Verizon Communications Inc has just delivered the kind of quarter investors had almost stopped expecting from the telecom giant, pairing its strongest wireless subscriber surge in years with a bold new $25 billion share repurchase plan. The combination signals that the company believes its turnaround under new leadership is gaining traction and that its stock remains undervalued even after a sharp rally. It also raises the stakes for rivals that had grown used to treating Verizon’s customer base as easy pickings.
The latest results show a company leaning back into growth while promising tighter cost control and richer capital returns, a mix that could reshape how Wall Street values the sector. The question now is whether Verizon can sustain this momentum in a brutally competitive market while executing on an ambitious efficiency drive and network investment agenda.
Wireless momentum returns under a new CEO
The clearest sign that Verizon’s core business has turned a corner is in its mobile phone numbers. The company logged its biggest gain in mobile phone subscribers since 2019, a performance that marks a decisive break from the sluggish growth and customer churn that had dogged it in recent years, according to Takeaways by Bloomberg AI. That surge is not a one-off blip: Verizon added 616,000 postpaid phone subscribers in the fourth quarter, well ahead of consensus expectations, and is guiding to 750,000 to 1M net additions in 2026, figures highlighted in 616,000 and 750,000 guidance.
New CEO Dan Schulman is central to this shift. Reporting shows that Verizon sees its best subscriber growth in six years as the CEO sends a clear message to rivals that the company is no longer a “hunting ground” for competitors, a framing captured in coverage Verizon sees as its best subscriber growth in six years. Another analysis describes how new CEO Dan Schulman wants Verizon to “play to win,” portraying a previously lumbering incumbent that is now actively responding to competitive pressure, as detailed in Back in the fight commentary.
Earnings beat, guidance lift and a “mic drop” quarter
The subscriber rebound is feeding directly into the income statement. Verizon exceeded analyst expectations with Q4 2025 revenue of $36.38 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $1.09, according to Highlights on the quarter. Another breakdown notes that Verizon Surpasses Q4 Earnings Estimates on Healthy Revenue Growth, with Verizon Communications Inc recording solid fourth quarter results that beat consensus, as described in the Verizon Surpasses analysis of Earnings Estimates and Healthy Revenue Growth.
Looking ahead, Verizon Communications is Buoyed by strong commercial momentum in Q4 2025 and forecasts a significant rise in profits for FY 2026, with revenue expectations around $36.4bn, slightly above prior forecasts, according to Buoyed guidance from Verizon Communications. One investor-focused readout even characterizes Verizon’s Q4 2025 earnings report as a “mic drop” moment for the telecommunications firm, arguing that the combination of subscriber growth, earnings strength and capital return sets a new floor for the stock price, as discussed in the Verizon stock commentary.
Cost cuts, convergence and the Schulman playbook
Behind the headline numbers, Verizon is reshaping its cost base and network strategy to support sustainable growth. On its latest earnings call, management outlined a sweeping $5 billion OpEx reduction program spanning headcount cuts, marketing efficiencies, real estate rationalization, contract renegotiations and operational progress on network builds, a plan detailed in $5 billion OpEx reduction commentary. At the same time, Verizon is focusing on wireless and broadband convergence to fuel subscriber growth, leaning on its fiber assets to support bundled offerings that can deepen customer relationships, as described in coverage of how Verizon forecasts upbeat annual profit as wireless subscriber growth hits a six year high.
Not everyone is convinced the transformation will be painless. One assessment argues that Verizon Communications Inc is pursuing aggressive change under CEO Dan Schulman, focusing on “winning responsibly” in ways that could prove more costly than expected and weigh on near term earnings visibility, as outlined in the Verizon Communications Inc critique of CEO Dan Schulman. That tension between investment and discipline is also visible in the company’s long term ambition to grow wireless access subscribers by 2028, a target referenced in the Healthy Revenue Growth discussion of Verizon Communications Inc.
The $25 billion buyback and Wall Street’s reaction
If the operating story is about growth and efficiency, the capital allocation story is about confidence. Verizon Announces a $25 Billion Share Buyback that allows the company to repurchase stock in the open market or through privately negotiated deals, giving it flexibility in how quickly it deploys the authorization, according to the Verizon Announces Billion Share Buyback note on Verizon Communications and its NYSE listing. A separate breakdown of the program notes that Verizon said the repurchases can add another lever alongside dividends, framing the move as part of a broader toolkit for rewarding shareholders, as described in the See Full Analysis of Verizon’s plan.
Investors have responded with enthusiasm. Verizon Communications shares jumped sharply after the earnings and buyback news, with one recap noting that Verizon Communications (VZ +11.81%), a provider of wireless and wireline services, closed Friday at $44.52, underscoring how the market is repricing the stock on the back of cost cuts and customer growth targets, as captured in the Key Data Points on Verizon Communications Friday move. Another trading focused summary notes that Verizon surged 6.64 percent to USD 42.42 on the day, emphasizing how the beat on revenue and EPS reset sentiment, as laid out in the Verizon GAAP EPS highlights of $36.38 billion revenue and $1.09 EPS.
Is Verizon now a “complete package” for investors?
With subscriber growth reaccelerating, earnings beating expectations and a $25 billion buyback in place, Verizon is starting to look like a more balanced proposition for investors who want both income and growth. One analysis argues that Verizon’s Q4 2025 earnings report turned the stock into a “complete package” by combining operational momentum with a strong dividend and now a sizable repurchase program, a view detailed in the Verizon stock discussion. Another market snapshot notes that Verizon (VZ) was recently up 0.88%, reflecting mixed options sentiment but a generally improving technical picture as the stock grinds higher, as shown in the 0.88% move tracked for Verizon.
At the same time, the company’s own forecasts underscore that the story is still in progress rather than fully baked. Verizon forecasts upbeat annual profit as wireless subscriber growth hits a six year high, tying its optimism to continued gains in both mobile and broadband, as described in the Verizon profit outlook. And Verizon Communications expects sharp earnings growth as subscriber adds rebound, reinforcing the idea that the recent quarter is a starting point for a multi year recovery rather than a peak, as emphasized in the Verizon Communications guidance update.
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*This article was researched with the help of AI, with human editors creating the final content.
Grant Mercer covers market dynamics, business trends, and the economic forces driving growth across industries. His analysis connects macro movements with real-world implications for investors, entrepreneurs, and professionals. Through his work at The Daily Overview, Grant helps readers understand how markets function and where opportunities may emerge.
