A major deal with a top name in the telecom sphere propelled Corning (GLW +4.70%) stock to a solid gain on Tuesday. The arrangement will see the company, an important supplier of fiber-optic cable, provide its wares to the client for years. Corning’s shares closed the day nearly 5% higher after the news, contrasting favorably with the S&P 500 index’s 0.2% dip.
Calling on a monster new deal
The deal was revealed by Corning’s counterparty, AT&T, in a press release published before market open. The telecom giant announced that it and Corning have entered into a multiyear supply arrangement for fiber optic cable materials valued at over $3 billion. It did not get more specific about the contract’s value or length.
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Demand for wider bandwidth is heavy these days, particularly with the build-out of artificial intelligence (AI) compute. AT&T clearly wants and needs to have the necessary networking infrastructure in place sooner rather than later.
In the press release, the telecom wrote that “This deal with Corning helps AT&T deliver on its commitment to bring fast, reliable internet to 60 million Americans by the end of 2030.”
“This means more access to the connectivity they need today, tomorrow, and for generations to come,” it added.
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Double win
Of the two companies, Corning is the more immediate beneficiary, of course. The new AT&T contract is a clear win, not only because of the billions of dollars it’ll add to the fundamentals, but also because it burnishes the company’s reputation as a go-to provider for modern broadband infrastructure. I think investors were right to buy into Corning stock on such encouraging news.
Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Corning. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
