Ieq Capital LLC Sells 44,666 Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. $VZ

Ieq Capital LLC lessened its stake in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) by 23.3% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 146,799 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after selling 44,666 shares during the quarter. Ieq Capital LLC’s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $6,216,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Callan Family Office LLC raised its holdings in shares of Verizon Communications by 4.3% during the second quarter. Callan Family Office LLC now owns 75,637 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $3,202,000 after purchasing an additional 3,114 shares during the last quarter. Keebeck Wealth Management boosted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 20.8% in the second quarter. Keebeck Wealth Management now owns 10,718 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $454,000 after purchasing an additional 1,849 shares during the last quarter. Thoroughbred Financial Services LLC boosted its holdings in Verizon Communications by 6.3% in the second quarter. Thoroughbred Financial Services LLC now owns 6,383 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $270,000 after purchasing an additional 380 shares during the last quarter. Blue Capital Inc. grew its position in Verizon Communications by 7.8% in the 2nd quarter. Blue Capital Inc. now owns 8,750 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $370,000 after purchasing an additional 631 shares during the period. Finally, Patron Partners LLC grew its position in Verizon Communications by 5.0% in the 2nd quarter. Patron Partners LLC now owns 23,934 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $1,013,000 after purchasing an additional 1,141 shares during the period. 62.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Verizon Communications News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Verizon’s approximately 5.6% dividend yield and reputation for relatively stable cash flow are attracting income investors as markets debate interest rates. The company recently paid a quarterly dividend of $0.7075 per share, or $2.83 annualized. Is Verizon gaining defensive appeal?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst targets remain modestly supportive, with recent targets ranging from $52 to $56 and nine analysts carrying Buy ratings. Verizon’s strong three-year total return and earnings guidance of approximately $4.99-$5.04 per share also provide a constructive backdrop for shareholders. Verizon stock looks cheap on earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation is inconclusive: Verizon trades at roughly 13 times earnings, which appears inexpensive for a large telecom, but its recent 77.2% three-year return means some of that value may already be reflected in the share price. The consensus analyst rating remains Hold, with an average target near $50.84.
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares for approximately $55,066. The transaction reduced his holdings by about 1% and was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, making it a limited and less concerning signal, but it nevertheless adds modest selling pressure. Verizon CEO sells shares
• Negative Sentiment: Residents of Spring Lake, New Jersey, are opposing a proposed Verizon 5G installation on boardwalk pavilions. The dispute is local and unlikely to materially affect Verizon’s financial results, but it highlights permitting and community-relations risks associated with network expansion. Jersey Shore residents oppose Verizon 5G towers

Verizon Communications Price Performance

NYSE VZ opened at $49.37 on Friday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $45.81 and its 200 day moving average is $47.40. Verizon Communications Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $38.39 and a fifty-two week high of $51.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a current ratio of 0.60. The company has a market capitalization of $205.13 billion, a PE ratio of 12.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.25.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 24th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.30 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 business had revenue of $34.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.16 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.22 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was down .7% on a year-over-year basis. Verizon Communications has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.990-5.040 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 5.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Verizon Communications Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, July 10th were issued a $0.7075 dividend. This represents a $2.83 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 10th. Verizon Communications’s dividend payout ratio is currently 73.70%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. TD Cowen increased their price target on Verizon Communications from $54.00 to $56.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Freedom Capital raised Verizon Communications to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, June 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Verizon Communications from $43.00 to $47.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Barclays raised their target price on Verizon Communications from $45.00 to $46.00 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 assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Verizon Communications presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $50.84.

Insider Transactions at Verizon Communications

In other Verizon Communications news, CEO Kyle Malady sold 1,100 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.06, for a total transaction of $55,066.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 108,766 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,444,825.96. This trade represents a 1.00% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Corporate insiders own 0.03% 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.