Verizon Communications Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of communications, technology, information, and entertainment products and services to consumers, businesses, and governmental entities worldwide. It operates in two segments, Verizon Consumer Group (Consumer) and Verizon Business Group (Business). The Consumer segment provides wireless services across the wireless networks in the United States under the Verizon and TracFone brands and through wholesale and other arrangements; and fixed wireless access (FWA) broadband through its wireless networks, as well as related equipment and devices, such as smartphones, tablets, smart watches, and other wireless-enabled connected devices. The segment also offers wireline services in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, as well as Washington D.C. through its fiber-optic network, Verizon Fios product portfolio, and a copper-based network. The Business segment provides wireless and wireline communications services and products, including FWA broadband, data, video and conferencing, corporate networking, security and managed network, local and long-distance voice, and network access services to deliver various IoT services and products to businesses, government customers, and wireless and wireline carriers in the United States and internationally. The company was formerly known as Bell Atlantic Corporation and changed its name to Verizon Communications Inc. in June 2000. Verizon Communications Inc. was incorporated in 1983 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Verizon демонстрирует смешанную фундаментальную картину. С одной стороны, компания имеет низкий P/E (8.51), что указывает на недооцененность, но это также может сигнализировать о рыночных опасениях относительно роста. EPS и EPS Forecast значительно выше медианных значений по отрасли, что позитивно сказывается на прогнозах прибыли. Однако высокая долговая нагрузка (debt-equity ratio 1.19) и низкий текущий коэффициент (0.74) указывают на потенциальные финансовые риски. Дивидендная доходность сократилась до нуля, что может негативно сказаться на восприятии инвесторов. Несмотря на это, компания демонстрирует сильные операционные показатели, включая высокие маржи прибыли и рост выручки, что может свидетельствовать о ее устойчивости. В целом, высокая рентабельность и рост доходов являются сильными сторонами, однако долговая нагрузка и низкая ликвидность представляют собой риски, требующие внимания. Это создает неопределенность в оценке компании и требует корректировки целевой цены.

Verizon Communications Inc.

Key Points
This exchange-traded fund (ETF) is focused on healthy, dividend-paying stocks.
It has averaged annual gains of more than 13% over the past decade.
I'm tempted to suggest a high-growth exchange-traded fund (ETF) here, but instead I want to offer a top-flight dividend-oriented ETF. Why? Well, I'm considering that the world -- and our economy -- is a little less steady than usual these days, with a war afoot and tariffs and trade wars, too. On top of that, the stock market has delivered double-digit gains in six of the past seven full years (2019-2025). It could be smart to be a defensive investor.
So dividends. Healthy and growing dividend-paying stocks offer the potential for stock-price appreciation, just like any stock. And on top of that, they deliver regular income -- which tends to grow over time via dividend increases. It's a compelling proposition in any kind of economy, really.
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Meet the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF
Consider the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHD). Here's how it has performed in recent years:
Period
Average annual gain
Past 1 year
15.67%
Past 3 years
12.66%
Past 5 years
11.03%
Past 10 years
13.37%
Since inception (10/20/2011)
13.30%
Clearly, it's a strong performer -- and it's also a solid dividend payer, recently yielding 3.3%. Most funds tend to deliver either strong returns or strong dividend income. This one offers both.
If you invested $1,200 annually ($100 per month) in it, and you earned an annual return of, say, 10%, you'd end up with around $68,730 in 20 years.
So what's in this ETF? Here are the top 10 holdings as of March 13:
Stock
Weight in ETF
Recent yield
Lockheed Martin
4.94%
2.1%
ConocoPhillips
4.74%
2.8%
Chevron
4.70%
3.6%
Verizon Communications
4.50%
5.6%
Altria Group
4.19%
6.3%
Bristol Myers Squibb
4.18%
4.3%
Merck
4.19%
2.9%
Coca-Cola
3.96%
2.7%
PepsiCo
3.88%
3.6%
Amgen
3.85%
2.7%
The ETF holds roughly 100 stocks, many of them blue chips. Invest in the ETF now and you'll own those same stocks -- and can expect significant dividend income.
Should you buy stock in Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF right now?
Before you buy stock in Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF, consider this:
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Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $514,000!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,105,029!*
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*Stock Advisor returns as of March 15, 2026.
Selena Maranjian has positions in Altria Group, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF, and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Chevron, and Merck. The Motley Fool recommends ConocoPhillips, Lockheed Martin, and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

