State of Wisconsin Investment Board Lowers Holdings in Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

State of Wisconsin Investment Board decreased its holdings in Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) by 3.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 2,184,722 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after selling 79,875 shares during the quarter. State of Wisconsin Investment Board owned 0.05% of Verizon Communications worth $88,984,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. &PARTNERS boosted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 15.4% in the fourth quarter. &PARTNERS now owns 1,540,437 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $62,714,000 after purchasing an additional 205,257 shares during the period. Siemens Fonds Invest GmbH lifted its stake in Verizon Communications by 3.9% in the fourth quarter. Siemens Fonds Invest GmbH now owns 127,919 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $5,206,000 after acquiring an additional 4,747 shares during the last quarter. Graham Capital Management L.P. purchased a new position in Verizon Communications in the fourth quarter worth approximately $11,577,000. Nicholas Wealth LLC. purchased a new position in Verizon Communications in the fourth quarter worth approximately $1,040,000. Finally, Berkshire Asset Management LLC PA lifted its stake in Verizon Communications by 6.2% in the fourth quarter. Berkshire Asset Management LLC PA now owns 46,911 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $1,911,000 after acquiring an additional 2,739 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Verizon Communications

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon unveiled simpler wireless plans, a new loyalty program, and the removal of some activation and upgrade fees, which could help reduce customer churn and improve competitiveness against AT&T and T-Mobile. Verizon targets wireless customers with new simpler plans, drops some fees
• Positive Sentiment: The company also launched an industry-first loyalty program offering 3% back on bills plus brand perks, signaling a more customer-friendly push under new CEO Dan Schulman. Verizon Breaks Industry Mold to Put Customers First
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon continues to highlight network strength and resilience, including preparations for a potential tropical storm in the Gulf Coast, reinforcing its reputation for reliable service during emergencies. Verizon’s Ready to keep you Connected as a Potential Tropical Storm Forms in the Gulf; Offers Tips to Prepare
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon’s private 5G and security initiatives, including the Anthropic-linked Project Glasswing and expanded enterprise connectivity partnerships, support longer-term growth opportunities. Ericsson Private 5G now available for Verizon Business private networks internationally
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive but cautious, with Freedom Broker initiating coverage at Hold and a $53 target, suggesting execution will be important for the stock’s next move. Freedom Broker Sees Verizon (VZ) as an Execution-Dependent Telecom Story
• Negative Sentiment: Investors may be wary that the new fee cuts and perks could pressure margins in an already highly competitive wireless market if subscriber gains do not offset the added incentives. Verizon Drops $40 Fees as Wireless Freebies Race Heats Up

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on VZ shares. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 28th. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 11th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, March 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $44.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and twelve have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $50.59.

Verizon Communications Stock Down 0.5%

VZ stock opened at $46.82 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 Inc. has a twelve month low of $38.39 and a twelve month high of $51.68. The company’s 50 day moving average is $47.10 and its two-hundred day moving average is $45.59. The stock has a market cap of $195.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.42, a PEG ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 0.24.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, April 27th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.21 by $0.07. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 12.46% and a return on equity of 19.25%. The company had revenue of $34.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $34.82 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.19 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-4.990 EPS. Research analysts expect that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.7075 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 10th. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.0%. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) 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.