Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) ended Tuesday, December 23, 2025, with a muted move—both during the regular session and after the bell—even as the broader market pushed higher into the holiday stretch. In late trading, VZ was quoted at about $39.95 (+0.08%) after hours versus a regular-session close near $39.92 (-0.15%), reflecting a day where investors largely stayed in “digest and wait” mode rather than re-pricing the stock aggressively. [1]
For investors preparing for Wednesday, December 24, 2025, there’s a critical calendar detail: U.S. equities are open but will close early at 1:00 p.m. ET (with markets closed on Christmas Day). That can mean thinner liquidity, wider spreads, and bigger-than-usual moves on comparatively small news flow. [2]
Below is what mattered for Verizon today, what analysts are forecasting, and what to keep on your radar before the market opens tomorrow.
Verizon stock after the bell: the numbers investors are watching
Where the stock sits
- Regular session (Dec. 23): VZ finished around $39.92, down about 0.15%. [3]
- After-hours (as last quoted late Tuesday): about $39.95, up ~0.08%. [4]
- Day’s range: roughly $39.87 to $40.20, underscoring how tight trading was. [5]
- 52-week range (context): roughly $37.58 to $47.35. [6]
The market backdrop
Tuesday’s session was broadly constructive: the S&P 500 closed at 6,909.79 and the Dow at 48,442.41 (per market wrap reporting), while Verizon finished modestly lower—typical behavior for a high-dividend telecom when investors lean into risk-on positioning. [7]
The biggest Verizon headlines today—and why they matter for VZ stock
Verizon’s share price didn’t swing hard today, but the news cycle was active in three areas investors care about: customer retention, the Frontier acquisition path, and new premium network products aimed at business demand (including AI-driven workloads).
1) Verizon + YouTube TV: a retention-focused perk (and a promo-cost question)
A key consumer-facing update Tuesday was Verizon’s promotion tied to YouTube TV, with reports highlighting a deal that takes the service to $62.99/month for 6 months for eligible Verizon customers (typically framed as $20/month off the standard rate). [8]
Why investors should care
- Verizon’s wireless business is often a game of churn control and bundle economics: perks can reduce cancellations and improve lifetime value, especially in competitive periods.
- The trade-off is that promotions can be a margin lever: even if third-party perks are effective, investors will want to see whether the cost is offset by higher retention, more multi-product adoption (wireless + broadband), or improved net adds.
In plain terms: the YouTube TV angle is not likely to move VZ on one day—but it fits Verizon’s broader playbook of using bundles and “price lock + perks” to hold customers.
2) Frontier acquisition: California’s review remains a real catalyst (and a real risk)
Verizon’s proposed acquisition of Frontier has been approved at the federal level, but California’s review continues to be a swing factor for timing and conditions.
What changed (or was emphasized) around this topic recently—and remained in focus in today’s coverage:
- California’s telecom regulator will hear oral arguments on Jan. 12, 2026, according to reporting Tuesday. [9]
- Industry reporting has described proposed conditions that touch workforce-related commitments and diversity requirements, as well as network buildout and low-income pricing protections—issues that can affect both integration complexity and expected returns. [10]
- One report noted the CPUC could issue a final decision at a January 15 voting meeting, which helps define the next window investors will watch closely. [11]
Why this matters for VZ stock
- Timeline risk: deal timing influences debt/refinancing planning, synergy capture, and management bandwidth.
- Condition risk: buildout obligations or pricing commitments can change the expected economics—especially in a business where returns depend on long-lived network investments.
For tomorrow morning specifically: this isn’t a “pre-market print” catalyst unless a new filing or regulator update hits the tape—but it remains one of the more meaningful near-dated swing factors for Verizon heading into 2026.
3) Verizon’s 5G network slicing push: premium fixed wireless for the “AI era”
On the product side, Verizon-related research coverage Tuesday focused on a newer business offering: 5G Network Slice – Enhanced Internet.
Analyst coverage described it as a fixed wireless solution positioned for upload-heavy, cloud-centric workloads, highlighting performance levels of 200 Mbps downlink and 45 Mbps uplink and no data caps. [12]
Why this is important
- Network slicing is one of the ways carriers try to sell differentiated connectivity—not just “more bars,” but a more enterprise-like product with predictable performance for specific use cases.
- If Verizon can price this as a premium service (especially for enterprises running real-time analytics, computer vision, or AI inference at the edge), it could support higher-quality revenue mix versus commodity connectivity.
Investors should also be realistic: it’s a promising direction, but at this stage it’s more about product capability and commercialization than immediately visible financial impact in the stock price.
