Cooke & Bieler LP Sells 31,105 Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

Key Points

• Cooke & Bieler LP cut its Verizon stake by 1.6%, selling 31,105 shares and retaining 1.91 million shares valued at approximately $80.8 million. Institutional investors collectively own 62.06% of Verizon.
• Verizon reported quarterly EPS of $1.30, beating estimates of $1.27, although revenue of $34.25 billion fell short of expectations and declined 0.7% year over year. The company maintained 2026 EPS guidance of $4.99–$5.04.
• Verizon’s quarterly dividend is $0.7075 per share, or $2.83 annualized, producing a 5.8% yield. Analysts have a consensus “Hold” rating and an average price target of $50.84, while potential AI-related fiber-network contracts could provide future growth.

Cooke & Bieler LP reduced its position in Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ - Free Report) by 1.6% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,908,717 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock after selling 31,105 shares during the period. Cooke & Bieler LP's holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $80,815,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 379,402,347 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $15,453,058,000 after purchasing an additional 5,497,598 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 3.5% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 222,951,399 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $9,080,810,000 after purchasing an additional 7,461,335 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 5.3% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 116,570,816 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $4,747,930,000 after purchasing an additional 5,851,715 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 102,632,509 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $4,168,080,000 after buying an additional 867,694 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE boosted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 15.4% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 62,101,021 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $3,117,471,000 after buying an additional 8,289,877 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 62.06% of the company's stock.

Verizon Communications Price Performance

NYSE VZ opened at $48.50 on Monday. 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 Inc. has a 12 month low of $38.39 and a 12 month high of $51.68. The stock has a market cap of $201.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.63, a PEG ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 0.25. The company's 50 day moving average is $45.30 and its two-hundred day moving average is $47.05.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 24th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.27 by $0.03. The business 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 company's revenue was down .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.22 earnings per share. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.990-5.040 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 5.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, July 10th were issued a $0.7075 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 10th. This represents a $2.83 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.8%. Verizon Communications's dividend payout ratio is currently 73.70%.

Trending Headlines about Verizon Communications

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon is using its fiber network to support AI-related connectivity, including a reported $1 billion-plus agreement with Google and potential additional hyperscaler contracts. These deals could create new enterprise revenue opportunities beyond traditional wireless services. Can AI Infrastructure Drive Verizon's Next Long-Term Growth?
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to highlight Verizon as a value stock, supported by its relatively modest valuation, income potential and defensive telecommunications business. That profile may appeal to investors seeking stability while broader markets remain elevated. Here's Why Verizon Communications Is a Strong Value Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon’s preparation for Tropical Storm Lala in Hawaii— including backup generators, satellite assets and pre-positioned equipment— reinforces network reliability and customer support, though the immediate financial impact is likely limited. Verizon Readies for Tropical Storm Lala
• Neutral Sentiment: A comparison with Nokia emphasizes Verizon’s connectivity strengths as both companies position for AI-driven telecom demand. The article does not identify a material change to Verizon’s near-term earnings outlook. Verizon vs. Nokia: Which Telecom Stock is the Better Buy Now?
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain mindful that Verizon has returned substantial cash to shareholders while its stock has lagged the broader market. This raises questions about whether dividends and buybacks are producing sufficient shareholder value compared with reinvestment in growth. VZ Paid Holders $59 Billion While the Stock Trailed the Market

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently issued reports on VZ. TD Cowen boosted their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $54.00 to $56.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. 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 note on Thursday, April 30th. Weiss Ratings reissued a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Freedom Capital raised Verizon Communications to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, June 12th. Finally, Erste Group Bank reiterated a "hold" rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $50.84.

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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