Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ Shares Bought by Ethic Inc.

Key Points

• Ethic Inc. increased its Verizon stake by 7.6% in the second quarter, adding 42,971 shares for a total of 606,443 shares valued at approximately $25.7 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 62.06% of Verizon.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed but generally cautious: Verizon has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $50.84, with recent target changes ranging from $44 to $52.
• Verizon exceeded quarterly earnings expectations with $1.30 in EPS, though revenue declined 0.7% year over year. The company maintains an annualized dividend of $2.83, yielding about 5.8%, while exploring AI-related fiber-network opportunities for future growth.

Ethic Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ - Free Report) by 7.6% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 606,443 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock after buying an additional 42,971 shares during the period. Ethic Inc.'s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $25,677,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its stake in Verizon Communications by 61.2% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 43,986 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $1,759,000 after purchasing an additional 16,704 shares during the last quarter. United Bank boosted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 11.5% in the second quarter. United Bank now owns 7,843 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $339,000 after purchasing an additional 806 shares in the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC increased its stake in Verizon Communications by 312.0% in the second quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 23,639 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $1,023,000 after purchasing an additional 17,901 shares during the last quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC increased its stake in Verizon Communications by 17.2% in the second quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 41,121 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $1,779,000 after purchasing an additional 6,034 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vivaldi Capital Management LP raised its holdings in Verizon Communications by 5.2% during the second quarter. Vivaldi Capital Management LP now owns 8,993 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $389,000 after purchasing an additional 443 shares in the last quarter. 62.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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 analysts have recently weighed in on VZ shares. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Moffett Nathanson dropped their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $56.00 to $49.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 20th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $43.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. BNP Paribas Exane decreased their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $44.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Verizon Communications from $50.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Verizon Communications currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $50.84.

Verizon Communications Price Performance

Verizon Communications stock opened at $48.50 on Monday. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 12 month low of $38.39 and a 12 month high of $51.68. The stock has a market capitalization of $201.51 billion, a PE ratio of 12.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 0.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36, a current ratio of 0.60 and a quick ratio of 0.57. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $45.30 and a 200-day simple moving average of $47.05.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, July 24th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.27 by $0.03. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 11.64% and a return on equity of 19.48%. The business had revenue of $34.25 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $35.16 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.22 earnings per share. The business's quarterly revenue was down .7% compared to the same quarter last year. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.990-5.040 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 5.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

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

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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