Is Verizon Stock a Buy Now?

The veteran telecom giant boasts a large dividend, but an impending acquisition may muddy the waters.Shares of telecom giant Verizon (VZ -0.22%) have been on an upswing. The stock is up about 14% over the past 12 months at the time of this writing. While a rising share price is welcome, perhaps the stock's most appealing aspect is as an income investment.Verizon's dividend serves as a reliable source of passive income, given its 18 straight years of increases. It also sports an impressive forward-dividend y ...