Headline: Crown Castle (CCI) Q4 2025 Earnings Preview: AFFO Forecast Down, Analysts Remain Cautiously Optimistic

Crown Castle Inc. (CCI), a major U.S. communications infrastructure provider with a $38 billion market cap, is set to release its fiscal Q4 2025 earnings. Analysts expect an AFFO of $1.01 per share, a 43.9% decline from $1.80 in the same period last year. Despite this, the company has consistently exceeded Wall Street estimates over the past four quarters. For fiscal 2025, analysts forecast AFFO of $4.12 per share, down nearly 41% from $6.98 in fiscal 2024. However, AFFO is projected to rebound to $4.74 per share in fiscal 2026, marking a 15.1% year-over-year increase. CCI stock has lagged behind broader market indices, declining 2.5% over the past year compared to the S&P 500's 13.6% gain. Following its Q3 2025 results on October 22, CCI reported AFFO of $1.12 per share and revenue of $1.07 billion, exceeding expectations. The company also raised its annual site rental revenue forecast to $4.01 billion - $4.05 billion, indicating strong demand from carriers upgrading to 5G. Analysts maintain a cautiously optimistic outlook, with a consensus "Moderate Buy" rating. Among 19 analysts, 10 recommend a "Strong Buy," one favors "Moderate Buy," and eight suggest a "Hold." The average price target of $108.39 implies a potential 25.8% upside from current levels.