Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The competitive intensity in the market has increased, with gross adds showing double-digit growth on the postpaid phone side [6][10] - The company has seen a slight increase in churn due to price hikes and competitive pressures, but expects to return to a business-as-usual (BAU) posture in the second half of the year [54][74] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The broadband and mobility businesses are identified as the two engines of growth, with a clear path to becoming the number one converged player in America [10][14] - The company aims to cover 40 million homes with fiber and continues to see strong momentum in its Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) product, targeting 8 to 9 million subscribers [13][24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The switcher pool has increased, with both port-ins and port-outs rising, indicating a competitive environment [6][10] - The company has a strong position in the prepaid market, having gained market share over the last three quarters [37][38] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to be the number one converged player in America, focusing on both mobility and broadband [10][14] - The strategy includes leveraging AI for operational efficiencies and enhancing customer care, which is seen as a potential differentiator in the market [106][109] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges the competitive landscape but believes the company's value proposition resonates well with customers [7][10] - The company expects to see continued growth in gross adds and a reduction in churn as it implements its strategies [54][74] Other Important Information - The company has committed to a million-plus new fiber offerings post-acquisition of Frontier, with a focus on reducing build costs through automation and AI [21][23] - Adjacent products and perks are becoming a significant part of the business, with a projected $2 billion run rate and mid-30% margins [78][81] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the expectations for gross adds in the second half of the year? - Management expects gross add momentum to continue due to a strong value proposition and improved sales execution [56][61] Question: How does the company view the competitive landscape and its impact on ARPU? - The company does not aggressively pursue pre-to-post migration but focuses on serving customers well in the prepaid space, maintaining a premium mix [63][64] Question: What is the strategy for reducing churn? - A strong value proposition, cross-selling opportunities, and loyalty programs are key strategies for reducing churn [69][72] Question: How does the company leverage AI in its operations? - AI is used to enhance customer care, improve operational efficiencies, and provide personalized experiences [106][109]

Core Insights - Verizon Communications Inc. is participating in TD Cowen's 53rd Annual Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, highlighting its engagement with industry stakeholders [1]. - Frank Boulben serves as the Chief Revenue Officer of the Consumer Group at Verizon, overseeing product design, pricing, media, promotions, and customer relationship management [3]. Consumer Segment Overview - The consumer segment experienced phone losses in the first quarter, which were larger than expected by analysts, indicating a higher churn rate [4]. - The industry faced challenges in January, affecting all major players, including Verizon [4].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Verizon reported a 2.7% increase in wireless service revenue and a 4% increase in EBITDA for Q1 [6][29] - The company expects the price hikes implemented in 2024 and January 2025 to generate approximately $1.1 billion in revenue for 2025 [15][29] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Overall phone net additions, including consumer, business postpaid, and prepaid, increased by about 90,000 year-on-year [6][11] - In Q1, consumer postpaid phone net losses were impacted by competitive factors and price increases, but gross adds showed high single-digit growth in March and continued into Q2 [16][20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The competitive landscape saw Verizon's competitors maintaining holiday promotions longer than expected, affecting customer acquisition [11][15] - Verizon's customer base remains premium, with no year-on-year change in involuntary churn and improved quality metrics for new customers [22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Verizon's strategy includes a three-year price lock and free phone offers to enhance customer retention and acquisition [17][20] - The company aims to continue investing in its network to maintain its position as the provider of the best network experience [23][25] - Verizon is focused on cross-selling opportunities between its mobile and broadband services, particularly with the upcoming Frontier acquisition [39][46] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in returning churn to business-as-usual levels in the second half of the year as new initiatives take effect [20][31] - The company anticipates year-on-year growth in postpaid phone nets and is optimistic about the impact of its value guarantee and network improvements [31][33] Other Important Information - Verizon's fixed wireless access strategy is designed to utilize excess capacity in its mobile network, with no dedicated capital expenditure for fixed wireless access [58] - The company is seeing a shift in fixed wireless customers from urban to rural areas as it expands its C band network [63][68] Q&A Session Summary Question: What happened with phone losses in Q1? - Management noted that competitive factors and price increases contributed to higher churn, but overall phone nets improved year-on-year [11][16] Question: How is the health of the consumer base? - Management reported no deterioration in the health of the consumer base, with stable involuntary churn and improved quality metrics for new customers [22] Question: What is the strategy for the Frontier integration? - The focus will be on cross-selling opportunities and achieving operational synergies, with expectations of $500 million in operational expense synergies by year two [39][40] Question: How does fixed wireless fit into the overall strategy? - Fixed wireless is seen as an ancillary benefit of the mobile network, with no plans to transition customers to fiber unless they are in the Fios footprint [70] Question: What are the growth opportunities in prepaid? - The company has repositioned its Tracfone brands to be competitive in the high-end prepaid market, leading to growth in this segment [73][75]

