Verizon Communications Inc.

(New York Stock Exchange)

Verizon Communications (VZ) stock at a glance

Full Verizon Communications report
Ticker
VZ
Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
News sentiment Β· last 30 days
+22 Slightly Bullish
30-day average of 6 articles Β· scale βˆ’100 to +100

Across 6 scored articles from Oct 16 to Nov 14, 2026 (UTC), the average sentiment of Verizon Communications news is Slightly Bullish (+22) on a scale from βˆ’100 to +100.

0 Neutral 1 article

Sector and industry come from company profile data. Sentiment is the AI score of the news articles on this page, averaged per day. Not investment advice.

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Slightly Bullish +25

Verizon Communications (VZ) Stock Sinks As Market Gains: Here's Why - Yahoo Finance

AI-generated analysis

Verizon Communications (VZ) stock declined 1.31% to $50.45 during the latest close session, underperforming the broader market as the S&P 500 gained 0.83%, the Dow added 0.5%, and the Nasdaq rose 1.38%. Despite this daily setback, shares of the largest U.S. cellphone carrier have appreciated by 10.39% over the past month, outperforming both the Computer and Technology sector's loss of 3.51% and the S&P 500's loss of 2.65%. Market attention remains focused on the company's upcoming financial results, with analysts expecting earnings per share (EPS) of $1.23, representing a 3.36% increase from the prior-year quarter, and quarterly revenue of $34.75 billion, up 3.79% year-over-year. For the full fiscal year, Zacks Consensus Estimates project Verizon Communications will report earnings of $4.91 per share and revenue of $143.23 billion, reflecting increases of +4.25% and +3.64% respectively from the prior year. The article highlights recent upward revisions to analyst estimates for VZ, noting that empirical research indicates a direct correlation between these revisions and impending stock price performance. Verizon currently holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), whereas stocks with a #1 rank have historically returned an average annual gain of +25% since 1988. The company's Forward P/E ratio is 10.4, which denotes a discount relative to the industry average Forward P/E of 16.92, and it trades at a PEG ratio of 2.15 compared to an industry average Wireless National PEG ratio of 1.79. Valuation metrics and industry performance data suggest that while Verizon is undervalued on a P/E basis, its industry ranking may present challenges. The Wireless National industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 212, placing it within the bottom 14% of over 250 industries. Research from Zacks Investment Research indicates that top-rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1. The report concludes by directing investors to follow these stock-moving metrics and other recommendations available on Zacks.com, which has released its "7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days" list for free download.

πŸ“‰ Verizon shares dipped 1.31% recently but gained 10.39% over the past month.

πŸ”œ Upcoming earnings are expected to beat estimates with EPS of $1.23.

πŸ’° The stock trades at a forward P/E of 10.4, below the industry average.

πŸ“‰ Verizon stock fell 1.31% at the latest close to $50.45, underperforming major market indices like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq.

πŸ“ˆ Despite the daily dip, VZ shares have gained 10.39% over the past month, significantly outpacing losses in the Technology sector and S&P 500.

πŸ”œ Investors are awaiting upcoming quarterly earnings expected to show EPS of $1.23 and revenue of $34.75 billion, both up from prior-year periods.

πŸ“Š Zacks Consensus Estimates project full-year earnings of $4.91 per share and revenue of $143.23 billion, representing mid-3% growth year-over-year.

βš–οΈ Recent upward revisions in analyst estimates suggest growing confidence in Verizon's business operations and future profitability.

πŸ† The Zacks Rank model indicates that #1 stocks have historically returned an average annual gain of +25% since 1988.

πŸ“Š Verizon currently holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) after seeing a 0.76% increase in consensus EPS estimate over the last 30 days.

πŸ’° The stock trades at a Forward P/E ratio of 10.4, which is discounted relative to the industry average of 16.92.

πŸ“‰ A PEG ratio of 2.15 suggests Verizon is priced higher than the Wireless National industry average of 1.79.

🏭 The Wireless National industry ranks in the bottom 14% among over 250 industries on Zacks Industry Rank.

πŸ” Zacks methodology indicates that top-rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

πŸ“’ Readers can access more stock-moving metrics and the full free analysis report at Zacks Investment Research.