1 ETF That Could Turn $100 Per Month Into $67,380

Key Points
America's big three in the wireless arena -- AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile -- collectively generated more than $352 billion in revenue last year.
All three communications titans are thriving, with AT&T and T-Mobile boasting historically low churn rates, and Verizon projecting a meaningful uptick in retail postpaid phone additions this year.
However, one company's coverage, network quality, and willingness to invest in its network sent it to the top of Brand Keys' 2026 Customer Loyalty Engagement Index rankings.
Food and water are life's necessities -- but perhaps it's time to add smartphones to the list? According to the CTIA, a U.S.-based trade association that represents the wireless communications industry, 98% of Americans own a cellphone, and 89% of those surveyed said they can't live without their smartphone. In fact, Americans view wireless access in their community as more important than having good schools.
Wireless service operators, headed by AT&T (NYSE: T), Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), and T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS), collectively generated more than $352 billion in revenue last year. Despite the U.S. wireless market being saturated, this highly competitive industry can be exceptionally profitable for wireless service providers that stand out.
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For roughly 30 years, brand research consultancy firm Brand Keys has used its proprietary Customer Loyalty Engagement Index (CLEI) to measure how well brands meet consumers' expectations. Companies that meet or exceed these expectations often demonstrate high levels of customer loyalty and engagement, leading to predictive operational outperformance.
In 2026, Brand Keys' CLEI examined 1,119 brands across 106 categories, including wireless services, and a familiar company took the crown.
Surprise! This is America's favorite wireless service for a 17th consecutive year.
Before declaring the winner, it's worth noting that all three of America's major wireless providers are thriving. AT&T and T-Mobile clocked in with postpaid phone churn rates of just 0.98% and 0.93%, respectively, in 2025. Meanwhile, Verizon expects retail postpaid net phone additions to total 750,000 to 1 million in 2026, which is two or three times more than it recorded last year.
Though all three of America's wireless service powerhouses are chugging along nicely, the loyalty and engagement crown goes to AT&T for a 17th consecutive year.
Why AT&T? To begin with, branding and coverage help. AT&T is America's oldest phone company (founded in March 1885) and covers over 99% of the U.S. population. With few exceptions, people who want 4G LTE or 5G wireless service can access it on AT&T's wireless network.
AT&T hasn't been afraid to aggressively invest in its network, either. Including the acquisition of spectrum, America's favorite wireless service provider spent over $150 billion on its network from 2020 through 2024. It's currently in the process of adding another 50 megahertz of low-and-mid-band spectrum covering roughly 400 U.S. markets from EchoStar to bolster its 5G services. This $23 billion deal is expected to close in mid-2026.
NEW:
AT&T announced today that they're going to invest $250 billion in telecom infrastructure in America.
Hiring thousands of additional workers this year.
Building and expanding high-speed networks. pic.twitter.com/7cVmkp1t60
-- Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) March 10, 2026
These investments have earned AT&T some important accolades in the eyes of consumers. Last year, RootMetrics dubbed AT&T as the "Best Overall," "Most Reliable," and "Fastest" wireless network. Distinction is challenging to come by against top-performers Verizon and T-Mobile, but AT&T's ongoing investments in its network, coupled with improved balance sheet flexibility, have clearly made a difference.
Perhaps the unsung hero of AT&T's wireless service success and historically low churn rate of less than 1% is its surge in broadband net additions. Although broadband isn't the growth story it was at the start of the century, 5G internet serves as the perfect dangling carrot for AT&T to encourage higher-margin service bundling.
AT&T has demonstrated it's the cream of the crop of America's wireless services industry.
Should you buy stock in AT&T right now?
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Sean Williams has positions in AT&T. The Motley Fool recommends T-Mobile US and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

America Has Chosen Its Favorite Wireless Service: Is It AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile?

