U.S. stocks reopen Friday, Dec. 26, 2025 after the Christmas Day closure, with Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) coming into the session with a familiar setup: a high dividend, a low valuation, and multiple company-specific catalysts that can move the narrative quickly in thin post-holiday trading. [1]
Verizon shares last traded in the holiday-shortened session on Wednesday, Dec. 24, closing at $40.32. [2]
Below is what investors and readers should know heading into the Dec. 26 open—covering the latest headlines, where the business stands, and what Wall Street is watching next.
Where Verizon stock stands heading into Dec. 26
Verizon closed Dec. 24 at $40.32, up about 1% on the day, during the early-close session. [3] That price leaves the stock about 14.9% below its 52‑week high of $47.36 (set on March 10, 2025), a reminder that VZ remains an “income-first” holding for many investors—not a momentum favorite. [4]
From a valuation perspective, third-party market data trackers put Verizon at roughly:
- ~8.6x trailing earnings
- ~0.32 beta (historically less volatile than the broader market)
- 52-week range: ~$37.59 to $47.36
- Dividend: $2.76 annualized (about ~6.85% yield near $40.32) [5]
That combination—high yield + low multiple—is why Verizon often trades like a “bond proxy,” reacting not only to company news but also to rate expectations and credit sentiment.
Market context: Dec. 26 is a “back-from-holiday” session
Two things matter for the Dec. 26 open:
- Trading just resumed after a holiday closure. U.S. exchanges were closed on Dec. 25 and returned to normal operations on Friday, Dec. 26, after a shortened Dec. 24 session. [6]
- Liquidity can be thinner in the “in-between” holiday window. That can amplify moves on headlines—especially for large, widely held dividend stocks like VZ.
The biggest strategic overhang: Verizon’s Frontier acquisition and the regulatory endgame
One of the most consequential storylines for Verizon stock into year-end is its proposed Frontier Communications deal—both because it reshapes Verizon’s fiber footprint and because the approval process has become an ongoing headline generator.
What’s already happened
- The FCC approved Verizon’s Frontier acquisition in May 2025 (according to reporting at the time), clearing a major federal hurdle. [7]
- Verizon has framed Frontier as a way to expand fiber scale and strengthen its broadband + mobility convergence strategy—an important theme as carriers compete more aggressively on bundled offerings.
What’s new in December 2025
- On Dec. 18, 2025, the New York State Public Service Commission approved the transfer of control, pairing its approval with investment and service-related requirements. New York’s release highlights commitments including broadband expansion funding, digital inclusion support, and protections tied to service quality and reliability. [8]
- In California, the deal appears to be moving closer but remains condition-laden. A Light Reading report describes an administrative law judge proposal that could set the stage for approval in early 2026, with conditions spanning topics like network buildout, low-income offerings, and policy commitments. [9]
Why investors care
For Verizon, the Frontier transaction is not just “more fiber.” It is a potential lever for:
- Broadband customer growth (fiber footprint expansion)
- Bundling (wireless + home internet packages)
- Longer-term churn reduction (households with multiple services tend to stick)
But until the final approvals are in and the closing timeline is locked, the deal can continue to generate headline-driven volatility—especially around state-level conditions and compliance requirements.
Leadership shakeup: CEO transition + a restructuring that will define the 2026 narrative
Verizon’s leadership change is no longer “just a headline”—it’s a central part of how investors are framing the stock.
Verizon announced that Dan Schulman (former PayPal CEO and then independent lead director at Verizon) was appointed CEO effective immediately, alongside board leadership changes. Verizon also said former CEO Hans Vestberg would serve as a special advisor through Oct. 4, 2026, with the Frontier integration among the transition priorities and the deal expected to close in Q1 2026. [10]
Shortly after, Verizon unveiled a large restructuring:
- Verizon said it would cut more than 13,000 jobs, positioning the move as part of a broad effort to simplify operations and reset execution. [11]
- Reporting also described actions such as reducing outsourced labor and operational complexity—steps aimed at improving customer experience and efficiency. [12]
For VZ stock, the key question isn’t whether cost cuts sound good on paper—it’s whether they translate into better subscriber momentum, lower churn, and healthier service revenue trends without damaging service quality.
Dividend spotlight: Verizon’s payout remains the anchor for many investors
Verizon declared a quarterly dividend of $0.69 per share on Dec. 4, 2025, payable Feb. 2, 2026, to shareholders of record as of Jan. 12, 2026. [13]
At around $40.32, that annualized dividend rate ($0.69 × 4 = $2.76) implies a yield of roughly 6.85%—one of the core reasons VZ stays on income investors’ watchlists even during periods of slow growth. [14]
A quick practical note: the press release specifies the record date. The ex-dividend date is typically set by the exchange and depends on settlement conventions—income-focused investors should confirm the official ex-div date via their broker or market data feed.
Balance sheet and credit: deleveraging moves are part of the story
Verizon’s debt load is always part of the VZ conversation, because interest rates and leverage influence how investors value dividend-heavy telecoms.
