NEW YORK, Jan 20, 2026, 14:48 EST — Regular session
- Verizon shares ticked up roughly 0.4% following the completion of its Frontier acquisition
- SEC filing reveals Frontier shareholders will receive $38.50 in cash per share
- Traders are now eyeing the January 30 earnings report for updates on integration and spending details
By 2:48 p.m. EST Tuesday, Verizon Communications Inc shares had risen roughly 0.4% to $39.07, following the closing of its cash acquisition of Frontier Communications Parent, according to an SEC filing. AT&T shares slipped about 0.2%, while T-Mobile US dropped around 0.6%. Frontier shareholders will receive $38.50 per share in cash, the filing stated. 1
The closing matters because it pushes Verizon deeper into fixed broadband, where fiber lines carry more data than older copper networks. Carriers favor bundling home internet with mobile plans since it helps reduce churn — the industry term for customers leaving.
The timing is tricky for major U.S. telecoms: promotions have returned, and investors are pressing for clarity on the balance between protecting subscribers and maintaining cash flow. Verizon’s upcoming earnings report will probably serve as the first concrete measure of how the Frontier integration is shaping up.
Chief executive Dan Schulman told employees the merger “immediately creates an unparalleled fiber network” and noted that Verizon’s coverage now extends to roughly 30 million “fiber passings”—addresses eligible for fiber service. 2
In September 2024, Verizon struck a deal to acquire Frontier for roughly $20 billion, debt included. California regulators gave the green light on Jan. 15, following Verizon’s agreement to specific broadband rollout and service conditions, according to Reuters. 3
The Frontier close comes amid renewed questions about reliability. Verizon said Tuesday that last week’s major outage was caused by a software issue and confirmed it had “no indication” of a cybersecurity attack. Downdetector recorded over 2.3 million user reports on Jan. 14, per the same report. Meanwhile, MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett noted in a Tuesday memo that it’s “less clear” if Schulman will push for a faster Frontier fiber rollout while also investing heavily in wireless promotions. 4
But the Frontier wager carries execution risks that defy easy summarization in a slide deck. Merging systems and field operations is a slow process, and regulatory conditions tied to approvals may force sustained capital spending if wireless price pressures persist.
Telecom investors usually focus on Verizon’s cash flow and dividend safety, not high-growth stories. So, they’re quick to react if integration expenses start climbing faster than anticipated.
Verizon plans to release its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings on Jan. 30, with a webcast set for 8:00 a.m. Eastern, the company announced. Investors will focus on guidance for 2026 spending, progress on integration efforts, and management’s take on Frontier—whether it remains a short-term cash drag or a faster route to stable broadband growth. 5
Verizon’s stock will probably react to any updates on integration and fresh moves by regulators investigating the outage until then.