Key Points
A falling stock price can erase capital gains, but not dividend income.
Altria is an old timer, but a living legend in the dividend stock universe.
Verizon's firm hold on U.S. smartphone users keeps the dividends rolling in.
When the stock market begins to rumble, investors can take comfort in high-quality dividend stocks. Capital gains can come and go as stocks fluctuate, but dividends are yours once paid out.
The trick, especially when looking at dividend stocks with abnormally high yields, is to find the ones you can depend on. That's not always easy to do. High dividend yields often result from the market sniffing out business or financial risk in the company, which can ultimately lead to poor returns or dividend cuts.
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These two companies have dominant, entrenched businesses that enable them to pay generous, reliable dividends to shareholders. Here is an introduction to each, and why investors can count on their ultra-high dividend yields for 2026 and beyond.
1. A Dividend King with a 6.3% dividend yield
Altria Group (NYSE: MO) is the leading tobacco company in the United States. Most famous for selling Marlboro cigarettes, Altria also owns leading brands of oral tobacco and cigars, as well as a stake in global beer giant Anheuser-Busch InBev. Altria continuously raises cigarette prices to offset declining volumes. It's worked so well that the company is a Dividend King, a label earned with 56 consecutive annual dividend increases.
Marlboro still accounts for the vast majority of Altria's profits, so there could be trouble down the road if the company doesn't make more headway with next-generation smoke-free products. But for now, the dividend is just 75% of earnings, with low-single-digit earnings growth expected over the next three to five years. Investors can continue to cash those dividend checks in confidence.
2. Enjoy a 5.4% yield from this leading wireless carrier
Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) is one of the big three wireless carriers in the United States. While competition is fierce among them, Verizon faces little threat from new entrants due to the immense capital required to build out a network. Most Americans depend on their cellphones in their daily lives, so Verizon's business has proven very reliable, almost like a utility. As a result, it has become a very strong dividend stock.
The company has increased the dividend for 22 consecutive years and counting, and the payout is only 56% of this year's earnings estimates. The U.S. market is quite saturated, so don't expect explosive growth. Analysts expect Verizon's earnings to grow by just 4% to 5% annually over the next several years. That said, it's an ideal stock for income-focused investors, and its low beta suggests that it's likely to hold up well if broader market volatility continues.
Should you buy stock in Altria Group right now?
Before you buy stock in Altria Group, consider this:
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Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $508,607!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,122,746!*
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Justin Pope has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Want Safe Dividend Income in 2026 and Beyond? Invest in the Following 2 Ultra-High-Yield Stocks

