TDS (Telephone and Data Systems) Days Payable: 78.03 (As of Mar. 2026) — 13% Above Median


TDS Telephone and Data Systems Inc TDS
64 GF Score
Price $38.45
GF Value $32.81
Valuation Modestly Overvalued
! 5 Warning Signs
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What is Telephone and Data Systems Days Payable?

Telephone and Data Systems TDS +3.25% 64 Days Payable is 78.03 as of Mar. 2026, which is 13% above its 10-year median of 68.77. GuruFocus rates TDS with a GF Score™ of 64/100 and a GF Value™ of $32.81 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 342 Telecommunication Services companies, Telephone and Data Systems ranks worse than 66.08% on this metric.

Telephone and Data Systems's average Accounts Payable for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $106 Mil. Telephone and Data Systems's Cost of Goods Sold for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $124 Mil. Hence, Telephone and Data Systems's Days Payable for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was 78.03.

The historical rank and industry rank for Telephone and Data Systems's Days Payable or its related term are showing as below:

TDS' s Days Payable Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 53.65   Med: 68.77   Max: 229.48
Current: 70.9

During the past 13 years, Telephone and Data Systems's highest Days Payable was 229.48. The lowest was 53.65. And the median was 68.77.

TDS's Days Payable is ranked worse than
66.08% of 342 companies
in the Telecommunication Services industry
Industry Median: 106.335 vs TDS: 70.90

Telephone and Data Systems's Days Payable declined from Mar. 2025 (118.59) to Mar. 2026 (78.03). It may suggest that Telephone and Data Systems accelerated paying its suppliers.


Telephone and Data Systems Days Payable Historical Data

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The historical data trend for Telephone and Data Systems's Days Payable can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Telephone and Data Systems Days Payable Chart

Telephone and Data Systems Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
Days Payable
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 73.01 70.23 229.48 134.46 69.15

Telephone and Data Systems Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
Days Payable Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 118.59 47.76 137.97 83.82 78.03

TDS vs AD, LBTYA, LBRDA: Days Payable Comparison

For the Telecom Services subindustry, Telephone and Data Systems's Days Payable, along with its competitors' market caps and Days Payable data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


Telephone and Data Systems Days Payable vs Telecommunication Services Industry

For the Telecommunication Services industry and Communication Services sector, Telephone and Data Systems's Days Payable distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Telephone and Data Systems's Days Payable falls into.


TDS
64GF Score
Telephone and Data Systems Inc TDS
Days Payable is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Telephone and Data Systems Days Payable Calculation

Days Payable indicates the number of days that the account payable relative to cost of goods sold the company has. An increase of Days Payable may suggest that the company delays paying its suppliers.

Telephone and Data Systems's Days Payable for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as

Days Payable (A: Dec. 2025 )
=Average Accounts Payable /Cost of Goods Sold*Days in Period
=( (Accounts Payable (A: Dec. 2024 ) + Accounts Payable (A: Dec. 2025 )) / count ) / Cost of Goods Sold (A: Dec. 2025 )*Days in Period
=( (74.866 + 115.822) / 2 ) / 503.26*365
=95.344 / 503.26*365
=69.15

Telephone and Data Systems's Days Payable for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 is calculated as:

Days Payable (Q: Mar. 2026 )
=Average Accounts Payable / Cost of Goods Sold*Days in Period
=( (Accounts Payable (Q: Dec. 2025 ) + Accounts Payable (Q: Mar. 2026 )) / count ) / Cost of Goods Sold (Q: Mar. 2026 )*Days in Period
=( (115.822 + 97.068) / 2 ) / 124.487*365 / 4
=106.445 / 124.487*365 / 4
=78.03

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Days Payable →
What does a Days Payable of 78.03 mean?
Telephone and Data Systems (TDS) has a Days Payable of 78.03 as of Mar. 2026. Days payable represents the average amount of days a company waits to pay its invoices from suppliers. View historical data on Telephone and Data Systems and its competitors. This is 13% above median its historical median of 68.77. Over the past decade, Telephone and Data Systems' Days Payable has ranged from 53.65 to 229.48. According to the industry distribution chart, Telephone and Data Systems ranks #226 out of 342 companies in the Telecommunication Services industry, placing it in the top 66.1%.
Is Telephone and Data Systems' Days Payable too high?
Telephone and Data Systems' current Days Payable of 78.03 is 13% above median its 10-year median of 68.77. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 53.65 to a high of 229.48. The Telecommunication Services industry median Days Payable is 106.34. Telephone and Data Systems' value of 78.03 is 26.6% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Telephone and Data Systems ranks #226 out of 342 companies in the Telecommunication Services industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Telephone and Data Systems has a GF Score™ of 64/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Telephone and Data Systems' Days Payable compare to AD and LBTYA?
According to the Telecommunication Services industry distribution chart, Telephone and Data Systems ranks #226 out of 342 companies for Days Payable. This places Telephone and Data Systems in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Days Payable is 106.34. Telephone and Data Systems' value of 78.03 is 26.6% below this benchmark. Historically, Telephone and Data Systems' own Days Payable has ranged from 53.65 to 229.48 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 68.77 vs. the industry median of 106.34, Telephone and Data Systems has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Days Payable for a Telecommunication Services company?
The median Days Payable among Telecommunication Services companies is 106.34, based on 342 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Days Payable significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Days Payable should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Telephone and Data Systems's current Days Payable of 78.03 is 26.6% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Days Payable mean?
A high Days Payable can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Days payable represents the average amount of days a company waits to pay its invoices from suppliers. View historical data on Telephone and Data Systems and its competitors. For the Telecommunication Services industry, the median Days Payable is 106.34 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Telephone and Data Systems's current Days Payable is 78.03, which is 13% above median its own 10-year median of 68.77. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Telephone and Data Systems stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Telephone and Data Systems (TDS) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $32.81, compared to a current price of $38.45 — trading 17.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Days Payable is 78.03, which is 13% above median its 10-year median of 68.77 and 26.6% below the Telecommunication Services industry median of 106.34. Telephone and Data Systems' overall GF Score™ is 64/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Days Payable calculated?
Days Payable is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Telephone and Data Systems (TDS), the current Days Payable is 78.03 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Telephone and Data Systems (TDS) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Telephone and Data Systems stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $38.45 is trading 17.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of $32.81. GuruFocus considers Telephone and Data Systems to be Modestly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for TDS:

  • Days Payable: 78.03 (13% above median its 10-year median of 68.77)
  • GF Value™: $32.81 vs. price of $38.45 (17.2% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 64/100 with 5 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 26.6% below the Telecommunication Services median (#226 of 342)

No single metric tells the full story. See the TDS stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Telephone and Data Systems Business Description

Other Exchanges TDSpU.PFD:USA
Address 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 4000, Chicago, IL, USA, 60602
Telephone and Data Systems Inc is a diversified telecommunications operator that provides communications services to customers through broadband, video, voice, and wireless connections. The company has two reportable segments: TDS Telecom and Array. The majority of its revenue is generated from the TDS Telecom segment, which generates revenue by providing broadband, video, voice, and wireless services. The Array segment generates its revenue mainly by leasing tower space on Array-owned towers to customers.
64GF Score

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Days Payable is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$38.45
Price
$32.81
GF Value