Brad Thomas
Founder & Lead Analyst of Wide Moat Research
Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, CSX, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific mostly trade well above their historical valuation ranges, limiting near-term upside despite being classic heavy-asset, low-obsolescence businesses with nearly irreplicable networks. The proposed Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern combination could be transformational, but investors seem to be pricing in success already. Great railroads are better bought when uncertainty is high and valuations low. x.com x.comÂ
T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon look vulnerable to Starlink's prospective entry as a mobile carrier: the incumbents have grown complacent and milked customers for too long. Starlink should disrupt them, favoring SpaceX. x.comÂ
Verizon and AT&T face pressure as Starlink enters mobile service: Musk's entry into their market should make it harder for incumbents to retain share. x.comÂ
AT&T's dividend backed by free cash flow and buybacks could offer a place to hide if things get uglier. At ~9x 2026 EPS, it has a ~12% FCF yield, ~5% dividend yield and ~6-7% buyback yield. ~$2.8B in repurchases left under the 2026 target implies buying equal to ~6-7% of normal daily volume into year-end; its 5%+ dividend is backed by $18B+ in FCF. Starlink is a threat but seems overblown; the stock can get cheaper, yet AT&T diversifies exposure to new-paradigm bets such as SPCX. x.com x.comÂ
SpaceX's plan to build a terrestrial 800 MHz layer for Starlink Mobile eases fears that satellites will replace cell towers, a positive for American Tower, Crown Castle, SBA Communications and Array Digital Infrastructure. It also points to a potential fourth carrier with much deeper pockets that will likely use towers. Tower companies now own EchoStar's abandoned 800 MHz radios and antennas, which in theory could be leased or sold cheaply to SpaceX. x.com x.com x.comÂ
Starlink Mobile threatens US carriers' pricing economics even if it takes little market share. AT&T's lack of investment for the future makes its exposure worse. In Peter Adderton's scenario, a $5 monthly price cut on 250 million remaining connections would cost carriers $15 billion a year. x.com x.comÂ
T-Mobile's discount to the Street's lowest target could make it a good trade despite the long-term competition risk. The stock trades 14% below that $169 target, offering a valuation-based counterpoint to the concern that even marginal competition could be disastrous. x.comÂ
Nokia could be a huge beneficiary of Starlink's possible US carrier network because it is one of only two radio suppliers for cell sites, alongside Ericsson, and existing carriers would have to spend more to compete. SpaceX is seeking access to 80,000 sites, according to the author. Verizon's CEO estimates a full buildout would take at least four to six years and 65,000-80,000 sites; either way, the infrastructure demand looks bullish for Nokia. x.com x.com x.comÂ
SpaceX's satellite network should let Starlink Mobile provide equivalent cellular service with far less terrestrial infrastructure than other carriers. Acquiring some cell towers therefore makes sense. StockSavvyShay says SpaceX is in talks to secure at least 80,000 US cell sites. x.comÂ
Verizon and AT&T generate plenty of cash flow and can slow their spending if needed. Cell phones are widely used, and the carriers' metrics look fine. x.comÂ
Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile look finished now that SpaceX is acquiring a spectrum license to become a major US mobile carrier. Per The Kobeissi Letter, Verizon stock fell 7% on the news. x.comÂ