Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ Shares Acquired by Korea Investment CORP

Korea Investment CORP lifted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) by 2.7% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 2,917,916 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after purchasing an additional 76,992 shares during the quarter. Korea Investment CORP’s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $123,545,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. USS Investment Management Ltd boosted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 4.6% during the first quarter. USS Investment Management Ltd now owns 713,156 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $35,790,000 after buying an additional 31,354 shares during the period. Cornerstone Capital Inc. raised its stake in Verizon Communications by 8.6% during the 2nd quarter. Cornerstone Capital Inc. now owns 317,284 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $13,434,000 after acquiring an additional 25,156 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. raised its stake in Verizon Communications by 15.3% during the 4th quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 2,382,975 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $97,059,000 after acquiring an additional 316,854 shares during the last quarter. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. lifted its position in Verizon Communications by 127.0% during the 2nd quarter. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. now owns 184,170 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $7,798,000 after acquiring an additional 103,046 shares during the period. Finally, Keudell Morrison Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Verizon Communications during the 4th quarter worth approximately $2,171,000. 62.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Verizon Communications Stock Performance

Shares of VZ stock opened at $49.37 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $205.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.25. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $45.81 and a 200-day simple moving average of $47.40. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 12-month low of $38.39 and a 12-month high of $51.68. The company has a current ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36.

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

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 10th were issued a $0.7075 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 10th. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.7%. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 73.70%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Verizon Communications news, CEO Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.06, for a total transaction of $55,066.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 108,766 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,444,825.96. The trade was a 1.00% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Company insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Verizon Communications

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon’s approximately 5.6% dividend yield and reputation for relatively stable cash flow are attracting income investors as markets debate interest rates. The company recently paid a quarterly dividend of $0.7075 per share, or $2.83 annualized. Is Verizon gaining defensive appeal?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst targets remain modestly supportive, with recent targets ranging from $52 to $56 and nine analysts carrying Buy ratings. Verizon’s strong three-year total return and earnings guidance of approximately $4.99-$5.04 per share also provide a constructive backdrop for shareholders. Verizon stock looks cheap on earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation is inconclusive: Verizon trades at roughly 13 times earnings, which appears inexpensive for a large telecom, but its recent 77.2% three-year return means some of that value may already be reflected in the share price. The consensus analyst rating remains Hold, with an average target near $50.84.
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares for approximately $55,066. The transaction reduced his holdings by about 1% and was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, making it a limited and less concerning signal, but it nevertheless adds modest selling pressure. Verizon CEO sells shares
• Negative Sentiment: Residents of Spring Lake, New Jersey, are opposing a proposed Verizon 5G installation on boardwalk pavilions. The dispute is local and unlikely to materially affect Verizon’s financial results, but it highlights permitting and community-relations risks associated with network expansion. Jersey Shore residents oppose Verizon 5G towers

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

VZ has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Scotiabank boosted their target price on Verizon Communications from $51.50 to $52.50 and gave the company a “sector outperform” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. TD Cowen increased their price target on Verizon Communications from $54.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Erste Group Bank reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Tuesday, May 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Verizon Communications presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $50.84.

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.