What Verizon reported recently
In its Q3 2025 update, Verizon reported:
- Total unsecured debt of $119.7 billion (end of Q3 2025)
- Net unsecured debt of $112.0 billion
- Net unsecured debt to consolidated adjusted EBITDA ratio around 2.2x [15]
A notable financing headline
Verizon also announced a debt redemption plan: redeeming certain notes on Dec. 16, 2025, including its 1.450% notes due 2026 and 3.000% notes due 2027, plus a portion of 4.125% notes due 2027. [16]
What ratings say (at least as Verizon reports them)
On its fixed income page, Verizon lists the following unsecured debt ratings with stable outlooks:
- Moody’s: Baa1
- S&P: BBB+
- Fitch: A- [17]
Investors typically read these signals as: Verizon is still a leveraged telecom, but not in “balance-sheet stress” territory—and management’s actions indicate ongoing focus on financing discipline.
Fundamentals check: what Verizon said about 2025 performance and guidance
Verizon’s last major company update was its Q3 2025 earnings release, which included a set of metrics investors tend to track closely:
- Total operating revenue: $33.8B in Q3 2025 (+1.5% YoY)
- Wireless service revenue: $21.0B (+2.1% YoY)
- Broadband: 306,000 net additions in Q3 2025
- Fixed wireless access net adds: 261,000 (base nearing 5.4M)
- Fios internet net adds: 61,000 (best quarterly result in two years) [18]
And Verizon reiterated full-year guidance ranges including:
- 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: $37B to $39B [19]
Earlier in 2025, Verizon also highlighted raising guidance for certain metrics after Q2 performance, including commentary around free cash flow trajectory. [20]
The “through-line” for Verizon stock: management is arguing that the company can produce durable cash generation even as it works through competitive wireless dynamics and pursues a bigger fiber footprint.
The competitive backdrop: AT&T and T-Mobile keep pressure on promotions and bundling
Verizon does not trade in a vacuum. U.S. wireless is intensely competitive, and rivals’ momentum often affects investor sentiment toward VZ—even when Verizon-specific news is quiet.
For example, Reuters reporting in 2025 highlighted AT&T’s strong subscriber additions tied to bundled plans combining 5G mobile with fiber, underscoring how aggressively peers are pushing convergence strategies. [21]
For Verizon, that raises the stakes on:
- Pricing discipline vs. promotions
- Churn management
- Broadband scale (where Frontier is strategically relevant)
Analyst forecasts and sentiment: upside case vs. “value trap” debate
Wall Street sentiment on Verizon tends to cluster around a few recurring arguments:
The bullish case (why some see upside into 2026)
- Verizon is inexpensive relative to the broader market and offers a high yield.
- Cost actions + operational simplification could improve cash flow resilience.
- Frontier could meaningfully expand fiber reach and bundling opportunities.
On one widely used market data summary, Verizon’s analyst price target is listed around $48.73 (roughly ~21% upside from $40.32), with the overall stance labeled “Buy.” [22]
A TipRanks analysis piece published Dec. 26 also framed 2026–2027 as a transition period that could reward patient, income-oriented holders, and referenced a mid‑$40s average target in its dataset. [23]
The cautious case (what skeptics focus on)
- Wireless growth remains hard in a saturated market.
- Competition can force heavier promotions, pressuring near-term margins.
- High debt means rates and refinancing conditions still matter.
For Dec. 26 specifically, the practical takeaway is that Verizon’s stock can move on:
- Frontier approval headlines
- Any new commentary on customer growth / pricing
- Rate/credit sentiment shifts that affect dividend-heavy equities
The next hard catalyst: Verizon’s Q4 2025 earnings date
Verizon’s investor calendar lists its Fourth Quarter 2025 earnings discussion for 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. [24]
Between Dec. 26 and that date, investors will likely be positioning around expectations for:
- Q4 subscriber trends (postpaid phone adds/losses and churn)
- Broadband momentum (fixed wireless + Fios)
- 2026 outlook commentary, especially with a new CEO and a major pending integration
What to watch right at the Dec. 26 open
If you’re following Verizon stock into the Friday open, these are the near-term “tell” points:
- Headline risk around Frontier (California conditions / timing, additional state actions, or closing timeline clarity). [25]
- Any follow-through on the restructuring narrative (details on execution, store/franchise changes, or service/customer experience outcomes). [26]
- Dividend-focused flows (VZ’s yield remains a magnet, especially if rates drift lower). [27]
- Holiday liquidity effects (smaller orders can move price more than usual). [28]
Bottom line
Heading into the Dec. 26, 2025 market open, Verizon stock remains a classic “two-engine” story:
- Income + valuation support (a large dividend yield and low multiple) [29]
- Execution-driven catalysts (Frontier approvals, CEO-led transformation, and proof of sustainable subscriber/broadband momentum) [30]
For Google News and Discover readers, the key message is simple: Verizon doesn’t need to become a high-growth stock to matter—but it does need to show that its “reset” translates into better customer momentum while preserving the cash flow that funds the dividend.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
References
1. www.barrons.com, 2. www.marketwatch.com, 3. www.marketwatch.com, 4. www.marketwatch.com, 5. stockanalysis.com, 6. www.barrons.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. dps.ny.gov, 9. www.lightreading.com, 10. www.verizon.com, 11. apnews.com, 12. www.reuters.com, 13. www.verizon.com, 14. www.verizon.com, 15. www.verizon.com, 16. www.verizon.com, 17. www.verizon.com, 18. www.verizon.com, 19. www.verizon.com, 20. www.verizon.com, 21. www.reuters.com, 22. stockanalysis.com, 23. www.tipranks.com, 24. www.verizon.com, 25. www.lightreading.com, 26. www.reuters.com, 27. www.verizon.com, 28. www.barrons.com, 29. www.verizon.com, 30. www.lightreading.com
