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 Communications Inc.

Key Points
Dupree Financial Group sold 486,867 shares of Macy's in the fourth quarter for an estimated $9.97 million based on quarterly average prices.
Meanwhile, the quarter-end position value declined by $7.40 million, reflecting both share sales and price movement.
At quarter-end, the fund reported holding 323,606 shares of Macy's valued at $7.14 million.
On January 28, Dupree Financial Group disclosed in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing that it sold 486,867 shares of Macy's (NYSE:M) in the fourth quarter, an estimated $9.97 million transaction based on average quarterly pricing.
What happened
According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated January 28, Dupree Financial Group sold 486,867 shares of Macy's during the fourth quarter. The estimated value of the shares sold was $9.97 million, calculated using the mean unadjusted close for the period. Meanwhile, the fund's position value at quarter-end dropped by $7.40 million, a figure that includes both trading activity and market price changes.
What else to know
After the sale, Macy's represented 2.6% of Dupree Financial Group, LLC's 13F reportable assets under management.
Top holdings as of December 31:
NYSE: BTI: $16.47 million (6.0% of AUM)
NASDAQ: AGNC: $15.77 million (5.7% of AUM)
NYSE: VZ: $14.25 million (5.2% of AUM)
NYSE: BP: $13.59 million (5.0% of AUM)
NYSE: ENB: $12.08 million (4.4% of AUM)
As of January 28, Macy's shares were priced at $20.02, up 33.9% over the past year and well outperforming the S&P 500 by 18.9 percentage points.
Company overview
Revenue (TTM)
$22.71 billion
Net income (TTM)
$477.00 million
Dividend yield
3.64%
Price (as of January 28)
$20.02
Company snapshot
Macy’s offers apparel, accessories, cosmetics, home furnishings, and other consumer goods through department stores, websites, and mobile applications
The brand operates an omni-channel retail model, generating revenue from in-store and digital sales across proprietary brands and licensed locations
It targets a broad consumer base seeking fashion, beauty, and home products, with a focus on U.S. shoppers and select international markets via licensing
Macy's is a leading U.S. department store operator with a significant omni-channel presence and a diverse portfolio of brands, including Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and Bluemercury. The company leverages its national footprint and digital capabilities to drive sales and customer engagement across both physical and online channels. Macy's competitive advantage stems from its scale, brand recognition, and ability to adapt to evolving consumer preferences in the retail sector.
What this transaction means for investors
Positioning might matter more than conviction here. This sale trims exposure to a cyclical retailer at a moment when the portfolio skews heavily toward income and defensiveness, with top holdings concentrated in telecom, energy infrastructure, and high-yield financials. Against that backdrop, Macy’s was never a core holding. It was a tactical slice.
Fundamentally, the business is not unraveling. In the third quarter, Macy’s posted $4.7 billion in revenue, delivered its strongest comparable sales growth in 13 quarters, and exceeded earnings guidance. Adjusted EBITDA reached $285 million, while management returned roughly $99 million to shareholders through dividends and buybacks during the quarter. Liquidity also remains solid, with $447 million in cash and no major long-term debt maturities until 2030.
But even after outperforming the S&P 500 by nearly 19 percentage points over the past year, Macy’s remains a low-margin operator navigating tariffs, inventory risk, and a consumer that management itself describes as “more choiceful,” per the company’s latest release. For a fund prioritizing yield stability and balance-sheet visibility, those variables limit how much capital earns its keep.
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Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Enbridge. The Motley Fool recommends BP, British American Tobacco P.l.c., 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.

