Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Stock Price Up 1.2% – Here’s Why

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) shares rose 1.2% on Monday . The stock traded as high as $42.85 and last traded at $42.64. Approximately 24,629,432 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 16% from the average daily volume of 29,392,152 shares. The stock had previously closed at $42.12.

Verizon Communications News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon launched the new Gizmo Watch 4, a kid-friendly smartwatch with safety features like watch-removal alerts and real-time location tracking, expanding its Verizon Family ecosystem and potentially supporting device sales and subscriber growth. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon is set to power new BMW Group vehicles in the U.S. with 5G Standalone, which could deepen its presence in connected-car services and create another growth avenue for its network business. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon’s Small Business Super Pitch competition and related brand marketing keep the company visible ahead of major consumer and business sales periods, which may help customer engagement. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles focused on whether investors should buy Verizon before its July 24 earnings report and on the stock’s appeal as a defensive, high-yield name. These pieces mainly reflect market anticipation rather than new company-specific fundamentals. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary describing Verizon as a “cash machine” and a defensive dividend stock may support the stock’s income appeal, but it does not by itself change the company’s near-term operating outlook. Article Title

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently weighed in on VZ shares. Freedom Capital upgraded Verizon Communications to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, June 12th. Dbs Bank downgraded Verizon Communications from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Verizon Communications in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $43.00 target price for the company. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 28th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $50.28.

Verizon Communications Price Performance

The company has a 50 day moving average of $46.10 and a 200 day moving average of $46.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 0.64. The stock has a market capitalization of $178.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.40, a PEG ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 0.26.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, April 27th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.21 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $34.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $34.82 billion. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.25% and a net margin of 12.46%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.19 EPS. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-4.990 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.98 EPS for the current year.

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 10th will be issued a $0.7075 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 10th. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.6%. Verizon Communications’s payout ratio is presently 69.02%.

Institutional Trading of Verizon Communications

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC increased its holdings in Verizon Communications by 490.0% during the 4th quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC now owns 649 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 539 shares in the last quarter. Robinswood Financial LLC purchased a new stake in Verizon Communications during the first quarter worth approximately $27,000. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Verizon Communications during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Lam Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications in the first quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, EQ Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

About Verizon Communications

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.