Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Downgraded by Dbs Bank to "Hold"

Key Points

• DBS Bank downgraded Verizon from a "moderate buy" to a "hold," a move that signals sell‑side skepticism and could prompt near‑term profit‑taking.
• Analyst consensus remains a Moderate Buy with a $50.56 average price target, and broker ratings are mixed (2 Strong Buy, 10 Buy, 10 Hold).
• Shares trade around $48 (1‑year range $38.39–$51.68) with a $202B market cap and P/E of 11.85; Verizon set FY2026 EPS guidance of 4.90–4.95, and insiders have sold about 218,148 shares recently, including a 200,000‑share sale by director Hans Erik Vestberg.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Dbs Bank from a "moderate buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on VZ. Raymond James Financial restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $56.00 target price on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Thursday, March 12th. Barclays increased their price objective on Verizon Communications from $43.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Scotiabank raised Verizon Communications from a "sector perform" rating to a "sector outperform" rating and raised their price objective for the company from $50.25 to $54.50 in a research report on Monday, March 9th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Verizon Communications from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Erste Group Bank raised shares of Verizon Communications from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 2nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Verizon Communications has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $50.56.

Verizon Communications Price Performance

Shares of NYSE VZ opened at $47.98 on Tuesday. Verizon Communications has a 1 year low of $38.39 and a 1 year high of $51.68. The stock has a market capitalization of $202.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.85, a P/E/G ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.29. The company's 50-day moving average is $49.10 and its 200 day moving average is $43.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.87.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.06 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $36.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $36.20 billion. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 12.43% and a return on equity of 19.03%. Verizon Communications's quarterly revenue was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.10 earnings per share. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.900-4.950 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Verizon Communications will post 4.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at Verizon Communications

In related news, Director Hans Erik Vestberg sold 200,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.61, for a total value of $9,922,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 145,069 shares in the company, valued at $7,196,873.09. The trade was a 57.96% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Joseph J. Russo sold 9,579 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were 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 trade represents a 17.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 218,148 shares of company stock valued at $10,780,356 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of VZ. Old North State Trust LLC lifted its stake in Verizon Communications by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. Old North State Trust LLC now owns 46,962 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $1,913,000 after acquiring an additional 770 shares during the period. Purpose Unlimited Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications in the fourth quarter worth approximately $154,000. Cornerstone Planning LLC purchased a new position in shares of Verizon Communications during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $2,807,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. raised its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 31.6% during the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 2,693,602 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $109,710,000 after purchasing an additional 647,230 shares during the last quarter. Finally, World Investment Advisors lifted its position in Verizon Communications by 23.9% during the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 466,396 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $18,996,000 after purchasing an additional 89,826 shares during the period. 62.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Verizon Communications

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

• Positive Sentiment: High, rising dividend and yield support income buying — outlets note Verizon's >5% yield and that the company continues to raise payouts, which attracts yield-focused investors and underpins downside. These Companies Pay 5% Dividend Yields, and They’re Hiking Them Too
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic actions (CEO cost cuts, $25B buyback authorization, Frontier acquisition expanding fiber) and guidance for rising free cash flow are cited as medium-term catalysts that support upside once macro sentiment stabilizes. The War Won't Last Forever: 3 Stocks That Could Lead the Recovery
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst estimate tweak: Erste Group nudged FY2027 EPS forecasts slightly higher and maintains a bullish stance, a vote of confidence that can help sentiment among value investors and long-term holders.
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation / pullback analysis: Several outlets weigh whether the recent week/month pullback creates a buying opportunity given multi-year gains and a lower relative price — useful context for value-oriented traders deciding entry points. Is Verizon Communications (VZ) Offering An Opportunity After Recent Share Price Pullback?
• Neutral Sentiment: Regulatory/marketing ruling: The National Advertising Division found Verizon’s disclosures around a promotional price increase to be adequate — removes a small regulatory/PR overhang but is unlikely to move the stock materially. In Fast-Track SWIFT Challenge, National Advertising Division Finds Verizon Wireless Pricing Disclosures Adequate
• Negative Sentiment: DBS Bank downgrade (Buy → Hold, $52 PT) signals some sell-side skepticism that the rally has priced in much of the near-term upside; such downgrades can prompt profit-taking. Verizon Cut to Hold at DBS Bank: Is the Telecom Giant Running Out of Upside?
• Negative Sentiment: Shareholder proposals on board structure, climate oversight and ESG/DEI-linked pay have drawn proxy advisory scrutiny — governance fights can increase volatility and complicate investor sentiment into the AGM. Verizon Shareholder Push Raises Questions On Governance Climate Oversight And Valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Dividend durability debate: comparative pieces flag nuance versus peers (e.g., AT&T) and discuss potential pressures — the debate can unsettle some income investors and create selling pressure if concerns spread. Verizon vs. AT&T: One Telecom Dividend Is on Shaky Ground

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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