Verizon Beats Q3 Earnings Estimates, Misses on Revenues

Core Insights - Verizon Communications Inc. reported strong third-quarter 2025 results with wireless service revenues of $21 billion, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 2.1% [1][4] - Adjusted earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate, while total revenues fell short of expectations [1][4] Financial Performance - Net income for the quarter was $5.06 billion, or $1.17 per share, compared to $3.41 billion, or 78 cents per share, in the same quarter last year, driven by top-line growth and reduced operating expenses [3] - Total operating revenues increased by 1.5% to $33.82 billion, but missed the consensus estimate of $34.18 billion [4] - Adjusted earnings were $1.21 per share, slightly above the previous year's $1.19 per share [3] Segment Results - Consumer segment revenues rose by 2.9% year over year to $26.1 billion, exceeding estimates [5] - Business segment revenues declined by 2.8% to $7.14 billion due to lower wholesale and enterprise revenues, falling short of estimates [8] Subscriber Growth - Fixed wireless access net additions reached 261,000, bringing the total subscriber base to nearly 5.4 million, with a target of 8 to 9 million by 2028 [2] - Wireless retail postpaid churn was recorded at 1.12%, while retail postpaid phone churn was 0.91% [6] Operating Metrics - Operating income improved by 36.8% to $8.1 billion, with total operating expenses down by 6.2% to $25.72 billion [11] - Consolidated adjusted EBITDA increased to $12.77 billion, reflecting growth in wireless service revenue [11] Cash Flow and Guidance - Verizon generated $28 billion in net cash from operating activities for the first nine months of 2025, compared to $26.48 billion in the previous year [12] - For 2025, the company anticipates wireless service revenue growth of 2%-2.8% and adjusted EBITDA growth of 2.5%-3.5% [13]