Forbes has AT&T on its current cover as the best company in America. Barron’s has AT&T on its cover (0101.2007) as a prospective stockmarket turkey. I vote Barron’s in part because of what follows, which of course is my economic religion: “New technologies—and new competitors—have rendered Ma one of many telecom providers fighting for a piece of the action, instead of the only Bell at the ball. Where size once equaled might, greater heft today will do nothing to invigorate AT&T/BellSouth’s stagnant revenue.”