Forecasts and analyst expectations: what the Street is modeling right now
Next earnings: a firm date, and the key EPS number
Verizon’s investor relations site lists its Fourth Quarter 2025 earnings discussion for Friday, January 30, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET. [13]
Ahead of that report:
- One earnings preview pegged Q4 EPS expectations around $1.06, down from $1.10 in the year-ago quarter. [14]
- That same preview cited expectations for FY2025 EPS around $4.68 and FY2026 EPS around $4.82. [15]
- A separate analyst-note roundup said Zacks lowered its FY2025 EPS estimate to $4.67 from $4.69, and it also listed additional quarterly/future-year estimates. [16]
What to do with these forecasts as an investor
For a mature telecom like Verizon, the market typically reacts less to “beat by a penny” and more to:
- Wireless service revenue trend
- Postpaid phone net adds and churn
- Broadband adds (Fios + fixed wireless access)
- Free cash flow and leverage trajectory
- Any updates on Frontier integration timing and deal conditions
So, while the EPS consensus is useful, the real “tell” in late January will be operating momentum and cash generation.
Dividend spotlight: still a core part of the VZ thesis
Verizon remains a dividend-centric stock for many portfolios.
- Verizon’s board declared a $0.69 quarterly dividend, consistent with the prior quarter, payable Feb. 2, 2026 to shareholders of record Jan. 12, 2026 (per the company’s announcement). [17]
- At Tuesday’s closing price area (~$39.92), that annualized payout (~$2.76) implies a yield near the high-6% range (the exact yield moves with the stock price). [18]
What to watch into the open
- Dividend stocks can trade like “equity income + rates.” If Treasury yields move sharply, telecom multiples can re-rate even without company-specific news.
- With bond markets also scheduled to close early on Dec. 24 (2:00 p.m. ET recommended), rate-linked sentiment can get quirky in holiday conditions. [19]
What to know before the market opens tomorrow (Dec. 24, 2025)
1) It’s an early-close session—expect thin trading
The most practical “tomorrow morning” point: U.S. stock markets close early at 1:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025. [20]
That often means:
- Lower volume
- More erratic intraday price discovery
- Greater impact from headlines that would normally be absorbed smoothly
If you trade VZ actively (options or short-term), position sizing and limit orders matter more on these sessions.
2) Watch for Frontier/California docket headlines
With a clear calendar forming around Jan. 12 oral arguments and a potential Jan. 15 vote, any incremental filing, settlement detail, or revised condition could move sentiment—even if the move is more visible in Frontier (FYBR) than Verizon at first. [21]
3) Product and promo headlines can affect “churn narrative,” not just revenue
Consumer promos (like the YouTube TV offer) tend to show up later in churn and net add metrics. But they can influence near-term sentiment if investors interpret them as:
- a sign of confidence (building stickier bundles), or
- a sign competition is forcing higher promo intensity
Today’s news flow sits more in the “retention tool” bucket than a “pricing war” siren—though that balance is what the Street will keep debating into earnings. [22]
4) Keep an eye on the ~$40 level and the stock’s “range behavior”
Tuesday’s tight range (roughly $39.87–$40.20) reinforces that VZ is trading like a defensive, yield-driven name right now—less about momentum, more about carry (dividend) and catalysts (earnings + Frontier). [23]
Bottom line for Verizon stock heading into the Dec. 24 open
Verizon stock enters tomorrow’s early-close session mostly unchanged after the bell, with investors balancing three themes:
- Retention and bundling (YouTube TV discount) [24]
- Deal timing and conditions (Frontier + California review milestones ahead) [25]
- Network monetization (enterprise-focused network slicing positioned for AI-era workloads) [26]
The next truly hard catalyst on the calendar is Verizon’s Q4 2025 earnings discussion on Jan. 30, 2026 (8:30 a.m. ET), where guidance, cash flow, subscriber trends, and any Frontier progress updates are likely to matter more than the headline EPS number alone. [27]
This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice.
References
1. www.marketwatch.com, 2. www.nyse.com, 3. www.investing.com, 4. www.marketwatch.com, 5. www.investing.com, 6. www.investing.com, 7. www.marketwatch.com, 8. 9to5google.com, 9. broadbandbreakfast.com, 10. www.fierce-network.com, 11. www.fierce-network.com, 12. www.nasdaq.com, 13. www.verizon.com, 14. www.barchart.com, 15. www.barchart.com, 16. www.marketbeat.com, 17. www.verizon.com, 18. www.verizon.com, 19. www.sifma.org, 20. www.nyse.com, 21. broadbandbreakfast.com, 22. 9to5google.com, 23. www.investing.com, 24. 9to5google.com, 25. broadbandbreakfast.com, 26. www.zacks.com, 27. www.verizon.com
