Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ Shares Sold by Private Trust Co. NA

Private Trust Co. NA reduced its stake in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) by 13.6% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 70,792 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after selling 11,113 shares during the period. Private Trust Co. NA’s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $2,883,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 61.2% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 43,986 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $1,759,000 after acquiring an additional 16,704 shares in the last quarter. United Bank raised its position in Verizon Communications by 11.5% during the second quarter. United Bank now owns 7,843 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $339,000 after acquiring an additional 806 shares during the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 312.0% in 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 in the last quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 17.2% in 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 last quarter. Finally, Vivaldi Capital Management LP increased its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 5.2% during the 2nd quarter. Vivaldi Capital Management LP now owns 8,993 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $389,000 after purchasing an additional 443 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

Verizon Communications Stock Up 3.9%

Shares of VZ opened at $46.80 on Friday. Verizon Communications Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $38.39 and a fifty-two week high of $51.68. The company’s fifty day moving average is $49.24 and its two-hundred day moving average is $43.69. The firm has a market cap of $195.64 billion, a PE ratio of 11.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 0.29. 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 earnings results 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. The business had revenue of $36.38 billion for 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 quarterly revenue was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.10 EPS. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.900-4.950 EPS. Analysts forecast that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Verizon Communications Increases Dividend

The business 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 dividend of $0.7075 per share. This represents a $2.83 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 10th. This is an increase from Verizon Communications’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.69. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 69.88%.

Key Stories Impacting Verizon Communications

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

• Positive Sentiment: Seeking Alpha argues VZ is a “Strong Buy” based on resilient free cash flow, stable valuation and an attractive dividend that supports the income thesis for investors. Verizon: A Strong Buy Due To Its Resilient Cash Flow And Stable Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: Another Seeking Alpha piece highlights a “reversal to growth” narrative, management’s disciplined capex and M&A, a $25B share repurchase authorization through 2028, and a rich dividend yield — all factors that support upside and likely help buyer interest. Verizon: Reversal To Growth, Temper Expectations Entering Q1, Still A Buy
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon was named Official Telecommunications Services Sponsor for FIFA World Cup 2026; the deal showcases Verizon’s 5G, fixed wireless and broadcast solutions on a global stage — a marketing and commercial opportunity that could accelerate enterprise/consumer product trials and create new revenue streams. VZ to Boost Fan Experience at FIFA World Cup: Will it Drive Prospects?
• Positive Sentiment: Official press releases describe how Verizon’s 5G, fixed wireless access and broadcast solutions will power immersive fan experiences at FIFA, reinforcing the commercial narrative and visibility from a high-profile global event. Verizon to Power Unforgettable Fan Experiences at the FIFA World Cup 2026™
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley initiated coverage with an “equal weight” rating and a $49 price target (modest upside from current levels) — a signal of cautious optimism but not a buy recommendation, so impact is likely muted.
• Neutral Sentiment: RBC Capital reiterated its hold rating on Verizon, keeping analyst sentiment broadly neutral and indicating no immediate change to sell-side conviction despite the operational news. RBC Capital Sticks to Its Hold Rating for Verizon (VZ)
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks published a sector comparison piece on Verizon vs. Charter, underlining competitive dynamics in telecom that investors should weigh when valuing growth and capital allocation. Verizon or Charter: Which Telecom Stock Should You Bet on?
• Neutral Sentiment: An Alarm.com product update notes Verizon LTE support for legacy security upgrades — a small ecosystem-level positive but unlikely to materially move Verizon’s stock on its own. Alarm.com Modernizes Legacy Security Systems with Enhanced Universal Communicator

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $43.00 to $47.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Thursday. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $49.00 price objective on the stock. Raymond James Financial restated an “outperform” rating and set a $56.00 target price on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Thursday, March 12th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Verizon Communications from $41.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, KeyCorp reaffirmed a “sector weight” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Verizon Communications has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $50.56.

Insider Buying and Selling at Verizon Communications

In other news, Director Hans Erik Vestberg sold 200,000 shares of Verizon Communications stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.61, for a total transaction of $9,922,000.00. Following the sale, the director owned 145,069 shares in the company, valued at $7,196,873.09. This trade represents a 57.96% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Mary-Lee Stillwell sold 8,569 shares of Verizon Communications 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 sale, the senior vice president directly owned 43,782 shares in the company, valued at $2,189,100. This trade represents a 16.37% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 218,148 shares of company stock valued at $10,780,356 over the last 90 days. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Verizon Communications 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.