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for T-Mobile (TMUS). Shares have lost about 0.1% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is T-Mobile due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers.
TMUS Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates on Solid Demand for Postpaid Services
T-Mobile reported impressive fourth-quarter 2025 results, with both top and bottom lines beating the respective Zacks Consensus Estimate. This Bellevue, WA-based wireless service provider reported a top-line expansion backed by industry-leading postpaid customer growth. T-Mobile follows a multi-layer approach to 5G, with dedicated standalone 5G deployed nationwide across 600 MHz, 1.9 GHz and 2.5 GHz bands.
TMUS’ Net Income
Net income in the fourth quarter was $2.1 billion or $1.88 per share, down from $2.98 billion or $2.57 in the year-ago quarter. The 29.5% year-over-year decline was due to higher operating expenses and interest expenses. Adjusted EPS was $2.14 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.03.
For 2025, the company reported a net income of $10.99 billion or $9.72 per share, down from $11.33 billion or $9.66 per share in 2024.
TMUS’ Revenues
Net sales were $24.33 billion, up from $21.87 billion in the year-ago quarter, driven by solid growth in service revenues. The top line beat the consensus estimate of $23.63 billion.
For 2025, the company reported a revenue of $88.3 billion, up from $81.4 billion in 2024.
TMUS’ Segment Results in Q4
Total Service revenues were $18.7 billion, up from $16.9 billion in the year-ago quarter. The 10.5% year-over-year growth was primarily driven by solid demand for postpaid services. Net sales from Postpaid Services contributed $15.37 billion in revenues, up 13.9% year over year.
During the quarter, T-Mobile added 2.4 million postpaid net customers and 261,000 postpaid net accounts. Postpaid phone net customer additions were 962,000. The postpaid phone churn rate was 1.02%. 5G broadband net customer additions were 495,000. Postpaid average revenues per account rose to $150.17 from $146.28 in the year-ago quarter.
Net sales from Prepaid services were $2.58 billion, down from $2.68 billion in the year-earlier quarter. Prepaid net customer addition was 57,000, with a churn rate of 2.76%. Wholesale and other service revenues were $738 million, matching the figure of the prior-year quarter.
Equipment revenues were $5.36 billion, up from $4.69 billion in the year-ago quarter. This improvement was primarily attributed to a higher average revenue per device sold, owing to an increase in the high-end phone mix.
Other revenues were $268 million, up from the prior-year quarter’s of $245 million.
Other Details for TMUS
Total operating expenses increased to $20.59 billion from $17.28 billion in the year-ago quarter. Operating income declined to $3.73 billion from $4.58 billion. T-Mobile recorded core adjusted EBITDA of $8.4 billion, up 7% year over year, backed by solid growth in service revenues.
TMUS’ Cash Flow & Liquidity
In the December quarter, T-Mobile generated $6.65 billion of cash from operating activities compared with $5.54 billion in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted free cash flow was $4.18 billion, up from $4.08 billion in the year-earlier quarter.
As of Dec 31, 2025, the company had $5.59 billion in cash and cash equivalents, with $79.64 billion of long-term debt compared to respective tallies of $5.4 billion and $72.7 billion in 2024. During the quarter, it repurchased 11.9 million shares for $2.5 billion.
TMUS’ Outlook
The company now expects postpaid net customer additions to be between 900,000 and 1 million. Core adjusted EBITDA is estimated to be $37-$37.5. It anticipates cash from operating activities in the range of $28-$28.7 billion. TMUS expects adjusted free cash flow in the band of $18-$18.7 billion. Capital expenditure is anticipated to be around $10 billion.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?
In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in estimates revision.
The consensus estimate has shifted -8.33% due to these changes.
VGM Scores
Currently, T-Mobile has a average Growth Score of C, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock has a score of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for value investors.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of D. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
Outlook
Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, T-Mobile has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.
Performance of an Industry Player
T-Mobile is part of the Zacks Wireless National industry. Over the past month, Verizon Communications (VZ), a stock from the same industry, has gained 2.4%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended December 2025 more than a month ago.
Verizon reported revenues of $36.38 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +2%. EPS of $1.09 for the same period compares with $1.10 a year ago.
For the current quarter, Verizon is expected to post earnings of $1.23 per share, indicating a change of +3.4% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
Verizon has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) based on the overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions. Additionally, the stock has a VGM Score of C.
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Why Is T-Mobile (TMUS) Down 0.1% Since Last Earnings Report?

