Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) Stock Has Consensus Target Price of $50.80

Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) have been given a consensus rating of “Hold” by the twenty-nine research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $51.05.

Several research firms have recently weighed in on VZ. Scotiabank cut their target price on Verizon Communications from $51.50 to $50.00 and set a “sector outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 9th. BNP Paribas Exane lowered their price target on Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $45.00 in a research report on Tuesday. Freedom Broker upgraded shares of Verizon Communications from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $53.00 to $55.00 in a research report on Wednesday. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $47.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $47.00 to $45.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 13th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Verizon Communications news, CEO Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $43.00, for a total value of $47,300.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 98,866 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,251,238. This trade represents a 1.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 11,000 shares of company stock valued at $516,373. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of VZ. Eads & Heald Wealth Management lifted its stake in Verizon Communications by 15.3% in the third quarter. Eads & Heald Wealth Management now owns 14,059 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $645,000 after acquiring an additional 1,869 shares during the period. Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management increased its position in Verizon Communications by 5.7% during the 3rd quarter. Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management now owns 7,954 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $365,000 after purchasing an additional 428 shares during the period. GRIMES & Co WEALTH MANAGEMENT LLC increased its position in Verizon Communications by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. GRIMES & Co WEALTH MANAGEMENT LLC now owns 266,274 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $12,214,000 after purchasing an additional 1,968 shares during the period. Next Level Wealth Planning LLC purchased a new position in Verizon Communications during the 3rd quarter valued at about $99,000. Finally, Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 202.9% in the 3rd quarter. Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,860 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $85,000 after purchasing an additional 1,246 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

Verizon Communications Trading Up 1.1%

VZ opened at $43.65 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $47.13 and a 200 day moving average of $46.71. The company has a current ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.33. Verizon Communications has a 12 month low of $38.68 and a 12 month high of $51.68. The firm has a market cap of $181.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.13, a P/E/G ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.26.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, October 26th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.27 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $34.31 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.77 billion. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.75% and a net margin of 11.78%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.21 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Verizon Communications will post 5.08 EPS for the current year.

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, October 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.7075 per share. This represents a $2.83 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 9th. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio is presently 72.19%.

Verizon Communications News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Raised outlook and earnings beat: Verizon exceeded quarterly adjusted-EPS expectations and raised its 2026 guidance, reinforcing confidence in postpaid additions, broadband growth, margins and free-cash-flow generation. Verizon raises 2026 guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend appears supported by cash flow: Verizon used approximately 49% of free cash flow to fund its dividend, suggesting the roughly 6% yield is backed by internally generated cash rather than additional borrowing. This supports the stock’s appeal to income-focused investors. Verizon dividend free cash flow analysis
• Positive Sentiment: Debt-management action: Verizon launched offers to purchase up to $500 million of several note series for cash, which could help manage upcoming obligations and interest costs, although the near-term earnings effect is likely limited. Verizon note tender offers
• Neutral Sentiment: Small-business initiative: Verizon plans to direct $5 billion toward U.S. small-business suppliers over five years and is expanding its supplier accelerator program. The effort may strengthen procurement relationships and corporate reputation, but it is not expected to materially change near-term financial results. Verizon small-business supplier commitment
• Negative Sentiment: Wireless upgrade weakness: Customers are delaying or reconsidering phone upgrades, a potentially concerning signal for device sales, customer engagement and future promotional activity. Verizon declining phone upgrades
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst caution: Morgan Stanley, TD Cowen, Citi, Barclays, Daiwa Securities, BNP Paribas Exane and Goldman Sachs all lowered their expectations or price targets for Verizon. The revisions may limit upside despite the recent earnings improvement. Analyst outlook for Verizon
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: CEO Kyle Malady sold $47,300 of Verizon shares under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan. The relatively small transaction is not necessarily a fundamental warning, but repeated sales can weigh modestly on sentiment. Verizon CEO insider sale

About Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications Inc is a telecommunications company that provides wireless communications, broadband, and digital connectivity services. Through its consumer business, Verizon offers mobile voice and data plans, smartphones and other connected devices, home internet, fixed wireless access, and fiber-optic broadband services under the Fios brand.

Verizon also serves businesses, government agencies, and other organizations with wireless connectivity, private networks, internet and data services, managed communications, cloud and security solutions, and Internet of Things services.