Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) heads into the final full trading week of 2025 with investors focused on two big themes: the march toward closing its Frontier Communications acquisition and the company’s push to keep network investment efficient while protecting cash flow. With U.S. markets closed on Sunday, December 21, 2025, the most recent trading print reflects Friday’s session, when VZ was around $39.82.
That price level keeps Verizon in familiar territory for late 2025: a high-dividend, value-leaning telecom stock that tends to move more on deal progress, competitive dynamics, and cash-flow confidence than on headline-grabbing product launches.
Verizon stock price check: where VZ stands entering the week
- Last observed price: about $39.82
- 52-week range: roughly $37.59 to $47.36 [1]
In plain English: Verizon shares are well off the 52-week high and closer to the lower end of the annual range—one reason the stock remains popular among income-focused investors, but also a sign the market is still demanding proof that growth initiatives and cost actions will translate into durable returns.
The latest Verizon (VZ) stock headlines as of Dec. 21, 2025
Here are the developments shaping near-term sentiment around Verizon stock, in chronological “most relevant now” order:
- Frontier acquisition gains a key state green light (New York).
New York’s Public Service Commission announced approval of the Frontier transfer to Verizon, tied to investment and service-related commitments, including $150 million to expand high-speed broadband and other measures in the state. [2] - California approval is moving closer, but with conditions.
A proposal from an administrative law judge could set up California authorities to approve the Verizon–Frontier transaction in early 2026, according to telecom industry reporting. [3] - Verizon struck a new tower partnership aimed at accelerating 5G efficiently.
Verizon and Array Digital Infrastructure announced a multi-year agreement giving Verizon the ability to colocate on a significant number of new sites, with a streamlined pricing structure designed for cost efficiency and longer-term stability. Verizon said Array maintains 4,400 towers nationwide. [4] - Verizon continued balance-sheet cleanup with a scheduled debt redemption.
Verizon said it would redeem certain notes on December 16, 2025, including all of its 1.450% notes due 2026, all of its 3.000% notes due 2027, and a portion of 4.125% notes due 2027 (with specific amounts disclosed). [5] - Financing the Frontier deal remains in focus.
Reuters reported Verizon was looking to raise about $10 billion via a multi-part bond sale tied to funding the Frontier transaction (with Reuters noting the deal structure as roughly $9.6B equity value plus absorbing about $10B of Frontier debt, commonly described as $20B including debt). [6] - Restructuring and job cuts are part of the new-CEO story.
Reuters reported Verizon’s CEO planned to cut about 15,000 jobs—described as the company’s largest ever layoffs—amid intensifying competition. [7]
The Associated Press separately reported Verizon was cutting more than 13,000 jobs as part of a broad restructuring push under CEO Dan Schulman. [8] - Next major scheduled catalyst: Q4 earnings and 2026 outlook.
Verizon’s investor calendar lists its Fourth Quarter 2025 Earnings discussion for Friday, January 30, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET. [9]
Frontier acquisition: why it matters so much to Verizon stock
Verizon’s Frontier deal is widely viewed as a strategic bet on fiber—both to strengthen broadband economics and to better bundle connectivity in a market where pure wireless growth can be harder to come by.
When the acquisition was announced, Reuters outlined the scale: Verizon offered $38.50 per share for Frontier and highlighted Frontier’s 2.2 million fiber subscribers across 25 states, complementing Verizon’s existing fiber footprint concentrated in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. [10]
What’s the closing timeline now?
- The FCC approved Verizon’s Frontier deal earlier in 2025, with Reuters reporting that the commission’s decision came after Verizon agreed to end certain DEI programs. Reuters also reported Verizon expected the transaction to be completed in early 2026. [11]
- State-level approvals are still part of the checklist, and New York’s approval is a meaningful datapoint for investors watching the regulatory runway. [12]
- California appears to be trending toward approval but not without conditions. [13]
For Verizon stockholders, the core question isn’t only “will it close?”—it’s “will the integration be smooth enough to protect free cash flow and the dividend while Verizon expands fiber at scale?”
Verizon’s 5G network strategy: the Array tower deal in context
Verizon’s December tower partnership announcement is notable because it frames network expansion as both a performance and a cost-structure story.
