Verizon cited accelerating momentum across its mobility and broadband businesses, stronger cash generation and improving subscriber trends for its optimistic outlook for this fiscal.

  • Verizon raised its 2026 outlook for several key financial metrics, citing strong execution in Q2 and improved visibility into the second half of the year.
  • The company raised its EPS outlook for FY26 to $4.99-$5.04, up from the $4.95-$4.99 it guided in Q1, compared with Wall Street estimates of $4.94.
  • Verizon also expanded its full-year share repurchase target to up to $4.5 billion after buying back $3.5 billion worth of shares through the first half of the year.

Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) were in focus on Friday after the company raised its fiscal year 2026 guidance for the second consecutive quarter.

Verizon cited accelerating momentum across its mobility and broadband businesses, stronger cash generation and improving subscriber trends for its optimistic outlook for this fiscal.

“By compounding lower churn with healthier unit economics, we have generated the strongest operating position we have seen in years,” said Verizon CEO Dan Schulman.

Verizon reported a mixed second quarter (Q2), with earnings per share (EPS) of $1.3 on revenue of $34.3 billion, while Wall Street expected an EPS of $1.27 on revenue of $35.1 billion, according to Fiscal.ai data.

Verizon shares were down nearly 2% in Friday’s pre-market trade. VZ was among the top trending tickers on Stocktwits at the time of writing.

VZ Raises Guidance Due To Improved Visibility, Q2 Performance

Verizon raised its 2026 outlook for several key financial metrics citing strong execution in Q2 and improved visibility into the second half of the year.

The company now expects mobility and broadband service revenue growth of 2.5% to 3% for 2026, with growth projected to accelerate to approximately 3.0% in the third quarter (Q3) and 4% in the fourth quarter (Q4), up from the 2.8% increase in Q2.

Verizon's adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) rose 7.2% year over year to a record $13.7 billion, while adjusted EBITDA margin expanded to a record 40.1%.

The company also raised its EPS outlook to $4.99-$5.04, up from the $4.95-$4.99 it guided for in Q1, compared with Wall Street estimates of $4.94.

It also expanded its full-year share repurchase target to up to $4.5 billion after buying back $3.5 billion worth of shares through the first half of the year.

VZ Subscriber Momentum Continues

Verizon reported 184,000 postpaid phone net additions during the second quarter, marking its best consumer Q2 performance in five years. The company also added 348,000 broadband subscribers, including 193,000 fixed wireless access and 155,000 fiber broadband net additions, bringing its total fixed wireless access and fiber broadband connections to approximately 17.1 million.

Overall, Verizon generated more than 550,000 mobility and broadband net additions during the quarter and surpassed 1 million additions in the first half of 2026, which is more than double the total recorded during the same period last year.

The company said it has built account momentum, achieving new postpaid account growth over the past 60 days, while Schulman said Verizon continues to see a step-change in customer churn reduction.

What Retail Traders Think Of VZ Stock

Retail sentiment on Stocktwits around Verizon trended in the ‘bearish’ territory at the time of writing.

VZ stock is up 8% year-to-date and 2% over the past 12 months. The S&P 500 ETF (SPY) is up 16% over the past 12 months, while the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF (VTI) is up 17%.

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.<