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- Connections Pay Off as Subscriber Growth Surges Beyond This Stock’s Expectations
Connections Pay Off as Subscriber Growth Surges Beyond This Stock’s Expectations
Noah Zelvis
October 22, 2025
A major telecom provider has outperformed in Q3, adding hundreds of thousands of new customers thanks to smart promotions.
Its steady dividend and subscriber gains suggest robust ongoing appeal.
Where to Invest $100,000 According to Experts
Investors face a dilemma. Headlines everywhere say tariffs and AI hype are distorting public markets.
Now, the S&P is trading at over 30x earnings—a level historically linked to crashes.
And the Fed is lowering rates, potentially adding fuel to the fire.
Bloomberg asked where experts would personally invest $100,000 for their September edition. One surprising answer? Art.
It’s what billionaires like Bezos, Gates, and the Rockefellers have used to diversify for decades.
Why?
Contemporary art prices have appreciated 11.2% annually on average
…And with one of the lowest correlations to stocks of any major asset class (Masterworks data, 1995-2024).
Ultra-high net worth collectors (>$50M) allocated 25% of their portfolios to art on average. (UBS, 2024)
Thanks to the world’s premiere art investing platform, now anyone can access works by legends like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso—without needing millions. Want in? Shares in new offerings can sell quickly but…
*Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Important Reg A disclosures: masterworks.com/cd.
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Media
The $2 Billion Plot Twist Shaking Up the Future of Entertainment
Paramount Skydance (NASDAQ: PSKY) just announced plans to slash 2,000 U.S. jobs as part of a $2 billion overhaul.
You’re seeing one of Hollywood’s most significant mergers get its first real rewrite, and it’s anything but subtle.
The job cuts target legacy TV and cable divisions, where audiences are fleeing faster than advertisers can follow.
If you’ve noticed your favorite shows shifting to streaming, now you know why—it’s survival mode.
Cut Costs, Keep the Camera Rolling
This isn’t a retreat; it’s a creative reset. Paramount Skydance is channeling its budget toward streaming, sports, and cinematic franchises that can actually pull global audiences.
You might notice a shake-up with fewer shows but more spectacle.
Deals like its UFC partnership and new blockbuster franchises show the company’s trying to trade quantity for cultural dominance.
A New Era for Old Hollywood
The real test starts on November 10 when the company reports earnings. Every number will reveal whether this bold transformation is a reboot or a box office flop.
If you’re tracking where entertainment goes next, keep your eyes here. Paramount Skydance is either setting up the next golden age or closing the curtain on the last one.
PARA currently trades at $16.53 and pays a dividend of $0.20 per share, a yield of 1.21%.
Consumer Brands
Starbucks Found a Way to Make Coffee Faster Without Losing Its Soul
Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) is brewing a digital makeover that’s all about speed and precision.
You’re not getting machines replacing people; you’re getting baristas backed by an AI teammate designed to keep the line moving and orders perfect.
The new system, Green Dot Assist, is designed to help manage orders, balance multiple pickup channels, and address small problems before they escalate.
You’ll notice it when your morning routine feels faster and less chaotic.
The Tech Behind the Taste
Early pilots show Green Dot Assist cuts service times and reduces employee burnout. You can expect smoother operations, warmer service, and fewer mix-ups when caffeine matters most.
Starbucks is betting this smart automation can lift margins, keep workers happy, and rebuild consistency across stores.
The idea is simple: technology should help people, not replace them.
The Next Pour of Progress
AI is now part of Starbucks’ turnaround recipe, supporting faster service and higher satisfaction.
The company’s strategy ties into its plan to close underperforming stores and sharpen its tech-driven edge.
If you love efficiency as much as your espresso, this new blend of human skill and AI precision might be the future you’ll actually taste.
SBUX currently trades at $85.85 and pays a dividend of $2.44 per share, a yield of 2.84%.
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*This free resource is being sent by Zacks. We identify investment resources you may choose to use in making your own decisions. Use of this resource is subject to the Zacks Terms of Service.
*Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investing involves risk. This material does not constitute investment, legal, accounting, or tax advice. Zacks Investment Research is not a licensed dealer, broker, or investment adviser.
Enterprise Tech
IBM's Secret Weapon Isn't a Chip or a Cloud—It's Claude
IBM (NYSE: IBM) has officially joined forces with Anthropic to embed the Claude family of AI models into its enterprise software ecosystem.
