Sciencast Management LP Sells 80,134 Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

Sciencast Management LP decreased its position in Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) by 63.3% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 46,509 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after selling 80,134 shares during the period. Sciencast Management LP’s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $1,969,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of 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 during the period. State Street Corp raised its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 3.5% in 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% in the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 116,570,816 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $4,747,930,000 after purchasing an additional 5,851,715 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its stake 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 worth $4,168,080,000 after buying an additional 867,694 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in Verizon Communications by 15.4% during the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 62,101,021 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $3,117,471,000 after buying an additional 8,289,877 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 62.06% of the company’s stock.

Verizon Communications Stock Performance

Verizon Communications stock opened at $48.50 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36, a current ratio of 0.60 and a quick ratio of 0.57. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $45.30 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $46.99. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 52-week low of $38.39 and a 52-week high of $51.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $201.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.63, a P/E/G ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.25.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 24th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.27 by $0.03. Verizon Communications had a return on equity of 19.48% and a net margin of 11.64%.The company had revenue of $34.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.16 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.22 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was down .7% on a year-over-year basis. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.990-5.040 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 5.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, July 10th were issued a dividend of $0.7075 per share. This represents a $2.83 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 10th. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 73.70%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

VZ has been the topic of several analyst reports. Erste Group Bank reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. Scotiabank raised their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $51.50 to $52.50 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Freedom Capital upgraded shares of Verizon Communications to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, June 12th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Barclays upped their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $50.84.

Verizon Communications News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon is using its fiber network to support AI-related connectivity, including a reported $1 billion-plus agreement with Google and potential additional hyperscaler contracts. These deals could create new enterprise revenue opportunities beyond traditional wireless services. Can AI Infrastructure Drive Verizon’s Next Long-Term Growth?
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to highlight Verizon as a value stock, supported by its relatively modest valuation, income potential and defensive telecommunications business. That profile may appeal to investors seeking stability while broader markets remain elevated. Here’s Why Verizon Communications Is a Strong Value Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Verizon’s preparation for Tropical Storm Lala in Hawaii— including backup generators, satellite assets and pre-positioned equipment— reinforces network reliability and customer support, though the immediate financial impact is likely limited. Verizon Readies for Tropical Storm Lala
• Neutral Sentiment: A comparison with Nokia emphasizes Verizon’s connectivity strengths as both companies position for AI-driven telecom demand. The article does not identify a material change to Verizon’s near-term earnings outlook. Verizon vs. Nokia: Which Telecom Stock is the Better Buy Now?
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain mindful that Verizon has returned substantial cash to shareholders while its stock has lagged the broader market. This raises questions about whether dividends and buybacks are producing sufficient shareholder value compared with reinvestment in growth. VZ Paid Holders $59 Billion While the Stock Trailed the Market

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.