Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) CEO Kyle Malady Sells 1,100 Shares of Company Stock

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) CEO Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.93, for a total transaction of $47,223.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 101,066 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,338,763.38. The trade was a 1.08% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Kyle Malady also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Tuesday, October 6th, Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of Verizon Communications stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.75, for a total value of $50,325.00.
• On Tuesday, September 29th, Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of Verizon Communications stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.40, for a total value of $51,040.00.
• On Tuesday, September 22nd, Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of Verizon Communications stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $47.65, for a total value of $52,415.00.
• On Tuesday, September 8th, Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of Verizon Communications stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.98, for a total value of $54,978.00.
• On Tuesday, September 1st, Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of Verizon Communications stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.50, for a total value of $55,550.00.
• On Tuesday, August 25th, Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of Verizon Communications stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.06, for a total value of $55,066.00.
• On Tuesday, August 18th, Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of Verizon Communications stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.68, for a total value of $53,548.00.

Verizon Communications Stock Up 2.0%

Verizon Communications stock opened at $44.41 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36, a current ratio of 0.60 and a quick ratio of 0.57. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 1-year low of $38.39 and a 1-year high of $51.68. The company has a market cap of $184.49 billion, a PE ratio of 11.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 0.26. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $47.98 and its 200 day moving average price is $46.89.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 24th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.27 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $34.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $35.16 billion. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.48% and a net margin of 11.64%. Verizon Communications’s quarterly revenue was down .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.22 earnings per share. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.990-5.040 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 5.04 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 9th will be given a dividend of $0.7075 per share. This represents a $2.83 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 9th. Verizon Communications’s payout ratio is presently 73.70%.

Institutional Trading of Verizon Communications

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. USS Investment Management Ltd boosted its position in Verizon Communications by 4.6% during the first quarter. USS Investment Management Ltd now owns 713,156 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $35,790,000 after acquiring an additional 31,354 shares during the last quarter. Cornerstone Capital Inc. raised its holdings in Verizon Communications by 8.6% in the 2nd quarter. Cornerstone Capital Inc. now owns 317,284 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $13,434,000 after acquiring an additional 25,156 shares during the last quarter. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. raised its holdings in Verizon Communications by 127.0% in the 2nd quarter. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. now owns 184,170 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $7,798,000 after acquiring an additional 103,046 shares during the last quarter. CPC Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 76.4% during the 1st quarter. CPC Advisors LLC now owns 123,287 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $6,189,000 after purchasing an additional 53,405 shares during the period. Finally, Lansforsakringar Fondforvaltning AB publ lifted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 3.1% during the 1st quarter. Lansforsakringar Fondforvaltning AB publ now owns 2,450,129 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $122,996,000 after purchasing an additional 73,159 shares during the period. 62.06% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on VZ. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $47.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Moffett Nathanson decreased their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $56.00 to $49.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 20th. TD Cowen upped their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $54.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane lowered their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $44.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $50.80.

Key Verizon Communications News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon is promoting complimentary safety and family features, including Digital Secure, Verizon Family with Safe Walk and Call Filter, along with six months of Google AI Pro for eligible customers. The benefits could support customer retention and improve the value proposition of its wireless plans. Verizon delivers extra value with free safety, family and AI perks
• Positive Sentiment: A new reseller agreement with SKYBOXE gives Verizon Business another channel for selling 5G fixed-wireless internet to small businesses and remote operations, potentially broadening its enterprise broadband reach. Verizon adds a reseller for business 5G fixed wireless
• Positive Sentiment: Income-focused commentary highlighted Verizon’s roughly 6%–6.5% dividend yield, low forward valuation, wireless stability, broadband growth and cash-generation potential. Dividend payments contributed materially to shareholder returns over the past year, supporting the stock’s appeal to value and income investors. Verizon’s low forward P/E and dividend yield
• Neutral Sentiment: Bernstein maintained a Hold rating, indicating limited near-term conviction despite Verizon’s valuation and dividend support. Bernstein keeps its Hold rating on Verizon
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts have cut price targets across telecom stocks amid expectations that SpaceX’s Starlink mobile push could intensify wireless competition. Verizon may also face seasonal pricing pressure in the fourth quarter. SpaceX Starlink mobile push prompts Bernstein to cut price targets
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary continues to flag Verizon’s heavy debt load as a risk to the sustainability of its high dividend and to the stock’s upside if interest rates remain elevated.
• Neutral Sentiment: CEO Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan. The transaction was small relative to his remaining holdings and appears unlikely to signal a change in business outlook.

About Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications Inc is a telecommunications company headquartered in New York City and listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol VZ. The company was formed in 2000 through the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE and has developed into one of the largest communications providers in the United States.

Verizon’s consumer business provides wireless voice and data services, smartphones and other connected devices, home internet, broadband, and related communications products.