Why CHTR Stock surged +2.28% Today — RQD Quant Desk Flash

Per the Roarable RQD rating, CHTR scores 44 out of 100, equating to a letter grade of D and a verdict label of "Roarable Sell — Underperform / Distribution Warning." The five pillars are:

• Fundamental Cash Engine: 12 / 20. Per the Roarable RQD rating, this pillar reflects ROIC of 9.3% and an FCF yield of 22%. The FCF yield is a valuation-favorable input, but it sits alongside a modest return on invested capital; the score indicates the cash-generation case is only partially supportive.
• Whale 13F Flow: 7 / 20. Per the Roarable RQD rating, this pillar captures institutional accumulation and options positioning. The below-midpoint score suggests institutional flow is not a meaningful tailwind. Investors should note that the holders section of the source data is empty, so this pillar cannot be independently verified here.
• Insider Conviction: 13 / 20. Per the Roarable RQD rating, this pillar reflects SEC Form 4 and Congressional PTR cluster flow. This is the strongest pillar relative to its maximum, though the source data does not itemize the underlying trades.
• Macro Regime Fit: 7 / 20. Per the Roarable RQD rating, this reflects a beta of 1.03 and sector sensitivity. A beta near 1.0 implies the stock has tended to move roughly in line with the broader market, so it offers little defensive cushion or amplified upside on that dimension alone.
• Forensic Balance Sheet: 5 / 20. Per the Roarable RQD rating, this pillar reflects an Altman Z-Score of 0.62, a Piotroski F-Score of 5/9, and a Debt/Equity ratio of 5.86. This is the weakest pillar and the principal reason the overall score is low. A Z-Score of 0.62 and leverage at this level are the central risk considerations for a prospective investor.

Implications. The upside case rests on cash generation: a 22% FCF yield and a 4.6x EV/EBITDA multiple suggest the market is pricing the equity at a low multiple of operating cash earnings. The valuation tradeoff is that this discount reflects a heavily levered capital structure, where the forensic pillar signals elevated financial risk. A low multiple combined with weak balance sheet metrics means small changes in operating performance or refinancing conditions could carry outsized equity impact. The stock's 52-week range of $101.11 to $254.11 and current price of 109 indicate it trades near the low end of that range, consistent with the distribution warning in the verdict label. This brief is analytical and educational, not personalized financial advice.

Per the SEC financials, revenue was broadly flat across the three periods, moving from $54607.0M to $55085.0M and then to $54774.0M. Per the market data, the operating margin is 23.6% and the net margin is 9.1%, and ROIC is 9.3%. Per the Roarable RQD rating, the Altman Z-Score is 0.62 and the Piotroski F-Score is 5/9. Per the RQD rating and SEC financials, Debt/Equity is 5.86 and reported debt rose from $92134.0M in FY 2024 to $94006.0M in FY 2025. Cash is small relative to debt at $477.0M for FY 2025. The FY 2023 cash and FCF comparability is limited because FY 2023 debt ($15333.6M) differs materially from later periods and cash is N/A.

Per the recent news and catalysts section, six headlines are on file for CHTR, all with a related symbol of CHTR:

• Yahoo Finance coverage asks whether value investors should buy the stock (YELLOW, market wire).
• The Motley Fool reports on a September decline (YELLOW, market wire).
• Trefis asks whether the stock can return to prior levels (YELLOW, market wire).
• Investing.com reports on a rally, flagged as a catalyst (GREEN).
• Seeking Alpha cites merger and mobile tailwinds in a buy view (YELLOW, market wire).
• Yahoo Finance reports short interest of 41.52% of float alongside a 2.69 times earnings reference (YELLOW, market wire).

Per the news wire, the most constructive signals are the GREEN-flagged rally catalyst and the merger and mobile tailwind narrative. Risk watch items include the elevated short interest figure cited in the wire and the September decline. The headlines do not provide primary-source confirmation of the merger or mobile developments.

Per the Butterfly Supply-Chain Graph, the supply chain status is NONE, with no butterfly links and no proprietary signals on file.

• What is the company's reported EPS and P/E on a TTM and forward basis, given that these fields are absent from the source data?
• What is the maturity and refinancing schedule behind the $94006.0M debt balance, and how does it relate to the Altman Z-Score of 0.62?
• What drove the cash and FCF shift between FY 2023 and FY 2024, and why is FY 2023 cash unreported?
• What specific merger and mobile developments are cited in the news wire, and what are their timing and financial impact?
• Who are the institutional holders and insiders behind the 13F and Form 4 signals reflected in the insider and whale pillars?