Citi maintains Lumen stock Neutral rating, $8 target

Published 05/02/2025, 12:30
Citi maintains Lumen stock Neutral rating, $8 target

On Wednesday, Citi analyst Michael Rollins (NYSE:ROL) maintained a Neutral rating with a price target of $8.00 on Lumen Technologies stock, traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker (NYSE:LUMN). Currently trading at $5.04, the stock has seen a remarkable 290% return over the past year, according to InvestingPro data. Rollins highlighted the company’s potential for a business turnaround through strategic balance sheet improvements, including significant upfront indefeasible rights of use (IRUs) and potential monetization of fiber assets or its Mass Markets assets. For deeper insights into Lumen’s valuation and growth potential, InvestingPro offers comprehensive analysis with 10+ additional expert tips.

Rollins noted that Lumen’s fourth-quarter results showed an unexpected rise in revenue, particularly in the Public Sector and Wholesale performance, though he cautioned that some of the gains were one-time in nature. According to InvestingPro data, the company’s overall financial health score is rated as "FAIR," with revenue reaching $13.3 billion in the last twelve months. He also pointed out the increasing complexity in evaluating the company’s business segment results due to a growing contribution from non-cash deferred revenue amortization.

Despite the positive fourth-quarter headlines and the potential for further Private Capacity Facility (PCF) sales and Mass Markets asset monetization, Rollins reiterated his Neutral stance. The rating reflects a combination of a sum-of-parts valuation approach and the absence of improved revenue performance across a broader range of Lumen’s customer verticals.

Rollins’ analysis suggests that while there are positive developments, there remains a level of caution due to the high-risk nature of the investment and the need for more consistent revenue growth across the company’s segments. As a result, the analyst expects Lumen shares to trade higher in the near term based on the recent fourth-quarter performance and the opportunities ahead.

In other recent news, Lumen Technologies has reported robust Q4 earnings and revenue, surpassing analyst expectations. The telecommunications firm posted adjusted earnings per share of $0.09, significantly beating the analyst consensus estimate of -$0.06. Revenue was reported at $3.33 billion, exceeding expectations of $3.19 billion. Lumen’s net income for the fourth quarter was $85 million, a stark contrast to the net loss of $1.995 billion in the same period last year, which included a $1.9 billion non-cash goodwill impairment charge. Despite a 5% year-over-year decline in total revenue to $3.33 billion, primarily due to the divestiture of the company’s EMEA business, revenue from North America Enterprise Channels remained relatively stable. Looking into the future, Lumen has provided 2025 guidance for adjusted EBITDA of $3.2 billion to $3.4 billion and free cash flow of $700 million to $900 million. These recent developments underscore Lumen’s commitment to financial stability and their strategy of disrupting the industry by cloudifying telecom.

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