New York time check: As of 1:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, December 27, 2025, U.S. markets are closed.
That timing matters because Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) is heading into the final full trading sessions of 2025 with several headline-moving narratives in play: year-end market positioning, a major fiber acquisition that’s still clearing state approvals, a large restructuring plan, and the stock’s ongoing role as a “bond-like” dividend name in a rate-sensitive market.
Verizon stock price: where VZ stands heading into year-end
Verizon shares were last quoted around $40.48. Recent closes have kept the stock in the low-$40s range, with MarketWatch noting a $40.32 close on December 24. [1]
While Verizon isn’t typically a day-trader’s playground, year-end conditions can amplify even small catalysts—especially when liquidity thins and portfolio managers rebalance.
The current market backdrop: record-high indexes, rate-cut focus, and thin holiday volume
Broadly, U.S. equities are entering the last week of the year with a strong tailwind. Reuters reports the S&P 500 is near record highs and about 1% from 7,000, with the index up nearly 18% in 2025 (Nasdaq up 22%). The same Reuters report flags Fed minutes next week and the reality that light trading volumes can exaggerate moves. [2]
For Verizon specifically, that macro setup matters because high-dividend telecom stocks tend to trade with a “rates and spreads” flavor: when investors expect easier policy and steadier yields, income stocks can look more attractive; when yields jump, they often face pressure.
Is the stock market open right now?
No. It’s Saturday, and the New York Stock Exchange is closed. The NYSE’s standard hours remain 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET on regular trading days. [3]
Next regular session:Monday, December 29, 2025 (9:30 a.m. ET). [4]
Looking slightly ahead, U.S. stock markets are expected to be open for the full day on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and closed on Thursday, January 1, 2026 (New Year’s Day). [5]
The big Verizon drivers right now
1) Earnings and subscriber momentum: Q3 beat on profits and postpaid adds
In late October, Reuters reported Verizon beat estimates for Q3 profit and wireless subscriber additions. On an adjusted basis, Verizon reported $1.21 EPS vs. $1.19 expected, while revenue came in at $33.8 billion vs. $34.28 billion expected (LSEG data). [6]
On the operating side, Verizon’s own Q3 release highlighted that it delivered 306,000 broadband net additions, including 261,000 fixed wireless access (FWA) net adds, and said FWA subscribers were nearing 5.4 million. [7]
Why investors care: Verizon needs enough net adds and pricing discipline to defend cash flow while the industry stays intensely competitive.
2) Full-year 2025 outlook: reiterated targets investors keep coming back to
Verizon has reiterated a 2025 framework that investors often treat as the stock’s “anchor,” including:
- Total wireless service revenue growth: 2.0% to 2.8%
- Adjusted EBITDA growth: 2.5% to 3.5%
- Adjusted EPS growth: 1.0% to 3.0%
- Cash flow from operations: $37.0B to $39.0B
- Free cash flow: $19.5B to $20.5B
- Capital expenditures: $17.5B to $18.5B [8]
In plain English: Verizon is pitching steady, utility-like cash generation—not hypergrowth.
3) Frontier acquisition: a major fiber bet that keeps advancing through approvals
Verizon’s proposed acquisition of Frontier is one of the largest strategic levers in the story.
- Verizon announced it would acquire Frontier at $38.50 per share in an all-cash deal valued at about $20 billion enterprise value. [9]
- Frontier said the transaction was expected to close in Q1 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions. [10]
- The FCC approved the Verizon–Frontier transaction (Wireline Competition Bureau order listed May 16, 2025). [11]
What’s new (and very current): On December 18, 2025, the New York State Public Service Commission approved the transfer of control, attaching specific investment commitments—including $150 million tied to broadband expansion, digital inclusion, service quality, and small business support in New York. [12]
And approvals are still progressing elsewhere. Light Reading reported December 18, 2025 that an administrative law judge proposal could set up California approval of the deal in early 2026, with conditions. [13]
Why this matters for VZ stock: The Frontier deal is an equity narrative catalyst (fiber scale, broadband bundling potential), but also a balance-sheet event (financing and leverage).
4) Restructuring and cost-cutting: Verizon’s job cuts are a near-term earnings variable
Reuters reported Verizon is cutting more than 13,000 jobs as part of a restructuring led by new CEO Dan Schulman, and that Verizon expects a $1.6B to $1.8B severance charge in Q4. [14]
Investors generally sort this into two buckets:
- Short-term: restructuring charges can muddy quarterly comparisons.
- Medium-term: cost reductions can support margins and free cash flow—key for a dividend-heavy equity.
