Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ Shares Bought by Vest Financial LLC

Key Points

• Vest Financial LLC boosted its stake in Verizon by 48.4%, buying 83,088 shares to hold 254,655 shares valued at about $10.37 million at the end of the quarter.
• Q1 results beat on EPS — Verizon reported $1.28 EPS versus $1.21 expected, with $34.44 billion in revenue (slightly below estimates) and raised FY2026 EPS guidance to $4.950–4.990.
• Dividend increased to $0.7075 per share quarterly (about $2.83 annualized), giving a roughly 6.0% yield, up from the prior $0.69 quarterly payout.

Vest Financial LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ - Free Report) by 48.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 254,655 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock after buying an additional 83,088 shares during the period. Vest Financial LLC's holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $10,372,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. TruNorth Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 95.3% in the third quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC now owns 625 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 305 shares in the last quarter. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Verizon Communications in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Verizon Communications in the third quarter worth about $29,000. Daytona Street Capital LLC bought a new position in Verizon Communications in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Accordant Advisory Group Inc increased its stake in Verizon Communications by 152.9% during the 4th quarter. Accordant Advisory Group Inc now owns 827 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 500 shares during the period. 62.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Verizon Communications Stock Performance

NYSE:VZ opened at $47.22 on Wednesday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $48.99 and a 200-day moving average of $43.95. The firm has a market cap of $197.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 0.29. The company has a current ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38. Verizon Communications Inc. has a twelve month low of $38.39 and a twelve month high of $51.68.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, April 27th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.21 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $34.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $34.79 billion. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 12.46% and a return on equity of 19.25%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.19 earnings per share. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-4.990 EPS. Analysts forecast that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.7075 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 10th. This represents a $2.83 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.0%. This is a boost from Verizon Communications's previous quarterly dividend of $0.69. Verizon Communications's dividend payout ratio is 69.02%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

VZ has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Verizon Communications from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $44.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Tuesday. Barclays upped their target price on Verizon Communications from $43.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, Williams Trading set a $54.00 price target on Verizon Communications in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Verizon Communications currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $50.41.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Mary-Lee Stillwell sold 8,569 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.00, for a total value of $428,450.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 43,782 shares in the company, valued at $2,189,100. This trade represents a 16.37% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Joseph J. Russo sold 9,579 shares of Verizon Communications stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.88, for a total value of $429,905.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 44,045 shares in the company, valued at $1,976,739.60. This represents a 17.86% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 218,148 shares of company stock worth $10,780,356 in the last three months. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting Verizon Communications

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and guidance raise — Adjusted EPS of $1.28 topped estimates, GAAP EPS and net income rose year‑over‑year, Verizon reported record adjusted EBITDA and raised FY26 EPS guidance, supporting upside sentiment. Verizon CEO Claims Turnaround Is Officially Underway
• Positive Sentiment: Subscriber momentum — Promotions produced about 55k net wireless additions (first positive Q1 postpaid adds since 2013), helping lift outlook and investor confidence in churn/ARPU trends. Verizon's promos lead to 55K new wireless subscribers; raises FY26 profit guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Large AI/hyperscaler opportunity — Management said it’s in advanced talks to monetize fiber and 5G for AI infrastructure with hyperscalers and cloud providers, a potential multi‑billion revenue stream if deals materialize. Verizon eyes multi-billion dollar AI opportunity
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst reactions mixed but supportive — Morgan Stanley nudged its price target higher (to $50) maintaining constructive tone; other shops kept neutral/equal‑weight views. Analyst target moves
• Neutral Sentiment: Customer perks and bundling — New streaming discounts and FIFA ticket promotions are demand/retention plays that support churn control and bundling, but are unlikely to move near‑term results materially. Verizon's Streaming Deals Let You Watch Netflix, Disney Plus and More, for Less
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue narrowly missed estimates — Q1 revenue of ~$34.4B came in slightly below consensus, tempering some of the bullish reaction and leaving questions on top‑line traction. VZ Q1 Deep Dive: Customer Retention and Efficiency Drive Operating Momentum
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure — Strong results from peers (T‑Mobile, Comcast’s mobile push) keep the wireless market competitive and could pressure ARPU and future net adds if promos escalate. T-Mobile Stock Rises on Earnings Beat
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst downside signal — Wells Fargo’s price target raise still sits below the current share price, a reminder some analysts see limited near‑term upside. Wells Fargo price target note

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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