Core Insights - Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T, Inc. are major players in the U.S. telecommunications industry, providing a wide range of communication services to various customer segments [1] - The U.S. telecom services market is projected to grow at a 6.6% CAGR from 2024 to 2030, with the Fiber to the home market expected to increase from $10.7 billion to $21.5 billion by 2030, reflecting a CAGR of 12.7% [2] AT&T Analysis - AT&T is modernizing its network infrastructure to capitalize on the 5G boom, driven by high-end applications such as AI, IoT, and C-V2X [3] - The company plans to deploy a nationwide mobile 5G network using millimeter wave spectrum in dense areas and mid- and low-band spectrum in suburban and rural regions, reaching 30 million locations with its fiber broadband network [4] - AT&T is collaborating with Ericsson to implement an Open RAN architecture, aiming for 70% of its wireless network traffic to utilize open-capable platforms by late 2026 [5] - The partnership with Microsoft will transition AT&T's 5G core to the cloud, enhancing productivity and service delivery [6] - Despite these advancements, AT&T faces intense competition from T-Mobile and Verizon, which could impact its margins [7] Verizon Analysis - Verizon is enhancing its 5G Ultra-Wideband coverage through extensive spectrum holdings, deep fiber resources, and small cell deployment [9][10] - The company employs a customer segmentation strategy to provide tailored solutions, which aids in client retention and revenue growth [11] - Verizon's high capital expenditures for 5G and fiber infrastructure may pressure margins, and the competitive landscape limits pricing flexibility [12] - The introduction of advanced use cases, such as the Edge Transportation Exchange for connected vehicles, aims to create new revenue streams [13] Financial Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Verizon's 2025 sales and EPS indicates year-over-year growth of 2.51% and 2.4%, respectively, with upward revisions noted [14] - For AT&T, the 2025 sales estimate suggests a growth of 2.16%, while EPS is projected to decline by 9.29%, although estimates have trended upward [16] Price Performance & Valuation - Over the past year, Verizon's stock has increased by 9.6%, while AT&T has seen a gain of 50.8% [17] - Verizon's shares trade at a forward P/E ratio of 9.28, which is lower than AT&T's 13.41, indicating a more attractive valuation for Verizon [17] Conclusion - Both companies are rapidly enhancing their 5G and fiber broadband capabilities, but AT&T's customer-centric approach and strategic collaborations may provide a competitive edge in the postpaid wireless market [21]

Core Viewpoint - Verizon Communications has shown strong performance in its recent earnings report, surpassing estimates in both adjusted earnings and revenues, indicating solid growth in its wireless and broadband segments [2][4][5]. Financial Performance - Verizon reported Q2 2025 net income of $5.12 billion, or $1.18 per share, compared to $4.7 billion, or $1.09 per share, in the prior year, reflecting a positive trend in top-line growth [4]. - Total operating revenues increased by 5.2% to $34.5 billion, driven by service revenue growth and higher wireless equipment revenues, exceeding the consensus estimate of $33.58 billion [5]. - Adjusted earnings for the quarter were $1.22 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4 cents [4]. Segment Performance - The Consumer segment saw revenues rise by 6.9% year over year to $26.65 billion, with service revenues up 2.1% to $20.26 billion and wireless equipment revenues increasing by 29.6% to $5.37 billion [6]. - The Business segment experienced a slight decline in revenues, down 0.3% to $7.27 billion, attributed to lower wholesale and enterprise revenues, which was below estimates [9]. Subscriber Growth - Verizon achieved industry-leading wireless service revenues of $20.9 billion, up 2.2% year over year, and added 278,000 fixed wireless access subscribers, bringing the total to over 5.1 million [3]. - The company recorded 65,000 wireless retail postpaid net additions in the quarter, with a churn rate of 1.61% [10]. Cash Flow and Liquidity - For the first half of 2025, Verizon generated $16.76 billion in net cash from operating activities, with free cash flow of $5.17 billion for the quarter [13]. Guidance - Verizon expects wireless service revenue growth in the range of 2%-2.8% for 2025, with adjusted EBITDA growth projected at 2.5%-3.5% [14].

