IT 100 Special Report 2006 >

  THE INFOTECH 100 COMPANIES
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53

AT&T

(NYSE: T)

USA

This isn't ol' Ma Bell anymore. San Antonio (Tex.)-based SBC Communications acquired AT&T and took its name in 2005. SBC chief Ed Whitacre snapped up the nation's biggest long-distance provider for its formidable expertise in selling service to large companies. The move allowed SBC to bulk up into a $66 billion behemoth. The acquisition also went a long way to offset the losses in local phone lines that have plagued telecom outfits like SBC. Whitacre didn't stop there. Earlier this year he struck again, announcing a deal to buy regional phone company BellSouth. That deal will give the new AT&T full control of Cingular Wireless, its joint venture with BellSouth, and the largest wireless carrier in the land.

Company Info

2005 Rank

Not Ranked

Sales*
($ Millions)

49,449.0

Sales Growth
(over prev. year)

21 %

Profits*
($ Millions)

5,346.0

Return on Equity

9.7 %

Total Return on Sales (12-mo.)

17.4

Share Price
As of 5/31/06

26.06

CURRENT
MARKET INFO

NYSE: T

No. of Employees

186,560

Industry Telecommunications
COMPANY WEB SITE >
*Trailing 12 months
Stock price data as of 5/31/06
DATA: Standard & Poor's Compustat

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Company Snapshot

AT&T provides telecommunication services in the U.S. and internationally. It offers various landline telecommunications services, including local, long-distance voice, switched access, data, and messaging services, as well as satellite television services. The company also provides wireless voice and data communications services in the U.S. AT&T sells its voice, data, long-distance, outsourcing, managed Web hosting, security services, and network integration services on both retail and wholesale basis to large business and governmental customers, as well as to small and midsize businesses, and residential consumers. Further, it provides advertising, Yellow and White Pages directories, and electronic directory publishing. The company was incorporated in 1983. It was formerly known as SBC Communications and changed its name to AT&T in 2005. The company is headquartered in San Antonio, Tex.


Data provided by Capital IQ
 
Edward E. Whitacre

Edward E. Whitacre, 64

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Total Compensation

$16,964,172

Value of Options

$484,705

Texas Tech University - Bachelor's Degree

Edward Whitacre Jr. has been chief executive officer and chairman of SBC Communications since January, 1990. Whitacre has been a director of Anheuser-Busch since 1988, and Burlington Northern Santa Fe since 1993. Whitacre has been a director of SBC Communications since October, 1986, and is chairman of the executive committee and member of the corporate development and the finance and pension committees. Whitacre served as a director of May Department Stores from 1989 to 2004. Whitacre served as a member of the nominating and corporate governance committees and served as chairman of the executive and compensation committees of May Department Stores. Whitacre served as a director of Emerson Electric from 1990 to 2004 and was a member of the audit and compensation committees.



Executive Data provided by Capital IQ