Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) Receives $50.59 Consensus Target Price from Analysts

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) has been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-two brokerages that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $50.5938.

Several equities analysts have weighed in on VZ shares. Citigroup raised their target price on Verizon Communications from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, March 20th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Verizon Communications from $44.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, Scotiabank upgraded Verizon Communications from a “sector perform” rating to a “sector outperform” rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $50.25 to $54.50 in a research note on Monday, March 9th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Verizon Communications

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC boosted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 490.0% during the fourth quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC now owns 649 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 539 shares in the last quarter. Robinswood Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Verizon Communications during the first quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Verizon Communications during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Lam Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Verizon Communications during the first quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Verizon Communications in the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. 62.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Verizon Communications Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:VZ opened at $46.43 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38. Verizon Communications has a 1 year low of $38.39 and a 1 year high of $51.68. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $46.93 and a 200 day simple moving average of $45.83. The firm has a market cap of $193.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.33, a P/E/G ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 0.24.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, April 27th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.21 by $0.07. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.25% and a net margin of 12.46%.The business had revenue of $34.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $34.82 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.19 earnings per share. Verizon Communications’s quarterly revenue was up 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-4.990 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Verizon Communications will post 4.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 10th will be paid a $0.7075 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 10th. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.1%. Verizon Communications’s payout ratio is presently 69.02%.

About Verizon Communications

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.