AT&T, Verizon investors have more than lead cables to worry about, WSJ says

Big telecom companies are working to reassure investors about two burdens: toxic lead and heavy debt, The Wall Street Journal’s Drew FitzGerald reports. Questions about the latter will linger in the background this week as AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ) use their quarterly earnings reports to address more immediate questions about lead-lined cables. While on paper, wireless companies should be thriving, in the market, companies like AT&T and Verizon look less healthy, the author says. The two cellphone carriers were among the worst-performing stocks in the S&P 500 index during the first half of 2023.