Modern Wealth Management LLC Boosts Stake in Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

Modern Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) by 30.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 75,454 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after purchasing an additional 17,508 shares during the quarter. Modern Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $3,316,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of VZ. Norges Bank bought a new position in Verizon Communications during the 2nd quarter valued at about $2,504,150,000. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 372,787,016 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $16,130,494,000 after acquiring an additional 4,615,075 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 2.1% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 208,213,255 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $9,009,388,000 after acquiring an additional 4,205,449 shares during the period. California Public Employees Retirement System raised its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 21.5% during the second quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 21,159,040 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $915,552,000 after purchasing an additional 3,743,892 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 4,274.6% during the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,917,508 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $82,971,000 after purchasing an additional 1,873,675 shares during the last quarter. 62.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Verizon Communications

In related news, SVP Mary-Lee Stillwell sold 8,569 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.00, for a total value of $428,450.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 43,782 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,189,100. This represents a 16.37% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Joseph J. Russo sold 9,579 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.88, for a total transaction of $429,905.52. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 44,045 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,976,739.60. The trade was a 17.86% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 218,148 shares of company stock worth $10,780,356. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Verizon Communications Trading Down 0.0%

Shares of VZ stock opened at $51.17 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.87. The company has a market cap of $215.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.63, a PEG ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 0.31. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 1 year low of $38.39 and a 1 year high of $51.41. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $44.40 and a 200-day moving average price of $42.60.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last announced its earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.03. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.03% and a net margin of 12.43%.The company had revenue of $36.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $36.20 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.10 EPS. Verizon Communications’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.900-4.950 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Verizon Communications Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 10th will be given a dividend of $0.7075 per share. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 10th. This is an increase from Verizon Communications’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.69. Verizon Communications’s payout ratio is presently 68.15%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently issued reports on VZ. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $44.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Verizon Communications from $47.00 to $49.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Williams Trading set a $54.00 price objective on Verizon Communications in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Evercore increased their target price on Verizon Communications from $48.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Scotiabank raised their target price on Verizon Communications from $48.00 to $50.25 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $49.02.

Key Verizon Communications News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon showcased a 5G + edge computing proof‑of‑concept for vehicle‑to‑everything (V2X) with Aptiv and Wind River at MWC — a practical demo that highlights potential enterprise/edge revenue and differentiates Verizon’s network capabilities. Verizon Weighs V2X Growth Opportunities Against Sponsorship Cost Controls
• Positive Sentiment: Management is reviewing large sponsorship deals (including the NFL partnership) as part of cost controls — cutting hundreds of millions in marketing/sponsorship spend could improve margins and free cash flow if executed. Verizon (VZ) Reviewing NFL Partnership and Other Sponsorship Deals to Cut Costs
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst pieces point to durable operational momentum — subscriber gains, broadband growth and AI/telematics initiatives alongside recent quarterly beats and FY26 guidance underpin the stock’s strong YTD performance and support dividend coverage. Verizon Shares Rise 19.4% in a Year: Should You Invest Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary is asking whether Verizon is fairly valued after a strong year‑to‑date run — this could prompt profit‑taking or re‑ratings but is not a company action. Is It Time To Reassess Verizon (VZ) After Its Strong Year To Date Share Price Run?
• Neutral Sentiment: Verizon will present at the Deutsche Bank Media, Internet & Telecom conference on March 10 — an opportunity for management to update investors but not itself a catalyst. Verizon to speak at Deutsche Bank Media, Internet & Telecom Conference on March 10
• Negative Sentiment: A recent major network outage left hundreds of thousands of customers without service — this raises short‑term churn, reputational risk and could attract regulatory scrutiny if issues persist. AT&T vs. Verizon in 2026: Which Telecom Dividend Stock Is Actually Worth Owning?

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.