Verizon Communications Inc. VZ is benefiting from healthy traction in the wireless vertical backed by competitive price offers and diligent execution. In the fourth quarter, the company reported wireless retail postpaid phone gross adds of 3.5 million, up 13% year over year. Consumer postpaid phone gross adds were 2.7 million, up 15.3% year over year. It also reported 5.6 million postpaid upgrades, up 8.7% year over year. Its wireless retail postpaid ARPA was $147.36 at the end of the fourth quarter, up 1.2% year over year.
The company has been focusing on customer experience improvements and better value propositions to improve churn over time. Moreover, its strategy of bundling wireless services with broadband products is also improving churn. When customers get dependent on multiple services from a single vendor, it becomes difficult for them to change service providers. This higher switching friction lowers churn rate and boosts customer retention.
Fixed wireless access broadband remains a major growth engine. In the fourth quarter, fixed wireless net adds were 319,000. The prepaid wireless business is also showing positive momentum. In the fourth quarter, the company reported 109,000 prepaid net adds, its sixth consecutive quarter of user growth.
Verizon expects strong growth in wireless subscribers in 2026. The company expects 750,000 to 1 million postpaid phone net adds in 2026, indicating 2-3x growth compared to 2025. However, wireless service revenue growth is expected to remain flat.
Strong network investments are supporting wireless growth. The company reports that c-band deployment is 90% complete, and investment in 5G and RAN is ongoing. Moreover, the strategy of AI integration in wireless operations to predict potential issues and optimize the overall operations is positive.
How Are Competitors Faring?
Verizon faces competition from T-Mobile, US, Inc. TMUS and AT&T, Inc. T in the wireless industry.
During the quarter, T-Mobile added 2.4 million postpaid net customers and 261,000 postpaid net accounts. Postpaid phone net customer additions were 962,000. The postpaid phone churn rate was 1.02%. 5G broadband net customer additions were 495,000. Postpaid average revenues per account rose to $150.17 from $146.28 in the year-ago quarter. T-Mobile boasts a strong position in the 5G market. The company’s 5G network covers 98% or 330 million people in the country. T-Mobile continues to deploy 5G with the mid-band 2.5 GHz spectrum from Sprint.
AT&T witnessed solid subscriber momentum with 641,000 post-paid net additions. This included 421,000 postpaid wireless phone additions. Postpaid churn was 1.12%, while postpaid phone-only average revenue per user (ARPU) decreased marginally year over year to $56.57 due to lower international roaming. AT&T is also aggressively expanding its 5G network, currently covering more than 316 million people nationwide. Its 5G service entails the utilization of millimeter wave spectrum for deployment in dense pockets, while in suburban and rural areas, the company intends to deploy 5G on mid and low-band spectrum holdings.
VZ’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
Verizon has gained 15.8% in the past year against the Wireless National industry’s decline of 4.4%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company’s shares currently trade at 10.17, down from 13.01 for the industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
VZ’s earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 have increased over the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Verizon currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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AT&T Inc. (T) : Free Stock Analysis Report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Verizon Rides on Solid Subscriber Growth: Will it Boost Revenue?