Macy’s Stock Is Up 34%, but One Fund Just Cut $10 Million From the Retail Bet

AT&T, Inc. T recently introduced its first end-to-end IoT solution, the AT&T Connected Spaces, in AWS Marketplace. The comprehensive solution suite offers several features that simplify IoT adoption for enterprises.
By combining pre-integrated wireless sensors with a secure cloud platform, it offers an intuitive dashboard, enabling businesses to access actionable insights. Its plug-and-play deployment ensures seamless installation. It empowers businesses to track critical metrics such as temperature, humidity, motion, energy usage and security in real time.
Traditionally, businesses looking to develop an end-to-end IoT ecosystem had to rely on multiple vendors for different aspects, from sensors, connectivity and cloud integration, to analytics. This makes the process complex and slow. AT&T’s end-to-end offering and collaboration with AWS will significantly streamline the process. This is particularly game-changing for small and medium-sized businesses that often lack the resources and reach to develop an IoT ecosystem for their businesses.
AT&T's solution offers actionable insights that will allow businesses to optimize resource allocation and utilization, improve operational uptime and enhance end-user experience. As enterprises upscale their businesses, AT&T Connected Devices allows them to seamlessly expand their IoT devices, ensure reliable performance with longer battery life and extended range. With such leading-edge capability, the solution can support a wide range of use cases across several sectors such as retail, hospitality, healthcare, warehousing and property management. Its listing on AWS market place significantly increase its accessibility to customers.
Per a report from Fortune Business Insights, the global IoT market is valued at $864.32 billion in 2025. It is expected to grow at a 24.3% compound annual growth rate, reaching $4,062.34 billion in 2032. AT&T is expanding its portfolio to capitalize on this emerging trend.
How Are Competitors Faring?
AT&T faces competition from Verizon Communications, Inc. VZ and T-Mobile, US, Inc. TMUS in the IoT connectivity space. The Verizon ThingSpace platform supports businesses at various stages of IoT development, from prototyping to enterprise-ready. The solution also offers various network technologies that cater to the various requirements of IoT devices. Kodiak AI, an leading edge autonomous driving technology provider, recently opted to use the solution. Kodiak is leveraging Verizon’s advanced and improved 5G connectivity and IoT telematics for real-time communication, remote monitoring, software updates and centralized fleet management. Verizon is also expanding its collaboration with various IoT OEMs to ensure their device compatibility with the Verizon network.
T-Mobile boasts a robust portfolio of IoT network technologies that include Narrowband IoT, LTE-M, LTE and 5G. The technologies support a wide range of use cases such as smart meters, industrial sensors, fleet management, asset tracking and many other applications. T-Mobile is collaborating with Deutsche Telekom drive advancement in IoT technology.
T’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
AT&T has declined 3.7% over the past year compared with the industry’s decline of 9.3%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, AT&T trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 10.35, below the industry tally of 11.14.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Earnings estimates for 2025 have increased 0.49% to $2.06 over the past 60 days, while those for 2026 have remained unchanged.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
AT&T 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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T Brings IoT Solutions to AWS Marketplace: Will it Boost Prospects?

