Ridgepath Capital Management LLC Has $2.53 Million Stake in Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

Key Points

• Ridgepath Capital Management cut its Verizon stake by 48.6% in the first quarter, selling 47,650 shares and ending with 50,460 shares worth about $2.53 million.
• Verizon reported better-than-expected EPS of $1.28 for the quarter, though revenue of $34.44 billion came in slightly below analyst estimates despite rising 2.7% year over year.
• The company continues to offer a high dividend yield, declaring a quarterly payout of $0.7075 per share for an annualized yield of about 6.5%, while analysts currently view the stock as a Hold overall.

Ridgepath Capital Management LLC reduced its holdings in Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ - Free Report) by 48.6% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 50,460 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock after selling 47,650 shares during the quarter. Verizon Communications accounts for about 1.3% of Ridgepath Capital Management LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest holding. Ridgepath Capital Management LLC's holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $2,533,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the business. Convergence Investment Partners LLC lifted its stake in Verizon Communications by 5.9% in the first quarter. Convergence Investment Partners LLC now owns 37,401 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $1,878,000 after buying an additional 2,082 shares in the last quarter. Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft FI increased its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 14.6% during the first quarter. Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft FI now owns 1,389,489 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $69,752,000 after acquiring an additional 176,816 shares in the last quarter. Florida Financial Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 34.4% during the first quarter. Florida Financial Advisors LLC now owns 7,976 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $400,000 after acquiring an additional 2,041 shares during the period. Beta Wealth Group Inc. lifted its position in Verizon Communications by 5.7% in the 1st quarter. Beta Wealth Group Inc. now owns 7,564 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $380,000 after acquiring an additional 410 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Earned Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Verizon Communications by 4.5% in the 1st quarter. Earned Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 11,248 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $565,000 after acquiring an additional 482 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.06% of the company's stock.

Verizon Communications Trading Down 0.2%

Verizon Communications stock opened at $43.51 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $45.59 and a 200-day moving average of $46.13. Verizon Communications Inc. has a one year low of $38.39 and a one year high of $51.68. 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 company has a market cap of $181.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.61, a P/E/G ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 0.26.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.25% and a net margin of 12.46%.The company had revenue of $34.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $34.82 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.19 EPS. Verizon Communications's revenue for the quarter was up 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-4.990 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 10th will be given a dividend of $0.7075 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 10th. This represents a $2.83 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.5%. Verizon Communications's payout ratio is 69.02%.

More Verizon Communications News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Several articles continue to frame Verizon as a long-term value name, highlighting its relatively low valuation and income appeal for investors looking for defensive cash flow. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage commentary also points to bullish expectations for Verizon’s FY2026 earnings, reinforcing the idea that the company may be able to maintain stable profitability. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Verizon is being mentioned in broader “stocks to watch” coverage ahead of a busy earnings week, but this is more of a market context story than a company-specific catalyst. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage of Verizon preparing its network for record-setting traffic during the first-ever World Cup halftime show underscores operational readiness, but it is unlikely to materially move the stock on its own. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada cut its price target on Verizon from $48 to $46 while keeping a “sector perform” rating, a sign that analysts see limited upside near term and that may be weighing on shares. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Investor concern also remains centered on whether Verizon can fully protect its dividend, suggesting the market is still sensitive to debt and payout sustainability risks. Article Title

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have issued reports on VZ. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a report on Friday, May 29th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on Verizon Communications in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. They set an "equal weight" rating and a $43.00 price objective for the company. Dbs Bank lowered Verizon Communications from a "moderate buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Freedom Capital upgraded Verizon Communications to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, June 12th. Finally, Barclays cut their target price on Verizon Communications from $47.00 to $45.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Verizon Communications presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $49.97.

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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