Group 1 - Verizon's executive vice president and CEO for Verizon Consumer, Sowmyanarayan Sampath, will speak at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference on May 29, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. ET, with a webcast available on the Investor Relations website [1] - Verizon generated revenues of $134.8 billion in 2024, highlighting its significant market presence and commitment to innovation [2] - The company serves millions of customers globally, including nearly all of the Fortune 500, focusing on mobility, reliable network connectivity, and security [2] Group 2 - Verizon's online media center provides access to news releases, stories, and media contacts, enhancing communication with stakeholders [3] - Media contacts for Verizon include Adi Wineland, who can be reached via email for inquiries [3]

Dividend Stocks Overview - Dividend yield is a key metric for investors, indicating how much a company pays in annual dividends relative to its stock price [1] - The sustainability of a company's dividend yield is often assessed through its dividend payout ratio, which shows the percentage of net income distributed as dividends [1][3] - A high dividend yield may result from a declining stock price, which could indicate underlying issues [2] Altria Group (MO) - Altria Group has a dividend yield of 6.83% and an annual dividend of $4.08, with a payout ratio of 68.34% [5][6] - The company has a strong track record of 56 consecutive years of dividend increases and an annualized 3-year dividend growth of 4.35% [5][8] - Despite the decline in traditional tobacco smoking, Altria is pivoting towards alternative nicotine products, which may support future revenue and earnings growth [7] - The stock has delivered a total return of over 609% in the last 15 years, and its current P/E ratio of 9x indicates it is undervalued compared to its historical performance [6][7] United Parcel Service (UPS) - UPS has a dividend yield of 6.88% and an annual dividend of $6.56, with a high payout ratio of 95.63% [9][10] - The company has a history of maintaining dividends even during economic downturns, with a cash flow payout ratio of 66% [10] - UPS is undergoing a turnaround plan that is expected to improve margins, and its P/E ratio is around 14x, which is a discount to historical averages [11] Verizon Communications (VZ) - Verizon has a dividend yield of 6.25% and an annual dividend of $2.71, with a payout ratio of 64.52% [12][14] - The company has a 20-year track record of dividend increases, but its recent total return over 10 years is only 45.22% [13][14] - Verizon is facing challenges with subscriber losses but has received FCC approval for a deal to acquire Frontier, which may enhance its competitive position [13][14]

Core Insights - The article highlights the attractiveness of dividend-paying stocks within the Dow Jones Industrial Average, specifically focusing on Chevron, Johnson & Johnson, and Verizon as top choices for passive income in 2025 and beyond [2][13]. Chevron - Chevron currently offers a dividend yield of over 5%, significantly higher than the average yield of Dow components, which is below 2% [4]. - The company has a strong track record of increasing dividends for 38 consecutive years, demonstrating resilience through various commodity cycles [5]. - Chevron's breakeven level is around $30 per barrel, and it expects to boost free cash flow by $9 billion next year, assuming oil prices average $60 per barrel [6]. Johnson & Johnson - Johnson & Johnson's dividend yield is approximately 3.4%, with a recent increase of nearly 5%, extending its dividend growth streak to 63 years [7]. - The company holds an AAA bond rating and has a net debt of $13.5 billion against a market cap of $370 billion, indicating a strong financial position [8]. - In the previous year, Johnson & Johnson generated $20 billion in free cash flow, covering its $11.8 billion dividend outlay while investing over $17 billion in R&D [9]. Verizon - Verizon boasts the highest dividend yield in the Dow at 6.2%, supported by $36.9 billion in cash flow from operations [10]. - The company is acquiring Frontier Communications for $20 billion, which is expected to enhance its fiber network and yield annual cost savings of at least $500 million [11]. - Verizon has delivered its 18th consecutive annual dividend increase, maintaining the longest current payout-hiking streak in the U.S. telecom sector [12].

