
Unfortunately AT&T's revenues and earnings haven't been very interesting for a number of years because they seem to generally be going nowhere, but it's a solid company with a growing dividend currently yielding 5.60%. That dividend, however, has experienced a rather tepid growth rate (DGR) these last few years that has barely kept up with inflation (3 Yr DGR of 2.30%, 5 Yr DGR of 2.38%, 10 Yr DGR of 2.84%). Fortunately the dividend is relatively generous and for those needing current income this is a great company to accumulate.
This is also a company with a very low beta of .33 so there's not that danger of a highly volatile security that needs to be monitored constantly. For those interested in swing trading this stock would easily allow for trading against the Bollinger Bands to add significantly to the yield provided by the dividend. For those not interested in swing trading this security has listed stock options which can provide a nice opportunity to sell covered calls off current holdings. Whichever way an investor decides to approach this stock, with a little work this stock provides a nice way to earn 10% or better annually.
If you're a growth investor rather than an income investor, you'll probably pass on this company. But this is a solid company that's been around for more than 100 years and isn't going anywhere anytime soon. I see this security as a core holding for any portfolio.