The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who didn’t). Let’s take a look at how telecommunication services stocks fared in Q1, starting with Cogent (NASDAQ: CCOI).
The sector is a tale of two cities. Satellite telecommunication is generally buoyed by rising global demand for connectivity in costly-to-connect and remote areas. On the other hand, terrestrial telecommunication companies face an uphill battle, as they mostly sell into a deflationary market, where the price of moving a bit tends to decrease over time with better technology. Despite the differences in demand drivers, companies across the entire industry must contend competition from larger telecom conglomerates and hyperscalers expanding their own networks as well as newer entrants such as SpaceX's StarLink.
The 6 telecommunication services stocks we track reported a softer Q1. As a group, revenues missed analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.2%.
Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 12.1% since the latest earnings results.
Best Q1: Cogent (NASDAQ: CCOI)
Operating a massive network spanning 20,000 miles of fiber optic cable and connecting to over 3,200 buildings worldwide, Cogent Communications (NASDAQ: CCOI) provides high-speed Internet access, private network services, and data center colocation to businesses and bandwidth-intensive organizations across 54 countries.
Cogent reported revenues of $239.2 million, down 3.2% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 0.9%, but it was still a strong quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.
Investor expectations, however, were likely higher than Wall Street’s published projections, leaving some wishing for even better results (analysts’ consensus estimates are those published by big banks and advisory firms, not the investors who make buy and sell decisions). The stock is down 42.1% since reporting and currently trades at $13.41.
Is now the time to buy Cogent? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Lumen (NYSE: LUMN)
With approximately 350,000 route miles of fiber optic cable spanning North America and the Asia Pacific, Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) operates a vast fiber optic network that provides communications, cloud connectivity, security, and IT solutions to businesses and consumers.
Lumen reported revenues of $2.90 billion, down 8.9% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 2.3%. The business performed better than its peers, but it was unfortunately a slower quarter with a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.
Lumen pulled off the biggest analyst estimate beat among its peers. Although it had a fine quarter compared to its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 11.3% since reporting. It currently trades at $8.19.
Is now the time to buy Lumen? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Weakest Q1: Viasat (NASDAQ: VSAT)
Operating a fleet of 23 satellites that orbit the Earth and beam connectivity from space, Viasat (NASDAQ: VSAT) provides satellite-based communications networks and services for airlines, maritime vessels, governments, businesses, and residential customers worldwide.
Viasat reported revenues of $1.17 billion, up 2.1% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 3%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.
As expected, the stock is down 23.7% since the results and currently trades at $66.16.
Read our full analysis of Viasat’s results here.
Iridium (NASDAQ: IRDM)
With a constellation of 66 low-earth orbit satellites providing coverage to every inch of the planet, Iridium Communications (NASDAQ: IRDM) operates a global satellite network that provides voice and data services to customers in remote areas where traditional telecommunications are unavailable.
Iridium reported revenues of $219.1 million, up 1.9% year on year. This result came in 0.9% below analysts’ expectations. Overall, it was a disappointing quarter as it also produced a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.
The stock is up 30% since reporting and currently trades at $52.55.
Read our full, actionable report on Iridium here, it’s free.
Globalstar (NASDAQ: GSAT)
Known for powering the emergency SOS feature in newer Apple iPhones, Globalstar (NASDAQ: GSAT) operates a network of low-earth orbit satellites that provide voice and data communications services in remote areas where traditional cellular networks don't reach.
Globalstar reported revenues of $70.06 million, up 16.7% year on year. This number missed analysts’ expectations by 0.7%. It was a disappointing quarter as it also recorded a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.
The stock is flat since reporting and currently trades at $80.74.
Read our full, actionable report on Globalstar here, it’s free.
Market Update
Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand-wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?
These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.
Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Hidden Gem Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.
