Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Trading Down 2.1% – Here’s What Happened

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) shares dropped 2.1% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $38.80 and last traded at $39.0050. Approximately 37,162,503 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 13% from the average daily volume of 32,766,445 shares. The stock had previously closed at $39.84.

Key Verizon Communications News

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

• Positive Sentiment: FCC revises phone-unlocking rule, which the agency says was costing Verizon hundreds of millions annually due to fraud — this regulatory relief should reduce fraud-related losses and help margins. FCC revises Verizon phone unlocking rules after significant fraud issues
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment appears to be improving as coverage highlights steadier growth and defensible cash flows; consensus price targets still imply upside versus the current share level, supporting a constructive medium-term view. Analyst Sentiment on Verizon Communications (VZ) Improves Amid Steadier Growth and Defensible Cash Flows
• Neutral Sentiment: Dividend-focused pieces point out Verizon’s large, reliable payout and how many shares yield ~$1,000/year — this keeps income investors interested but doesn’t change near-term operational outlook. Here’s How Many Shares of Verizon Communications You’d Need for $1,000 in Yearly Dividends
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage in dividend roundup lists (e.g., Dogs of the Dow) reiterates Verizon’s high yield relative to peers — supportive for yield-seeking investors but neutral for growth-driven flows. The Dogs of the Dow: 10 Downtrodden Dividends Paying Out Up to 6.8%
• Negative Sentiment: Scotiabank trimmed its price target on VZ (from $51 to $48) and kept a Sector Perform rating, citing intensifying wireless promotions — that suggests margin/competitive pressures and helps explain some selling. Scotiabank Trims Verizon (VZ) Price Target as Wireless Promotions Intensify

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have commented on VZ. Weiss Ratings lowered Verizon Communications from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Friday, October 24th. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price objective on Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $44.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 30th. BNP Paribas Exane cut shares of Verizon Communications from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $44.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $48.00 to $47.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Verizon Communications from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, September 26th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $47.47.

Verizon Communications Stock Down 2.1%

The company has a market capitalization of $164.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.33, a PEG ratio of 3.86 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $40.55 and its 200-day simple moving average is $41.86.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.19 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $33.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $34.19 billion. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 14.43% and a return on equity of 19.31%. The business’s revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.19 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, January 12th will be paid a dividend of $0.69 per share. This represents a $2.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 12th. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio is 58.97%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Verizon Communications

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Bulwark Capital Corp purchased a new stake in Verizon Communications during the 2nd quarter worth $25,000. Advantage Trust Co increased its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 549.5% during the second quarter. Advantage Trust Co now owns 591 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 95.3% in the third quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC now owns 625 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 305 shares in the last quarter. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Verizon Communications in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC purchased a new position in Verizon Communications in the third quarter valued at about $29,000. 62.06% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.