Verizon Communications Inc. VZ is scheduled to report fourth-quarter 2025 earnings on Jan. 30, 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales and earnings is pegged at $35.94 billion and $1.06 per share, respectively. Earnings estimates for VZ have declined marginally from $4.70 per share to $4.68 for 2025 and from $4.85 per share to $4.81 for 2026 over the past 60 days, owing to a challenging macroeconomic environment.
VZ Estimate Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Earnings Surprise History
The communication services provider has a solid trailing four-quarter earnings surprise history, having exceeded expectations on each occasion. It delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 2.37%, on average. In the last reported quarter, the company pulled off an earnings surprise of 1.68%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Earnings Whispers
Our proven model predicts an earnings beat for Verizon for the fourth quarter. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. That is not the case here. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Verizon currently has an ESP of -1.99% with a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Factors Shaping Upcoming Results
Verizon is offering various mix-and-match pricing in wireless and home broadband plans, which have historically led to increased adoption of 5G devices and premium unlimited plans. In addition to various bundle plans for varied streaming services, it offers customers greater control and flexibility over their preferred content selections, allowing them to pay only for what they want.
During the to-be-reported quarter, Verizon launched 5G Network Slice - Enhanced Internet. This leading-edge fixed wireless Internet solution gives customers supercharged uplink capacity and high performance with no data caps. Verizon’s new 5G network slicing product offers 200 Mbps downlink and 45 Mbps uplink speed, ensuring reliable data transmission for AI inference models, computer vision and machine learning applications. Consistent connectivity and high throughput effectively support cloud-based applications and large file transfer in real time. This is likely to have translated into healthy customer additions and higher revenues from the Consumer segment.
During the reported quarter, Verizon completed the deployment of a 100G dedicated optical ring at Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE). The optical ring connects four key sites of MSE with ultra-high bandwidth, seamless integration across venues, strong network connectivity and faster and reliable broadcast workflow. It will act as the backbone of the core broadcast and content creation process of MSE, significantly boosting network resiliency and optimizing operations ahead of the 2025–26 NHL/NBA seasons. These are likely to have translated into incremental revenues in the Business segment.
However, adverse foreign currency translations, infrastructure investments and high operating costs for 5G deployments are likely to have led to soft margins in the quarter. Verizon has announced a three-year price lock guarantee for all its myPlan and myHome network plans. This ensures that the core monthly plan price for calling, data and texting will not change in the next three-year period, excluding taxes, fees and perks. Although this customer-centric model will entice new customers, the promotional offers and lucrative discounts are expected to have weighed on margins. In addition, the company’s wireline division is struggling with persistent losses in access lines owing to competitive pressure from the voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) service providers and aggressive triple-play (voice, data and video) offerings by cable companies.