Company Overview - Verizon Communications Inc. generated revenues of $134.8 billion in 2024, serving millions of customers globally and nearly all of the Fortune 500 [3]. Upcoming Events - Frank Boulben, senior vice president and chief revenue officer for the Consumer Group of Verizon, is scheduled to speak at the Cowen Technology, Media & Telecom Conference on May 28, 2025, at 10:15 a.m. ET, with his remarks available via webcast [1]. Financial Information - For details on Verizon's most recent financial results, the company's 1Q25 earnings results are available [2].

Core Insights - AT&T and Verizon stocks have performed well in 2023, with AT&T up +20% and Verizon up +9%, providing a hedge against market volatility [1] - The expansion of 5G networks is driving investor interest, offering peak speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second and improved connectivity [2] AT&T Performance - AT&T added 324,000 postpaid wireless subscribers and 181,000 fixed wireless access subscribers in Q1 [3] - The company expanded its fiber-optic network by adding 600,000 new locations, aiming for 30 million fiber locations by the end of Q2 [3] - AT&T has consistently added over 200,000 fiber optic internet subscribers for 21 consecutive quarters [3] Verizon Performance - Verizon reported wireless service revenue of $20.8 billion in Q1, leading the industry [4] - The company added 308,000 new 5G Home Internet customers, with a total fixed wireless access subscriber base exceeding 4.8 million [4] - The 5G fixed wireless access market was valued at over $45 billion last year and is projected to exceed $238 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 40.5% [4] Valuation Comparison - AT&T and Verizon are considered undervalued with forward earnings multiples of 13.2X and 9.3X, respectively, compared to T-Mobile's 22.8X [6][7] - Both companies trade under the optimal level of less than 2X sales, making them attractive to retail investors [7] Dividend Appeal - AT&T and Verizon offer attractive dividends, with annual yields over 4% and 6%, respectively, significantly higher than T-Mobile's 1.46% [9] Conclusion - Both AT&T and Verizon hold a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), proving beneficial amid tariff concerns and economic uncertainty [12] - Long-term shareholders may be rewarded due to high dividends and ongoing 5G expansion [13]

Core Points - Verizon Communications Inc. held its annual meeting virtually, where shareholders elected all 10 directors for a one-year term [1] - Shareholders approved two management proposals and rejected three shareholder proposals related to climate lobbying, lead-sheathed cables, and advertising discrimination risks [1] - The final vote results will be certified by independent inspectors and posted on Verizon's website [2] Financial Performance - Verizon generated revenues of $134.8 billion in 2024, serving millions of customers and nearly all Fortune 500 companies [3] Corporate Governance - The compensation for named executive officers was approved as outlined in the 2025 proxy statement [4] - Ernst & Young LLP was ratified as the independent registered public accounting firm for the company [4]

Core Insights - T-Mobile and Verizon are major players in the U.S. telecommunications industry, each with distinct competitive advantages and challenges [3][19]. Verizon's Position - Verizon boasts one of the most efficient wireless networks in the U.S., focusing on customer-centric planning and strategic investments to enhance its 5G capabilities [4][19]. - The company has launched Verizon Frontline Network Slice to provide dedicated 5G capacity for frontline workers, enhancing public safety communications [5]. - Verizon Business Assistant, powered by generative AI, aims to streamline interactions for small business owners, indicating a diversification of revenue streams [6]. - Despite these strengths, Verizon faces intense competition from T-Mobile and AT&T, leading to increased promotional spending that pressures margins [7][19]. T-Mobile's Position - T-Mobile is experiencing growth in postpaid services and has rolled out a nationwide 5G advanced network that incorporates AI and machine learning for optimal resource utilization [8][10]. - The company supports a wide range of platforms, including IoT devices and wearables, enhancing user experience with low latency and high throughput [9][10]. - T-Mobile is actively diversifying its operations through acquisitions, such as Blis and Vistar Media, to strengthen its advertising solutions and expand broadband access [12]. - However, T-Mobile also faces competitive pressures that strain pricing and margins, necessitating significant investments in network advancements and promotions [11][19]. Financial Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects T-Mobile's 2025 sales and EPS growth at 5.91% and 9.32%, respectively, with a recent EPS estimate improvement of 1.44% [13]. - For Verizon, the 2025 sales growth is estimated at 1.71%, with EPS projected to increase by 2.18%, showing no change in EPS estimates over the past 60 days [14]. Price Performance - T-Mobile's shares trade at a forward P/E ratio of 21.24, significantly higher than Verizon's 9.2, indicating differing market valuations [17]. - Over the past year, T-Mobile has outperformed with a gain of 45.4%, compared to Verizon's 9.7% increase and the industry's growth of 34.4% [20].