NEW YORK, Dec. 28, 2025, 3:25 p.m. ET, market closed — Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) enters the final trading days of 2025 hovering around the low-$40s, with investors weighing a high dividend yield against a shifting competitive landscape in wireless, a major leadership reset, and the regulatory path toward Verizon’s planned Frontier Communications acquisition.
With U.S. equity markets shut for the weekend and the next regular session set for Monday, the near-term setup is less about today’s tape and more about what can move sentiment at the open: macro data in a holiday-shortened week, interest-rate expectations that often influence dividend-heavy telecom names, and a growing stack of company-specific catalysts that start early in 2026—most notably Verizon’s scheduled fourth-quarter earnings event on Jan. 30. [1]
Where Verizon stock stands heading into Monday
Verizon shares last closed at $40.48 on Friday, Dec. 26, after trading in a tight range typical of defensive, income-oriented large caps at year-end. [2]
That price keeps VZ well below its recent 52-week high (mid-to-high $40s) and above its 52-week low (high $30s), reinforcing a familiar Verizon narrative: steady cash generation and income appeal, but a stock that needs clearer growth momentum—or confidence that a cost reset can offset competitive pressure. [3]
On valuation, Verizon continues to screen “cheap” versus the broader market on conventional multiples, a point frequently cited by bullish notes. But the key debate isn’t whether Verizon looks inexpensive—it’s whether the business can stabilize subscriber trends and protect ARPU (average revenue per user) while continuing to fund network investment, service bundles, and the dividend.
The latest Verizon-focused headlines in the past 24–48 hours
While there were no major fresh corporate press releases from Verizon over the weekend, a handful of widely circulated updates and analyses shaped the near-term conversation:
1) A “2026 reset” investment case is gaining traction in weekend research.
A TipRanks analysis published within the last two days framed Verizon’s transition under its new CEO as a “reset year” setup—arguing that a combination of leadership change, structural cost actions, improving wireless momentum, and dividend support could make the stock more attractive from current levels. [4]
2) New institutional positioning headlines hit the wire on Sunday.
A MarketBeat filing-based update published today highlighted that Cadinha & Co. LLC reduced its Verizon stake sharply during the third quarter (per a Form 13F), while also summarizing consensus price targets and rating trends. It’s not a thesis-changer by itself, but it underscores how investors continue to track institutional flows closely in high-dividend “core” names. [5]
3) The market backdrop: another holiday-shortened week with macro catalysts.
Investopedia’s week-ahead calendar—published today—spotlights pending home sales, the Case-Shiller home price index, a Chicago business survey, and FOMC meeting minutes, all arriving during a New Year’s week with altered trading rhythms. That matters for rate-sensitive groups (including telecom) because Treasury yield moves can shift relative appeal between dividend equities and bonds. [6]
Market calendar: what matters for Verizon when trading resumes
The next session opens Monday, and traders will be navigating a holiday schedule that can thin liquidity and amplify moves on headlines:
- U.S. stock markets are expected to trade a normal schedule on New Year’s Eve, while bond markets close early at 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 31. [7]
- Both stock and bond markets are closed on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, for New Year’s Day. [8]
- Investopedia’s calendar also points to the FOMC meeting minutes as a potential volatility trigger, alongside weekly jobless claims later in the week. [9]
For Verizon shareholders, this macro context is not academic. Telecom equities often behave like “bond proxies” at the margin, particularly when their dividend yield is a central part of the bull case. A drift higher in yields can pressure the group; falling yields can support it—especially if company-specific news is quiet.
Dividend watch: the next key dates investors are circling
Verizon declared a quarterly dividend of $0.69 per share, consistent with the prior quarter. The company said the dividend is payable Feb. 2, 2026, to shareholders of record as of the close of business Jan. 12, 2026. [10]
Verizon’s investor materials also list Jan. 12, 2026 as the ex-dividend date (aligned with the record date in the company’s table). [11]
Why it matters now: in high-yield stocks, the weeks leading into the ex-dividend date can influence positioning—particularly for income-focused accounts rebalancing ahead of year-end or early January.
Analyst targets and forecasts: upside case vs. “show me” execution
Consensus snapshots vary by data provider, but the direction is broadly consistent: Wall Street sees Verizon as a moderate-upside, income-heavy equity that needs operational execution to earn a higher multiple.
- MarketBeat’s compilation shows a consensus price target around the high-$40s and an average rating characterized as “Moderate Buy,” alongside a wide range of individual targets. [12]
- TipRanks’ recent analysis argues that the 2026 setup could look better if Verizon proves wireless momentum and cost actions are durable. [13]
The spread between current price (low-$40s) and many published targets (mid-to-high $40s) highlights the core bet: investors don’t need a dramatic growth reacceleration for upside—just enough stability in wireless and broadband, plus cost discipline, to reduce uncertainty around cash flow and competitive intensity.
