Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare TELUS Corporation (TU) vs AT&T Inc. (T) 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 | T | 2.7% revenue growth vs TU's 1.8% |
| Value | T | Lower P/E (12.3x vs 20.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | T | 17.4% net margin vs TU's 5.4% |
| Stability / Safety | T | Lower D/E ratio (122.6% vs 189.8%) |
| Dividends | TU | 5.6% yield, 5-year raise streak, vs T's 4.1% |
| Momentum (1Y) | T | +6.2% vs TU's -3.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | T | 5.2% ROA vs TU's 1.9%, ROIC 7.0% vs 3.9% |
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
TELUS Corporation is a major Canadian telecommunications provider offering mobile, internet, TV, and security services to consumers and businesses. It generates revenue primarily from wireless services (mobile subscriptions and data plans) and wireline services (internet, TV, and home security), with wireless typically contributing over 50% of total revenue. The company's competitive advantage lies in its extensive fiber-optic network infrastructure and strong brand reputation for customer service in the Canadian market.
AT&T is a major telecommunications company providing wireless, broadband, and enterprise connectivity services across the United States and Latin America. It generates revenue primarily from wireless services (~60% of total), broadband internet, and business solutions including cloud and security services. The company's competitive advantage lies in its extensive nationwide wireless network infrastructure and fiber footprint, which create significant switching costs for customers and high barriers to entry for competitors.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
T leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). TU leads in 1 (Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
T is the larger business by revenue, generating $125.6B annually — 6.1x TU's $20.5B. T is the more profitable business, keeping 17.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to TU's 5.4%.
| Metric | TUTELUS Corporation | TAT&T Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $20.5B | $125.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $7.6B | $45.0B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1.1B | $21.9B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.7B | $19.4B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +53.7% | +79.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +11.5% | +19.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +5.4% | +17.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +8.1% | +15.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +1.1% | +3.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -25.0% | -7.1% |
Valuation Metrics
At 9.2x trailing earnings, T trades at a 65% valuation discount to TU's 26.1x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, T's 7.4x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than TU's 9.1x.
| Metric | TUTELUS Corporation | TAT&T Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $21.4B | $196.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $42.5B | $332.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 26.12x | 9.21x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 20.63x | 12.26x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 9.06x | 7.39x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.43x | 1.56x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.74x | 1.59x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 12.49x | 10.08x |
Profitability & Efficiency
T delivers a 17.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $17 in annual profit, vs $7 for TU. T carries lower financial leverage with a 1.23x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to TU's 1.90x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), T scores 7/9 vs TU's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | TUTELUS Corporation | TAT&T Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.7% | +17.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.9% | +5.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +3.9% | +7.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +4.8% | +6.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.90x | 1.23x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $28.8B | $136.8B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $2.6B | $18.2B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $31.5B | $155.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 3.55x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in T five years ago would be worth $16,283 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $9,345 for TU. Over the past 12 months, T leads with a +6.2% total return vs TU's -3.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors T at 18.3% vs TU's -4.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | TUTELUS Corporation | TAT&T Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +4.8% | +15.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -3.5% | +6.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -13.8% | +65.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -6.6% | +62.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +59.7% | +59.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -4.8% | +18.3% |
Risk & Volatility
TU is the less volatile stock with a -0.02 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than T's 0.12 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. T currently trades 94.0% from its 52-week high vs TU's 82.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | TUTELUS Corporation | TAT&T Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | -0.02x | 0.12x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $16.74 | $29.79 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $12.54 | $22.95 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +82.1% | +94.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 48.7 | 55.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 4.7M | 36.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates TU as "Buy" and T as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 64.4% upside for TU (target: $23) vs 4.0% for T (target: $29). For income investors, TU offers the higher dividend yield at 5.64% vs T's 4.07%.
| Metric | TUTELUS Corporation | TAT&T Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $22.59 | $29.12 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 23 | 61 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +5.6% | +4.1% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 5 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.06 | $1.14 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.1% | +2.3% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| TELUS Corporation (TU) | 100 | 73.42 | -26.6% |
| AT&T Inc. (T) | 100 | 93.73 | -6.3% |
AT&T Inc. (T) returned +63% over 5 years vs TELUS Corporation (TU)'s -7%. A $10,000 investment in T 5 years ago would be worth $16,283 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| TELUS Corporation (TU) | $12.7B | $20.5B | +61.1% |
| AT&T Inc. (T) | $163.8B | $125.6B | -23.3% |
TELUS Corporation's revenue grew from $12.7B (2016) to $20.5B (2025) — a 5.4% CAGR. AT&T Inc.'s revenue grew from $163.8B (2016) to $125.6B (2025) — a -2.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| TELUS Corporation (TU) | 9.6% | 5.4% | -43.5% |
| AT&T Inc. (T) | 7.9% | 17.4% | +119.9% |
TELUS Corporation's net margin went from 10% (2016) to 5% (2025). AT&T Inc.'s net margin went from 8% (2016) to 17% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| TELUS Corporation (TU) | 14.3 | 18.3 | +28.0% |
| AT&T Inc. (T) | 6.2 | 8.2 | +32.3% |
TELUS Corporation has traded in a 12x–31x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~26x. AT&T Inc. has traded in a 6x–16x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~9x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| TELUS Corporation (TU) | 1.03 | 0.72 | -30.1% |
| AT&T Inc. (T) | 2.1 | 3.04 | +44.8% |
TELUS Corporation's EPS grew from $1.03 (2016) to $0.72 (2025) — a -4% CAGR. AT&T Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.10 (2016) to $3.04 (2025) — a 4% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
TELUS Corporation generated $2B FCF in 2025 (+353% vs 2021). AT&T Inc. generated $19B FCF in 2025 (+97% vs 2021).
TU vs T: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is TU or T a better buy right now?
AT&T Inc. (T) offers the better valuation at 9.2x trailing P/E (12.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate TELUS Corporation (TU) a "Buy" — based on 23 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 — TU or T?
On trailing P/E, AT&T Inc. (T) is the cheapest at 9.2x versus TELUS Corporation at 26.1x. On forward P/E, AT&T Inc. is actually cheaper at 12.3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — TU or T?
Over the past 5 years, AT&T Inc. (T) delivered a total return of +62.8%, compared to -6.6% for TELUS Corporation (TU). A $10,000 investment in T five years ago would be worth approximately $16K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: T returned +59.8% versus TU's +59.7%. 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 — TU or T?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), TELUS Corporation (TU) is the lower-risk stock at -0.02β versus AT&T Inc.'s 0.12β — meaning T is approximately -827% more volatile than TU relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, AT&T Inc. (T) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 123% versus 190% for TELUS Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — TU or T?
AT&T Inc. (T) is the more profitable company, earning 17.4% net margin versus 5.4% for TELUS Corporation — meaning it keeps 17.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: T leads at 19.2% versus 11.5% for TU. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — T leads at 79.8%, 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 TU or T more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, AT&T Inc. (T) trades at 12.3x forward P/E versus 20.6x for TELUS Corporation — 8.4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TU: 64.4% to $22.59.
07Which pays a better dividend — TU or T?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. TELUS Corporation (TU) offers the highest yield at 5.6%, versus 4.1% for AT&T Inc. (T).
08Is TU or T better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, TELUS Corporation (TU) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0.02), 5.6% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (TU: +59.7%, T: +59.8%), 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 TU and T?
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: TU is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; T 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
- Net Margin > 5%
- Dividend Yield > 2.2%
- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Net Margin > 10%
- Dividend Yield > 1.6%