Miller Howard Investments Inc. NY Sells 595,652 Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

Key Points

• Miller Howard Investments cut its Verizon stake by 42.7% in Q4, selling 595,652 shares and leaving the fund with 800,496 shares worth about $32.6 million.
• Company insiders have been net sellers recently—Director Hans Erik Vestberg sold 200,000 shares (~$9.92M) and insiders sold 218,148 shares totaling roughly $10.78M in the past 90 days.
• Verizon raised its quarterly dividend to $0.7075 (annualized $2.83, ~6.1% yield) and announced a $25 billion share-repurchase authorization through 2028 to bolster shareholder returns.

Miller Howard Investments Inc. NY lowered its position in Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ - Free Report) by 42.7% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 800,496 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock after selling 595,652 shares during the period. Miller Howard Investments Inc. NY's holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $32,604,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of VZ. Brighton Jones LLC grew its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 61.2% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 43,986 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $1,759,000 after buying an additional 16,704 shares during the last quarter. United Bank grew its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 11.5% in the 2nd quarter. United Bank now owns 7,843 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $339,000 after buying an additional 806 shares during the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC grew its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 312.0% in the 2nd quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 23,639 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $1,023,000 after buying an additional 17,901 shares during the last quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 17.2% in the 2nd quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 41,121 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $1,779,000 after buying an additional 6,034 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vivaldi Capital Management LP grew its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 5.2% in the 2nd quarter. Vivaldi Capital Management LP now owns 8,993 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $389,000 after buying an additional 443 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.06% of the company's stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Verizon Communications news, Director Hans Erik Vestberg sold 200,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the director directly owned 145,069 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $7,196,873.09. This trade represents a 57.96% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Joseph J. Russo sold 9,579 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.88, for a total transaction of $429,905.52. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 44,045 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,976,739.60. This represents a 17.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 218,148 shares of company stock valued at $10,780,356. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Verizon Communications Stock Up 0.1%

VZ stock opened at $46.60 on Monday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $49.24 and a 200 day moving average of $43.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $194.77 billion, a PE ratio of 11.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 0.29. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 52 week low of $38.39 and a 52 week high of $51.68.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $36.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $36.20 billion. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 12.43% and a return on equity of 19.03%. Verizon Communications's revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.10 EPS. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.900-4.950 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Verizon Communications Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 10th will be given a dividend of $0.7075 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 10th. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.1%. This is a boost from Verizon Communications's previous quarterly dividend of $0.69. Verizon Communications's payout ratio is 69.88%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on VZ. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $41.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. KeyCorp reaffirmed a "sector weight" rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 11th. Barclays lifted their target price 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, Raymond James Financial reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $56.00 target price on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Thursday, March 12th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $50.56.

Key Verizon Communications News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon secured the Official Telecommunication Services Sponsor role for FIFA World Cup 2026, positioning its 5G, fixed wireless access and broadcast solutions to showcase capabilities on a global stage — a high-visibility commercial win that could drive enterprise deals and consumer adoption. Verizon to Power Unforgettable Fan Experiences at the FIFA World Cup 2026™
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and trade press note the sponsorship could highlight Verizon’s 5G and fiber strengths and open new revenue/enterprise opportunities tied to large live events and media services. VZ to Boost Fan Experience at FIFA World Cup: Will it Drive Prospects?
• Positive Sentiment: Investor-focused pieces highlight resilient cash flow, a rich dividend and a new $25B share-repurchase authorization through 2028 — factors that support shareholder returns and underpin buy-side interest. Verizon: A Strong Buy Due To Its Resilient Cash Flow And Stable Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: Additional analysis argues Verizon is entering a reversal-to-growth phase with disciplined capex and M&A that could lift medium-term earnings, keeping VZ on buy lists despite recent run-ups. Verizon: Reversal To Growth, Temper Expectations Entering Q1, Still A Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley initiated coverage with an equal-weight rating and a $49 price target (roughly mid-single-digit upside), signaling modest upside relative to risk — a neutral-to-cautious take from a large sell-side firm.
• Neutral Sentiment: RBC reiterated a hold rating, keeping expectations muted among some traditional telecom analysts. RBC Capital Sticks to Its Hold Rating for Verizon (VZ)
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader market strength provided support for equities yesterday, but sector/stock-specific drivers (sponsorship, buybacks, guidance) remain the primary determinants for VZ’s moves. Stock Market News for Apr 17, 2026

Verizon Communications Company 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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