Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Shares Down 1.7% – Here’s What Happened

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ)’s stock price traded down 1.7% during trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $46.06 and last traded at $46.32. 35,802,985 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 4% from the average session volume of 37,132,523 shares. The stock had previously closed at $47.10.

Verizon Communications News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Verizon Communications this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Multiple analyst upgrades and bullish notes lifted momentum and helped extend the rally, with coverage citing higher target prices and “buy”/outperform views that attracted short‑term buyers. Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Stock Price Up 1.6% After Analyst Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Income investors are re‑rating Verizon because it appears on multiple recent lists of high‑yield dividend picks, supporting steady demand from dividend/seeking portfolios. 3 High-Yield Dividend Stocks Perfect For Retirees
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks highlighted VZ as a top‑ranked momentum stock under its style scores — this can draw quant/momentum flows but doesn’t guarantee fundamental change. Verizon Communications (VZ) is a Top-Ranked Momentum Stock: Should You Buy?
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage of AST SpaceMobile and its 2026 launch targets (a partner/adjacent play for telecoms) is being watched for potential upside exposure, but execution risks keep this as an uncertain catalyst. Can SpaceX Rival AST SpaceMobile Meet Its 2026 Launch Targets? (VZ)
• Negative Sentiment: Verizon’s consumer‑unit CEO Sowmyanarayan Sampath is stepping down amid a companywide turnaround under new CEO Dan Schulman — management turnover raises near‑term execution and strategy questions for the core wireless business. Verizon’s Consumer Unit CEO Sowmyanarayan Sampath to Step Down
• Negative Sentiment: Verizon filed suit accusing T‑Mobile of false advertising — the legal fight could be a distraction and pose litigation costs, though it may also be intended to blunt competitive messaging. Verizon Wireless sues T-Mobile, alleges false advertising

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have issued reports on VZ. TD Cowen cut their target price on Verizon Communications from $56.00 to $51.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Williams Trading set a $54.00 target price on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Monday. William Blair raised Verizon Communications to an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a “market perform” rating and issued a $48.00 price objective on shares of Verizon Communications in a report on Monday. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane cut shares of Verizon Communications from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $44.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $49.02.

Verizon Communications Trading Down 1.7%

The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $40.77 and its 200 day simple moving average is $41.72. The stock has a market cap of $195.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.44, a PEG ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.06 by $0.03. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.03% and a net margin of 12.43%.The firm had revenue of $36.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $36.20 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.10 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.900-4.950 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Verizon Communications Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 1st. Investors of record on Friday, April 10th will be issued a $0.7075 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 10th. This is an increase from Verizon Communications’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.69. This represents a $2.83 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.1%. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio is currently 68.15%.

Insider Transactions at Verizon Communications

In other Verizon Communications news, EVP Joseph J. Russo sold 9,579 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.88, for a total transaction of $429,905.52. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 44,045 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,976,739.60. This trade represents a 17.86% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Verizon Communications

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC grew its position in Verizon Communications by 61.2% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 43,986 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $1,759,000 after purchasing an additional 16,704 shares in the last quarter. Sax Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 4.3% during the 2nd quarter. Sax Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 23,379 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $1,012,000 after buying an additional 966 shares during the period. Clear Creek Financial Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 13.3% during the 2nd quarter. Clear Creek Financial Management LLC now owns 50,230 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $2,173,000 after acquiring an additional 5,906 shares in the last quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System grew its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 4.2% during the 2nd quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 205,282 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $8,883,000 after acquiring an additional 8,210 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vontobel Holding Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 33.3% in the second quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 1,353,003 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $58,544,000 after acquiring an additional 338,365 shares during the last quarter. 62.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Verizon Communications Company Profile

Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE: VZ) is a major U.S.-based telecommunications company that provides a broad range of communications and information services. Its operations span consumer and business markets, with core offerings that include wireless voice and data services, fixed-line broadband and fiber-optic services, and enterprise networking solutions. Verizon is headquartered in New York City and operates a nationwide wireless network that supports consumer subscribers as well as business and government customers.

The company’s consumer products include mobile phone plans, unlimited data services, and Fios, its branded fiber-optic internet, television and voice service for homes and small businesses.