You're looking at a power move that blends old-school credibility with next-gen intelligence.
The partnership gives IBM an edge where it counts most: trusted, compliant AI for heavily regulated industries.
If you work in finance, healthcare, or government, this could be the moment your organization starts taking AI seriously.
Building AI for the Real World
Unlike the flashy consumer tools flooding your feed, IBM's AI strategy is built for stability and security.
The new AI-first development platform will help modernize software while keeping sensitive data locked down.
You'll see it in action through IBM's hybrid cloud, where Claude quietly enhances productivity and compliance in the background.
This is the kind of integration that turns tech into infrastructure, not noise.
A Future Built on Trust and Code
IBM's collaboration with Anthropic goes beyond a single product launch.
It lays the foundation for recurring enterprise revenue, stickier client relationships, and an unmistakable edge in AI governance.
If you've been wondering where the real money in AI will be made, IBM just gave you the blueprint.
This is not just a passing trend; it's the ongoing development of digital trust being shaped in real time.
IBM currently trades at $286.00 and pays a dividend of $6.72 per share, a yield of 2.35%.
Dividend Stocks Worth Watching
Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) has delivered stronger-than-expected revenue and earnings in its Q3 release.
Bolstered by a 5% increase in net sales, the beverage conglomerate struck an optimistic note in its earnings comments, saying that while demand is still soft, there are signs that conditions are starting to improve as we move into Q4.
KO currently pays a 51-cent dividend, yielding 2.89%.
Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) is winning the battle of the bank stocks during earnings season.
The results confirmed better-than-expected performance in earnings and revenue, along with a 12% growth in card fees, a 9% increase in credit card accounts, and a 2% growth in WFC’s loan portfolio.
Investment banking, meanwhile, peaked at 25% year-on-year. Credit losses and the net charge-off rate also dropped in further positive news.
What made this earnings statement stand out, however, is the impact of the June removal of the bank's asset cap, with WFC assets racing past $2 trillion for the first time.
With its sights set on becoming the number one consumer and business bank in the USA, WFC is undoubtedly one to watch.
It currently pays a 45-cent quarterly dividend, with a 2.09% yield.
AT&T (NYSE: T) has added a bumper number of new subscribers over the last quarter, as its sales promotions for broadband packages and new iPhone deals proved hard for tech fans to resist.
The network provider had been expected to onboard 334,100 new wireless subscribers in Q3 but comfortably exceeded that target by adding 405,000 new monthly customers, thanks to its revamped package offers.
It has also successfully executed a new customer upsell tactic, with 41% of fiber customers also taking out an AT&T mobile plan.
T currently pays a 28-cent dividend, yielding 4.26%.
Dividend Increases
GTY has increased its dividend to 49 cents, a rise of 3.19%. Its new yield is 7.04%.
HII has lifted its dividend to $1.38, a boost of 2.22%. Its new yield is 1.92%.
APH has increased its dividend to 25 cents, a rise of 51.5%. Its new yield is 0.8%.
HBCP has raised its dividend to 31 cents, an increase of 6.90%. Its new yield is 2.3%.
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Upcoming Dividend Payers
SYY’s ex-dividend date for the forthcoming 54-cent payment is 10/24/25.
IVR’s ex-dividend date for the forthcoming 34-cent payment is 10/24/25.
NEWT’s ex-dividend date for the forthcoming 19-cent payment is 10/24/25.
FBNC’s ex-dividend date for the forthcoming 23-cent payment is 10/25/25.
Everything Else
Apple is firing on all cylinders as Black Friday creeps ever closer, with the latest industry data showing its iPhone 17 series outsold its predecessor, the iPhone 16, by more than 14% in China and the USA in the first 10 days post-launch.
We may be a month out from Turkey Day but shoppers visiting grocers, including Kroger, Target, and Walmart, should expect to see Thanksgiving offers arriving early as the major supermarkets try to help shoppers fill their holiday dinner tables for less.
General Motors has confirmed it is ending production of the BrightDrop electric delivery van at its Ontario plant due to a lack of demand for the vehicle.
Meta says it will cut around 600 jobs in its AI superintelligence unit workforce as it works on a strategic reorganization plan.
That’s all for today’s edition of the Dividend Brief.
Thanks for reading, and if you have any feedback or dividend stocks you want me to take a look at, just reply to this email!
—Noah Zelvis
DividendBrief.com