AT&T Stock Today (T): Price Holds Up as Settlement Deadline Arrives and Vanguard Boosts Its Stake

AT&T stock is edging higher on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, as investors digest a major data‑breach settlement deadline, fresh institutional buying from Vanguard, and mixed Wall Street views — all against a backdrop of a global market sell‑off.

Published: November 18, 2025

AT&T stock today: quick snapshot

Share price: AT&T (NYSE: T) is trading around $25.56, up roughly 0.3% on the day as of late-afternoon trading, after opening at $25.51 and trading between about $25.35 and $25.71.
Daily performance: Based on intraday data, AT&T is modestly higher, with the latest daily range reported near $25.54–$25.73 and volume around 9.4 million shares. ^[1]
Relative performance: The stock is outperforming major indices, with the S&P 500 and Dow down around 1–1.5% today amid renewed worries about an AI-driven bubble and slower rate‑cut odds. ^[2]
Big ownership move:Vanguard Group has raised its AT&T stake, now holding about 661.4 million shares (roughly 9.25% of the company) after adding more than 10 million shares in the most recently reported quarter. ^[3]
Legal backdrop: Today is the widely publicized deadline for AT&T’s $177 million data‑breach settlement, with eligible customers able to claim up to $7,500 depending on losses and data exposure. ^[4]
Income story: AT&T continues to pay a quarterly dividend of $0.2775 per share (annualized $1.11), implying a dividend yield of roughly 4.3–4.4% at today’s price. ^[5]
Street view: Zacks currently rates AT&T a Rank #3 (Hold), while MarketBeat’s survey of analysts points to a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target around $30.64 — roughly 20% above today’s level. ^[6]

Price action: a defensive name in a shaky market

Global markets are under pressure today. U.S. indices are extending Monday’s slide, with the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq all lower as investors fret about stretched technology valuations and the possibility that the Federal Reserve may not deliver another rate cut this year. ^[7]

Against that backdrop, AT&T’s small gain stands out:

Intraday price: about $25.56, up roughly 0.09 dollars (0.3%) on the session.
Today’s range: recent data show a high near $25.73 and low around $25.35, a fairly tight band given today’s volatility in growth stocks. ^[8]
Volume: around 9.4 million shares have changed hands so far, below the heaviest days seen after earnings but consistent with a normal trading session. ^[9]

In other words, while high‑beta tech names are being “clobbered,” as some market commentators describe it, AT&T is behaving like what it is: a low‑beta, income‑oriented defensive that investors often hide in when the broader market is wobbling. ^[10]

Vanguard’s quiet vote of confidence

One of the biggest headlines for AT&T today is on the institutional ownership front.

A new report from MarketBeat, based on Vanguard’s latest 13F filing, shows that the asset‑management giant: ^[11]

Increased its AT&T position by about 1.6% in Q2, buying roughly 10.3 million additional shares.
Now holds around 661.4 million shares, equivalent to about 9.25% of AT&T’s outstanding stock.
Valued that stake at roughly $19.1 billion at the end of the reported quarter.

Vanguard is not alone. The same filing data show a range of smaller institutions nudging their positions higher, adding incremental holdings of AT&T shares over the quarter.

For retail investors, this matters for two reasons:

Signal of confidence: Large asset managers tend not to chase short‑term headlines. A bigger position suggests they still see long‑term value in AT&T’s cash‑generating telecom franchise.
Ownership stability: With more than half of the stock in institutional hands — about 57%, according to MarketBeat — AT&T’s shareholder base is dominated by long‑term capital, which can dampen volatility. ^[12]

Fundamentals and valuation: what analysts are saying today

Zacks: “Trending stock,” but rated Hold

A fresh Zacks report, highlighted on Nasdaq this morning, notes that AT&T has been one of the most searched‑for stocks on Zacks.com lately — but that interest has not translated into strong short‑term performance. Over the past month: ^[13]

AT&T shares are down about 2.4%,
versus roughly +0.2% for the Zacks S&P 500 composite,
and –3.4% for the broader wireless industry.

On the earnings front, Zacks points out that:

Current‑quarter EPS is expected around $0.49, about 9.3% lower than the same quarter last year.
Full‑year 2025 EPS consensus sits near $2.06, also down about 8.9% year‑over‑year.
For 2026, analysts see a rebound, with EPS estimates around $2.27, implying roughly 10.5% growth versus 2025. ^[14]

Revenue expectations are more modest but positive:

Current‑quarter revenue is forecast around $32.7 billion, up about 1.1% year‑on‑year.
Full‑year sales estimates near $124.9 billion for 2025 and $126.7 billion for 2026 imply low‑single‑digit growth. ^[15]

Zacks’ proprietary ranking system, which leans heavily on earnings‑estimate revisions, assigns AT&T a Rank #3 (Hold) and a Value Style Score of “B”, signaling that the stock looks reasonably priced versus peers but not screamingly cheap in their framework. ^[16]

MarketBeat: moderate upside potential

MarketBeat’s analyst survey paints a slightly more constructive picture: ^[17]

Overall rating: “Moderate Buy”, based on a mix of Buy and Hold calls.
Average 12‑month price target: about $30.64 per share.
That target implies roughly 20% upside from today’s ~$25.50 trading level, before factoring in the 4%+ dividend yield.

