Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Stock Price Down 1.1% – What’s Next?

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ)’s stock price was down 1.1% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $41.63 and last traded at $42.09. Approximately 54,989,954 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 86% from the average session volume of 29,515,740 shares. The stock had previously closed at $42.56.

More Verizon Communications News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo and Barclays assigned equal weight ratings with price targets above Verizon’s recent trading level, suggesting the stock may still have modest upside despite cautious views. Analyst rating updates
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon continues to be highlighted as an income stock, with articles pointing to its high-yield dividend appeal and below-fair-value valuation after the recent pullback. Verizon valuation article
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on the BT-Verizon international enterprise joint venture asked whether the deal could reshape cash flow expectations, but the article did not point to a clear near-term catalyst. BT-Verizon joint venture article
• Neutral Sentiment: Aduna’s new network-based authentication rollout with Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile could support fraud prevention and mobile security, but it appears more like a long-term ecosystem improvement than a direct earnings driver. Aduna and carrier authentication article
• Negative Sentiment: Wall Street commentary warns that SpaceX’s Starlink is intensifying competitive pressure on U.S. wireless carriers, including Verizon, which could weigh on growth expectations for fixed wireless and postpaid customers. Barron’s Starlink article
• Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo’s sector initiation was cautious on Verizon, reinforcing concerns that Starlink and broader telecom competition could pressure industry growth and margin expectations. Wells Fargo telecom outlook article
• Negative Sentiment: Several recent articles note that Verizon has underperformed the broader wireless sector over the past year, which may be reinforcing bearish sentiment and limiting buying enthusiasm. Zacks underperformance article

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have issued reports on VZ shares. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Wednesday. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $43.00 price objective for the company. Barclays reduced their price target on Verizon Communications from $47.00 to $45.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Oppenheimer raised their price target on Verizon Communications from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 11th. Raymond James Financial restated an “outperform” rating and set a $56.00 price objective on shares of Verizon Communications in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Verizon Communications currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $50.28.

Verizon Communications Stock Performance

The firm has a 50 day moving average of $46.38 and a 200-day moving average of $45.97. The company has a market cap of $177.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.36, a PEG ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 0.26. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last issued its earnings results on Monday, April 27th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.28 earnings per share 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 analyst estimates of $34.82 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.19 EPS. Verizon Communications’s revenue was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-4.990 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.98 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, July 10th will be paid a $0.7075 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 10th. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.7%. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio is 69.02%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 61.2% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 43,986 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $1,759,000 after acquiring an additional 16,704 shares in the last quarter. United Bank boosted its position in Verizon Communications by 11.5% during the second quarter. United Bank now owns 7,843 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $339,000 after purchasing an additional 806 shares in the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC boosted its position in Verizon Communications by 312.0% during the second quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 23,639 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $1,023,000 after purchasing an additional 17,901 shares in the last quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC grew its stake in Verizon Communications by 17.2% in the second quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 41,121 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $1,779,000 after purchasing an additional 6,034 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vivaldi Capital Management LP raised its holdings in Verizon Communications by 5.2% in the second quarter. Vivaldi Capital Management LP now owns 8,993 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $389,000 after purchasing an additional 443 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

Verizon Communications Company 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.