Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Stock Price Up 1.7% – Should You Buy?

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ)’s stock price was up 1.7% during mid-day trading on Friday . The company traded as high as $46.91 and last traded at $46.8850. Approximately 28,264,762 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 3% from the average daily volume of 29,158,889 shares. The stock had previously closed at $46.11.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have commented on VZ shares. TD Cowen boosted their target price on Verizon Communications from $54.00 to $56.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday. Erste Group Bank reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. Scotiabank raised their target price on Verizon Communications from $51.50 to $52.50 and gave the company a “sector outperform” rating in a report on Monday. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Freedom Capital upgraded Verizon Communications to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, June 12th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Verizon Communications currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $50.84.

Verizon Communications Stock Performance

The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $45.35 and its 200 day moving average price is $46.44. The company has a quick ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36. The company has a market cap of $195.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 0.26.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 24th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.27 by $0.03. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 11.64% and a return on equity of 19.48%. The business had revenue of $34.25 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $35.16 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.22 EPS. Verizon Communications’s quarterly revenue was down .7% compared to the same quarter last year. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.990-5.040 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 5.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.7075 per share. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 10th. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio is 73.70%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Verizon Communications

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. RKL Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 4.3% in the first quarter. RKL Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,338 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $268,000 after buying an additional 218 shares during the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL lifted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 8.6% during the fourth quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 2,765 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $113,000 after buying an additional 219 shares during the last quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 32.7% in the first quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 888 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares during the period. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. grew its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 1.2% in the first quarter. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. now owns 18,421 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $925,000 after acquiring an additional 223 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. increased its position in Verizon Communications by 0.7% during the fourth quarter. Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. now owns 35,023 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $1,426,000 after acquiring an additional 227 shares during the period. 62.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.