Verizon Communications on Monday reported second-quarter adjusted earnings and revenue that topped Wall Street targets but the telecom firm lost more postpaid phone subscribers than expected amid intensified wireless competition. Verizon stock climbed in early trading.
For the period ended June 30, Verizon earnings came in at $1.22 per share on an adjusted basis, excluding one-time items, up 7 cents from a year earlier. Revenue rose 5.2% to $34.5 billion.
Analysts had predicted Verizon earnings of $1.19 per share, with revenue at $33.74 billion, according to FactSet. Also, wireless service revenue climbed 2.2% to $20.9 billion, versus estimates of $21.8 billion.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization came in at $12.8 billion, compared to estimates of $12.7 billion.
The outlook for Verizon's consumer wireless business has been key for investors. Competition has intensified in early 2025 with more aggressive promotions, analysts say.
In Q2, the company said it lost 9,000 wireless postpaid phone business and consumer subscribers, versus estimates for a gain of 13,000 subscribers. Billed monthly, postpaid phone subscribers are the highest spending wireless subscribers.
"Total retail phone subscriber growth was pretty good, particularly in their prepaid segment," said Craig Moffett, analyst at MoffettNathanson in a report. "With weaker results in post-paid but improved results in pre-paid, Verizon's overall rate of retail phone subscriber growth turned positive for the first time since 2022."
Meanwhile, Verizon said it added 278,000 fixed wireless broadband customers. Analysts had estimated 5G wireless internet subscriber additions of 296,000.
Verizon raised the low end of its full-year earnings guidance. It expects annual adjusted earnings per share growth to range from 1% to 3%, up from flat to 3% growth.
Verizon Stock Technical Ratings
On the stock market today, Verizon stock rose 4.6% to 42.72 in morning trading. Shares could test their 50-day and 200-day lines. Verizon stock had advanced 2% in 2025 as of Friday's market close.
However, Verizon stock had retreated on 11 out of 12 trading sessions in July heading into the Q2 earnings report.
Further, AT&T and T-Mobile US report Q2 earnings on Wednesday.
In 2024, Verizon announced plans to acquire Frontier Communications for $20 billion in cash.
Verizon stock holds a Relative Strength Rating of 24 out of a possible 99, according to IBD Stock Checkup.
Verizon stock has an Accumulation/Distribution Rating of E. That rating analyzes price and volume changes in a stock over the past 13 weeks of trading. Its current rating indicates more funds are buying than selling. The rating, on a scale of A+ to E, measures institutional buying and selling in a stock. A+ signifies heavy institutional buying, a C grade is neutral.
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