P.A.W. Capital Corp Takes $2.41 Million Position in Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

P.A.W. Capital Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 56,920 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock, valued at approximately $2,410,000. Verizon Communications accounts for 1.8% of P.A.W. Capital Corp’s portfolio, making the stock its 23rd biggest position.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in VZ. Whittier Trust Co. lifted its position in Verizon Communications by 23.4% in the second quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 82,799 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $3,483,000 after purchasing an additional 15,701 shares during the period. Northern Financial Advisors Inc grew its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 7.6% in the 2nd quarter. Northern Financial Advisors Inc now owns 15,242 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $645,000 after purchasing an additional 1,076 shares during the last quarter. MOKAN Wealth Management Inc. grew its position in Verizon Communications by 53.9% in the second quarter. MOKAN Wealth Management Inc. now owns 22,680 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $960,000 after buying an additional 7,941 shares during the last quarter. Northwest Financial Advisors raised its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 3.9% during the second quarter. Northwest Financial Advisors now owns 6,468 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $274,000 after purchasing an additional 243 shares during the period. Finally, Florida Trust Wealth Management Co raised its holdings in Verizon Communications by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. Florida Trust Wealth Management Co now owns 190,478 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $8,065,000 after buying an additional 1,604 shares during the period. 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 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

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have issued reports on VZ shares. BNP Paribas Exane cut their target price on shares of Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $44.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Verizon Communications from $46.00 to $47.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Verizon Communications from $43.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $50.84.

Verizon Communications Trading Up 0.6%

Shares of VZ stock opened at $48.50 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $201.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.63, a P/E/G ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a current ratio of 0.60. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 52-week low of $38.39 and a 52-week high of $51.68. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $45.30 and a 200-day moving average of $46.99.

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

Verizon Communications Announces Dividend

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%.

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.