Verizon also recorded high capital expenditures for the launch and continued build-out of its 5G Ultra-Wideband network, deployment of significant fiber assets across the country and Intelligent Edge Network architecture upgrades.
Price Performance
Over the past year, VZ has lost 2% compared with the industry’s decline of 9.4%. It has outperformed its peers like AT&T Inc. T and T-Mobile US Inc. TMUS over this period. While AT&T declined 3.8%, T-Mobile was down 15%.
One-Year VZ Stock Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Key Valuation Metric
From a valuation standpoint, Verizon appears attractive relative to the industry and is trading below its mean. Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company shares currently trade at 8.2 forward earnings, lower than 11.14 for the industry and the stock’s mean of 8.81.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Investment Considerations
By investing steadily in fiber infrastructure and pioneering new technologies, Verizon is well-positioned to bridge the digital divide and enhance the connectivity landscape nationwide. This is likely to translate into solid subscriber growth, higher average revenue per user and increased broadband and fiber penetration.
However, high capital expenditures due to the continued expansion of 5G mmWave in new and existing markets, the densification of the 4G LTE wireless network and the deployment of the fiber infrastructure are likely to have eroded margins. An ongoing shift from traditional linear video to over-the-top offerings, along with a competitive and almost saturated U.S. wireless market, is expected to weigh on the company’s revenues in the future. Moreover, Verizon is likely to be affected by the demand softness in the Business Segment.
End Note
Verizon’s effective customer-focused strategy, combined with a strong 5G network, is driving momentum in the wireless vertical. However, intense competition and weakness in the Business segment are concerns. Macroeconomic challenges remain a drag. With declining earnings estimates, the stock is witnessing a negative investor perception. Consequently, it might not be prudent to bet on the stock at the moment.
However, a single quarter’s results are not so important for long-term stakeholders, and investors already owning the stock could stay put. In addition, an attractive valuation and focus on the deployment of a cloud-native, container-based, virtualized architecture for higher flexibility, scalability and cost efficiency across its network will benefit it in the long term.
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AT&T Inc. (T) : Free Stock Analysis Report
T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS) : 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 Stock Before Q4 Earnings: A Sensible Buy or Risky Move?

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the Avantis U.S. Large Cap Value ETF (Symbol: AVLV) where we have detected an approximate $135.3 million dollar outflow -- that's a 1.4% decrease week over week (from 123,700,000 to 122,000,000). Among the largest underlying components of AVLV, in trading today Merck & Co Inc (Symbol: MRK) is off about 0.8%, Verizon Communications Inc (Symbol: VZ) is up about 0.7%, and General Motors Co (Symbol: GM) is up by about 0.9%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the AVLV Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of AVLV, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, AVLV's low point in its 52 week range is $55.67 per share, with $80.2501 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $79.81. 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 ».
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:
Interactive Brokers Group - Class A Average Annual Return
Top Ten Hedge Funds Holding MLPY
Top Ten Hedge Funds Holding ATFV
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Notable ETF Outflow Detected - AVLV, MRK, VZ, GM

