34,441 Shares in Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ Bought by Kepler Cheuvreux Suisse SA

Key Points

• Kepler Cheuvreux Suisse SA opened a new position in Verizon during the first quarter, buying 34,441 shares valued at about $1.73 million.
• Verizon’s latest earnings came in ahead of expectations, with EPS of $1.28 versus the $1.21 estimate, while revenue rose 2.7% year over year. The company also reaffirmed fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of 4.950 to 4.990.
• Verizon continues to appeal to income investors, announcing a quarterly dividend of $0.7075 per share and a 6.6% yield. Analysts currently rate the stock a Moderate Buy with an average price target of $50.59.

Kepler Cheuvreux Suisse SA bought a new position in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ - Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 34,441 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock, valued at approximately $1,729,000.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC increased its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 490.0% in the fourth quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC now owns 649 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 539 shares during the period. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Verizon Communications in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Lam Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Verizon Communications during the 1st quarter worth about $28,000. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC bought a new position in Verizon Communications during the third quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, EQ Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Verizon Communications during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Institutional investors own 62.06% of the company's stock.

Verizon Communications News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continue to frame Verizon as an attractive value stock, with Zacks citing favorable style-score characteristics that may appeal to value-focused investors. Here's Why Verizon Communications (VZ) is a Strong Value Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon’s dividend profile is still a key support for the shares, with comparisons to AT&T emphasizing Verizon’s long record of dividend increases and its appeal to income investors. Better High-Yield Dividend Stock: Verizon or AT&T?
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon and BT Group announced a $4 billion international enterprise joint venture, which could expand Verizon’s global business services reach and improve growth prospects. Is Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) Stock Positioned for Growth After $4B International Enterprise Partnership?
• Neutral Sentiment: Verizon is getting more trading attention from retail investors, which may reflect renewed interest but does not by itself change the company’s fundamentals. Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) is Attracting Investor Attention: Here is What You Should Know
• Neutral Sentiment: Wall Street expects Verizon’s upcoming quarterly earnings to show modest profit growth, making the next report an important catalyst but not a clear surprise yet. What to Expect From Verizon Communications' Next Quarterly Earnings Report
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage about Starlink’s push into mobile service raises longer-term competitive pressure on Verizon and other wireless carriers, even though major infrastructure hurdles remain. Starlink Dominates Internet From Space. Can It Disrupt AT&T and Verizon on the Ground?

Verizon Communications Stock Up 0.0%

Shares of Verizon Communications stock opened at $42.57 on Friday. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $46.56 and its 200 day simple moving average is $45.91. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 52-week low of $38.39 and a 52-week high of $51.68. The firm has a market cap of $177.77 billion, a PE ratio of 10.38, a P/E/G ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 0.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 0.64.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 27th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.21 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $34.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.82 billion. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.25% and a net margin of 12.46%.The business's revenue was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.19 EPS. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-4.990 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, July 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.7075 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 10th. This represents a $2.83 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.6%. Verizon Communications's dividend payout ratio is presently 69.02%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently commented on VZ. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Oppenheimer upped their price objective on Verizon Communications from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, March 11th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $44.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. Finally, Freedom Capital upgraded Verizon Communications to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, June 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $50.59.

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.

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