Harvest Portfolios Group Inc. Buys 78,669 Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

Harvest Portfolios Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) by 16.6% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 553,242 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after purchasing an additional 78,669 shares during the quarter. Harvest Portfolios Group Inc.’s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $22,534,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in VZ. State Street Corp boosted its position in Verizon Communications by 3.5% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 215,490,064 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $9,470,788,000 after purchasing an additional 7,276,809 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 379,402,347 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $15,453,058,000 after acquiring an additional 5,497,598 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors boosted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 51.1% in the third quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 14,512,228 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $637,812,000 after acquiring an additional 4,905,101 shares in the last quarter. Danske Bank A S acquired a new stake in Verizon Communications in the third quarter worth about $161,346,000. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 50.4% in the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 8,848,766 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $385,983,000 after acquiring an additional 2,965,033 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

More Verizon Communications News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon said it added postpaid phone customers for the first time since 2013, while broadband growth and the Frontier deal are helping retention and supporting the consumer segment. VZ Gains From Solid Traction in the Consumer Segment: Will it Sustain?
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon is being highlighted as an attractive undervalued dividend stock, reinforcing its appeal for income-oriented investors. Is Verizon Communications (VZ) One of the Top 12 Undervalued Dividend Stocks to Buy Now?
• Positive Sentiment: The FCC approved Verizon’s spectrum-related move, and the company is also part of a new satellite-based mobile coverage initiative that could help reduce dead zones and improve network reach over time. T-Mobile US Joins Rivals On Satellite Push To Extend Coverage Story
• Neutral Sentiment: Verizon’s annual Data Breach Investigations Report drew broad media attention, but it is mainly a research publication and not a direct business catalyst for the stock. AI-related data breaches surpass stolen credentials in cyber incidents, Verizon report says
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparisons with AT&T and valuation-focused commentary are keeping Verizon in the spotlight, but these pieces mostly reinforce the company’s steady revenue profile rather than adding a new fundamental catalyst. AT&T vs Verizon. One of These Telecoms Has Raised Its Dividend 20 Straight Times and the Market Is Finally Noticing
• Negative Sentiment: Some market commentary continues to flag Verizon as a potentially risky Dow stock, reflecting lingering concerns about growth and the telecom sector’s maturity. 3 Dow Jones Stocks We Find Risky

Verizon Communications Stock Up 2.1%

VZ stock opened at $47.77 on Wednesday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $48.31 and its 200-day simple moving average is $44.62. The company has a market capitalization of $199.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 0.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38, a current ratio of 0.64 and a quick ratio of 0.61. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 12 month low of $38.39 and a 12 month high of $51.68.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, April 27th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.21 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $34.44 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.82 billion. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 12.46% and a return on equity of 19.25%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.19 EPS. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-4.990 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.96 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have weighed in on VZ. Weiss Ratings raised Verizon Communications from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Williams Trading set a $54.00 price target on Verizon Communications in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a “market perform” rating and issued a $48.00 price target on shares of Verizon Communications in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price target on Verizon Communications from $44.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $50.59.

Insider Activity at Verizon Communications

In related news, Director Hans Erik Vestberg sold 200,000 shares of Verizon Communications stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.61, for a total transaction of $9,922,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 145,069 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,196,873.09. This trade represents a 57.96% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Mary-Lee Stillwell sold 8,569 shares of Verizon Communications stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.00, for a total value of $428,450.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 43,782 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,189,100. This represents a 16.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Verizon Communications 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.