Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Stock Price Up 2.1% – Still a Buy?

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ)’s share price traded up 2.1% during mid-day trading on Wednesday. The company traded as high as $46.55 and last traded at $46.2050. Approximately 25,173,728 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 8% from the average session volume of 27,383,225 shares. The stock had previously closed at $45.24.

Verizon Communications News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon and Ericsson plan to roll out AI-native tools for automating Verizon’s radio network. Field tests of one tool reportedly improved downlink throughput by up to 8.9% and uplink throughput by up to 8%, suggesting potential gains in network performance and operating efficiency. Verizon and Ericsson partner to transform AI-native Autonomous Networks
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon is expanding private wireless service and upgrading stadium connectivity for the 2026 NFL season, including support for connected officiating and games at international venues. The initiative showcases potential enterprise and event-network applications, though its financial impact was not disclosed. Powering the Play: Verizon Elevates the NFL Gameday Experience Worldwide
• Neutral Sentiment: Verizon set pricing terms for its previously announced cash tender offers to buy up to $500 million in aggregate purchase price of five note series. This is a debt-management step; the announcement does not indicate a major change to the company’s operating outlook. Verizon announces pricing terms of its tender offers for five series of notes
• Negative Sentiment: SpaceX is working with Qualcomm on wireless hardware as it pursues a mobile network that could compete with established carriers, including Verizon. Reports also describe possible talks involving Boost Mobile, but no deal is confirmed. The prospect adds a longer-term competitive risk, even as building a nationwide network would require substantial investment and time. SpaceX Strikes Major Qualcomm Deal to Take on Verizon and AT&T

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $47.00 to $45.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 13th. Arete Research cut their target price on Verizon Communications from $71.00 to $62.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 1st. Citigroup reduced their price target on Verizon Communications from $55.00 to $53.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 27th. Moffett Nathanson boosted their price target on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $47.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Verizon Communications has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $51.05.

Verizon Communications Price Performance

The stock has a market cap of $191.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 0.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.33, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a current ratio of 0.63. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $46.85 and a 200-day moving average price of $46.79.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, October 26th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.31 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.27 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $34.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $34.77 billion. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.75% and a net margin of 11.78%. The firm’s revenue was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.21 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 5.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, November 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 9th were paid a dividend of $0.7075 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 9th. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.1%. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 72.19%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Verizon Communications

In other news, CEO Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.00, for a total value of $47,300.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 98,866 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,251,238. The trade was a 1.10% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 11,000 shares of company stock worth $516,373 over the last ninety days. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Cornerstone Capital Inc. grew its position in Verizon Communications by 8.6% during the 2nd quarter. Cornerstone Capital Inc. now owns 317,284 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $13,434,000 after purchasing an additional 25,156 shares during the last quarter. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. increased its stake in Verizon Communications by 127.0% during 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 purchasing an additional 103,046 shares in the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. increased its stake in Verizon Communications by 30.6% during the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 5,718,859 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $287,081,000 after purchasing an additional 1,339,580 shares in the last quarter. Quantitative Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Verizon Communications in the second quarter worth about $1,577,000. Finally, Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp raised its holdings in Verizon Communications by 9.7% in the second quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp now owns 3,553,629 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $150,461,000 after buying an additional 315,546 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

Verizon Communications Company Profile

Verizon Communications Inc is a telecommunications company that provides wireless communications, broadband, and digital connectivity services. Through its consumer business, Verizon offers mobile voice and data plans, smartphones and other connected devices, home internet, fixed wireless access, and fiber-optic broadband services under the Fios brand.

Verizon also serves businesses, government agencies, and other organizations with wireless connectivity, private networks, internet and data services, managed communications, cloud and security solutions, and Internet of Things services.