Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Stock Price Up 2.1% – Should You Buy?

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) rose 2.1% on Wednesday. The stock traded as high as $46.55 and last traded at $46.2050. 25,173,728 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 8% from the average session volume of 27,383,225 shares. The stock had previously closed at $45.24.

Key Stories Impacting Verizon Communications

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon and Ericsson plan to roll out AI-native tools for automating Verizon’s radio network. Field tests of one tool reportedly improved downlink throughput by up to 8.9% and uplink throughput by up to 8%, suggesting potential gains in network performance and operating efficiency. Verizon and Ericsson partner to transform AI-native Autonomous Networks
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon is expanding private wireless service and upgrading stadium connectivity for the 2026 NFL season, including support for connected officiating and games at international venues. The initiative showcases potential enterprise and event-network applications, though its financial impact was not disclosed. Powering the Play: Verizon Elevates the NFL Gameday Experience Worldwide
• Neutral Sentiment: Verizon set pricing terms for its previously announced cash tender offers to buy up to $500 million in aggregate purchase price of five note series. This is a debt-management step; the announcement does not indicate a major change to the company’s operating outlook. Verizon announces pricing terms of its tender offers for five series of notes
• Negative Sentiment: SpaceX is working with Qualcomm on wireless hardware as it pursues a mobile network that could compete with established carriers, including Verizon. Reports also describe possible talks involving Boost Mobile, but no deal is confirmed. The prospect adds a longer-term competitive risk, even as building a nationwide network would require substantial investment and time. SpaceX Strikes Major Qualcomm Deal to Take on Verizon and AT&T

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have commented on VZ. Arete Research decreased their price objective on Verizon Communications from $71.00 to $62.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 1st. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a report on Wednesday, August 26th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their target price on Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $47.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Moffett Nathanson upped their price target on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price target on Verizon Communications from $47.00 to $45.00 in a research report on Tuesday, October 13th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Verizon Communications has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $51.05.

Verizon Communications Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $191.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 0.28. The business’s 50-day moving average is $46.85 and its two-hundred day moving average is $46.79. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.33.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, October 26th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.27 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $34.31 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.77 billion. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 11.78% and a return on equity of 19.75%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.21 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 5.08 earnings per share for the current year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, November 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, October 9th were given a dividend of $0.7075 per share. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 9th. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 72.19%.

Insider Activity at Verizon Communications

In related news, CEO Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of Verizon Communications stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.00, for a total transaction of $47,300.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 98,866 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,251,238. This trade represents a 1.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 11,000 shares of company stock worth $516,373 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its position in Verizon Communications by 9.5% in the third quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 335,851 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $15,442,000 after purchasing an additional 29,074 shares during the last quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA grew its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 14.9% in the third quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 3,132,700 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $143,697,000 after purchasing an additional 406,529 shares during the last quarter. Leelyn Smith LLC grew its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 10.7% in the third quarter. Leelyn Smith LLC now owns 81,901 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $3,757,000 after purchasing an additional 7,931 shares during the last quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 22.6% in the third quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 53,659 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $2,461,000 after purchasing an additional 9,879 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Investment Management Corp VA ADV increased its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 22.4% in the third quarter. Investment Management Corp VA ADV now owns 6,332 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $290,000 after buying an additional 1,160 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

About Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications Inc is a telecommunications company that provides wireless communications, broadband, and digital connectivity services. Through its consumer business, Verizon offers mobile voice and data plans, smartphones and other connected devices, home internet, fixed wireless access, and fiber-optic broadband services under the Fios brand.

Verizon also serves businesses, government agencies, and other organizations with wireless connectivity, private networks, internet and data services, managed communications, cloud and security solutions, and Internet of Things services.