Bullish Signals
  • Shares of Verizon have appreciated by 10.39% over the past month, outperforming the broader market despite recent volatility.
  • Analysts expect earnings per share of $1.23 this quarter, which represents a positive growth of 3.36% compared to the prior-year quarter.
  • Full-year guidance projects revenue of $143.23 billion and EPS of $4.91, indicating sustained growth momentum for fiscal year.
  • The stock is trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 10.4, which is significantly lower than the industry average of 16.92, suggesting an attractive valuation.
  • Recent upward revisions in analyst estimates signal growing confidence in Verizon's business operations and profitability outlook.
Risk Factors
  • Verizon stock price declined 1.31% at $50.45 while the broader market gained, with the S&P 500 rising 0.83%, Dow up 0.5%, and Nasdaq up 1.38%, indicating underperformance relative to key benchmarks.
  • The Wireless National industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 212, placing it within the bottom 14% of over 250 industries, which suggests structural headwinds compared to peers.
  • Verizon has a PEG ratio of 2.15, significantly higher than the Wireless National industry average of 1.79, implying the stock may be expensive relative to its earnings growth expectations.
  • The Forward P/E ratio of 10.4 is already discounted relative to the industry average of 16.92, raising concerns that market participants expect significant risks or earnings misses not fully reflected in current prices.
  • Verizon's Zacks Rank is currently #3 (Hold), indicating neutral outlook without strong growth catalysts to support a buy rating despite positive analyst estimate revisions.
Somewhat Bullish +35

AT&T vs. Verizon in 2026: Which Telecom Dividend Stock Is Actually Worth Owning? - 24/7 Wall St.

AI-generated analysis

The article compares Verizon and AT&T as dividend stocks for 2026, highlighting a recent major network outage at Verizon that underscores the importance of reliability. It notes Verizon offers a higher current yield of 5.34% with an annualized dividend of $2.76 per share, which has been consistently raised in mid-2024 and mid-2025. Despite this income appeal, Verizon's 2025 adjusted EPS growth guidance is muted at 0% to 3%, and the stock trades near its 52-week high with a consensus target of $49.80 below the current price of $51.18. Verizon demonstrated strong Q4 2024 performance with postpaid phone net additions rising 26.5% year over year to 568,000 and fixed wireless access revenue jumping 51.6%. However, the company faces challenges including a decline in Verizon Business revenue of 1.5% and significant debt levels of $144 billion, which will increase further with the pending Frontier acquisition. CEO Hans Vestberg expressed optimism regarding future growth driven by spectrum investments, satellite partnerships, and AI enablement. In contrast, AT&T is presented as a stock building value for the future with a lower current yield of 3.83% but stronger earnings momentum. AT&T beat Q4 2025 estimates significantly, reporting adjusted EPS of $0.52 against a $0.47 estimate and full-year 2025 EPS growth of 8.7%. The company is actively deleveraging with net debt-to-EBITDA expected to decline to roughly 3x by end of 2026, while committing over $45 billion in shareholder returns through 2028. AT&T's fiber buildout has expanded connections by 11.5% year over year to 10.4 million, creating sticky bundled customer relationships. The analysis concludes that Verizon pays more income today while AT&T shows a clearer path for long-term growth and valuation expansion. AT&T trades at just 9x trailing earnings with a consensus target of $29.41 above its current price of $28.97. Investors are advised to weigh the immediate high yield of Verizon against AT&T's stronger earnings trajectory, deleveraging progress, and robust fiber growth when evaluating telecom stocks for retirement portfolios.

πŸ“‰ Verizon network outage raised reliability concerns despite high yield.

πŸ’° Verizon offers superior 5.34% yield with consistent dividend growth.

πŸ“ˆ Verizon Q4 phone net additions surged 26.5% to 568,000.

⚠️ Verizon guided flat 2025 EPS growth near current trading highs.

πŸ’Έ Verizon carries $144B debt plus pending Frontier acquisition leverage.

πŸ“‰ Verizon suffered a major network outage affecting hundreds of thousands of customers, raising concerns about reliability despite its high yield.

πŸ’° Verizon offers a superior current yield of 5.34% with an annualized dividend of $2.76 per share that has been consistently raised.

πŸ“ˆ Verizon Q4 2024 postpaid phone net additions surged 26.5% year over year to 568,000, the best performance in over a decade.

πŸš€ Fixed wireless access revenue for Verizon jumped 51.6% to $611 million with nearly 4.6 million new subscribers.

