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Telefónica, S.A.

TEF.MC
29
Telecommunications Services · Communication Services
Price
€3.62
+0.02 (+0.58%)
Market Cap
€20.40B
Exchange
Madrid Stock Exchange
Winston Score
29
Winston is worried
Below-average fundamentals — multiple weak pillars.

Share count falling — buybacks

1.7% over 4y

The company has reduced its share count over this period, returning value to shareholders through buybacks.

Diluted shares outstanding: 5.74B (2021) → 5.64B (2025)

Telefónica is a large Spanish telecommunications company that provides mobile phone service, home internet, TV, and fixed-line phone connections to millions of people and businesses. Its main brands include Movistar and O2, and it serves customers across Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, and several countries in Latin America, including Brazil. It is one of the largest telecom operators in Europe and Latin America by subscriber count.

The company earns money through monthly subscription fees from consumers and businesses for mobile plans, broadband, and bundled services. Telefónica operates across roughly a dozen countries, generating annual revenues of around €40 billion, but it carries a heavy debt load that limits financial flexibility. Its established network infrastructure and brand recognition provide some competitive stability, but the main risk the business faces is sustaining profitability while investing heavily in 5G network upgrades and managing debt in an environment of rising interest rates and intense competition.

Winston Score History

Growth Profile

When traditional metrics don't capture the full picture, these are the signals growth stock investors use instead.

Revenue Growth

-11.9% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Revenue declining

EPS Growth

+68.2% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Strong earnings growth

R&D Spend

$0/ year

Declining (-100% vs prior year)

0.0% of revenue

Below sector average (12%)

R&D spend declining — could signal cost-cutting or efficiency

Insider Activity

30.4%ownership

Insiders own a meaningful stake in the company

Cash Position

Cash flow positive

$14.5B cash & investments

Quarterly Free Cash Flow

↓ Burn rate worsening

Company generates more cash than it spends — no dilution risk from fundraising

Revenue declining

Telefónica, S.A.'s revenue is actually shrinking. In a growth stock, that removes the core investment thesis. The low Winston Score here may be warranted — unless there's a turnaround story.

The Winston Score above measures business quality today. Growth stocks often score lower because they invest in the future rather than maximising current profits. These metrics show what matters most for evaluating that future.

Score breakdown

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Quality

Gross Margin
10.2%
Thin — 10.2% gross margin
Operating Margin
13.8%
Healthy — 13.8% operating margin
ROCE
2.2%
Weak — 2.2% return on capital

ROIC between 0% and 5%. They earn a few cents back per dollar invested in the business.

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Growth

Sales YoY
-12.2%
Shrinking sales (-12.2% YoY)
EPS YoY
N/A
Data not available
EPS Consistency
2/8 quarters
Earnings rarely grow — volatile business

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Cash Flow

Cash Conversion
N/A
Data not available
FCF Margin
13.3%
Converts sales into free cash efficiently (13.3%)

FCF margin between 10% and 20%. Every $100 in sales becomes $10 to $20 in real cash.

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Stability

Debt / Equity
2.48
Heavy debt load (2.48)
Interest Cover
0.78x
Dangerous — barely covers interest (0.8x)

Interest coverage below 1. Their profits don't cover the interest bill.

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Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)
N/M
Negative earnings — P/E not meaningful
P/E vs Forward
N/A
not available
Data not available

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Dividends

Dividend Yield
8.37%
Healthy income — 8.37% yield

Yield above 6% — often a flag the market is pricing in a cut.

Dividend Growth
+17.6%
Dividend growing fast (17.6% YoY)

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