Core Points - Verizon has launched preorders for the new Google Pixel 10 series, which includes Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold, on its 5G network [2] - The company offers a three-year price lock guarantee on its myPlan and myHome network plans, ensuring no price hikes for customers [3][7] - The Pixel 10 series features advanced AI capabilities, enhanced camera technology, and improved durability, aiming to redefine the smartphone experience [5][6] Pricing and Offers - Pixel 10 Pro XL starts at $33.33 per month for 36 months ($1,199.99 retail), Pixel 10 Pro at $27.77 per month ($999.99 retail), Pixel 10 at $22.22 per month ($799.99 retail), and Pixel 10 Pro Fold at $49.99 per month ($1,799.99 retail) [8] - Customers can receive significant discounts, such as $1,000 off a Pixel 10 Pro Fold with a trade-in of qualified devices [9] - The Pixel Watch 4 is available starting at $12.49 per month for 36 months ($449.99 retail) [8] Customer Experience and Benefits - Verizon enhances customer experience with exclusive mobile and home discounts, rewards, and events accessible via the My Verizon app [4] - The company provides seamless service and a variety of plans tailored to customer needs, including a special offer for business customers [11][12] - Customers purchasing a Pixel 10 series smartphone can enjoy six months of Google AI Pro for free [10]

Core Insights - Three companies, Realty Income, Verizon, and Pfizer, have consistently raised their dividend payouts for over 16 years while offering attractive yields above 5% [2] Group 1: Realty Income - Realty Income has been providing monthly dividend payments for over 50 years, but its stock price has declined about 22% from its peak three years ago [4] - The company employs net leases, which ensure predictable cash flows, and has raised its dividend 131 times since going public in 1994 [5] - Realty Income's stock currently offers a yield of 5.5%, with total distributions in Q2 increasing by 3.7% year over year [6] - As of June, 98.6% of Realty Income's 15,606 properties were occupied, with an average lease term of nine years, ensuring steady cash flow growth [7] Group 2: Verizon - Verizon's stock is down about 28% from its all-time high in late 2019, yet it has raised its dividend for 18 consecutive years, currently offering a yield of 6.1% [8][9] - The company's wireless service revenue rose 2.2% year over year to $20.9 billion in Q2, contributing to a total revenue increase of 5.2% [9] - Verizon has raised its free cash flow forecast for 2025 to between $19.5 billion and $20.5 billion, indicating the ability to maintain dividends while reducing debt [10] Group 3: Pfizer - Pfizer's stock has decreased by about 59% from its 2021 peak, primarily due to concerns over expiring drug patents, but it has raised its dividend every year since 2009, currently offering a yield of 6.8% [11] - The company anticipates a revenue decline of $17 billion to $18 billion due to patent expirations starting in 2026, but it has prepared for this by acquiring Seagen for $43 billion [12] - By 2030, assets from Seagen and other acquisitions are expected to generate over $20 billion in annual sales, potentially allowing Pfizer to continue its dividend-raising streak [13]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Underperform" rating for the U.S. stock market [1] Core Insights - The U.S. stock market continues to reach new highs, with small-cap stocks showing strong performance [3] - The S&P 500 index increased by 0.9%, while the Nasdaq rose by 0.8% [3] - 18 out of 24 sectors experienced gains, with notable increases in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and life sciences (+5.5%) and healthcare equipment and services (+4.2%) [3] Price Trends - The report highlights that small-cap value stocks (Russell 2000 Value) outperformed small-cap growth stocks, with a rise of 3.4% compared to 2.8% [3] - The sectors with the largest gains include pharmaceuticals and biotechnology (+5.5%), healthcare equipment and services (+4.2%), and durable goods and apparel (+3.6%) [3] - Conversely, sectors that declined include food and staples retailing (-2.4%) and commercial and professional services (-1.4%) [3] Fund Flows - Estimated fund flows for S&P 500 constituents showed a significant increase to +$7.58 billion this week, up from +$1.70 billion last week [4] - The healthcare equipment and services sector saw the highest inflow at +$2.76 billion, followed by media and entertainment (+$1.31 billion) and pharmaceuticals (+$1.09 billion) [4] - Notably, the software and services sector experienced an outflow of -$476 million [4] Earnings Forecast - The report indicates a 0.2% upward adjustment in the 12-month forward EPS expectations for S&P 500 constituents [5] - 22 sectors saw an increase in earnings expectations, with semiconductor products and equipment leading at +0.6% [5] - The energy sector was the only one to experience a downward revision, with a decrease of -0.3% [5] Global Asset Overview - The S&P 500 index closed at 6,450, reflecting a 0.9% increase for the week and a 16.1% increase year-to-date [11] - The Russell 2000 index, representing small-cap stocks, rose by 3.1% this week, indicating strong performance in this segment [11] Sector Observations - The healthcare sector recorded a price return of 5.0% this week, outperforming other sectors [16] - The materials sector also performed well, with a 1.8% increase, while the energy sector lagged with only a 0.5% increase [16] - The report notes that the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector had the highest price return at 5.5% [16]

NEW YORK, Aug. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- While brands are celebrating AI-driven efficiency gains in customer experience (CX), a significant gap exists between their internal benefits and the often underwhelming service that consumers are actually experiencing. According to Verizon's CX Annual Insights report, the future of CX isn't just about implementing AI, but about strategically integrating it to amplify human connections and address core customer frustrations. The report, based on a survey of 5,000 ...

