Liberty One Investment Management LLC Sells 96,767 Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

Key Points

• Liberty One Investment Management cut its Verizon stake by 43.5% in Q1, selling 96,767 shares and leaving it with 125,580 shares valued at about $6.3 million.
• Verizon is in focus ahead of its Q2 earnings report, while recent news highlights both new product pushes and carrier promotions alongside ongoing restructuring efforts, including store sales and job cuts.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious: Verizon has a Hold consensus rating with an average price target of $50.03, even as it continues to offer a high dividend yield of 6.4%.

Liberty One Investment Management LLC reduced its position in Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ - Free Report) by 43.5% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 125,580 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock after selling 96,767 shares during the period. Liberty One Investment Management LLC's holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $6,304,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. RKL Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 4.3% during the 1st quarter. RKL Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,338 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $268,000 after acquiring an additional 218 shares during the period. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL raised its stake in Verizon Communications by 8.6% in the 4th quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 2,765 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $113,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares during the period. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in Verizon Communications by 32.7% in the 1st quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 888 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares during the period. Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. lifted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. now owns 35,023 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $1,426,000 after purchasing an additional 227 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Blake Schutter Theil Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 3.8% during the 4th quarter. Blake Schutter Theil Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,305 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $257,000 after purchasing an additional 233 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 62.06% of the company's stock.

Verizon Communications News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon is highlighting new consumer products, including the Gizmo Watch 4 for families focused on child safety, which could support device sales and customer engagement. Verizon (VZ) Launches Gizmo Watch 4 For Families Focused On Child Safety
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon is also promoting major Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and wearable preorder deals, signaling continued carrier partnerships and potential upgrade-driven demand. Samsung's next-generation Z Fold meets simplicity & value on Verizon
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple previews note that Verizon will report Q2 results before the bell on Friday, keeping the stock in focus as investors look for updates on wireless growth, margins, and guidance. Verizon (VZ) To Report Earnings Tomorrow: Here Is What To Expect
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage ahead of earnings says Verizon is in a broad reset, selling 274 company-owned stores, cutting jobs, and leaning more on franchises to improve efficiency. Verizon Communications (VZ) Sells Stores And Cuts Jobs, Is The Stock Still A Bargain?
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts are watching whether Verizon’s restructuring and cost cuts are enough to offset growth concerns, including competitive pressure from rivals and fears around new Starlink-related offerings in the market. Verizon Earnings Will Put Cost Cuts and SpaceX Fears Under the Microscope
• Negative Sentiment: Peer news from T-Mobile and AT&T underscores a tougher wireless backdrop, with intensified competition and execution risks across the sector that could weigh on Verizon’s outlook. T-Mobile Falls Despite Earnings Beat. CEO Shoots Down Expanded Starlink Deal.

Analyst Ratings Changes

VZ has been the topic of several research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Dbs Bank cut shares of Verizon Communications from a "moderate buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. BNP Paribas Exane reduced their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $44.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Scotiabank decreased their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $54.50 to $51.50 and set a "sector outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on shares of Verizon Communications in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. They issued an "equal weight" rating and a $43.00 price target on the stock. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $50.03.

Verizon Communications Stock Down 0.9%

VZ stock opened at $43.91 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38, a current ratio of 0.64 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The stock has a market capitalization of $183.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.71, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 0.26. The business's fifty day moving average price is $45.39 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $46.20. Verizon Communications Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $38.39 and a fifty-two week high of $51.68.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results 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 previous year, the business posted $1.19 earnings per share. Verizon Communications's quarterly 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. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.98 earnings per share for the current year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

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

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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