Key Points
The iconic Dow Jones Industrial Average has evolved from an index dominated by industrial stocks in the late 1800s to one that's now composed of 30 diverse, multinational, and time-tested companies.
Everything from Verizon's share price to its minimal growth rate points to it being shown the door by S&P Dow Jones Indices.
Verizon's likely replacement strikes the perfect balance between tech and communications, with a virtual monopoly thrown in the mix.
On May 26, 2026, the iconic Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) will celebrate its 130th anniversary since its official inception.
When it was initially formed, the Dow was an index dominated by one dozen industrial stocks. But over the last century and change, it's evolved into an encompassing index composed of 30 diverse, multinational, and time-tested companies.
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But these components aren't static. Since the Dow Jones Industrial Average is a share price-weighted index, companies that underperform over long periods, or those that lose relevancy, either within the index or U.S. economy, are eventually removed and replaced.
The index has undergone nearly five dozen changes since 1896, a couple of which are recognized as nothing more than official company name changes or a public company merging with an existing Dow component. Most of these adjustments involve laggards being booted from the Dow in favor of companies with better long-term growth prospects that are more representative of the U.S. economy.
In 2026, I believe we'll witness the 60th change in the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 130 years, with telecom titan Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) getting the unceremonious heave-ho and a trillion-dollar juggernaut replacing it.
Prediction: Verizon gets booted from the Dow in the new year
Verizon first entered the ageless Dow Jones Industrial Average in April 2004, replacing its primary rival, AT&T. The proliferation of wireless cellular service, coupled with cellphones becoming something of a basic necessity that consumers and businesses were unwilling to live without, offered a compelling long-term growth story.
But several issues strongly suggest Verizon is a candidate to be shown the door in 2026.
To begin with, Verizon stock ended the Jan. 21 trading session at just $39.24 per share. Whereas the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite are market-cap-weighted indexes, Dow points are determined entirely by share price and the Dow divisor. In other words, the higher a company's nominal share price, the more influence it has within the Dow.
Only four Dow components have a share price below $111, with Verizon's nominal share price notably lower than the next-closest Dow-30 stock, Nike, whose shares closed at $65.41 on Jan. 21. Verizon only accounts for roughly 241 out of the Dow's 49,077 points.
Another strike against Verizon is that its shares have gone virtually nowhere, excluding dividend payments, since its inclusion in the index on April 8, 2004. Based on data from YCharts, Verizon shares have gained just 17% in almost 22 years.
The third and final knock against Verizon is its long-term growth potential. Although it has an ultra-high yield of 7% and generates predictable operating cash flow with a relatively low wireless churn rate, there's little hope of an annualized growth rate higher than the low-to-mid single digits, given already high domestic wireless and broadband saturation. It's a stalwart communications company that isn't necessarily representative of today's economy.
Out with the old and in with the new
Keeping in mind that S&P Dow Jones Indices -- the entity responsible for making adjustments to Wall Street's iconic index -- would want a replacement with a three-digit nominal share price that's a key player in one or more aspects of the U.S./global economy, the most logical replacement for Verizon in the Dow is Google parent and trillion-dollar club member, Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL)(NASDAQ: GOOG).
Mind you, several candidates would make sense. T-Mobile would represent a lateral shift that offers a faster long-term growth rate when compared to Verizon. Meanwhile, social media titan Meta Platforms would bring significant exposure to the advertising industry into the Dow. However, Meta's $600-plus share price may be too extreme on the high end for inclusion (Meta has never split its stock), and T-Mobile's operating model may be too similar to Verizon's. It could be in the same boat as Verizon a decade from now.
Alphabet strikes the perfect balance between tech and communications.
On the one hand, Alphabet generated 72.5% of its net sales during the September-ended quarter from advertising. This includes its Google search engine, which accounts for a virtual monopoly in global internet search share, as well as YouTube, the second-most visited social site on the planet. Since advertising is cyclical, Alphabet would serve as a valuable barometer of advertising health for the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
However, Alphabet is also a cloud-computing and artificial intelligence (AI) pioneer. Its cloud infrastructure service platform, Google Cloud, ranks third worldwide in total cloud infrastructure service spend. This high-margin operating segment is incorporating generative AI solutions that are further accelerating its 30%-plus sales growth rate.
In addition to Alphabet's two-pronged growth approach, the company's share price performance is likely to speak to (if not scream at) S&P Dow Jones Indices. Since its initial public offering in August 2004, Alphabet's shares have increased at a compound annual rate of more than 25%. This is the type of measurable growth that can lift the Dow above and beyond 50,000.
Furthermore, Alphabet conducted a historic 20-for-1 forward stock split in July 2022. This split reduced its share price from around $2,200 to approximately $110. Before its split, Alphabet had no chance of joining the Dow, as its ultra-high share price would have dominated the index. With its shares now hovering around $330, it would slot in at the ninth-most influential company in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Among Wall Street's five most valuable public companies, Alphabet is the only one that's currently not part of the Dow. It's my belief this is going to change before 2026 comes to a close.
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Sean Williams has positions in AT&T, Alphabet, and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Meta Platforms, and Nike. 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.

