Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Now Covered by Analysts at Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley began coverage on shares of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) in a research report report published on Thursday morning. The firm issued an equal weight rating and a $49.00 price objective on the cell phone carrier’s stock.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Barclays increased their target price on Verizon Communications from $43.00 to $47.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 31st. William Blair upgraded Verizon Communications to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Citigroup raised their price target on Verizon Communications from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, March 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price target on Verizon Communications from $44.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded Verizon Communications from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Verizon Communications presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $50.56.

Verizon Communications Stock Performance

Shares of VZ opened at $46.80 on Thursday. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $49.24 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $43.69. 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 has a 12 month low of $38.39 and a 12 month high of $51.68. The company has a market cap of $195.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.56, a P/E/G ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 0.29.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.06 by $0.03. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.03% and a net margin of 12.43%.The business had revenue of $36.38 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $36.20 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.10 EPS. The company’s revenue 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. Research analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications will post 4.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal 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 given a dividend of $0.7075 per share. This represents a $2.83 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.0%. This is a boost from Verizon Communications’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.69. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 10th. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 69.88%.

Insider Activity at Verizon Communications

In related news, 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 transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 43,782 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,189,100. The trade was a 16.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Joseph J. Russo sold 9,579 shares of Verizon Communications 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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 44,045 shares in the company, valued at $1,976,739.60. This trade represents a 17.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 218,148 shares of company stock worth $10,780,356. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Verizon Communications

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in Verizon Communications by 1.5% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 379,402,347 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $15,453,058,000 after purchasing an additional 5,497,598 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its position in Verizon Communications by 3.5% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 222,951,399 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $9,080,810,000 after purchasing an additional 7,461,335 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Verizon Communications by 5.3% during the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 116,570,816 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $4,747,930,000 after purchasing an additional 5,851,715 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Verizon Communications by 0.9% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 102,632,509 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $4,168,080,000 after purchasing an additional 867,694 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new position in Verizon Communications during the fourth quarter valued at $2,357,158,000. 62.06% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about 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

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.