⚠️ Verizon guided 2025 adjusted EPS growth of only 0% to 3%, indicating essentially flat earnings despite trading near highs.

πŸ’Έ Verizon carries total debt of $144 billion, and the pending Frontier acquisition will add further leverage to the balance sheet.

πŸ“‰ Verizon Business revenue fell 1.5% in Q4 2024, dragging down overall segment performance.

🎯 Analyst consensus target for Verizon is $49.80, which is below the current trading price of $51.18.

πŸ“‰ AT&T offers a lower yield of 3.83% but demonstrated stronger earnings momentum with a Q4 2025 EPS beat of 10.64%.

🌐 AT&T has built 10.4 million fiber connections, an 11.5% year-over-year increase, adding over 1 million subscribers for eight consecutive years.

🀝 42% of AT&T Fiber households also subscribe to AT&T wireless, creating sticky bundled customer relationships.

πŸ“‰ AT&T is actively deleveraging with net debt-to-EBITDA expected to decline to roughly 3x by the end of 2026.

πŸ’° AT&T committed to $45 billion-plus in shareholder returns from 2026 through 2028, including an $18 billion FCF target for 2026.

🎯 Analyst consensus target for AT&T is $29.41, above the current price of $28.97, suggesting upside potential.

πŸ’΅ AT&T trades at just 9x trailing earnings, representing one of the cheaper valuations in the large-cap telecom sector.

Bullish Signals
  • Verizon raised quarterly dividend from $0.6650 to $0.69.
  • Verizon added 568,000 postpaid customers in Q4 2024.
  • Fixed wireless revenue grew 51.6% to $611 million.
  • AT&T EPS beat estimates at $0.52 vs $0.47.
  • AT&T full-year EPS grew 8.7% to $2.12.
  • AT&T net debt-to-EBITDA projected to drop to 3x.
  • AT&T added over 1 million fiber subscribers for eight years.
  • AT&T plans $45 billion shareholder returns through 2028.
  • Verizon strengthening via Frontier acquisition and AI.
Risk Factors
  • Major outage damaged core value proposition.
  • 2025 EPS growth guidance muted at 0% to 3%.
  • Significant debt of $144 billion increases with Frontier deal.
  • Business revenue declined 1.5% in Q4 2024.
  • Analyst target $49.80 below current price $51.18.
Bullish Signals
  • Verizon has raised its quarterly dividend payout from $0.6650 to $0.69 between mid-2024 and mid-2025, demonstrating consistent growth.
  • Verizon achieved its best postpaid phone net additions in over a decade with 568,000 new customers in Q4 2024.
  • Fixed wireless access revenue for Verizon grew rapidly by 51.6% to $611 million in Q4 2024.
  • AT&T significantly beat Q4 2025 adjusted EPS estimates, reporting $0.52 against a consensus of $0.47.
  • AT&T full-year 2025 adjusted EPS grew 8.7% to $2.12, showing solid earnings expansion.
  • AT&T is successfully deleveraging with net debt-to-EBITDA projected to drop to roughly 3x by end of 2026.
  • AT&T has added over 1 million fiber subscribers for eight consecutive years, indicating sustained growth in its fixed network.
  • AT&T plans to return $45 billion-plus to shareholders between 2026 and 2028, signaling confidence in cash flow generation.
  • Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg highlighted strengthening the company through Frontier acquisition, satellite partnerships, and AI enablement.
Risk Factors
  • Verizon recently suffered a major network outage leaving hundreds of thousands of customers without service, damaging its core value proposition.
  • Verizon's 2025 adjusted EPS growth guidance is muted at 0% to 3%, suggesting flat earnings despite high stock prices.
  • Verizon carries significant debt totaling $144 billion, which will increase further with the pending Frontier acquisition.
  • Verizon Business revenue declined 1.5% in Q4 2024, indicating weakness in a key enterprise segment.
  • Analyst consensus target for Verizon is $49.80, which is below the current trading price of $51.18, implying limited upside.
Bullish +65