In its own release, Verizon said the Array deal will:
- Utilize Array’s national tower portfolio to enhance Verizon’s 5G network
- Provide the ability to colocate on a significant number of new sites over several years
- Use a streamlined pricing structure aimed at cost efficiency and stability [14]
For investors, this matters because Verizon’s equity narrative often hinges on whether the company can keep investing in network leadership without letting capital intensity overwhelm shareholder returns.
Dividend watch: yield, dates, and why Verizon emphasizes it
Verizon remains one of the most closely followed dividend stocks in U.S. telecom.
On December 4, 2025, Verizon’s board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.69 per share, payable February 2, 2026, to shareholders of record January 12, 2026. In the same announcement, Verizon’s CEO called the dividend commitment “iron clad” and said Verizon has 19 consecutive years of dividend growth. [15]
Verizon’s dividend history also shows $0.69 dividends declared in September and December 2025, following $0.6775 earlier in the year—illustrating the step-up that occurred in 2025. [16]
What’s the implied dividend yield right now?
Using the annualized dividend run rate ($0.69 × 4 = $2.76) and a share price around $39.82, Verizon’s dividend yield is roughly 6.9% (a simple annualized estimate, not a guarantee). [17]
Earnings snapshot and near-term forecast: what analysts are looking for
Verizon’s most recent quarterly reporting set the baseline for 2026 expectations.
What Verizon reported last quarter
Reuters reported that Verizon’s adjusted EPS was $1.21 versus $1.19 expected, while revenue was $33.8 billion versus $34.28 billion estimated (LSEG), and Verizon reaffirmed profit and free-cash-flow forecasts at the time while guiding capex within or below a stated range. [18]
What analysts are forecasting next
A Zacks analysis published on Nasdaq projected:
- Next-quarter EPS around $1.06
- Revenue around $35.92 billion
- Full-year earnings estimate around $4.69 per share and revenue around $137.87 billion [19]
These forecasts can and do move—especially in telecom, where promotions, churn, and upgrade cycles can swing quarterly outcomes.
Wall Street price targets: where the consensus sits
Analyst targets aren’t a crystal ball, but they shape headlines and positioning—particularly for high-yield stocks where upside is often framed as “price appreciation + dividends.”
- StockAnalysis lists an average price target of about $48.42 (with a stated low/high range), implying upside versus late-December trading levels. [20]
- MarketBeat similarly highlighted mixed ratings but a consensus target in the high-$40s, alongside recent target changes by major banks. [21]
For Google News readers: these are aggregations of analyst opinions, not guarantees. Still, the takeaway is clear—the Street largely sees Verizon as a steady/defensive name with moderate upside potential, not a high-growth rocket ship.
Key risks that could move Verizon stock in 2026
Three pressure points stand out as Verizon approaches its January earnings event:
1) Competition and subscriber dynamics.
Reuters earlier in 2025 highlighted how off-season promotions and aggressive rival behavior can pressure subscriber growth and sector sentiment—an issue that hasn’t gone away. [22]
2) Execution risk on the Frontier integration.
Regulatory approvals are only part of the story; the market will judge Verizon on integration speed, fiber expansion economics, and whether the combined footprint improves bundling and churn outcomes. [23]
3) Restructuring disruption vs. payoff.
Large workforce reductions can improve cost structure, but they also carry operational and reputational risks. The market will be looking for measurable improvements in customer experience, retention, and cash flow following the announced cuts. [24]
What to watch next
The next major “date on the calendar” for Verizon stock is January 30, 2026, when Verizon plans to discuss Q4 results. Expect investors to focus on: (1) 2026 guidance, (2) free cash flow and capital allocation, and (3) Frontier deal milestones and integration readiness. [25]
References
1. www.investing.com, 2. dps.ny.gov, 3. www.lightreading.com, 4. www.verizon.com, 5. www.verizon.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. apnews.com, 9. www.verizon.com, 10. www.reuters.com, 11. www.reuters.com, 12. dps.ny.gov, 13. www.lightreading.com, 14. www.verizon.com, 15. www.verizon.com, 16. www.verizon.com, 17. www.verizon.com, 18. www.reuters.com, 19. www.nasdaq.com, 20. stockanalysis.com, 21. www.marketbeat.com, 22. www.reuters.com, 23. www.reuters.com, 24. www.reuters.com, 25. www.verizon.com
