Barclays Boosts Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Price Target to $46.00

Key Points

• Barclays raised its Verizon price target from $45 to $46 while maintaining an “equal weight” rating, implying roughly 0.72% downside from the stock’s $46.34 opening price.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious: Verizon has a consensus “Hold” rating and an average price target of $50.10, based on nine Buy and eleven Hold ratings.
• Verizon exceeded quarterly EPS expectations with $1.30 versus $1.27 expected, but revenue of $34.25 billion fell short of estimates and declined 0.6% year over year.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) had its price target hoisted by equities research analysts at Barclays from $45.00 to $46.00 in a research note issued on Monday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an "equal weight" rating on the cell phone carrier's stock. Barclays's price target points to a potential downside of 0.72% from the stock's current price.

VZ has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Erste Group Bank reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. Freedom Capital upgraded Verizon Communications to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, June 12th. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on Verizon Communications in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. They issued an "equal weight" rating and a $43.00 target price for the company. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on Verizon Communications from $48.00 to $46.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 20th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane lowered their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $44.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $50.10.

Verizon Communications Stock Performance

Shares of VZ stock opened at $46.34 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $193.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.07, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 0.26. Verizon Communications has a 12-month low of $38.39 and a 12-month high of $51.68. The business's 50 day moving average is $45.39 and its two-hundred day moving average is $46.24. The company has a current ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 24th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.30 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.27 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $34.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $35.16 billion. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 11.64% and a return on equity of 19.48%. The firm's revenue was down .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.22 EPS. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.990-5.040 EPS. Analysts expect that Verizon Communications will post 5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Verizon Communications

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Larry Mathis Financial Planning LLC acquired a new position in Verizon Communications during the 2nd quarter worth $670,000. Regent Peak Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 6.0% during the 2nd quarter. Regent Peak Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 5,834 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $247,000 after buying an additional 329 shares in the last quarter. Bank & Trust Co boosted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 1.6% in the second quarter. Bank & Trust Co now owns 47,798 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $2,024,000 after acquiring an additional 739 shares in the last quarter. Butensky & Cohen Financial Security Inc. raised its holdings in Verizon Communications by 1.7% during the second quarter. Butensky & Cohen Financial Security Inc. now owns 122,165 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $5,172,000 after purchasing an additional 2,087 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Whitener Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Verizon Communications by 11.6% during the 2nd quarter. Whitener Capital Management Inc. now owns 42,340 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $1,793,000 after purchasing an additional 4,413 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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.

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