Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ Stock: Heritage Investors Management Corp Reduces Stake

Heritage Investors Management Corp lowered its position in Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 353,480 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after selling 15,877 shares during the period. Heritage Investors Management Corp’s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $16,214,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Robinswood Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Verizon Communications during the first quarter worth approximately $27,000. Gill Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 74.6% in the 2nd quarter. Gill Capital Partners LLC now owns 620 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 265 shares in the last quarter. Balance Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications in the 3rd quarter valued at $37,000. Bare Financial Services Inc grew its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 37.4% during the 2nd quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 841 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 229 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Frazier Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 32.7% during the 1st quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 888 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 219 shares during the last quarter. 62.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Verizon Communications Stock Up 0.2%

Shares of Verizon Communications stock opened at $44.81 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.33, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a current ratio of 0.63. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 52-week low of $38.68 and a 52-week high of $51.68. The stock has a market capitalization of $186.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.43, a P/E/G ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.26. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $47.04 and its 200-day moving average price is $46.73.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last issued its earnings results on Monday, October 26th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.31 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.27 by $0.04. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 11.78% and a return on equity of 19.75%. The company had revenue of $34.31 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.77 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.21 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 5.08 EPS for the current year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 9th will be issued a $0.7075 dividend. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 9th. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 72.19%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have weighed in on the stock. BNP Paribas Exane lowered their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $45.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 27th. Moffett Nathanson upped their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price objective on Verizon Communications from $47.00 to $45.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 13th. Arete Research decreased their price objective on Verizon Communications from $71.00 to $62.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 1st. Finally, Citigroup lowered their target price on Verizon Communications from $55.00 to $53.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 27th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $51.05.

Insider Transactions at Verizon Communications

In other Verizon Communications news, CEO Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $43.00, for a total value of $47,300.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 98,866 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,251,238. The trade was a 1.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 11,000 shares of company stock valued at $516,373. 0.03% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Verizon Communications News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Better earnings and higher guidance: Verizon reported quarterly adjusted EPS of $1.31, above the $1.27 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 1.5% year over year. Growth in postpaid phone additions and broadband, lower promotional spending and margin expansion helped support an increase to the company’s 2026 outlook. Verizon raises 2026 guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Income appeal remains strong: Verizon’s dividend yield is above 6%, the company has raised its payout for 20 consecutive years, and dividends consumed approximately 49% of recent free cash flow. This supports the view that the payout is financially sustainable despite Verizon’s substantial debt load. Verizon dividend analysis
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade and supplier investment: Freedom Broker upgraded VZ from “hold” to “buy” and raised its price target to $55. Separately, Verizon announced a $5 billion, five-year commitment to U.S. small-business suppliers, which could strengthen procurement relationships and support its network expansion ecosystem. Freedom Broker upgrade
• Neutral Sentiment: SpaceX competition remains a long-term issue: Verizon CEO Dan Schulman said a fully competitive SpaceX wireless network could take years and require enormous investment. Verizon remains open to a Starlink partnership, but not one that would enable direct competition through Verizon’s infrastructure. Verizon CEO on Starlink partnership
• Negative Sentiment: Countervailing concerns: Several firms, including Barclays, Daiwa, Goldman Sachs and TD Cowen, lowered their price targets. Investors are also watching reports of declining phone upgrades, while CEO Kyle Malady’s recurring Rule 10b5-1 stock sales may weigh modestly on sentiment. Verizon phone upgrade trend

About Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications Inc is a telecommunications company that provides wireless communications, broadband, and digital connectivity services. Through its consumer business, Verizon offers mobile voice and data plans, smartphones and other connected devices, home internet, fixed wireless access, and fiber-optic broadband services under the Fios brand.

Verizon also serves businesses, government agencies, and other organizations with wireless connectivity, private networks, internet and data services, managed communications, cloud and security solutions, and Internet of Things services.