Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ is Applied Finance Capital Management LLC's 8th Largest Position

Key Points

• Applied Finance Capital Management increased its Verizon stake by 13.5% in the first quarter, buying 84,223 additional shares and making VZ its 8th-largest holding at about 2.7% of assets.
• Verizon reported better-than-expected earnings for the quarter, with EPS of $1.28 versus the $1.21 consensus, though revenue of $34.44 billion came in slightly below estimates.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.7075 per share, implying a 6.7% annualized yield, while analysts currently rate the stock a consensus “Hold” with an average target price of $50.28.

Applied Finance Capital Management LLC raised its position in Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ - Free Report) by 13.5% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 708,600 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock after acquiring an additional 84,223 shares during the period. Verizon Communications makes up approximately 2.7% of Applied Finance Capital Management LLC's holdings, making the stock its 8th biggest holding. Applied Finance Capital Management LLC's holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $35,572,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in VZ. Lam Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications in the 1st quarter worth $28,000. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC increased its position in Verizon Communications by 490.0% during the 4th quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC now owns 649 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 539 shares in the last quarter. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Verizon Communications during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. EQ Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Verizon Communications in the fourth quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors raised its stake in Verizon Communications by 173.0% in the fourth quarter. Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors now owns 707 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 448 shares during the last quarter. 62.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Verizon Communications Stock Performance

VZ opened at $42.14 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $175.95 billion, a PE ratio of 10.28, a P/E/G ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 0.26. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 12-month low of $38.39 and a 12-month high of $51.68. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $46.10 and a two-hundred day moving average of $46.01. The company has a current ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, April 27th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.21 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $34.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $34.82 billion. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 12.46% and a return on equity of 19.25%. The firm's revenue was up 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.19 earnings per share. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-4.990 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.98 EPS for the current year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, July 10th will be given a dividend of $0.7075 per share. This represents a $2.83 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 10th. Verizon Communications's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 69.02%.

Trending Headlines about Verizon Communications

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon is being highlighted as a potentially attractive dividend stock, with Barron’s saying now may be a good time to buy income-oriented names like VZ as yields look more compelling. Why Verizon, Clorox and More Dividend Stocks Are Flashing a Buy Signal
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon won a new automotive connectivity contract through its KDDI partnership, becoming the U.S. connectivity provider for newly manufactured BMW Group vehicles, which could support growth in its enterprise and IoT business. Verizon named U.S. connectivity provider for newly manufactured BMW Group vehicles through KDDI partnership
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts also flagged Verizon as a telecom name worth owning, noting its fiber and wireless expansion strategy and suggesting it may have a good setup for its next earnings report. T or VZ: Which Telecom Stock Deserves a Place in Your Portfolio?
• Positive Sentiment: Another recent report said Verizon has a strong earnings surprise history and could beat estimates again, which tends to support investor confidence ahead of results. Will Verizon (VZ) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?
• Neutral Sentiment: Goldman Sachs won asset-management mandates tied to Verizon’s retirement assets, but this is mainly a financial-services arrangement rather than an operational development for Verizon. Goldman Sachs wins $70 billion in asset management deals with Verizon, Lockheed Martin
• Neutral Sentiment: Some broader commentary on enterprise internet reliability and telecom competition, including Starlink-related pressure, may add noise to the sector outlook, but it is not a direct negative catalyst for Verizon itself. Verizon NYSE: VZ Dow Exit Deepens Starlink Market Pressure

Analysts Set New Price Targets

VZ has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Erste Group Bank reissued a "hold" rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. They issued an "equal weight" rating and a $43.00 price objective for the company. 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. Dbs Bank downgraded shares of Verizon Communications from a "moderate buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Finally, 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 note on Thursday, April 30th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $50.28.

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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