Lebenthal Global Advisors LLC Acquires 19,845 Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

Lebenthal Global Advisors LLC raised its position in Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) by 185.3% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 30,557 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after purchasing an additional 19,845 shares during the period. Lebenthal Global Advisors LLC’s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $1,245,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. TruNorth Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in 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 period. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications during the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. Daytona Street Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications during the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Accordant Advisory Group Inc raised its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 152.9% during the 4th quarter. Accordant Advisory Group Inc now owns 827 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. 62.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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 Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Evercore raised their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $48.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $43.00 to $47.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $41.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, March 20th. Finally, Williams Trading set a $54.00 target price on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $50.56.

Verizon Communications Price Performance

VZ stock opened at $47.23 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $49.11 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $43.79. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 12-month low of $38.39 and a 12-month high of $51.68. The stock has a market capitalization of $197.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.66, a PEG ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 0.29. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.03. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 12.43% and a return on equity of 19.03%. The firm had revenue of $36.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $36.20 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.10 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.900-4.950 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.9 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. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.7075 per share. This represents a $2.83 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 10th. This is a positive change from Verizon Communications’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.69. Verizon Communications’s payout ratio is presently 69.88%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Hans Erik Vestberg sold 200,000 shares of Verizon Communications stock in a transaction dated 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 of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,196,873.09. The trade was a 57.96% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Joseph J. Russo sold 9,579 shares of Verizon Communications stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.88, for a total transaction of $429,905.52. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 44,045 shares in the company, valued at $1,976,739.60. The trade was a 17.86% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 218,148 shares of company stock valued at $10,780,356. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.