Key Points
Both companies are involved in the telecom segment.
One is a major U.S. player, while the other is a networking specialist.
Both stand to gain -- but in different ways -- from the current tech trends.
We can confidently say that most investors putting money into tech stocks aren't doing so for the dividends they pay. A great many names in the sector hand out exactly $0 to their stockholders, choosing instead to plow their free cash flow (FCF) into activities like research and development, and marketing. It's awfully competitive out there, and if a company isn't careful, it can quickly lose its edge in the market.
There are exceptions, however, and some tech companies even dispense their payouts at relatively generous rates above the current 1.2% average offered today by the S&P 500 index. Here's a look at two such outliers: Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Nokia (NYSE: NOK).
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1. Verizon
In terms of revenue, Verizon is the largest of the three incumbent U.S. telecom companies. That isn't quite the advantage you might think, as the essentially three-way race is tight and competitive. According to recent research from Dow Jones & Company cited by Morningstar, Verizon holds a 34% share of the U.S. market, inches behind T-Mobile US's 35%, and ahead of AT&T's 27%.
Before long, however, it might vault ahead to recapture the No. 1 spot it held for numerous quarters. Verizon's excellent fourth-quarter results, published at the end of January, revealed that its net postpaid (i.e., contract) phone additions totaled 616,000. That was significantly more than the 504,000 it reported for the same quarter the previous year, and the highest number in any quarter this decade.
Verizon isn't only a mobile telephony business, of course. Happily for its investors, it's also doing well in its other businesses. Net "adds" for its broadband internet offerings were also robust in the fourth quarter of 2025, at 372,000, while its Fios fiber internet service was similarly well in positive territory, with 67,000 additions.
These operational victories helped Verizon post a bit of top-line growth on an already considerable revenue line. The company's total take for the quarter was 2% higher year over year at nearly $36.4 billion, while earnings per share not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles slipped by a penny to $1.09. Both results topped the consensus analyst estimates.
For income investors, one metric that really matters is FCF, as cash-generating businesses are best positioned to fund and ideally regularly increase a dividend.
With its solid base of postpaid users providing a thick, steady, and generally predictable flow of revenue, Verizon sure checks that box. It crept up to $20.1 billion at the end of last year, up from the year-ago figure of $19.8 billion. That was more than enough to take care of the $11.5 billion in dividend payouts that year.
With that kind of financial muscle, Verizon has lifted its quarterly dividend for 19 years in a row, and it feels to me that streak can run for at least a few more years. Its current $0.69-per-share disbursement counts as a high-yield dividend, at 5.5%.
2. Nokia
Some younger folk might not remember, but at the dawn of mass cell phone adoption -- those long-ago days of the 1990s and early 2000s -- Finland-based Nokia was the king of hardware. Its handsets were the phones of choice for many consumers, particularly in its native Europe.
In the new century, however, the company proved it couldn't compete in the smartphone revolution spearheaded by the likes of iPhone maker Apple and devices powered by Alphabet's Android operating system. So Nokia adapted, choosing to concentrate on the unglamorous network infrastructure segment instead. It also wisely chose to retain a clutch of patents crucial to network operations, providing it with a valuable source of passive revenue.
While mobile networks remain Nokia's specialty, over the past few years it has used its know-how to assertively push into the data center segment. The irresistible rise of artificial intelligence technology has created a hot market for data center buildouts, and the company's specialized equipment has found its way into such facilities.
Nokia has placed its future hopes on 6G mobile technology. Unlike the current 5G standard, this won't be a notable technological leap; instead, it's more of a refinement. Again, though, the mobile telephony sector is highly competitive, so the incumbent carriers will be more than eager to upgrade, since any edge in big telecom is useful.
So at the moment, there's a bit of a treading-water quality to Nokia. Each of its two main business activities posted 2% year-over-year net sales gains in the company's latest-reported quarter. It spent more on research and development and on selling, general, and administrative expenses to remain competitive, but doing so contributed to a steep 33% decline in headline net income during the period. FCF also declined, by 28%.
Like Verizon, Nokia had plenty of FCF to cover its quarterly dividend, which equates to a U.S. dollar payout of just over $0.04 per share, yielding 2.4%. Personally, however, I'm not convinced 6G will be the great boon for Nokia that management is clearly striving for, and the dividend isn't generous enough to make the stock compelling on that basis. Investors who are more bullish on this technology might find the company's shares appealing, though.
Should you buy stock in Verizon Communications right now?
Before you buy stock in Verizon Communications, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Verizon Communications wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $511,735!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,140,464!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 946% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 191% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 13, 2026.
Eric Volkman has positions in Apple. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet and Apple and is short shares of Apple. The Motley Fool recommends T-Mobile US and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

2 Tech Stocks That Pay You to Own Them

Investors in Verizon Communications Inc (Symbol: VZ) saw new options become available today, for the May 1st expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the VZ options chain for the new May 1st contracts and identified the following put contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $50.00 strike price has a current bid of $1.57. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $50.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $48.43 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of VZ, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $50.48/share today.
Because the $50.00 strike represents an approximate 1% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 55%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 3.14% return on the cash commitment, or 22.92% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Verizon Communications Inc, and highlighting in green where the $50.00 strike is located relative to that history:
The implied volatility in the put contract example above is 28%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 251 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $50.48) to be 23%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Also see:
Utilities Stocks Hedge Funds Are Selling
MYOV Options Chain
ICUI shares outstanding history
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

