Verizon (VZ) Surges 11.8% as Earnings, Outlook Impress

We recently published 10 Big Names Ending January With Explosive Gains.  Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ)  was one of the top performers on Friday.

Verizon extended its winning streak to a third day on Friday, jumping 11.82 percent to finish at $44.52 apiece as investor sentiment was bolstered by its highly optimistic outlook for 2026, coupled with a strong earnings performance last year.

In an updated report, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) announced targets of retail postpaid phone net additions between 750,000 and 1 million this year, which is approximately 2 to 3 times higher than in 2025.

Total mobility and broadband service revenues are projected to grow 2 to 3 percent to $93 billion.

Last year, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) saw its attributable net income drop by 1.9 percent to $17.17 billion from $17.5 billion in 2024, while revenues jumped by 2.5 percent to $138.19 billion from $134.8 billion.

For the fourth quarter alone, attributable net income declined by 53.2 percent to $2.34 billion from $5 billion, while revenues inched up by 2 percent to $36.38 billion from $35.68 billion.

Postpaid phone net additions stood at 616,000, up 22 percent from 504,000 year-on-year, and so far the best quarter for the segment since 2019.

While we acknowledge the potential of VZ as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.