The next big catalyst: Verizon’s Q4 earnings event is on the calendar
Verizon’s investor calendar lists its Fourth Quarter 2025 earnings discussion for 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. [14]
What investors are likely to focus on then (and may start handicapping as soon as Monday’s session opens):
- Postpaid phone trends and churn: whether Verizon can convert aggressive promotions into durable account growth without degrading economics.
- ARPU and mix: whether plan changes and bundling help stabilize revenue per user.
- Free cash flow and capital intensity: telecom investors typically want clarity on how much “room” exists after capex and interest costs to support dividends and debt reduction.
- Updated tone under the new CEO: management credibility is an underappreciated lever for valuation in mature industries.
Frontier acquisition: regulatory steps are moving—and dates are coming fast
Verizon has been positioning the Frontier deal as a major strategic lever for fiber scale and convergence. In Verizon’s October CEO transition announcement, the company said Frontier integration is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026. [15]
Since then, approvals and conditions have been unfolding at the state level:
- The New York State Public Service Commission approved the transfer of control involving Frontier and Verizon and tied the approval to required investments aimed at strengthening connectivity and expanding broadband access in the state. [16]
- In California, where scrutiny has been heavier, Broadband Breakfast reported that a CPUC judge set oral arguments for Jan. 12, 2026, in the review of the Verizon–Frontier transaction, and noted the CPUC’s first chance to vote on the proposed decision would be Jan. 15. [17]
For investors, the Frontier timeline matters because it can affect:
- near-term execution risk (integration complexity, capex demands), and
- medium-term strategy credibility (fiber footprint expansion and converged bundles).
Wireless pricing and promotion risk: analysts debate whether Verizon is “leading” the market lower
One of the most important themes heading into 2026 is whether Verizon’s push to regain momentum triggers a broader pricing fight.
A Light Reading report on Verizon’s new wireless pricing cuts noted that some analysts worried the moves could spark a damaging price war. The article cited KeyBanc analysts calling the move a significant misstep and raised the risk that existing customers will demand similar pricing (“back book” pressure). [18]
The same Light Reading piece quoted Walter Piecyk of LightShed Partners warning that the pricing move could pressure ARPU, while also suggesting aggressive marketing could persist into 2026. [19]
Meanwhile, industry analysts quoted by Fierce Network took a more nuanced view:
- Jeff Moore (Wave7 Research) said the pricing looked aggressive for Verizon but framed it as potentially seasonal.
- Roger Entner (Recon Analytics) described the strategy as an aggressive way to get customers “in the door,” while suggesting many customers may still leave with higher-priced plans than the headline offer. [20]
Verizon’s Consumer Group CEO Sowmyanarayan Sampath also defended the approach publicly, calling it a “win-win” and emphasizing attach and upsell dynamics (customers adding higher-margin services over time). [21]
This debate is central to the stock: if promotions buy share at acceptable economics, Verizon can improve sentiment quickly; if the market resets to structurally lower pricing, the whole sector’s profitability could come under pressure.
What investors should know before the next session opens
With markets closed today, Verizon investors heading into Monday typically focus on three practical questions:
1) Is anything changing in the Frontier approval clock?
Watch for regulatory updates or filings—especially tied to California—because timing and conditions can shift the integration narrative quickly. [22]
2) How will rate expectations trade in a thin, holiday-shortened week?
Macro releases and Fed minutes can move Treasury yields, which can influence demand for high-dividend equities. The schedule this week includes pending home sales and FOMC minutes. [23]
3) Is the market re-rating Verizon’s “reset” story—or treating it as a value trap?
Recent commentary ranges from bullish “reset year” framing to warnings about ARPU pressure and price war risk. The direction of analyst notes and sector chatter early in the week can shape positioning well before Verizon’s late-January earnings date. [24]
Bottom line
Verizon stock is starting the last stretch of 2025 in familiar territory—supported by dividend appeal and a low valuation, but still needing proof that the new leadership era can deliver sustainable subscriber momentum without igniting an industry-wide pricing spiral.
Monday’s open won’t bring a Verizon earnings print, but it will begin a week where macro headlines and year-end positioning can drive short-term swings. The bigger checkpoints sit just ahead: the Jan. 12 dividend date, key Frontier deal milestones in January, and Verizon’s Jan. 30 earnings event, which could set the tone for how VZ trades into 2026. [25]
References
1. www.investopedia.com, 2. finance.yahoo.com, 3. www.marketbeat.com, 4. www.tipranks.com, 5. www.marketbeat.com, 6. www.investopedia.com, 7. www.investopedia.com, 8. www.investopedia.com, 9. www.investopedia.com, 10. www.verizon.com, 11. www.verizon.com, 12. www.marketbeat.com, 13. www.tipranks.com, 14. www.verizon.com, 15. www.verizon.com, 16. dps.ny.gov, 17. broadbandbreakfast.com, 18. www.lightreading.com, 19. www.lightreading.com, 20. www.fierce-network.com, 21. www.lightreading.com, 22. broadbandbreakfast.com, 23. www.investopedia.com, 24. www.tipranks.com, 25. www.verizon.com
