Baird Financial Group Inc. Has $111.40 Million Holdings in Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

Baird Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ - Free Report) by 6.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,631,065 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock after buying an additional 149,754 shares during the quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. owned 0.06% of Verizon Communications worth $111,399,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Beacon Investment Advisory Services Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 13.7% in the 2nd quarter. Beacon Investment Advisory Services Inc. now owns 16,306 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $690,000 after purchasing an additional 1,963 shares in the last quarter. Stableford Capital II LLC lifted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 491.8% during the 2nd quarter. Stableford Capital II LLC now owns 25,686 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $1,088,000 after purchasing an additional 21,346 shares during the last quarter. XY Planning Network Inc. lifted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 13.1% during the 2nd quarter. XY Planning Network Inc. now owns 5,394 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $228,000 after purchasing an additional 624 shares during the last quarter. BayBridge Capital Group LLC boosted its position in Verizon Communications by 2.0% in the second quarter. BayBridge Capital Group LLC now owns 34,771 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $1,472,000 after buying an additional 696 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arizona State Retirement System boosted its position in Verizon Communications by 0.4% in the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 1,159,870 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $49,109,000 after buying an additional 4,644 shares in the last quarter. 62.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Verizon Communications News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon signed a multibillion-dollar supply agreement with Corning for high-density optical fiber running through 2032. The commitment is intended to expand broadband access and strengthen infrastructure for rising AI-related data traffic, providing greater long-term visibility for Verizon’s network buildout. Verizon signs optical fiber deal with Corning to expand broadband, support AI growth
• Positive Sentiment: The agreement reportedly covers approximately 80 million miles of fiber and could help Verizon meet growing demand for consumer broadband, business connectivity and converged services. Investors may view the deal as supporting customer growth and reinforcing Verizon’s competitive position in infrastructure tied to AI demand. Verizon Just Locked In 80 Million Miles of Fiber Through 2032
• Neutral Sentiment: The deal’s strategic benefits are clear, but the articles do not disclose its precise financial terms. Verizon will likely need to commit substantial capital and operating resources, so the effect on margins, free cash flow and returns will depend on execution and broadband subscriber growth. Verizon, Corning Reach Multi-Billion Dollar Agreement for Broadband Expansion
• Negative Sentiment: Some market commentary points to investors rotating away from defensive, high-yield telecommunications stocks after Verizon’s strong run. Brokerages maintain a consensus “Hold” recommendation, suggesting much of the recent recovery may already be reflected in the share price. Shift Away from Defensive Plays Hits Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications Price Performance

VZ opened at $50.40 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36, a current ratio of 0.60 and a quick ratio of 0.57. The stock has a market capitalization of $209.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.26. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $46.61 and its 200-day simple moving average is $47.50. Verizon Communications Inc. has a one year low of $38.39 and a one year high of $51.68.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 24th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.27 by $0.03. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 11.64% and a return on equity of 19.48%. The firm had revenue of $34.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $35.16 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.22 EPS. Verizon Communications's revenue was down .7% on a year-over-year basis. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.990-5.040 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 5.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VZ has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Weiss Ratings reissued a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a report on Wednesday, August 26th. BNP Paribas Exane decreased their price target on Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $44.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Scotiabank raised their price target on Verizon Communications from $51.50 to $52.50 and gave the company a "sector outperform" rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Verizon Communications from $43.00 to $47.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $50.97.

Insider Activity at Verizon Communications

In other news, CEO Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of Verizon Communications stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.50, for a total value of $55,550.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 107,666 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,437,133. This trade represents a 1.01% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 3,300 shares of company stock valued at $164,164. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications Inc is a telecommunications company that provides wireless communications, broadband, and related technology services. Its offerings include mobile voice and data plans, 5G connectivity, fixed wireless access, fiber-optic internet through Verizon Fios, home services, and connected-device solutions.

Through Verizon Business, the company serves enterprises, government agencies, and other organizations with communications networks, managed connectivity, cybersecurity, cloud and edge-computing services, unified communications, and Internet of Things solutions.

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