Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Price Target Raised to $46.00

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) had its price target upped by Barclays from $45.00 to $46.00 in a research note published on Monday morning,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an equal weight rating on the cell phone carrier’s stock.

VZ has been the subject of a number of other reports. BNP Paribas Exane lowered their target price on Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $44.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Erste Group Bank reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $43.00 target price on the stock. Dbs Bank cut shares of Verizon Communications from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. Finally, 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. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $50.84.

Verizon Communications Price Performance

VZ stock opened at $47.21 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36. The firm has a market cap of $197.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.29, a PEG ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.26. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $45.39 and its 200 day simple moving average is $46.40. Verizon Communications has a 12-month low of $38.39 and a 12-month high of $51.68.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 24th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.27 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $34.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $35.16 billion. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.48% and a net margin of 11.64%.The business’s quarterly revenue was down .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.22 EPS. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.990-5.040 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Verizon Communications will post 5.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, July 10th will be issued a $0.7075 dividend. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 10th. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 73.70%.

Institutional Trading of Verizon Communications

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. RKL Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 4.3% in the first quarter. RKL Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,338 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $268,000 after purchasing an additional 218 shares during the period. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL increased 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 valued at $113,000 after buying an additional 219 shares during the period. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 32.7% during the 1st quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 888 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 219 shares in the last quarter. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. raised its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. now owns 18,421 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $925,000 after buying an additional 223 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. lifted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 0.7% in the 4th 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 during the period. Institutional investors own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

Key Verizon Communications News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon’s second-quarter results showed adjusted earnings of $1.30 per share, ahead of the $1.27 consensus, while profit increased year over year. The stock also remains inexpensive relative to communications peers, trading at a low forward earnings multiple and offering a dividend yield above 6%. Verizon After Earnings: Cheap Stock or Value Trap?
• Positive Sentiment: Bain Capital and Tillman Global Holdings announced a $1.5 billion investment in Eaton Fiber, intended to fund Ripple Fiber’s acquisition and accelerate Verizon’s fiber broadband expansion across the United States. The investment could support Verizon’s fixed-wireless and fiber growth without representing a direct funding burden for Verizon. Bain Capital and Tillman Global Holdings Announce $1.5 Billion Investment in Eaton Fiber
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised several price targets, including TD Cowen’s increase to $56 and Morgan Stanley’s increase to $52. Recent commentary also points to improved subscriber growth, lower churn, bundling gains, and potential future revenue from AI infrastructure and data-center connectivity.
• Neutral Sentiment: Verizon’s earnings beat was tempered by revenue of $34.25 billion, below the $35.16 billion consensus, with revenue down year over year. Analysts remain divided over whether the stock’s discount reflects attractive value or persistent growth concerns. With a 6% Yield, Is Verizon Stock a Buy as Turnaround Continues?
• Negative Sentiment: The immediate pressure came from reports that SpaceX is exploring urban-grade wireless spectrum through acquisitions or a potential federal auction bid. Investors fear a direct satellite-to-mobile competitor could challenge Verizon’s pricing power, customer retention, and market share, weighing on major U.S. wireless carriers. AT&T and Verizon Tumble as Musk’s SpaceX Plots Direct Mobile Threat

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.