NEW YORK, Jan 4, 2026, 15:17 ET — Market closed
- Verizon shares last closed down 0.6% at $40.52 on Friday, underperforming a higher finish for the broader market.
- Rate expectations are back in focus ahead of the U.S. jobs report (Jan. 9) and inflation data (Jan. 13).
- Verizon is set to report fourth-quarter results on Jan. 30, with its next quarterly dividend payable Feb. 2.
Verizon Communications Inc. shares ended the first trading session of 2026 lower, closing down 0.6% on Friday at $40.52. The broader market finished higher, while Treasury yields climbed, keeping pressure on rate-sensitive dividend stocks.
That matters now because Verizon is widely treated as a “bond proxy” — a high-dividend stock that can trade like a bond when interest-rate expectations shift. Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Anna Paulson said on Saturday that additional rate cuts could take a while as policymakers assess the economy, according to a Reuters report. Reuters
The next week brings fresh tests for that rates narrative. The Labor Department is scheduled to release the Employment Situation report for December 2025 on Friday, Jan. 9, and the Consumer Price Index for December 2025 on Tuesday, Jan. 13, while the Federal Reserve’s January meeting is set for Jan. 27-28.
On the chart, Verizon is hovering around its 50-day moving average near $40.36, a widely watched trend indicator, and below its 200-day moving average around $42.45. The stock’s 52-week range runs from about $37.59 to $47.36, putting the late-December highs in view as resistance and the mid-$37 area as longer-term support.
Company-specific catalysts are lined up later this month. Verizon said it will report fourth-quarter 2025 earnings on Friday, Jan. 30, and host a webcast starting at 8:00 a.m. ET, with the press release and financial tables due at 6:30 a.m. ET.
Income investors also have a dividend date approaching. Verizon said in December it declared a quarterly dividend of 69 cents a share, payable on Feb. 2 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 12 — the record date is the cutoff for being on the company’s shareholder list to receive the payout.
When Verizon reports, traders will be listening for management’s read on wireless subscriber momentum, churn (the rate customers leave), and the cost of promotions used to win or retain customers. Investors will also scrutinize free cash flow — the cash left after expenses and capital spending — because it helps fund the dividend.
Competitive color will matter, too. Verizon’s results are often judged against AT&T and T-Mobile, particularly on pricing discipline and how much it costs to add customers in a mature U.S. wireless market.
Still, the setup has risks. Verizon’s dividend yield is roughly 6.8%, which can support demand in choppy markets, but that same yield makes the stock vulnerable if Treasury yields keep pushing higher or if promotions intensify and compress cash generation.
The next immediate catalyst for Verizon stock is Friday’s U.S. jobs report on Jan. 9, which can reset rate bets, before the company’s own spotlight on Jan. 30 when it reports results and updates its outlook.
