Is Vodafone Group (VOD) the Best Telecom Stock to Buy According to Hedge Funds?
We recently published a list of the 13 Best Telecom Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Vodafone Group Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:VOD) stands against other best telecom stocks.
The global telecom services market is estimated at $1.98 trillion as of 2024, according to Grand View Research. It is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2025 to 2030. This expansion is driven by the increasing expenditures on 5G infrastructure deployment, which is fueled by a shift in customer preference towards next-generation technologies and smartphone devices. Additionally, the rising number of mobile subscribers, the soaring demand for high-speed data connectivity, and the growing need for value-added managed services are key factors that contribute to this market growth.
Initially a trend in 2019, 5G has solidified its position as a critical driver of the industrial economy. The Future of Commerce reported that the global 5G connections are projected to surge from 1.76 billion in 2023 to 7.9 billion by 2028. This indicates that 5G will constitute over half of all connections, as per reports from 5G Americas and Omdia. This expansion is driven by investments from government and telecom companies, as well as the demand for faster internet speeds, lower latency, and improved battery life. While 5G deployment continues, 6G is emerging and promises ultra-high data speeds via terahertz spectrum bands, low latency, and AI integration. It aims to revolutionize communication through applications like smart grids and immersive XR experiences. However, challenges like energy efficiency and responsible AI integration remain. Telecom companies stand to capture a $100 billion opportunity within the 5G economy.
AI is deeply ingrained in the telecom sector as well. It evolved from basic echo cancellation in the 1950s to sophisticated algorithms for network management and failure prediction. In 2025, AI's role will intensify, with global telco investments projected to rise from $3.34 billion in 2024 to $58.7 billion by 2032. AI is crucial in network topology improvements. It facilitates self-healing networks, automated transitions, and AR applications. It will drive 6G's evolution towards connected intelligence and enhance predictive maintenance, fault detection, security, and customer experiences through predictive and cognitive AI.
We used the Finviz stock screener to compile an initial list of top telecom stocks. We then selected the 13 stocks that were the most popular among elite hedge funds and that analysts were bullish on. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of the number of hedge funds that have stakes in them, as of Q4 2024. The hedge fund data was sourced from Insider Monkey's database which tracks the moves of over 900 elite money managers.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
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Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 24
Vodafone Group Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:VOD) is a telecom giant that delivers mobile and fixed connectivity services, alongside advanced enterprise solutions. These include cloud, IoT, and cybersecurity. With a strong presence in Europe and Africa, it also provides innovative digital services like M-PESA and integrated communication platforms.
The company is currently navigating a challenging German telecom market, which significantly impacted its overall performance. The company experienced a 3.8% year-over-year headwind in FQ2 2025 due to the MDU TV customer migration, with a 1.5% sequential drop from broadband price increases. The company anticipates this impact continuing into FQ3, before easing in FQ4.
Despite this, Vodafone Group (NASDAQ:VOD) is expanding its gigabit-capable broadband reach and now covers 75% of German households, which includes an additional 5 million through new fiber wholesale agreements. The company is aiming for a U-shaped recovery in Germany, with FQ2 marking the bottom. It anticipates positive growth returning by FY26. It's monitoring the increasingly competitive German mobile market, where it's maintaining pricing discipline amidst aggressive moves from competitors.
Overall, VOD ranks 12th on our list of the best telecom stocks to buy according to hedge funds. While we acknowledge the growth potential of VOD, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than VOD but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
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