First Trust Advisors LP Sells 964,325 Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

First Trust Advisors LP lessened its holdings in Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) by 6.2% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 14,707,701 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after selling 964,325 shares during the period. Verizon Communications makes up approximately 0.5% of First Trust Advisors LP’s portfolio, making the stock its 24th biggest holding. First Trust Advisors LP’s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $738,327,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC lifted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 490.0% during the fourth quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC now owns 649 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 539 shares during the period. Lam Group Inc. bought a new position in Verizon Communications in the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. EQ Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Verizon Communications in the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors raised its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 173.0% during the 4th quarter. Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors now owns 707 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 448 shares during the period. Finally, Quattro Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Verizon Communications in the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. 62.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Verizon Communications News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Several recent pieces frame Verizon as a value stock, highlighting its relatively low valuation and dividend appeal for income-focused investors.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts cited FIFA-related network demand and stronger usage trends as potential near-term catalysts ahead of second-quarter earnings. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Verizon is preparing for heavy network traffic around the first-ever World Cup halftime show, which reinforces its network scale but is not clearly a direct earnings driver yet. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: RBC lowered its price target on Verizon to $46 from $48 and kept a “sector perform” rating, signaling cautious sentiment rather than a major change in the thesis.
• Negative Sentiment: Verizon plans to cut about 3,000 jobs and sell 274 stores to franchisees, underscoring ongoing restructuring and raising questions about growth and margins. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Another report said Verizon will sell 274 stores and cut 500 office jobs, adding to concerns that management is leaning on cost reductions rather than clear revenue acceleration. Article Title

Verizon Communications Trading Up 0.6%

Shares of Verizon Communications stock opened at $43.76 on Wednesday. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 52-week low of $38.39 and a 52-week high of $51.68. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $45.51 and its 200 day simple moving average is $46.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $182.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.67, a P/E/G ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 0.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 0.64.

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

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, July 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.7075 per share. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 10th. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio is presently 69.02%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VZ has been the subject of several research reports. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $47.00 to $45.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $43.00 target price on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Friday, May 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 28th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Verizon Communications presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $50.03.

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.