Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ Shares Bought by Lazari Capital Management Inc.

Lazari Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) by 48.4% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 98,466 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after acquiring an additional 32,131 shares during the quarter. Verizon Communications comprises 1.3% of Lazari Capital Management Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 14th biggest position. Lazari Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $4,011,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. TruNorth Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 95.3% in the 3rd quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC now owns 625 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 305 shares during the last quarter. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC acquired a new position in Verizon Communications during the third quarter worth $29,000. Richardson Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Verizon Communications during the third quarter worth $35,000. Finally, Tripletail Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Verizon Communications during the third quarter worth $36,000. 62.06% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Mary-Lee Stillwell sold 8,569 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.00, for a total transaction of $428,450.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 43,782 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,189,100. This represents a 16.37% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Joseph J. Russo sold 9,579 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 sale, the executive vice president owned 44,045 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,976,739.60. This trade represents a 17.86% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 218,148 shares of company stock worth $10,780,356. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Verizon Communications News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon expanded its Frontline Network Slice to compatible laptops, tablets and smartphones, strengthening its value proposition for government and first‑responder contracts and differentiating its enterprise/resiliency offerings. Verizon Frontline Network Slice available for laptops, tablets and smartphones nationwide
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlighting Verizon’s high dividend yield and defensive income profile keeps income‑oriented buyers interested; analysts and dividend investors view VZ as a steady telecom income play. AT&T vs. Verizon vs. T-Mobile: Why This 4.4% Yield Is the Steadiest Bet in Telecom.
• Neutral Sentiment: Verizon set its Q1 2026 earnings date for April 27 (webcast at 8:30 a.m. ET); the upcoming report is the main near‑term catalyst and likely explains some of today’s positioning. Verizon to report first-quarter earnings on April 27, 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Pre‑earnings commentary and preview pieces are weighing Frontier deal progress, 5G and fiber expansion as positives while noting rising competition could cap near‑term upside—this feeds mixed expectations into the tape. Verizon to Report Q1 Earnings: How to Approach the Stock Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Market headlines noting VZ rose while broader indices dipped signal relative defensive demand rather than company‑specific surprise. Verizon Communications (VZ) Rises As Market Takes a Dip: Key Facts
• Negative Sentiment: Recent data show insider selling activity and large institutional reductions by some asset managers in recent quarters; heavy insider sales and notable fund exits can weigh on sentiment and put pressure on the stock if they continue. Verizon Communications Inc. Schedules First-Quarter 2026 Earnings Report and Webcast
• Negative Sentiment: Satellite and space‑based cellular developments (AST SpaceMobile) are drawing regulatory approvals and industry attention; these could represent longer‑term competitive or partner‑risk dynamics for terrestrial carriers, and recent launch hiccups add uncertainty to any partnership timelines. FCC Grants AST SpaceMobile Commercial Authority to Deliver Direct-to-Device Cellular Broadband from Space

Analyst Ratings Changes

VZ has been the subject of several research reports. Weiss Ratings raised Verizon Communications from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Verizon Communications from $47.00 to $49.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Dbs Bank downgraded Verizon Communications from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a “market perform” rating and set a $48.00 price target on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Oppenheimer raised their price target on Verizon Communications from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 11th. Two research 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 company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Verizon Communications currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $50.56.

Verizon Communications Stock Up 2.7%

Shares of Verizon Communications stock opened at $47.23 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $197.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.66, a P/E/G ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 0.29. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $49.11 and a 200 day moving average price of $43.79. Verizon Communications Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $38.39 and a fifty-two week high of $51.68. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates 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 return on equity of 19.03% and a net margin of 12.43%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.10 EPS. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.900-4.950 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 10th will be given a dividend of $0.7075 per share. This is a boost from Verizon Communications’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.69. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 10th. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.0%. Verizon Communications’s payout ratio is currently 69.88%.

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.