Prediction: Verizon Will Be Booted From the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2026 and Replaced by This Trillion-Dollar Club Member

Key Points
Verizon has increased its dividend for 19 years in a row.
Oneok has delivered over a quarter century of dividend stability and growth.
NNN REIT has increased its dividend for 36 straight years.
Investing in high-yielding dividend stocks can be a great way to generate passive income. While the S&P 500's dividend yield of around 1.2% is near its record low, many companies offer much higher-yielding dividends. Here are five with yields of 5% or more that you can buy right now to generate passive income.
Clearway Energy
Clearway Energy's (NYSE: CWEN)(NYSE: CWEN.A) dividend yield is just over 5%. The clean power company generates very stable cash flow by selling the bulk of its electricity under long-term, fixed-rate power purchase agreements with utilities and large corporations. The company aims to pay out around 70% of its stable cash flow in dividends, while retaining the rest to invest in additional income-producing clean power generation assets.
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The company currently has the financial capacity and secured investments to support its expectations of delivering 7% to 8% compound annual cash flow per share growth through 2030. Meanwhile, Clearway believes it can grow its cash flow by 5% to 8%+ annually in 2031 and beyond. That steady growth should support continued dividend increases.
NNN REIT
NNN REIT (NYSE: NNN) has a more than 5.5% dividend yield. The real estate investment trust (REIT) invests in single-tenant, triple-net-leased (NNN) real estate, primarily retail and service properties (e.g., car washes, convenience stores, and restaurants). These properties produce very stable rental income because tenants cover all property operating costs.
The REIT pays out about 70% of its stable cash flow in dividends, retaining the remainder to reinvest in income-producing retail properties. It also boasts a conservative balance sheet, giving it additional flexibility to invest in new properties. It typically buys properties via sale-leaseback transactions secured through existing tenant relationships. These deals grow its income, enabling NNN REIT to steadily increase its dividend, which it has done for 36 consecutive years.
Oneok
Pipeline giant Oneok (NYSE: OKE) has a 5.5% dividend yield. The company also generates very stable cash flow, with the bulk coming from long-term, fixed-rate contracts or government-regulated rate structures. That has enabled the company to deliver over a quarter century of dividend stability and growth.
Oneok has invested heavily in expanding its midstream operations in recent years, including making several acquisitions. The company is still working to capture several hundred million dollars of cost savings and commercial synergies from these deals. Additionally, it has several organic expansion projects in the backlog, which it expects to complete through the middle of 2028. It has ample financial flexibility to support its growth thanks to its healthy post-dividend free cash flow and a top-notch balance sheet. Oneok's growth drivers and financial strength support its plan to increase its dividend by 3% to 4% annually.
Verizon
Verizon (NYSE: VZ) has a more than 7% dividend yield. The telecom giant generates lots of recurring revenue as customers pay their wireless and internet bills. Verizon uses that money to invest in maintaining and expanding its networks, pay its lucrative dividend, and maintain its strong balance sheet.
The company recently closed its $20 billion acquisition of Frontier to expand its broadband network and enhance its ability to cross-sell mobile and internet services to more customers. That deal strengthens the company's ability to continue growing its already robust cash flows. This continued growth should enable Verizon to support future dividend increases. The company extended its growth streak to 19 years in a row last fall.
VICI Properties
VICI Properties' (NYSE: VICI) dividend yield is over 6%. The REIT supports its payout with the stable cash flows produced by its portfolio of market-leading gaming, hospitality, wellness, entertainment, and leisure destinations. It owns properties secured by long-term NNN leases and invests in loans backed by experiential real estate.
An increasing percentage of VICI's long-term leases escalate rents at rates tied to inflation (46% in 2026, up from 42% last year, and rising to 90% by 2030). The company also routinely invests in additional income-producing experiential properties. Last November, it secured a $1.2 billion sale-leaseback transaction with Golden Entertainment to buy seven gaming assets across Nevada. It also agreed to provide up to $510 million in development funding for a casino in California and invest $450 million into a mezzanine loan to support a luxury mixed-use development project in California. These investments should support continued dividend increases. VICI Properties has grown its payout at a 6.6% compound annual rate since the end of 2018.
Top-notch, income-producing stocks
Clearway Energy, NNN REIT, VICI Properties, Oneok, and Verizon stand out for their high dividend yields. Each company backs its well-above-average dividend with stable cash flows and rock-solid financial profiles. That puts their payouts on a sustainable level, while giving them the capacity to continue expanding their businesses and increasing their dividends. This combination of high yields and growth, backed by lower risk profiles, makes them ideal stocks to buy and hold for passive income.
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Before you buy stock in Oneok, 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 Oneok 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 $450,525!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,133,107!*
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Matt DiLallo has positions in Clearway Energy, NNN REIT, Verizon Communications, and Vici Properties. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends NNN REIT. The Motley Fool recommends Oneok, Verizon Communications, and Vici Properties. 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.