VZ May 1st Options Begin Trading

Key Points
Bloom Energy is providing on-site power generation to data center operators.
The company has posted record revenue growth, but profitability is thin.
The stock carries a premium value, and a $200 share price could make its future performance volatile.
Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE) stock is off to another market-beating year.
Shares of the clean energy stock are up almost 50% in 2026, easily outpacing the broader market. This comes after an astonishing performance in 2025 in which Bloom stock ended the year with a 291% gain.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
The stock is riding twin tailwinds of clean energy and AI data center constructions. But whether Bloom stock can surge 36% from today's price to $200 will depend on more than just the latest investing trend.
AI needs power, and Bloom fuel cells may hold the answer
Bloom is in the business of on-site power generation, a highly sought-after business right now.
Its flagship product is a box-like solid oxide fuel cell system that converts fuel (like natural gas) into electricity without combustion. These boxes are modular and can be installed within 90 days or less. A cluster of these servers can combine to provide reliable power at facilities like data centers, factories, and hospitals.
Bloom is currently one of several energy companies positioned to profit from a power-hungry future of AI infrastructure. Unlike most of these companies, which are still pre-revenue and trying to get a product to market, Bloom is already selling its servers to companies whose names you probably know. The marquee list includes blue chip favorites like Walmart and Verizon, along with key players in data center construction like Equinix, Oracle, and CoreWeave.
Bloom also entered a strategic $5 billion partnership with Brookfield Asset Management last October in which Bloom's servers will become the preferred onsite power provider for Brookfield's AI factories.
Bloom's financials, however, are still a work in progress. It recorded $777 million in fourth-quarter revenue -- a record -- yet it only managed about $1.1 million in net income. On the balance sheet, it reported about $2.5 billion in cash and equivalents, but its total liabilities sit at an uncomfortable $3.6 billion.
In other words, Bloom is growing fast, but its business is barely breaking even. Clearly, demand is strong for its servers, but with profitability thin and the balance sheet leveraged, the company hasn't exactly proven it can deliver blow-out numbers from all this growth.
Is Bloom Energy stock going to $200?
Bloom Energy stock is trading about 560% higher than this time last year. That's an eye-watering performance that's highly unlikely to be repeated anytime soon.
Even a modest -- comparatively more modest -- gain of 36% from today's price to $200 would push this stock's premium valuation into unstable territory. Today, it trades at over 16 times sales, which is more than four times the average of other clean energy companies. Assuming that Bloom meets its revenue outlook for 2026 ($3.1 billion to $3.3 billion), a $200 share price would keep its price-to-sales multiple between 14 and 15.
The demand from data center constructions will likely contribute to Bloom's top-line growth. I think that will be the headline for 2026. Will it be enough to push Bloom into all-time highs? Maybe. Until it can widen margins and improve profitability, however, I don't think $200 a share will last.
Should you buy stock in Bloom Energy right now?
Before you buy stock in Bloom Energy, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Bloom Energy wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $522,791!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,132,678!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 952% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 191% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 11, 2026.
Steven Porrello has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bloom Energy, Brookfield Asset Management, Equinix, Oracle, and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Is Bloom Energy Stock Going to $200?

