Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Stock Gets Price Target Cut from Morgan Stanley

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) had its target price reduced by Morgan Stanley from $52.00 to $50.00 in a report published on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. Morgan Stanley currently has an equal weight rating on the cell phone carrier’s stock.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. TD Cowen boosted their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $54.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $43.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Scotiabank lowered their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $51.50 to $50.00 and set a “sector outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 9th. Finally, Moffett Nathanson dropped their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $56.00 to $49.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 20th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $51.05.

Verizon Communications Stock Performance

Shares of Verizon Communications stock opened at $43.65 on Tuesday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $47.13 and its 200-day simple moving average is $46.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $181.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.13, a PEG ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.26. Verizon Communications has a 12 month low of $38.68 and a 12 month high of $51.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.33, a current ratio of 0.63 and a quick ratio of 0.57.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, October 26th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.31 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.27 by $0.04. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.75% and a net margin of 11.78%. The firm had revenue of $34.31 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.77 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.21 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Verizon Communications will post 5.08 earnings per share for the current year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 9th will be given a $0.7075 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 9th. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.5%. Verizon Communications’s payout ratio is currently 72.19%.

Insider Activity at Verizon Communications

In other Verizon Communications news, CEO Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $43.00, for a total transaction of $47,300.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 98,866 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,251,238. This trade represents a 1.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 11,000 shares of company stock worth $516,373. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Verizon Communications

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in VZ. Gill Capital Partners LLC boosted its position in Verizon Communications by 74.6% during the second quarter. Gill Capital Partners LLC now owns 620 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 265 shares during the period. Robinswood Financial LLC purchased a new stake in Verizon Communications in the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. Bare Financial Services Inc grew its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 37.4% in the 2nd quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 841 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 229 shares during the last quarter. Balance Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $37,000. Finally, Frazier Financial Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 32.7% during the first quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 888 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $45,000 after buying an additional 219 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Verizon Communications

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

• Positive Sentiment: Raised outlook and earnings beat: Verizon exceeded quarterly adjusted-EPS expectations and raised its 2026 guidance, reinforcing confidence in postpaid additions, broadband growth, margins and free-cash-flow generation. Verizon raises 2026 guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend appears supported by cash flow: Verizon used approximately 49% of free cash flow to fund its dividend, suggesting the roughly 6% yield is backed by internally generated cash rather than additional borrowing. This supports the stock’s appeal to income-focused investors. Verizon dividend free cash flow analysis
• Positive Sentiment: Debt-management action: Verizon launched offers to purchase up to $500 million of several note series for cash, which could help manage upcoming obligations and interest costs, although the near-term earnings effect is likely limited. Verizon note tender offers
• Neutral Sentiment: Small-business initiative: Verizon plans to direct $5 billion toward U.S. small-business suppliers over five years and is expanding its supplier accelerator program. The effort may strengthen procurement relationships and corporate reputation, but it is not expected to materially change near-term financial results. Verizon small-business supplier commitment
• Negative Sentiment: Wireless upgrade weakness: Customers are delaying or reconsidering phone upgrades, a potentially concerning signal for device sales, customer engagement and future promotional activity. Verizon declining phone upgrades
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst caution: Morgan Stanley, TD Cowen, Citi, Barclays, Daiwa Securities, BNP Paribas Exane and Goldman Sachs all lowered their expectations or price targets for Verizon. The revisions may limit upside despite the recent earnings improvement. Analyst outlook for Verizon
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: CEO Kyle Malady sold $47,300 of Verizon shares under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan. The relatively small transaction is not necessarily a fundamental warning, but repeated sales can weigh modestly on sentiment. Verizon CEO insider sale

About Verizon Communications

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.