Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) Receives Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages

Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) have been assigned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty research firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, eight have assigned a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $49.0156.

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Verizon Communications from $47.00 to $49.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $41.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a “market perform” rating and set a $48.00 target price on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $48.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, William Blair upgraded shares of Verizon Communications to an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd.

Verizon Communications Stock Performance

Shares of VZ opened at $48.01 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $42.10 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $42.05. Verizon Communications has a 12 month low of $38.39 and a 12 month high of $50.24. The stock has a market capitalization of $202.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.05 and a beta of 0.33.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.09 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.06 by $0.03. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.03% and a net margin of 12.43%.The firm had revenue of $36.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $36.20 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.10 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.900-4.950 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Verizon Communications will post 4.69 EPS for the current year.

Verizon Communications Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 1st. Investors of record on Friday, April 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.7075 per share. This is an increase from Verizon Communications’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.69. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 10th. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.9%. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 68.15%.

Insider Transactions at Verizon Communications

In other Verizon Communications news, EVP Joseph J. Russo sold 9,579 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.88, for a total value of $429,905.52. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 44,045 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,976,739.60. This trade represents a 17.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Verizon Communications

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC raised 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 buying an additional 539 shares during the last quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 95.3% during 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. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications in the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, EQ Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Verizon Communications during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. 62.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Verizon Communications News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Consumer business momentum: Postpaid phone subscriber strength remains a primary growth driver for Verizon’s consumer segment, supporting near-term revenue and EPS outlooks and helping underpin the dividend. Verizon Rides on Strength in Consumer Segment: Will it Sustain?
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend appeal: Recent dividend increases have kept income-focused investors interested in VZ versus other blue-chips, providing support to the share price despite cyclical headwinds. Verizon vs Johnson & Johnson: Which Dividend Hike Winner Is the Better Buy?
• Positive Sentiment: Short-term momentum and investor attention: Several market write-ups note growing investor interest and momentum in VZ, which could attract flows while fundamentals remain stable. Verizon Momentum Builds
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor event scheduled: Verizon will present at the Barclays Communications & Content Symposium on Feb. 24 — a chance to hear management on strategy and guidance but not an immediate catalyst until new detail is provided. Verizon to speak at Barclays Communications and Content Symposium on February 24
• Neutral Sentiment: Increased investor interest noted by coverage sites — useful for liquidity and attention but not decisively bullish or bearish on fundamentals. Verizon is Attracting Investor Attention
• Negative Sentiment: Leadership change in Consumer: Reports that the consumer CEO has exited and an interim arrangement is in place raise execution questions around Verizon’s transformation and could unsettle investors who worry about continuity. Did Verizon’s Consumer CEO Exit and Interim Shift Just Reframe Its Transformation Story
• Negative Sentiment: Capital-return ambiguity: Analysis flags uncertainty around Verizon’s $55B buyback/dividend plan, noting trade-offs between flexibility and risk that could limit future buybacks or force reassessment if cash priorities change. Uncertainty Clouds Verizon’s $55 Billion Capital Return Plan
• Negative Sentiment: Relative underperformance: MarketWatch notes Verizon underperformed peers on Wednesday, which can pressure the stock as investors rotate toward better-performing telecom/content names. Verizon underperforms competitors

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.