MarketBeat also highlights solid profitability metrics, including:

Net margin near 17.9%,
Return on equity (ROE) around 12.7%,
figures that are respectable for a mature telecom and support AT&T’s case as a steady cash generator rather than a high‑growth story. ^[18]

Earnings check‑in: slow growth, but stable cash flows

Today’s analyst commentary still leans on AT&T’s most recent quarterly report, released in October:

Revenue: about $30.71 billion, up roughly 1.6% from the prior year.
EPS:$0.54, down from $0.60 in the same quarter last year. ^[19]
The company slightly missed revenue and EPS expectations, but continues to grow wireless and broadband while managing a heavy debt load.

The story is familiar to long‑time AT&T watchers:

Modest revenue growth,
pressure on margins as the company invests in 5G and fiber,
and a strategy built around steady dividends and gradual deleveraging rather than aggressive expansion.

Data‑breach settlement: deadline pressure and reputational risk

The data‑breach settlement is the other big AT&T headline around November 18, 2025 — and it matters for both brand and balance sheet.

According to a detailed explainer from The Economic Times: ^[20]

AT&T agreed to a $177 million settlement after two major data breaches in March and July 2024.
The March breach exposed Social Security numbers and other sensitive personal data, while the July incident involved call and text records.
Eligible customers can claim up to $7,500 in total, combining payments for documented financial losses and tiered cash awards depending on what data was exposed.
Claims must be submitted online or postmarked by Tuesday, November 18, 2025, through the official settlement administrator.

Local U.S. outlets are also reminding customers that they have only a short window left to file, emphasizing the need to check eligibility and submit documentation in time. ^[21]

There is some discrepancy in reporting around whether additional administrative deadlines run into December, but for investors the key points are:

Financial impact: Even if the full $177 million is paid, that figure is small relative to AT&T’s roughly $180 billion market cap and multi‑billion‑dollar annual cash flow. ^[22]
Reputational risk: The breaches and settlement underscore ongoing cybersecurity and data‑governance risks for large telcos — an area that regulators, customers and investors will continue to scrutinize.

So far, the market appears to be treating the settlement as a manageable, one‑off cost rather than a thesis‑breaking event, which helps explain why AT&T’s share price is not reacting sharply to today’s deadline.

Bond market housekeeping: 3.55% notes reach maturity

On the capital‑structure side, AT&T has also filed a Form 25 with the SEC, initiating the removal of its 3.55% Global Notes due November 18, 2025 from listing on the New York Stock Exchange. ^[23]

Key details:

The filing confirms that the NYSE has complied with the rules for striking this class of debt securities from the exchange.
These notes are maturing, so delisting them is largely an administrative step rather than a sign of distress.

For equity investors, this is a reminder that AT&T continually manages a large debt stack, rolling maturities and refinancing where necessary. A maturing issue at a relatively low coupon (3.55%) could slightly raise interest‑expense risk if replaced with higher‑yield debt, but it also shows the company has successfully navigated another bond maturity on schedule.

Dividend remains the cornerstone of the AT&T story

AT&T’s dividend is still one of its main attractions — and it’s central to how the stock is being discussed today.

From AT&T’s own historical dividend data and the latest institutional reports: ^[24]

The company paid a $0.2775 per‑share dividend on November 3, 2025, to shareholders of record as of October 10.
That translates to an annualized dividend of $1.11 per share.
At today’s price around $25.56, the forward yield is roughly 4.3–4.4%.
MarketBeat estimates a payout ratio near 36%, suggesting the dividend is well‑covered by earnings.

For income‑focused investors, that combination — a mid‑single‑digit yield, relatively low payout ratio, and solid free‑cash‑flow generation — is one reason AT&T continues to show up on lists of defensive dividend stocks, especially on days when growth names are whipsawing.

How today fits into the bigger picture for AT&T stock

Putting it all together, November 18, 2025 looks like a day where fundamentals quietly matter more than price fireworks for AT&T:

The stock is slightly green while global markets are red, reinforcing its role as a lower‑volatility, income‑oriented holding. ^[25]
Institutional accumulation from Vanguard supports the view that big money still sees long‑term value in the name. ^[26]
The data‑breach settlement deadline caps a reputationally painful saga, but the expected financial impact appears manageable, and much of it has likely been priced in over the past several months. ^[27]
Analyst commentary remains mixed but not bearish — Zacks’ Hold rating and MarketBeat’s Moderate Buy suggest AT&T is viewed as fairly valued to modestly undervalued, with potential upside if management can deliver on earnings and cash‑flow targets. ^[28]

For current and prospective shareholders, the key questions from here are:

Can AT&T sustain and grow free cash flow while continuing to invest in 5G and fiber and whittling down its sizable debt load?
Will earnings stabilize and then grow, as current consensus forecasts suggest for 2026?
Can the company avoid further reputational hits — especially around data security — that might undercut its brand or invite tougher regulation?

What to watch next

Looking beyond today’s headlines, investors in AT&T will likely focus on:

Next quarterly earnings call (early 2026) for updates on subscriber growth, churn, and free‑cash‑flow guidance.
Any new regulatory or legal developments following the 2024 data breaches and 2025 settlement.
Progress on debt reduction, including how the company handles future bond maturities and refinancing costs.
Telecom sector trends, such as pricing competition, 5G monetization, and potential consolidation, which could reshape the competitive landscape.

Important: This article is for informational and news purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, investment recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Always do your own research or consult a licensed financial adviser before making investment decisions.