Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Trading Up 2.6% – Here’s Why

Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) rose 2.6% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $47.03 and last traded at $46.9540. Approximately 24,432,234 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 14% from the average daily volume of 28,310,395 shares. The stock had previously closed at $45.78.

More Verizon Communications News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts are highlighting Verizon’s fiber expansion as a potential growth driver, especially after the Frontier acquisition, with demand from AI, cloud computing, and data center connectivity seen as a long-term tailwind. Article: Can Verizon’s Fiber Expansion Strategy Benefit From Rising AI Demand?
• Positive Sentiment: Recent commentary suggests Verizon looks inexpensive versus peers, with low earnings multiples helping support the stock as investors rotate toward value and dividend names. Article: Is Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) A Good Stock To Buy Now?
• Positive Sentiment: Investor attention remains elevated around VZ, which can help keep the stock supported when market participants are actively looking for defensive telecom exposure. Article: Investors Heavily Search Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ): Here is What You Need to Know
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparison articles pitting Verizon against AST SpaceMobile do not point to a near-term catalyst, but they keep the stock in the spotlight as investors weigh Verizon’s stable wireless/fiber strategy against higher-risk satellite connectivity plays. Article: VZ vs. ASTS: Which Connectivity Stock is the Better Buy?
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional coverage from Zacks on VZ versus ASTS reinforces the same relative-value debate, but it appears more comparative than company-specific. Article: VZ vs. ASTS: Which Connectivity Stock is the Better Buy?

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

VZ has been the subject of several analyst reports. Erste Group Bank reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. Dbs Bank cut Verizon Communications from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. Scotiabank raised Verizon Communications from a “sector perform” rating to a “sector outperform” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $50.25 to $54.50 in a report on Monday, March 9th. Morgan Stanley upped 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. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Verizon Communications from $44.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $50.59.

Verizon Communications Stock Up 2.6%

The company has a market cap of $196.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.45, a PEG ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.24. The company has a current ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38. The business has a fifty day moving average of $47.35 and a two-hundred day moving average of $45.36.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last announced its earnings results on Monday, April 27th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.21 by $0.07. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.25% and a net margin of 12.46%.The business had revenue of $34.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $34.82 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.19 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-4.990 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.97 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.7075 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 10th. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.0%. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio is presently 69.02%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC boosted its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 490.0% during the fourth quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC now owns 649 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 539 shares during the period. Robinswood Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications in the first quarter valued at $27,000. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Lam Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications in the first quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications in the third quarter valued at $29,000. 62.06% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Verizon Communications

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.