NEW YORK, December 29, 2025, 15:32 ET — Regular session
- Verizon shares were up about 0.1% in afternoon trading, steady as broader U.S. equities dipped.
- The company set Jan. 30 for its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings release and webcast.
- Investors are watching subscriber trends, restructuring charges and cash flow into 2026.
Verizon Communications Inc shares (VZ) edged up 0.1% to $40.53 in afternoon trading on Monday after the telecom operator said it will report fourth-quarter 2025 earnings on Jan. 30. The stock traded between $40.39 and $40.70 on the session; Verizon said it will post earnings materials at 6:30 a.m. ET ahead of an 8 a.m. webcast.
The earnings date sets the next scheduled checkpoint for investors heading into 2026 as Verizon trims costs and defends market share in a promotion-heavy wireless market. In a Nov. 20 filing, the company said it expects a $1.6 billion to $1.8 billion severance charge in the fourth quarter tied to plans to eliminate more than 13,000 positions, with most affected employees exiting in December.
Verizon’s steady performance also reflects its status as a high-dividend stock that many investors treat like a bond substitute, meaning it can benefit when Treasury prices rise. Long-dated Treasuries were firmer and the telecom sector outperformed: the iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF was up 0.3%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 trackers were down about 0.3% and 0.4%.
The broader pullback has been driven by heavyweight technology shares giving back part of last week’s rally, and trading has been choppy in the holiday week. “It’ll turn out to be a buying opportunity,” said Hank Smith, director and head of investment strategy at Haverford Trust, as investors also eye Fed minutes and weekly jobless claims ahead of a New Year’s Day market holiday. Reuters
Verizon’s wireless rivals were also higher, with AT&T (T) up about 0.7% and T-Mobile US (TMUS) up about 1.4%.
When Verizon reports, traders will focus on subscriber trends in its core wireless business, including postpaid phone additions, a key measure of customers paying monthly contracts. They will also watch churn — the share of customers leaving — for signs that aggressive promotions are keeping pressure on retention costs.
Pricing discipline remains front and center after multiple quarters in which carriers leaned on subsidies and device deals to win switchers. Any shift in Verizon’s promotional mix or commentary on competitive intensity could move the stock more than the earnings date itself.
Cash generation will be another swing factor. Investors track free cash flow, the cash left after capital spending, because Verizon uses it to fund its dividend and pay down debt.
The market will also parse one-off items and restructuring costs tied to the workforce actions and outside labor cuts. Guidance on 2026 operating expenses and capital spending could shape expectations for how quickly cost savings show up below the line.
Dividend timing is on the calendar as well. Verizon’s board declared a quarterly dividend of 69 cents a share on Dec. 4, payable Feb. 2 to shareholders of record on Jan. 12 — an annualized $2.76 payout that implies a yield of about 6.8% at Monday’s price.
For now, Verizon is trading as a defensive, income-oriented name in a market still led by big tech and sensitive to rates. The next catalyst is the Jan. 30 report, with investor attention likely to stay on subscriber momentum, the size of restructuring charges and the durability of cash flow.
