Financial Strategies Group Inc. Grows Holdings in Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

Financial Strategies Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) by 11.5% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 143,588 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after purchasing an additional 14,842 shares during the period. Verizon Communications makes up approximately 1.2% of Financial Strategies Group Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest position. Financial Strategies Group Inc.’s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $6,311,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Advantage Trust Co increased its stake in Verizon Communications by 549.5% during the 2nd quarter. Advantage Trust Co now owns 591 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 500 shares during the period. TruNorth Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 95.3% in the third quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC now owns 625 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 305 shares in the last quarter. RMG Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications during the second quarter worth $30,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates raised its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 739.5% in the third quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 680 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 599 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Winnow Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Verizon Communications in the second quarter valued at $34,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

Verizon Communications Stock Up 11.8%

Shares of NYSE:VZ opened at $44.52 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $40.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $41.58. Verizon Communications Inc. has a twelve month low of $38.39 and a twelve month high of $47.35. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19. The company has a market capitalization of $187.70 billion, a PE ratio of 9.51, a P/E/G ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.34.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.06 by $0.03. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 14.43% and a return on equity of 19.31%. The firm had revenue of $36.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $36.20 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.10 EPS. Verizon Communications’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.900-4.950 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Investors of record on Monday, January 12th will be given a $0.69 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 12th. This represents a $2.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.2%. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio is 58.97%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. BNP Paribas Exane lowered Verizon Communications from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $44.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, October 21st. Scotiabank raised their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $50.50 to $51.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $44.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, KeyCorp reaffirmed a “sector weight” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Monday, January 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $47.43.

Key Headlines Impacting Verizon Communications

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat on EPS and revenue — Verizon reported $1.09 EPS vs. consensus $1.06 and revenue of $36.38B, topping estimates and showing 2% year-over-year revenue growth. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Raised FY‑2026 EPS guidance — management set guidance of $4.90–$4.95, above consensus, improving forward earnings visibility and supporting valuation. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Strong subscriber momentum — Verizon logged its highest quarterly wireless net adds in years (notably large postpaid phone adds), a primary driver of the upside in revenue and service growth metrics. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Capital return program — management outlined a large buyback program (cited in call writeups), which supports EPS and signals confidence in cash flow. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual options activity — heavy call buying was reported intraday, consistent with speculative/hedged bullish positioning by some investors. (Options volume report)
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational resilience highlighted — company actions to harden networks for winter storms were noted; supports customer experience but is a longer-term benefit. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Positive media/analyst writeups emphasize value after the beat, framing VZ as an income + growth story for yield-seeking investors. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Execution and cost risks called out — deeper analysis warns that aggressive subscriber promotions, the Frontier deal and integration/unit economics could pressure margins and near-term earnings visibility. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst target cut — Wells Fargo trimmed its target in a sector reassessment, a reminder that some shops remain cautious on wireless pricing and capital intensity. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Dividend-safety concerns re-surfacing — articles questioning sustainability of the ~7% yield could weigh on long-term income-focused demand if cash flow dynamics shift. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Minor institutional selling — a small manager reduced its position, noted in filings; not a major red flag but adds to mixed signals. Read More.

Verizon Communications 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.