Verizon Rose 4% This Week. Here’s Where the Stock Could Go by 2026 - TIKR.com

AI-generated analysis

Verizon Communications Inc. shares rose approximately 4% this week, trading near $51 per share, driven by renewed investor interest in high-dividend telecom stocks and positive management commentary. CEO Dan Schulman highlighted an improved cash flow outlook and cost discipline at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, signaling a strategic pivot back toward subscriber growth and operational efficiency. Management reported that Verizon has successfully removed about $9 billion in costs, comprising $5 billion in operating expenses and $4 billion in capital spending. The company is guiding free cash flow to at least $21.5 billion for 2026. Schulman emphasized that the firm is no longer willing to sacrifice market share merely to grow volumes, marking a significant shift in strategy. Investor positioning data revealed mixed signals despite the stock's upward movement. Short interest surged 34.8% to roughly 148 million shares as of February 13, representing about 3.5% of outstanding shares. While some institutions like Elo Mutual Pension Insurance increased their stakes, others including Laurel Wealth Advisors and Erste Asset Management significantly reduced their positions. Underlying the stock's valuation is a steady revenue outlook supported by wireless pricing stability, broadband expansion, and subscriber growth. The company aims to improve margins as it moves past its peak 5G investment cycle. Additionally, the recent Frontier acquisition has expanded Verizon's fiber footprint to over 30 million homes, creating opportunities for cross-selling between wireless and broadband services. Based on these assumptions, a valuation model estimates a target price of approximately $60, implying roughly 18% potential upside from current levels. This suggests the stock appears modestly undervalued if Verizon continues to execute on its growth drivers, including subscriber acquisition, broadband expansion, and improving free cash flow generation.

πŸ“ˆ Verizon shares rose 4% to near $51 amid telecom interest.

πŸ’° CEO plans removing $9B in costs including $5B operating expenses.

🎯 Company guides free cash flow to at least $21.5B by 2026.

πŸ”„ Strategy shifts from volume growth to subscriber retention and market share.

πŸ“‰ Short interest jumped 34.8% to 148 million shares as of Feb 13.

πŸ“ˆ Verizon shares rose 4% this week to finish near $51 per share amid renewed interest in high-dividend telecom stocks.

πŸ’° CEO Dan Schulman outlined a strategy of removing $9 billion in costs, including $5B in operating expenses and $4B in capex.

🎯 The company is guiding free cash flow to at least $21.5 billion for the year 2026.

πŸ”„ Management stated Verizon is shifting focus from volume-driven growth to prioritizing subscriber growth and market share retention.

πŸ“‰ Short interest jumped 34.8% to approximately 148 million shares as of February 13, signaling increased bearish positioning.

🏦 Institutional investor Elo Mutual Pension Insurance boosted its stake by 19%, while firms like Laurel Wealth Advisors cut exposure significantly.

πŸ“Ά Fixed wireless broadband is a key growth driver allowing Verizon to add home internet customers without building new fiber infrastructure.

πŸ”— The Frontier acquisition expanded Verizon's fiber footprint to over 30 million homes passed, enabling cross-selling opportunities.

πŸ’΅ Valuation models estimate a target price of about $60, suggesting roughly 18% potential upside from current levels.

πŸ“Š Revenue is expected to gradually increase due to wireless pricing stability and broadband expansion supporting top-line gains.

Bullish Signals
  • Shares gained 4% on improved cash flow focus.
  • $9B in costs removed showing strong efficiency.
  • 2026 free cash flow guidance minimum $21.5B.
  • Target price $60 implies 18% upside potential.
  • Frontier acquisition expands fiber to 30M homes.
Bullish Signals
  • Verizon shares gained 4% this week as investors reacted positively to management's emphasis on improving cash flow and cost discipline.
  • The company has successfully removed approximately $9 billion in costs, demonstrating strong operational efficiency improvements.
  • Free cash flow guidance for 2026 stands at a robust minimum of $21.5 billion, indicating strong financial health.
  • CEO Dan Schulman confirmed a strategic shift away from seeding market share to focus on sustainable subscriber growth.
  • Fixed wireless broadband allows Verizon to expand its customer base without the high capital costs associated with fiber infrastructure.
  • The Frontier acquisition has increased the fiber footprint to over 30 million homes, creating new cross-selling opportunities between wireless and broadband services.
  • Valuation models suggest a target price of $60, implying an 18% upside potential if execution continues as planned.
  • Operating margins are expected to improve as the company moves beyond its peak 5G investment cycle.
Risk Factors
  • Short interest increased significantly by 34.8% to about 148 million shares, indicating a notable rise in bearish positioning among traders.
  • Several major institutional investors reduced their stakes, with Laurel Wealth Advisors cutting its position by 97.8% and Erste Asset Management reducing by 93%.