5 Dividend Stocks Yielding 5% or More to Buy Right Now for Passive Income

Wall Street expects a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when Verizon Communications (VZ) reports results for the quarter ended December 2025. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on January 30, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on theearnings call it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus Estimate
This largest U.S. cellphone carrier is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.06 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -3.6%.
Revenues are expected to be $35.94 billion, up 0.7% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions Trend
The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings Whisper
Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Verizon?
For Verizon, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -1.78%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #4.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Verizon will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?
While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Verizon would post earnings of $1.19 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.21, delivering a surprise of +1.68%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.
Bottom Line
An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Verizon doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Should You Invest in Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ)?
Before you invest in Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ), want to know the best stocks to buy for the next 30 days? Check out Zacks Investment Research for our free report on the 7 best stocks to buy.
Zacks Investment Research has been committed to providing investors with tools and independent research since 1978. For more than a quarter century, the Zacks Rank stock-rating system has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +24.08% per year. (These returns cover a period from January 1, 1988 through May 6, 2024.)
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Earnings Preview: Verizon Communications (VZ) Q4 Earnings Expected to Decline

Key Points
Dividend stocks with high yields can jolt your passive-income streak.
Some dividend growth stocks prioritize stock buybacks over dividend raises.
Dividends can provide an incentive to hold cyclical companies through downturns.
With just 30 components, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) has historically been an excellent tool for finding foundational, blue-chip dividend stocks to build a portfolio around.
Last year, I correctly predicted that 15 Dow stocks would increase their dividends. Here's why they can do it again, some key differences between Dow income stocks and dividend-paying growth stocks, and some of the best Dow stocks to buy in the new year.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
Key differences among Dow dividend stocks
In addition to having consistent track records of boosting their dividends, many Dow stocks also sport high yields.
Data sources: Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Walmart, McDonald's, Chevron, International Business Machines, Verizon Communications, Merck, UnitedHealth Group, Home Depot, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Apple, JPMorgan Chase. Yields for share prices from Jan. 7.
Investors typically gravitate toward stocks like the ones above for their stable and growing payouts and historically high yields.
Microsoft and Apple have solid track records of boosting their payouts, but they also reinvest consistent capital in their underlying businesses and engage in stock buybacks. Visa (NYSE: V) is another example of a Dow stock with a growing dividend that spends considerably more money on stock repurchases than dividends.
Buybacks can be a better use of capital than dividends if a company's share price goes up over time. Unlike dividends, which are often paid from after-tax income and then taxed to investors (known as double taxation), buybacks incur only a 1% corporate excise tax. What's more, buybacks can dramatically reduce the outstanding share count over time and accelerate earnings growth. Apple's dividend yields a paltry 0.4%, but it has doubled its dividend over the last decade and reduced its share count by nearly a third thanks to buybacks. With fewer shares to go around, buybacks boost earnings per share and give long-term investors an increasingly larger ownership stake in the business.
In this vein, it's important for investors to look at the full picture of capital returns (dividends and buybacks).
Using Dow stocks to strengthen your portfolio
I expect the 15 discussed Dow stocks to boost their payouts again in 2026, given their long-term runways for earnings and free-cash-flow growth.
The weakest name on the list is UnitedHealth, which was the worst-performing Dow stock in 2025. UnitedHealth's yield has jumped from well under 2% to 2.6% due to its declining stock price. But most of UnitedHealth's issues appear solvable, although its margins could be strained over the next year or two as it adjusts its Medicare Advantage pricing structure.
Ultimately, the best Dow stocks to buy will depend on your investment objectives, risk tolerance, existing holdings, and portfolio needs.
A cyclical stock like Home Depot is a great buy for investors who believe the housing market and consumer spending can recover from lower interest rates.
Microsoft, Apple, IBM, and Cisco all offer different ways to invest in artificial intelligence (AI), with Microsoft and IBM betting big on cloud, Apple integrating AI features into its products, and Cisco through AI infrastructure.
Consumer staples and healthcare tend to be recession-resistant sectors due to steady demand even when economic growth slows. Similarly, an energy stock like Chevron can perform well during times of uncertainty if oil and gas prices rise due to geopolitical tensions.
Should you buy stock in Apple right now?
Before you buy stock in Apple, 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 Apple 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 $460,340!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,123,789!*
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JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Daniel Foelber has positions in Procter & Gamble and has the following options: short February 2026 $150 calls on Procter & Gamble. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Chevron, Cisco Systems, Home Depot, International Business Machines, JPMorgan Chase, Merck, Microsoft, Visa, and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends Johnson & Johnson, UnitedHealth Group, and Verizon Communications and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. 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.

I Correctly Predicted That These 15 Dow Jones Stocks Would Boost Their Payouts in 2025. Here's Why It Can Happen Again in 2026.

Investors in Verizon Communications Inc (Symbol: VZ) saw new options begin trading today, for the March 6th expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the VZ options chain for the new March 6th contracts and identified the following call contract of particular interest.
The call contract at the $41.00 strike price has a current bid of 4 cents. If an investor was to purchase shares of VZ stock at the current price level of $39.41/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $41.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 4.14% if the stock gets called away at the March 6th expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if VZ shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for Verizon Communications Inc, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing VZ's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $41.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $41.00 strike represents an approximate 4% premium 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 covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 60%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 0.10% boost of extra return to the investor, or 0.86% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the call contract example above is 27%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 251 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $39.41) to be 21%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Also see:
FCX Stock Predictions
SAIIU Historical Stock Prices
VTR Stock Split History
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Interesting VZ Call Options For March 6th

