
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ)
Verizon is a massive American telecommunications giant that provides mobile phone services, high-speed internet, and business connectivity to millions.
Is Verizon Communications Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Verizon is a massive American telecommunications giant that provides mobile phone services, high-speed internet, and business connectivity to millions.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Dominance in the broadband market leads to significant pricing power.
Technological disruption makes current infrastructure obsolete.
What does Verizon Communications Inc. do?
Verizon acts as the digital plumbing for much of the United States, charging customers monthly fees for mobile data and home broadband access. The income flows from maintaining a vast network of towers and fibre-optic cables that people rely on for their daily lives. What really matters here is how they juggle a heavy debt load while pouring money into expensive new 5G technology.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on value and momentum, and weakest on growth.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 6.0% a year
- !Carries a lot of debt - roughly 1.8x its equity
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 16%)
- Value screens high (83/100)
- Highly reliable and essential service
- Strong cash flow generation
- Attractive dividend history
- Growth screens low (11/100)
- Intense competition from other mobile providers
- Regulatory changes in the telecoms sector
- Rising interest rates increasing borrowing costs
What do Verizon Communications Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does Verizon Communications Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Verizon Communications Inc. pay a dividend?
Yes - Verizon Communications Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 6.0% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Verizon Communications Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Verizon Communications Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-20 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-24 | $1.27 | $1.30 | Beat +3% |
| 2026-04-27 | $1.21 | $1.28 | Beat +6% |
| 2026-01-30 | $1.06 | $1.09 | Beat +3% |
| 2025-10-29 | $1.19 | $1.21 | Beat +2% |
| 2025-07-21 | $1.19 | $1.22 | Beat +3% |
| 2025-04-22 | $1.15 | $1.19 | Beat +4% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Verizon Communications Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 6 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
More in Communication Services
What are the scenarios for Verizon Communications Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Verizon Communications Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Highly reliable and essential service
- Strong cash flow generation
- Attractive dividend history
- Low price volatility
- Very high levels of corporate debt
- Slow overall revenue growth
- Expensive ongoing maintenance costs
- Intense competition from other mobile providers
- Regulatory changes in the telecoms sector
- Rising interest rates increasing borrowing costs
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A significant cut to the dividend payment
- A major loss of market share to a new competitor
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.