Fubotv earnings beat by $0.10, revenue topped estimates
On Thursday, Raymond (NS:RYMD) James confirmed its positive stance on Verizon Communications (NYSE:NYSE:VZ), maintaining an Outperform rating and a $48.00 price target. The firm's analysis highlights Verizon's defensive nature, evidenced by its low beta of 0.43, and its potential for a compelling total return for patient investors.
According to InvestingPro data, Verizon has demonstrated strong momentum with an 18.8% year-to-date return. According to Raymond James, the telecom giant's long-term fundamentals are robust, citing consistent results and an impressive 6.45% dividend yield as reasons for the stock's attractiveness.
InvestingPro analysis reveals that Verizon has maintained dividend payments for 41 consecutive years, with 20 years of consecutive increases, demonstrating remarkable dividend reliability. The company's overall Financial Health Score is rated as GOOD by InvestingPro, with additional insights available in the comprehensive Pro Research Report.
The analyst has updated the fourth-quarter 2024 and full-year 2025 estimates to align with recent trends and management's statements at industry conferences. Verizon's strategy of deploying promotions strategically throughout the quarter is expected to have its most significant impact in December, in line with industry norms.
Management has indicated that the Black Friday promotions and other initiatives during the quarter met their expectations. As a prominent player in the Diversified Telecommunication Services industry with a market capitalization of $177 billion and annual revenue of $134 billion, Verizon's strategic initiatives carry significant weight in the market.
For the fourth quarter, the analyst anticipates conservative postpaid phone net additions of 350,000 for the consumer segment. Business expectations are slightly lower, accounting for fewer selling days, but the forecast remains unchanged at 126,000 net additions. The forecast for fixed wireless net additions stands at 352,000, with a minor adjustment favoring consumer over business additions.
Looking ahead to the next fiscal year, Raymond James has adjusted its wireless services revenue growth expectation for Verizon to $81.0 billion, down from $82.4 billion. This revision reflects the likelihood of lower growth in this area, as management prepares to focus on regaining market share, which may incur certain costs.
Despite this, the firm's EBITDA estimate is only slightly affected, with management's confidence that savings from previous promotions, sustained low churn rates, and operational efficiencies will largely offset any negative impacts.
In other recent news, Verizon Communications has seen a flurry of activity. Bernstein SocGen Group initiated coverage of the telecom giant, highlighting both challenges and opportunities, such as competitive pressures and strategic initiatives. KeyBanc Capital Markets and Scotiabank (TSX:BNS) have expressed concerns about Verizon's future financial performance, with KeyBanc downgrading the stock due to predicted slowdowns in EBITDA growth and free cash flow, and Scotiabank slightly reducing the stock's price target due to flat revenue and higher capital expenditure guidance.
Verizon recently announced the appointment of Daniel H. Schulman as the new lead director of its Board of Directors. Schulman's experience in the technology, telecommunications, and finance sectors is expected to be an asset in extending Verizon's industry leadership. In addition, the telecom company has maintained its quarterly dividend at 67.75 cents per outstanding share, demonstrating its commitment to shareholder returns.
Verizon's recent developments include a strategic focus on expanding its broadband reach, targeting over 100 million households with a mix of fixed wireless access and fiber solutions. The company also plans to double its fixed wireless access subscribers by 2028.
Despite these growth plans, both KeyBanc and Scotiabank expressed caution about the company's financial performance. These are the recent developments from Verizon Communications.
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