Key Points
UPS has had it rough, but the business looks more resilient than the stock chart suggests.
Verizon is focusing on its strengths in its core wireless and broadband businesses.
Companies that do boring things like deliver packages or provide telecom services rarely dominate the daily headlines, but they can quietly compound wealth while flashier artificial intelligence (AI) names swing between surges and sell-offs.
Boring, consistent companies often generate higher long-term revenue and that can lead to a rising stock price.
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United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) both sit in unfashionable and "un-sexy" corners of the market, yet their cash flows, dividends, and valuations are better suited to long-term investors than many of today's AI darlings.
Steady wins
Services that people need regardless of what the economy is doing give providers pricing power and reliable recurring revenue​. Companies selling these services often generate steady cash flow that can be returned to shareholders via dividends and buybacks instead of being plowed into speculative projects.​
UPS and Verizon both fit this profile: They run mature networks and face real competitive and regulatory pressures, but still generate more cash than they need to maintain and modestly grow the business.​ They each pay a dividend and have authorized share repurchases.
UPS: Paid to wait
UPS has had a rough couple of years, but the business looks more resilient than the stock chart suggests. Shares are down sharply from their 2022 peak and fell again in 2025, leaving the stock trading at roughly 15 times earnings, a discount to logistics peers and well below its 10‑year average.
With that lower bar, investors are getting paid a sizable dividend yield while the company reshapes its network for higher-margin growth.​
UPS' dividend yield is currently about 6%, among the highest in the large‑cap industrial universe. The company has remained committed to returning cash to shareholders, paying roughly $4 billion in dividends in the first three quarters of 2025.​
In its third‑quarter 2025 release in late September, UPS reported revenue of $21.4 billion, down 3.7% year over year, but maintained a 10% consolidated operating margin as it focused on "revenue quality" over sheer volume. Management highlighted progress toward a roughly $3.5 billion expense reduction target tied to its strategic reset.​
The Amazon issue that hangs over any UPS discussion doesn't seem as bad as people think. UPS has been deliberately shrinking its exposure to lower-margin Amazon packages, with Amazon volume down more than 20% year over year in the third quarter of 2025, and it plans to cut that business roughly in half by the second half of 2026.
That move pressures near-term revenue but frees capacity for higher-margin healthcare, business-to-business, and international shipments.
If the risky strategy works, investors are effectively being paid a high-single-digit yield to watch UPS swap commoditized e-commerce for other moneymaking lanes. And unlike many AI stocks trading at lofty valuations on future hopes, UPS's current price already reflects all this Amazon skepticism, leaving more upside if execution improves.
Verizon: A big yield with shrinking debt
Verizon's business is even more straightforward: It sells wireless and broadband access in a mature market, using the resulting cash to invest in its network and pay a large dividend that currently yields about 7%. That dividend has become more important to some investors as many AI‑exposed tech stocks have taken on heavy debt and seen their shares corrected sharply.​
In September 2025, Verizon's board raised the quarterly dividend to $0.69 per share, marking the company's 19th consecutive annual increase.
Management has paired those increases with steady debt reduction. By late 2025, Verizon lowered its net unsecured debt to about $112 billion and brought its debt-to-EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) ratio down to roughly 2.2. Debt-to-EBITDA measures how easily a company can handle its debt using operating earnings. So, in other words, if Verizon is handling its debt while also strengthening its balance sheet, that's a great sign for investors.
Company commentary has framed this balance sheet progress as essential to sustaining the payout while continuing to invest in 5G and fiber.​
Unlike some high-profile AI players piling on debt to fund data centers and acquisitions, Verizon is sticking to what it does best: focusing on its core wireless and broadband businesses, while it seems like others take on the risks of entering newer, less proven territory.
Risks remain: The U.S. wireless market is saturated, and capital spending needs stay high. Still, Verizon doesn't need rapid growth to justify its current valuation. A stable customer base, modest pricing power, and disciplined capital allocation could support respectable returns, and don't forget the juicy dividend.
Don't get swept away by hype
This isn't an argument against AI, but a warning about the hype around AI. While AI will improve efficiency across many different sectors, enthusiasm has driven some pure-play AI stocks to valuations with little margin for error.
In contrast, companies like Verizon and UPS operate in less glamorous markets, but with dependable cash flow and prominent dividends. While dividend payments are not guaranteed to contineu or grow, over time, a 6% to 7% yield with modest growth may quietly outperform the most talked-about stocks that start with high expectations and little room to disappoint.
Should you buy stock in United Parcel Service right now?
Before you buy stock in United Parcel Service, 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 United Parcel Service 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 $470,587!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,091,605!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 930% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 192% 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 January 21, 2026.
Micah Zimmeran does not have positions in the mentioned stocks. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and United Parcel Service. 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.

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