Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Shares Up 3.9% - What's Next?

Key Points

• Shares jumped 3.9% on Thursday (trading as high as $46.86) with 25.56M shares changing hands, about 19% below the average session volume.
• Verizon was named the Official Telecommunication Services Sponsor for FIFA World Cup 2026 (providing 5G, Fixed Wireless Access and broadcast solutions) and announced shareholder-friendly actions including a $25B buyback authorization through 2028 and a raised quarterly dividend of $0.7075 (a 6.0% yield).
• Analyst views are mixed—MarketBeat lists an average rating of "Moderate Buy" with a $50.56 average target—while fundamentals show a P/E of 11.56, market cap of ~$195.6B and FY2026 guidance of $4.90–$4.95 EPS.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) shot up 3.9% on Thursday . The company traded as high as $46.86 and last traded at $46.8030. 25,561,125 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 19% from the average session volume of 31,433,633 shares. The stock had previously closed at $45.03.

Verizon Communications News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon was named the Official Telecommunication Services Sponsor for FIFA World Cup 2026, with the company supplying 5G, Fixed Wireless Access and broadcast solutions to power immersive fan experiences — a high‑profile showcase that could help win new enterprise and consumer deals and highlight 5G/fiber monetization opportunities. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst and investor write-ups highlight durable cash flow, attractive dividend yield and a new $25B buyback authorization through 2028 — factors that support shareholder returns and make the stock appealing on income/total‑return metrics. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Additional bullish takes note Verizon’s resilient cash flow and stable valuation vs. peers, reinforcing the buy case for income-focused investors. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley initiated coverage with an “Equal Weight” rating and $49 price target (roughly mid‑single‑digit upside from current levels) — a formal coverage start that adds institutional visibility but is not an outright bullish upgrade.
• Neutral Sentiment: RBC Capital reiterated its Hold rating, maintaining a conservative stance that keeps some analyst expectations in check. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry comparisons (Verizon vs. Charter) and vendor ecosystem news (Alarm.com adding Verizon LTE support) were reported — useful context on competitive positioning and partner adoption but unlikely to move the stock materially by themselves. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Alarm.com’s product updates noting Verizon LTE support underscore ecosystem demand for Verizon connectivity but are incremental at best. Article Title

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have weighed in on VZ. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a "market perform" rating and set a $48.00 target price on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Raymond James Financial reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $56.00 price objective on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Thursday, March 12th. Dbs Bank cut shares of Verizon Communications from a "moderate buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. KeyCorp reissued a "sector weight" rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Monday, January 26th. Finally, William Blair raised shares of Verizon Communications to an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Verizon Communications presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $50.56.

Verizon Communications Trading Up 3.9%

The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32. The company has a market cap of $195.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.56, a PEG ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 0.29. The firm's 50 day moving average is $49.24 and its two-hundred day moving average is $43.66.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.09 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.06 by $0.03. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 12.43% and a return on equity of 19.03%. The company had revenue of $36.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $36.20 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.10 earnings per share. Verizon Communications's revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.900-4.950 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.69 EPS for the current year.

Verizon Communications Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 1st. Investors of record on Friday, April 10th will be issued a $0.7075 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 10th. This is a positive change from Verizon Communications's previous quarterly dividend of $0.69. This represents a $2.83 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.0%. Verizon Communications's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 69.88%.

Insider Activity at Verizon Communications

In related news, Director Hans Erik Vestberg sold 200,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the director owned 145,069 shares in the company, valued at $7,196,873.09. The trade was a 57.96% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Joseph J. Russo sold 9,579 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.88, for a total transaction of $429,905.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 44,045 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,976,739.60. The trade was a 17.86% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 218,148 shares of company stock worth $10,780,356 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Verizon Communications

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Brighton Jones LLC raised its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 61.2% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 43,986 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $1,759,000 after purchasing an additional 16,704 shares during the period. United Bank raised its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 11.5% during 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 during the period. Jump Financial LLC raised 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 valued at $1,023,000 after purchasing an additional 17,901 shares during the period. HUB Investment Partners LLC raised 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 valued at $1,779,000 after purchasing an additional 6,034 shares during the period. Finally, Vivaldi Capital Management LP raised its holdings in shares of 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 during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.06% of the company's stock.

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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