Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Price Target Cut to $45.00 by Analysts at Barclays

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) had its price objective dropped by equities research analysts at Barclays from $47.00 to $45.00 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an “equal weight” rating on the cell phone carrier’s stock. Barclays‘s target price suggests a potential upside of 5.68% from the company’s previous close.

Several other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on VZ. Dbs Bank cut Verizon Communications from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. Oppenheimer increased their target price on Verizon Communications from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 11th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 28th. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, March 20th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $56.00 price target on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Thursday, March 12th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $50.28.

Verizon Communications Price Performance

VZ opened at $42.58 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $177.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.39, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 0.26. Verizon Communications has a 12 month low of $38.39 and a 12 month high of $51.68. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $46.38 and a 200 day simple moving average of $45.97.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last posted its earnings results on Monday, April 27th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.21 by $0.07. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.25% and a net margin of 12.46%.The firm had revenue of $34.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $34.82 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.19 earnings per share. The company’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. On average, research analysts expect that Verizon Communications will post 4.98 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Brighton Jones LLC raised 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 purchasing an additional 16,704 shares in the last quarter. United Bank grew its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 11.5% in the 2nd quarter. United Bank now owns 7,843 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $339,000 after acquiring an additional 806 shares during the period. Jump Financial LLC grew its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 312.0% in the 2nd quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 23,639 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $1,023,000 after acquiring an additional 17,901 shares during the period. HUB Investment Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 17.2% during the 2nd quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 41,121 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $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 during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

Key Verizon Communications News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon’s broadband gains, AI-related initiatives, and broader convergence strategy are being cited as supports for long-term growth, which could help the stock if execution improves. Verizon Stock Underperforms Industry in a Year: Buy, Sell or Hold?
• Positive Sentiment: A new BT joint venture in international enterprise operations and recent spectrum wins add to Verizon’s growth narrative, suggesting the market may be overlooking some strategic upside. Is Verizon Communications (VZ) Below Fair Value As The BT Joint Venture Raises Fresh Questions?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary says telecom risk from Starlink “feels overdone” for now, which may ease some investor concern around competitive pressure on wireless carriers. SpaceX Risk to Telecom Sector ‘Feels Overdone,’ for Now, Analyst Says
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon’s dividend profile continues to appeal to income investors, with recent articles again highlighting it as a high-yield, long-term holding. 2 Monster Dividend Stocks to Buy Now and Hold Forever
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent coverage comparing Verizon with peers suggests the company’s recent earnings and operating trends are being judged against a much stronger industry backdrop, but this is mainly a valuation/performance review rather than a new catalyst. Q1 Earnings Highs And Lows: Verizon (NYSE:VZ) Vs The Rest Of The Consumer Discretionary – Wireless, Cable and Satellite Stocks
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles noting Verizon has lagged the broader wireless sector over the past year may keep sentiment cautious, but they mostly reflect past underperformance rather than a fresh operational setback. Verizon Stock Underperforms Industry in a Year: Buy, Sell or Hold?
• Negative Sentiment: Shares have recently eased, and one market update said VZ closed lower in the latest session, reinforcing the view that investors remain cautious despite the company’s strategic announcements. Verizon Communications (VZ) Stock Falls Amid Market Uptick: What Investors Need to Know
• Negative Sentiment: Broader telecom and tech headlines about rising competition and AI-related market volatility may also be weighing on sentiment toward wireless stocks like Verizon. Nasdaq down as chip stocks sell off after Samsung earnings

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.