Key Points
I sold my shares in Verizon, Target, and Baidu last week.
Verizon is up nearly 25% in 2026, despite a long run of weak revenue growth.
Verizon and Target have long streaks of dividend hikes, but payouts aren't always enough.
I was nervous about my portfolio last week. You were probably a little bit uneasy, too. The best advice when the market is tumultuous is to hold through the volatility. A close second is to make the most of the downticks to add to your high-conviction stocks. Selling at a time like this is a lot lower on the list, but that's just what I did last week.
I sold my positions in Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), Target (NYSE: TGT), and Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU) last week. Sometimes you have to sell in order to buy, but why did I choose these three investments? I have my reasons. I'll share them.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
1. Verizon
I started buying shares of the wireless carrier giant three summers ago. Telcos were out of favor. Big investments in 5G technology weren't translating into growth. Reports started circulating, calling out carriers for the toxicity of lead-sheathed cable they buried underground ages ago.
The dividend was high, with a strong track record of rising. The stock was cheap, in a market that wasn't. Most of all, it felt as if Verizon was in an all-weather industry. Folks aren't going to give up their smartphones. The merger of two rivals three years earlier strengthened pricing power.
But Verizon's financial performance hasn't been impressive. Revenue hasn't topped 6% in annual growth for 16 consecutive years. It hasn't cracked 3% top-line growth in any of the past four years, and the future isn't looking any better. Analysts see 4% revenue growth this year, but falling short of 2% growth in each of the four following years.
The stock chart is diverging from that reality. Verizon stock is up 25% this year, trouncing the market with a 1% decline. The juicy 7% dividend it was sporting at the start of 2026 is now down to 5.6%. I added to Verizon over the past three years like a security blanket, making it the fourth largest holding in my stock portfolio. It stood out in my portfolio as a financial laggard. Now it stands out for its outperformance.
Verizon is the highest-yielding stock in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI). It consistently cranks out double-digit net margins. It has 146.7 million wireless retail connections. With so many stocks I own -- and so many I want to own -- suddenly at more attractive valuations following the market pullback, I needed to sell something to buy something.
2. Target
Target stock is another security blanket I shredded last week. This is another meandering business delivering a chunky yield, with an even longer streak of annual payout increases than Verizon. It also happened to move higher early in the week, when most of the market was going the other way. A momentum investor would reward that kind of strength, but that's not me. I gravitated to the bull's-eye.
Target moved higher despite wrapping its third consecutive fiscal year of declining sales. A new CEO gives the chain hope, but turnarounds take time. The stock remains cheap, with its guidance calling for earnings per share of $7.50 to $8.50 in the year ahead.
Like Verizon, Target stock is up almost 25% in 2026. It's in an odd position of power for a business that has been losing market share. I may be back eventually for Target, but right now it was the means to a different purchase. If I can paraphrase Omar from The Wire, "You come at a Dividend King, you best not miss."
3. Baidu
Finally, we have Baidu. One thing the developer of China's leading search engine has in common with the other two stocks I sold last week is that they have all posted weak growth in recent years. Baidu has posted negative revenue growth in three of the past four years.
Another thing it has in common is strong recent returns. Baidu is trading slightly lower in 2026, but it's crushing the market with its 35% surge over the past year. The market has warmed up to Chinese tech leaders, as the world's second largest economy turns to homegrown companies to drive the next wave of AI growth, Despite its lack of growth, Baidu has been toiling away with machine learning and AI before they were cool.
I still decided to cut my piece of Baidu loose last week. Analysts see Baidu resuming single-digit revenue growth starting this year, but profit targets through at least the next two years have been moving lower. I turned to Baidu for international diversification, but there's no shortage of companies overseas that are growing faster.
Should you buy stock in Verizon Communications right now?
Before you buy stock in Verizon Communications, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Verizon Communications wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $522,791!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,132,678!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 952% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 191% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 11, 2026.
Rick Munarriz has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Baidu and Target. The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

3 Stocks I Sold Last Week

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (Symbol: VLUE) where we have detected an approximate $407.0 million dollar inflow -- that's a 4.1% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 67,700,000 to 70,500,000). Among the largest underlying components of VLUE, in trading today General Motors Co (Symbol: GM) is up about 1.6%, Verizon Communications Inc (Symbol: VZ) is down about 0.3%, and Merck & Co Inc (Symbol: MRK) is up by about 0.3%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the VLUE Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of VLUE, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, VLUE's low point in its 52 week range is $91.80 per share, with $154.31 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $146.48. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Free Report: Top 8%+ Dividends (paid monthly)
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Also see:
NTAP Dividend History
Top Ten Hedge Funds Holding BTAI
Top Ten Hedge Funds Holding GHII
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.