Core Viewpoint - High-yielding dividend stocks can provide significant income but come with risks; it is essential to select stocks with strong earnings to support their payouts [2] Group 1: Verizon Communications - Verizon offers a high yield of 6.3%, significantly above the S&P 500 average of 1.2% [4] - An investment of $12,000 in Verizon would yield approximately $756 annually in dividends [4] - The company projects modest growth, with wireless service revenue expected to rise between 2% and 2.8%, and adjusted earnings are also expected to rise in single digits, indicating sustainability of dividends with a payout ratio around 60% [5][6] - The stock price has increased by about 8% year-to-date and trades at 10 times its trailing earnings, making it a reliable option for dividend investors [6] Group 2: Bristol Myers Squibb - Bristol Myers Squibb has a dividend yield of 5.4%, with a $12,000 investment generating about $648 in annual dividends [7] - The current payout ratio is around 100%, but this can be influenced by non-recurring expenses; free cash flow over the past 12 months totaled $14.6 billion, well above the $5 billion paid in dividends [8] - Sales for the first half of the year were stable at $23.5 billion, down only 2% year-over-year, with a growth portfolio generating 18% sales growth in the most recent quarter [9] - The stock is trading at only 7 times its estimated future earnings, presenting a potentially attractive buying opportunity despite a nearly 20% decline this year [10] Group 3: Pembina Pipeline - Pembina Pipeline offers a yield of 5.8%, with a $12,000 investment resulting in approximately $696 in annual dividends [11] - The company reported free cash flow of 2.6 billion Canadian dollars over the past 12 months, exceeding the CA$1.8 billion paid in dividends [12] - Despite a 2% decline in stock price this year, Pembina has shown stability and trades at a modest 17 times its trailing earnings, making it an appealing option for dividend investors [13]

Core Insights - Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) has outperformed the Wireless National industry and the S&P 500 index, gaining 6.5% over the past six months compared to the industry's 2.3% growth [1][9] - The company has shown solid momentum in its wireless verticals, with wireless service revenue growing 2.2% year over year to $20.9 billion and wireless equipment revenue increasing by 25.2% year over year to $6.3 billion [3] - Verizon's broadband connections surged 12.2% year over year to 12.9 million, driven by fiber broadband expansion and the acquisition of Frontier Communications, which is expected to add 2.2 million fiber customers [4][17] Company Performance - Verizon's stock has underperformed AT&T Inc. (T), which gained 10.8%, but outperformed Charter Communications (CHTR), which declined by 27.6% during the same period [2] - The company has been expanding its retail footprint through strategic collaborations, such as with Staples, to enhance brand visibility and accessibility [5][6] Growth Drivers - The company is focusing on fiber broadband expansion and has recorded significant net additions in broadband and fixed wireless access, with 293K and 278K net adds respectively [3][4] - Verizon's customer-focused approach and innovative AI-powered solutions are contributing to customer growth and strong demand for wireless services [17] Challenges - Verizon faces challenges from heavy spending and intense competition in the U.S. wireless market, which is driving up customer acquisition costs and affecting margins [9][11] - Competitors like AT&T and Charter are also investing heavily in fiber network expansion, which poses additional challenges to Verizon's growth initiatives [12] Financial Estimates - Earnings estimates for 2025 have increased by 0.21% to $4.7, while estimates for 2026 have improved by 1.44% to $4.93 [13] - From a valuation perspective, Verizon's shares are trading at a price/earnings ratio of 8.91, which is lower than the industry average of 13.48 [14]

Group 1 - Verizon delivers a solid dividend yield and steady growth, with nearly 20 years of consecutive dividend increases [1] - The company aims to continue its trend of dividend growth, focusing on high-quality and reliable dividend growth investments [1] - The service mentioned provides ideas for writing options to further enhance investors' income [1]

Core Points - Verizon is launching a sweepstakes for youth aged 13-17 to participate in an exclusive basketball experience with Paige Bueckers [1][8] - The event aims to empower young athletes and provide them with insights from a professional player [2][3] - The sweepstakes runs from August 8 to August 17, with the experience scheduled for August 25 in Dallas [8][9] Company Commitment - Verizon is committed to serving the Dallas-Fort Worth community, employing nearly 5,000 local employees [2] - The partnership with Paige Bueckers highlights Verizon's focus on connecting with the community and providing unique experiences [2][3] Sweepstakes Details - The sweepstakes is open to legal residents of Texas, with entrants needing to be 18 or older and a legal guardian for participants aged 13-17 [4][9] - Participants can enter the sweepstakes by visiting participating Verizon stores or the designated website [4][9]