Assenagon Asset Management S.A. Has $61.38 Million Position in Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

Assenagon Asset Management S.A. trimmed its position in Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) by 38.3% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 1,222,614 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after selling 757,905 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A.’s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $61,375,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of VZ. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL raised its stake in Verizon Communications by 8.6% during the 4th quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 2,765 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $113,000 after buying an additional 219 shares during the period. Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. increased its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 0.7% in the fourth quarter. Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. now owns 35,023 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $1,426,000 after acquiring an additional 227 shares in the last quarter. Blake Schutter Theil Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 3.8% in the fourth quarter. Blake Schutter Theil Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,305 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $257,000 after acquiring an additional 233 shares in the last quarter. Triton Wealth Management PLLC raised its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 2.6% during the fourth quarter. Triton Wealth Management PLLC now owns 9,257 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $377,000 after purchasing an additional 234 shares during the period. Finally, Clearstead Trust LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 2.5% during the 4th quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC now owns 9,788 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $399,000 after purchasing an additional 240 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

Verizon Communications Stock Performance

Shares of VZ stock opened at $46.07 on Friday. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 12 month low of $38.39 and a 12 month high of $51.68. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $46.91 and its 200-day simple moving average is $45.83. The firm has a market cap of $192.38 billion, a PE ratio of 11.24, a P/E/G ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.24. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last released its earnings results on Monday, April 27th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.21 by $0.07. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 12.46% and a return on equity of 19.25%. The business had revenue of $34.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.82 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.19 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-4.990 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.97 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, July 10th will be given a $0.7075 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 10th. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.1%. Verizon Communications’s payout ratio is currently 69.02%.

Key Verizon Communications News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon remains a popular dividend stock, with investors still attracted to its roughly 6% yield and defensive profile. Why Johnson & Johnson, Altria, Verizon, and Other Safe Dividend Stocks Climbed Today
• Neutral Sentiment: Some market commentary continues to frame Verizon as a potential income play, with its high yield appealing to investors seeking stability rather than growth. Verizon Communications (VZ) Falls More Steeply Than Broader Market: What Investors Need to Know
• Neutral Sentiment: Verizon’s latest earnings were solid, with the company recently beating EPS estimates, which may help support the stock’s valuation over time.
• Negative Sentiment: S&P Dow Jones Indices said Verizon will be removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average and replaced by Alphabet, reducing its visibility in the blue-chip benchmark. Alphabet Wins a Seat at the Dow
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are also reacting to the fact that Verizon’s lower share price gave it only a small weighting in the price-weighted Dow, reinforcing concerns that the company has become less relevant to the index. Could Nike Get the Boot from the Dow? Why Berkshire Hathaway Might Take Its Place.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

VZ has been the subject of a number of research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 28th. Freedom Capital upgraded shares of Verizon Communications to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, June 12th. Erste Group Bank reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a report on Friday, May 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and twelve have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $50.59.

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.