Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” by Brokerages

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) has earned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the eighteen ratings firms that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, five have issued a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $47.4286.

A number of analysts have issued reports on the company. Scotiabank boosted their target price on Verizon Communications from $50.50 to $51.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Barclays started coverage on Verizon Communications in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $43.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Verizon Communications from $48.00 to $47.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $47.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, KeyCorp reiterated a “sector weight” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Monday, January 26th.

Key Verizon Communications News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat on EPS and revenue — Verizon reported $1.09 EPS vs. consensus $1.06 and revenue of $36.38B, topping estimates and showing 2% year-over-year revenue growth. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Raised FY?2026 EPS guidance — management set guidance of $4.90–$4.95, above consensus, improving forward earnings visibility and supporting valuation. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Strong subscriber momentum — Verizon logged its highest quarterly wireless net adds in years (notably large postpaid phone adds), a primary driver of the upside in revenue and service growth metrics. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Capital return program — management outlined a large buyback program (cited in call writeups), which supports EPS and signals confidence in cash flow. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual options activity — heavy call buying was reported intraday, consistent with speculative/hedged bullish positioning by some investors. (Options volume report)
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational resilience highlighted — company actions to harden networks for winter storms were noted; supports customer experience but is a longer-term benefit. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Positive media/analyst writeups emphasize value after the beat, framing VZ as an income + growth story for yield-seeking investors. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Execution and cost risks called out — deeper analysis warns that aggressive subscriber promotions, the Frontier deal and integration/unit economics could pressure margins and near-term earnings visibility. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst target cut — Wells Fargo trimmed its target in a sector reassessment, a reminder that some shops remain cautious on wireless pricing and capital intensity. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Dividend-safety concerns re-surfacing — articles questioning sustainability of the ~7% yield could weigh on long-term income-focused demand if cash flow dynamics shift. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Minor institutional selling — a small manager reduced its position, noted in filings; not a major red flag but adds to mixed signals. Read More.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Verizon Communications

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in VZ. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 61.2% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 43,986 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $1,759,000 after purchasing an additional 16,704 shares during the last quarter. Kathmere Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Verizon Communications by 12.2% in the second quarter. Kathmere Capital Management LLC now owns 82,879 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $3,586,000 after buying an additional 9,020 shares during the last quarter. Patton Fund Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Verizon Communications in the second quarter valued at $227,000. Cove Private Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 2.8% during the 2nd quarter. Cove Private Wealth LLC now owns 10,343 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $448,000 after buying an additional 280 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MinichMacGregor Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Verizon Communications during the 2nd quarter worth about $238,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

Verizon Communications Trading Up 11.8%

NYSE VZ opened at $44.52 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $40.32 and its two-hundred day moving average is $41.58. Verizon Communications has a 12 month low of $38.39 and a 12 month high of $47.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.69. The stock has a market capitalization of $187.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.51, a PEG ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.34.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.09 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.03. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 14.43% and a return on equity of 19.31%. The business had revenue of $36.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $36.20 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.10 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.900-4.950 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications will post 4.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, January 12th will be given a $0.69 dividend. This represents a $2.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 12th. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 58.97%.

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.