CI Investments Inc. Acquires 42,240 Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

Key Points

• CI Investments Inc. increased its Verizon stake by 21.4% in the first quarter, buying 42,240 additional shares and bringing its total holding to 239,398 shares valued at about $12.0 million.
• Wall Street sentiment on Verizon remains mixed: analysts currently average a “Hold” rating with a consensus price target of $50.03, even as some firms trimmed targets and others remain constructive.
• Verizon continues to lean on its 6.4% dividend yield and reported stronger-than-expected quarterly EPS of $1.28, but it is also dealing with restructuring efforts, including store sales and job cuts, ahead of upcoming earnings.

CI Investments Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ - Free Report) by 21.4% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 239,398 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock after purchasing an additional 42,240 shares during the period. CI Investments Inc.'s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $12,018,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC raised its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 490.0% during the fourth quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC now owns 649 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 539 shares during the last quarter. Lam Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Verizon Communications in the 1st quarter worth approximately $28,000. EQ Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Verizon Communications in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors boosted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 173.0% in the 4th quarter. Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors now owns 707 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 448 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quattro Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Institutional investors own 62.06% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays lowered their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $47.00 to $45.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Erste Group Bank reiterated a "hold" rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. Freedom Capital raised Verizon Communications to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, June 12th. Finally, Scotiabank cut their target price on Verizon Communications from $54.50 to $51.50 and set a "sector outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Verizon Communications presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $50.03.

Verizon Communications News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon launched the Gizmo Watch 4 for families, a child-safety-focused wearable that could help deepen its connected devices ecosystem and add incremental service revenue. Verizon (VZ) Launches Gizmo Watch 4 For Families Focused On Child Safety
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon is offering preorders for Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8 lineup and new Galaxy wearables, which may support device upgrades and customer retention through attractive financing and bundle deals. Samsung's next-generation Z Fold meets simplicity & value on Verizon
• Positive Sentiment: Some coverage continues to frame Verizon as an income stock worth holding, with investors drawn to its high dividend yield and defensive cash-flow profile. Retire on Dividends Alone: The Super-High-Yield Stocks Boomers Are Buying and Never Selling
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are mixed ahead of Verizon’s Q2 earnings, with bullish comments about valuation and FIFA-related momentum offset by concerns about 5G spending, competition, and discounting. Should You Buy, Sell or Hold Verizon Stock Before Q2 Earnings?
• Neutral Sentiment: Verizon is shrinking its retail footprint by selling 274 stores and cutting 500 office jobs, part of a broader restructuring that may improve efficiency but also signals pressure in the core business. Verizon To Sell 274 Stores, Cut 500 Office Jobs In Restructuring
• Negative Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada reportedly issued a pessimistic forecast for Verizon, reinforcing concerns that earnings and growth expectations may be under pressure heading into results. Royal Bank Of Canada Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Verizon Communications NYSE: VZ Stock Price
• Negative Sentiment: Verizon’s planned cuts of 3,000 jobs and the handoff of 274 stores to franchisees highlight a significant restructuring effort, which can raise investor worries about demand, margins, and business stability. Verizon Is Cutting 3,000 Jobs and Handing 274 Stores to Franchisees Right Before July 24 Earnings. Is the 6.5% Dividend Still Safe?

Verizon Communications Stock Up 1.2%

Shares of NYSE VZ opened at $44.29 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38. The firm has a market cap of $184.92 billion, a PE ratio of 10.80, a P/E/G ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 0.26. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $45.45 and its 200 day simple moving average is $46.18. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 12-month low of $38.39 and a 12-month high of $51.68.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 27th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 net margin of 12.46% and a return on equity of 19.25%. The business's revenue was up 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.19 earnings per share. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-4.990 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, July 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.7075 per share. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 10th. Verizon Communications's dividend payout ratio is 69.02%.

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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