 70.2 | 76.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.7M | 2.0M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates TEF as "Buy" and AMX as "Buy". For income investors, TEF offers the higher dividend yield at 8.50% vs AMX's 2.30%.
| Metric | TEFTelefónica, S.A. | AMXAmérica Móvil, S.… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $23.95 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 20 | 24 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +8.5% | +2.3% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 5 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.31 | $10.29 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.8% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telefónica, S.A. (TEF) | 100 | 66.89 | -33.1% |
| América Móvil, S.A.… (AMX) | 100 | 125.79 | +25.8% |
América Móvil, S.A.… (AMX) returned +291% over 5 years vs Telefónica, S.A. (TEF)'s +35%. A $10,000 investment in AMX 5 years ago would be worth $39,073 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telefónica, S.A. (TEF) | $52.0B | $41.3B | -20.6% |
| América Móvil, S.A.… (AMX) | $975.4B | $885.1B | -9.3% |
América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V.'s revenue grew from $975.4B (2016) to $885.1B (2025) — a -1.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telefónica, S.A. (TEF) | 4.6% | -0.1% | -102.6% |
| América Móvil, S.A.… (AMX) | 0.9% | 8.8% | +889.8% |
América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V.'s net margin went from 1% (2016) to 9% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telefónica, S.A. (TEF) | 17.3 | 11.5 | -33.5% |
| América Móvil, S.A.… (AMX) | 1.9 | 0.8 | -57.9% |
Telefónica, S.A. has traded in a 3x–22x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~-65x. América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. has traded in a 1x–2x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~17x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telefónica, S.A. (TEF) | 0.42 | -0.06 | -113.4% |
| América Móvil, S.A.… (AMX) | 2.6 | 25.8 | +892.3% |
América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V.'s EPS grew from $2.60 (2016) to $25.80 (2025) — a 29% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Telefónica, S.A. generated $5B FCF in 2024 (+24% vs 2021). América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. generated $121B FCF in 2025 (+21% vs 2021).
TEF vs AMX: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is TEF or AMX a better buy right now?
América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. (AMX) offers the better valuation at 17.4x trailing P/E (0.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Telefónica, S.A. (TEF) a "Buy" — based on 20 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 has the better valuation — TEF or AMX?
On forward P/E, América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. is actually cheaper at 0.8x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — TEF or AMX?
Over the past 5 years, América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. (AMX) delivered a total return of +290.7%, compared to +34.7% for Telefónica, S.A. (TEF). A $10,000 investment in AMX five years ago would be worth approximately $39K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AMX returned +284.0% versus TEF's -13.3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — TEF or AMX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Telefónica, S.A. (TEF) is the lower-risk stock at 0.11β versus América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V.'s 0.34β — meaning AMX is approximately 211% more volatile than TEF relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Telefónica, S.A. (TEF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 198% versus 2% for América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — TEF or AMX?
América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. (AMX) is the more profitable company, earning 8.8% net margin versus -0.1% for Telefónica, S.A. — meaning it keeps 8.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AMX leads at 21.0% versus 5.8% for TEF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — TEF leads at 69.6%, 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.
06Is TEF or AMX more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. (AMX) trades at 0.8x forward P/E versus 12.8x for Telefónica, S.A. — 12.0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
07Which pays a better dividend — TEF or AMX?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Telefónica, S.A. (TEF) offers the highest yield at 8.5%, versus 2.3% for América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. (AMX).
08Is TEF or AMX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Telefónica, S.A. (TEF) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.11), 8.5% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (TEF: -13.3%, AMX: +284.0%), 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.
09What are the main differences between TEF and AMX?
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. In terms of investment character: TEF is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; AMX is a mid-cap deep-value stock. 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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- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Gross Margin > 50%
- Dividend Yield > 3.3%
- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Net Margin > 5%
- Dividend Yield > 0.9%