5) Financing and credit: bond activity tied to the Frontier deal (and what rating agencies are saying)
Reuters also reported Verizon was looking to raise about $10 billion in the corporate bond market tied to funding the Frontier deal. [15]
Credit agencies have weighed in around Verizon issuance and leverage:
- Fitch rated Verizon’s new senior unsecured notes ‘A-’ (proceeds referenced as supporting the Frontier acquisition). [16]
- S&P Global Ratings assigned a ‘BBB+’ issue-level rating to proposed Verizon notes and discussed leverage expectations including the Frontier acquisition. [17]
- Moody’s has published commentary affirming Verizon’s ratings and discussing leverage expectations alongside the Frontier transaction. [18]
Translation: the market’s message is “Verizon can fund big moves—but leverage discipline still matters,” especially when the stock’s appeal is heavily tied to stable income.
Dividend: the “why people own VZ” headline (and the next key dates)
Verizon’s board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.69 per share on December 4, 2025, payable February 2, 2026 to shareholders of record January 12, 2026. [19]
Earlier this year, Verizon also highlighted a dividend increase and framed it as the company’s 19th consecutive year of dividend growth. [20]
At about $40.48, a $0.69 quarterly dividend implies $2.76 annualized, or roughly a 6.8% yield (before taxes and depending on purchase price). [21]
Wall Street forecasts: what analysts are projecting for Verizon stock
Consensus targets vary, but the direction is generally “modest upside with income.” MarketWatch shows an average target price of $46.45 across 26 ratings (with an average recommendation listed as “Overweight”). [22]
From a weekend price around ~$40.5, that kind of target implies potential upside in the mid-teens, but the path depends on the same recurring Verizon themes: subscriber quality, pricing power, and whether fiber expansion improves the growth profile without stressing leverage.
Key risks and debates investors are watching
- Competitive intensity remains fierce. Even when Verizon posts better-than-feared quarters, the market often demands proof that promotions don’t permanently erode margins. [23]
- Fixed wireless growth is still positive—but showing signs of slowing. Light Reading noted Verizon’s 261,000 FWA adds in Q3 were down versus the year-ago quarter, as competitors saw acceleration. [24]
- Regulatory and integration complexity around Frontier. Approvals are moving forward (FCC, New York), but state-by-state conditions can affect cost, timing, and synergy math. [25]
- Rate sensitivity. In a market still parsing the pace of future rate cuts, high-yield equities can trade like “equity-duration” assets—great when yields fall, stubborn when yields rise. [26]
What investors should know before the next session
With the exchange closed now, here’s what typically matters most before the Monday, December 29 open:
- Expect year-end “noise.” Low liquidity and portfolio adjustments can exaggerate moves—especially in large, widely held dividend names. [27]
- Monitor Frontier-deal headlines. Additional state approvals, conditions, or timelines can move the stock even without earnings news. [28]
- Watch rates and Fed-minute expectations. Verizon’s yield appeal competes directly with Treasuries and IG credit yields. [29]
- Know the next scheduled catalyst: Verizon’s investor calendar lists the Fourth Quarter 2025 earnings discussion at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, January 30, 2026. [30]
- Dividend calendar awareness: record and payment dates are already set for the next payout—useful for income investors managing entry points and holding periods. [31]
Bottom line: Verizon stock is heading into the final trading stretch of 2025 as a classic “income + stability” play—now with extra intrigue from the Frontier fiber deal’s regulatory progress and a major restructuring plan. Whether VZ breaks out of its range tends to hinge less on market hype and more on a slow-grinding trio: cash flow credibility, competitive subscriber trends, and balance-sheet discipline.
References
1. www.marketwatch.com, 2. www.reuters.com, 3. www.nyse.com, 4. www.nyse.com, 5. www.investopedia.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.verizon.com, 8. www.verizon.com, 9. www.verizon.com, 10. newsroom.frontier.com, 11. www.fcc.gov, 12. dps.ny.gov, 13. www.lightreading.com, 14. www.reuters.com, 15. www.reuters.com, 16. www.fitchratings.com, 17. www.spglobal.com, 18. ratings.moodys.com, 19. www.verizon.com, 20. www.verizon.com, 21. www.verizon.com, 22. www.marketwatch.com, 23. www.reuters.com, 24. www.lightreading.com, 25. www.fcc.gov, 26. www.reuters.com, 27. www.reuters.com, 28. dps.ny.gov, 29. www.reuters.com, 30. www.verizon.com, 31. www.verizon.com
