Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Barclays Analyst Says

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) had its price objective hoisted by research analysts at Barclays from $43.00 to $47.00 in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an “equal weight” rating on the cell phone carrier’s stock. Barclays‘s target price points to a potential downside of 4.84% from the company’s previous close.

Other analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Scotiabank upgraded Verizon Communications from a “sector perform” rating to a “sector outperform” rating and increased their price objective for the company from $50.25 to $54.50 in a report on Monday, March 9th. Citigroup boosted their target price on Verizon Communications from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, March 20th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Verizon Communications from $41.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price target on Verizon Communications from $44.00 to $48.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Evercore raised their price target on Verizon Communications from $48.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $50.56.

Verizon Communications Stock Down 1.6%

Shares of Verizon Communications stock opened at $49.39 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32. The company has a market cap of $208.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.20, a PEG ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 0.29. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $48.16 and its 200-day moving average price is $43.40. Verizon Communications has a 52-week low of $38.39 and a 52-week high of $51.68.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.03. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 12.43% and a return on equity of 19.03%. The company had revenue of $36.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $36.20 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.10 earnings per share. 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, sell-side analysts predict that Verizon Communications will post 4.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Verizon Communications

In related news, EVP Joseph J. Russo sold 9,579 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 44,045 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,976,739.60. This represents a 17.86% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Mary-Lee Stillwell sold 8,569 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.00, for a total value of $428,450.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 43,782 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,189,100. This trade represents a 16.37% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 218,148 shares of company stock valued at $10,780,356 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of VZ. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Verizon Communications by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 379,402,347 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $15,453,058,000 after buying an additional 5,497,598 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 3.5% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 222,951,399 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $9,080,810,000 after acquiring an additional 7,461,335 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 5.3% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 116,570,816 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $4,747,930,000 after acquiring an additional 5,851,715 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 102,632,509 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $4,168,080,000 after acquiring an additional 867,694 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Verizon Communications during the fourth quarter worth $2,357,158,000. 62.06% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Verizon Communications

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

• Positive Sentiment: Company momentum and income appeal: Analysts and commentators note Verizon is up strongly year-to-date after a solid quarter and remains attractive to income investors because its dividend yields above 5%, supporting demand from yield-seeking buyers. Verizon Is Up 24% in 2026 and Pays Over 5% in Dividends: Time to Buy?
• Positive Sentiment: Operational catalyst: Barclays says Q1 should show progress on Verizon’s subscriber-turnaround plan, which could support the stock if results and commentary confirm improving subscriber trends. Verizon Q1 results to show progress on subscriber turnaround plan – Barclays
• Positive Sentiment: Dow income rotation: Market write-ups listing high-yield Dow names highlight Verizon as a top income option, which can attract defensive and dividend-focused flows during choppy markets. Should You Buy the 3 Highest-Paying Dividend Stocks in the Dow Jones?
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst move is mixed: Barclays raised its price target to $47 from $43 but kept an Equal Weight rating — a modest upgrade that still implies limited upside versus the current price, so it’s not a clear buy signal. Wall Street Tells Scared Investors To Buy Verizon Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor attention: Verizon is a trending name on some platforms, increasing visibility and trading activity but not necessarily changing fundamentals. Here is What to Know Beyond Why Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) is a Trending Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader market context: Some market movers (e.g., energy names like Chevron) are driving headline volatility today; that market noise can overshadow telecom-specific news and affect intraday moves. In A Dreadful Month For The Dow Jones Index, One Stock Shined
• Negative Sentiment: Relative weakness today: Coverage notes Verizon closed lower while the broader market improved, signaling short-term underperformance that likely pressured the stock during the session. Verizon Communications (VZ) Stock Declines While Market Improves: Some Information for Investors

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.