53,295 Shares in Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ Acquired by Keudell Morrison Wealth Management

Key Points

• Keudell Morrison Wealth Management opened a new position in Verizon, buying 53,295 shares valued at about $2.17 million in the fourth quarter.
• Several other institutional investors also increased their Verizon stakes, and institutional ownership stands at 62.06% of the company.
• Verizon’s latest earnings topped estimates with $1.28 EPS versus the expected $1.21, while revenue rose 2.7% year over year to $34.44 billion, though it slightly missed analyst revenue expectations.

Keudell Morrison Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 53,295 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock, valued at approximately $2,171,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. grew its stake in Verizon Communications by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 335,856 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $14,761,000 after buying an additional 13,787 shares in the last quarter. Avanza Fonder AB grew its stake in Verizon Communications by 5.6% in the 4th quarter. Avanza Fonder AB now owns 331,962 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $13,521,000 after buying an additional 17,495 shares in the last quarter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. grew its stake in Verizon Communications by 14.0% in the 3rd quarter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. now owns 379,174 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $16,665,000 after buying an additional 46,699 shares in the last quarter. Econ Financial Services Corp grew its stake in Verizon Communications by 23.5% in the 4th quarter. Econ Financial Services Corp now owns 78,172 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $3,184,000 after buying an additional 14,862 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wedbush Securities Inc. grew its stake in Verizon Communications by 18.4% in the 3rd quarter. Wedbush Securities Inc. now owns 140,981 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $6,196,000 after buying an additional 21,915 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 62.06% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have commented on VZ shares. Evercore boosted their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $48.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 28th. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $43.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, Scotiabank raised shares of Verizon Communications from a "sector perform" rating to a "sector outperform" rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $50.25 to $54.50 in a research note on Monday, March 9th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $50.59.

Verizon Communications Price Performance

Shares of Verizon Communications stock opened at $48.26 on Friday. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 52-week low of $38.39 and a 52-week high of $51.68. The stock has a market capitalization of $201.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.00 and a beta of 0.24. The company has a fifty day moving average of $48.21 and a 200-day moving average of $44.75. 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 announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, April 27th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.21 by $0.07. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 12.46% and a return on equity of 19.25%. The company had revenue of $34.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $34.82 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.19 EPS. The firm's revenue was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-4.990 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.96 EPS for the current year.

Trending Headlines about Verizon Communications

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon announced preliminary results from its 2026 annual shareholder meeting, with investors electing all nine director nominees and approving key management proposals, signaling continued governance support and no signs of shareholder pushback. Verizon Announces Preliminary Shareholder Voting Results from 2026 Annual Meeting
• Positive Sentiment: The company also announced a debt redemption scheduled for June 20, which may be viewed favorably as part of ongoing balance-sheet management after its Frontier acquisition. Verizon to redeem debt securities on June 20, 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon continues to highlight consumer and brand-engagement initiatives, including a big FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket giveaway and the launch of the motorola razr 2026 on Verizon’s lineup, both of which could support customer acquisition and retention. Verizon announces a massive ticket drop for FIFA World Cup 2026™ The iconic flip meets incredible value: The new motorola razr 2026 joins Verizon’s lineup
• Neutral Sentiment: Several analyst-style pieces were published citing Verizon as a momentum or dividend stock, but these are mostly commentary rather than new company-specific fundamentals. Verizon Communications (VZ) is a Top-Ranked Momentum Stock: Should You Buy? Verizon: A Bright Future With Growing Dividends
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry coverage around private 5G growth and telecom comparisons may be supportive for the sector, but it does not directly change Verizon’s near-term outlook. Latest Global Private 5G Network Market to Reach USD 312.2 Billion by 2035 What the SpaceX IPO filing revealed for telecom stocks AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile
• Negative Sentiment: No major negative company-specific headlines were included in the latest batch, though broader analyst comparisons and sector competition remain ongoing considerations for investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, SVP Mary-Lee Stillwell sold 8,569 shares of the company's stock in a transaction 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 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 sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Hans Erik Vestberg sold 200,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.61, for a total transaction of $9,922,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 145,069 shares of the company's stock, valued at $7,196,873.09. This trade represents a 57.96% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Verizon Communications 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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