Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ Shares Sold by Asset Management One Co. Ltd.

Asset Management One Co. Ltd. trimmed its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ - Free Report) by 7.5% in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,048,000 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock after selling 165,771 shares during the period. Asset Management One Co. Ltd.'s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $86,712,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 61.2% in the fourth 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 period. United Bank lifted its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 11.5% in the second quarter. United Bank now owns 7,843 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $339,000 after purchasing an additional 806 shares in the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 312.0% during the second quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 23,639 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $1,023,000 after purchasing an additional 17,901 shares during the period. HUB Investment Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 17.2% during the second quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 41,121 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $1,779,000 after purchasing an additional 6,034 shares during the period. Finally, Vivaldi Capital Management LP grew its position 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 valued at $389,000 after purchasing an additional 443 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.06% of the company's stock.

Verizon Communications News Roundup

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

VZ has been the topic of several research reports. Scotiabank upped their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $51.50 to $52.50 and gave the company a "sector outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Wells Fargo & Company increased 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. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Freedom Capital upgraded shares of Verizon Communications to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, June 12th. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price objective on Verizon Communications from $54.00 to $56.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Verizon Communications currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $50.84.

Verizon Communications Stock Performance

VZ opened at $48.50 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $45.30 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $46.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $201.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.25. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 12-month low of $38.39 and a 12-month high of $51.68.

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

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

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

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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