Latest news with #wireless
Globe and Mail
9 hours ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Verizon Gains 9.2% YTD: Should You Invest in VZ Stock Now?
Verizon Communications Inc. VZ has gained 9.2% in the year-to-date period compared with the Wireless National industry's growth of 13.5%. The stock has outperformed the Zacks Computer & Technology sector and the S&P 500 during the same time frame. The company has underperformed its peers like AT&T Inc. T and T-Mobile US, Inc. TMUS. Shares of AT&T have gained 26.8%, while T-Mobile shares have returned 9.4% during this period. VZ Rides on 5G Adoption, Customer-Focused Strategy & AI Focus Verizon is benefiting from significant 5G adoption and fixed wireless broadband momentum. The company is accelerating the availability of its 5G Ultra-Wideband network across the country. Its 5G mobility services offer impressive connectivity and are gaining prominence across various industries, such as public safety, health care, retail and sports. To unlock the full potential of next-generation wireless technology Verizon's 5G relies on three fundamental drivers. These include massive spectrum holdings, particularly in the millimeter-wave bands for faster data transfer, end-to-end deep fiber resources and the ability to deploy a large number of small cells. The company recently secured a multibillion-dollar contract to deploy a private 5G network to industrial campuses across the Thames Freeport. This is one of the busiest maritime logistics and manufacturing regions in the United Kingdom. Such customer wins serve as a testament to Verizon's industry-leading 5G capabilities. The company also recently introduced several AI native features to enhance customer service. One of the standout features is Verizon Customer Champion, which utilizes Google Cloud's AI, including Google's Gemini models, to swiftly provide complete resolution to end users. The company is also offering 24/7 live customer support. It has refined the Verizon APP and introduced several AI features to improve transparency and drive greater value to end users from Verizon's services. Such initiatives are expected to boost customer engagement in the upcoming quarters. Verizon Complete Business Bundle solution is also gaining popularity among small businesses. With reliable, plug-and-play Internet connectivity, desk phone and security solutions with 24/7 tech support, these solutions enable the digital transformation of small business entities. The company has significantly augmented its retail footprint over the past few years. 93% of Americans now live within 30 minutes of a Verizon store. Verizon's presence across several regions allows the company to run localized promotions and improve real-time customer support services. Key Challenges for Verizon Verizon operates in a competitive and almost saturated U.S. wireless market with incumbents like AT&T and T-Mobile. Intensifying competition with a relatively fixed pool of customers is putting pressure on pricing. It could limit the company's ability to attract and retain customers and may adversely affect its operating and financial results. In a bid to increase customer base and beat the competition, Verizon often spends heavily on promotion and offers lucrative discounts. This puts pressure on the margin. The company has also heavily invested in the C-band auction, which is offering airwaves in the 3.7 gigahertz-to-4.2 gigahertz area of spectrum to acquire key mid-band spectrum for potential 5G deployments in the next few years. Unless the high auctioning expenses are justified, margins are likely to be compromised significantly. Estimate Revision Trend of VZ Earnings estimates for 2025 have remained stable at $4.69 over the past 60 days, while the same for 2026 has improved 0.41% to $4.88. Key Valuation Metric of VZ From a valuation standpoint, VZ appears to be trading relatively cheaper compared to the industry but trading above its mean. Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company's shares currently trade at 9.13 forward earnings, lower than 13.74 for the industry but above the stock's mean of 8.96. End Note With one of the most robust network infrastructures, Verizon continues to bring state-of-the-art technologies to provide ultra-fast data speed and capacity to customers. Client-focused planning, strong retail presence, AI integration, disciplined engineering and constant strategic investment are major growth drivers. The multi-billion-dollar deal in the United Kingdom highlights growing traction in the international market as well. However, intense competition in the wireless industry continues to hinder revenue growth. The entry of cable multi-service operators has further intensified the competition. Weakness in the wireline business and macroeconomic challenges are headwinds. With a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), VZ appears to be treading in the middle of the road, and new investors could be better off if they trade with caution. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double" Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest. This top pick is a little-known satellite-based communications firm. Space is projected to become a trillion dollar industry, and this company's customer base is growing fast. Analysts have forecasted a major revenue breakout in 2025. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Hims & Hers Health, which shot up +209%. Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up 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 AT&T Inc. (T): Free Stock Analysis Report Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ): Free Stock Analysis Report T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS): Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
5 Must-Read Analyst Questions From Verizon's Q1 Earnings Call
Verizon's first quarter results aligned with Wall Street's expectations, reflecting steady progress in its core wireless and broadband businesses. Management credited the company's year-over-year financial growth to targeted price adjustments, enhanced customer retention initiatives, and expanding adoption of premium plans. CEO Hans Vestberg attributed the quarter's performance to 'strong growth across our key financial metrics,' highlighting successful execution in both fixed wireless and fiber broadband segments. The company's focus on segment-specific offers, such as myPlan and myHome, as well as prepaid business improvements, contributed positively to subscriber trends. Is now the time to buy VZ? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $33.49 billion vs analyst estimates of $33.33 billion (1.5% year-on-year growth, in line) Adjusted EPS: $1.19 vs analyst estimates of $1.15 (3.6% beat) Adjusted EBITDA: $12.56 billion vs analyst estimates of $12.34 billion (37.5% margin, 1.7% beat) Operating Margin: 23.8%, up from 22.8% in the same quarter last year Customers: 146 million, up from 144.8 million in the previous quarter Market Capitalization: $184.2 billion While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention. John Hodulik (UBS) asked about potential impacts from tariffs on handsets and equipment. CEO Hans Vestberg clarified that any significant tariff increases on handsets would likely be passed to consumers, while exposure for network equipment is limited; Sampath added that churn from price increases should abate by the second half of the year. Ben Swinburne (Morgan Stanley) questioned the underlying drivers of strong March and April gross adds and whether these were due to specific promotions or broader market trends. Sampath attributed the momentum to the Verizon Value Guarantee, while Skiadas highlighted ongoing cost discipline supporting margin growth. Jim Schneider (Goldman Sachs) inquired about consumer behavior changes and cost structure sustainability. Vestberg and Sampath reported no material shifts in consumer upgrade patterns, attributing premium plan uptake to new offers rather than tariff concerns. Skiadas emphasized stable payment trends and sustainable margin improvements. Peter Supino (Wolfe Research) pressed on the long-term cost implications of fixed wireless expansion and whether multiyear broadband growth could pressure capital expenditures. Vestberg responded that the company's broadband growth plan is incorporated into current capital spending expectations, with no anticipated capacity constraints through 2028. Bryan Kraft (Deutsche Bank) explored the drivers of recent gross add strength and performance of the multi-dwelling unit (MDU) fixed wireless solution. Vestberg explained that the recent growth was tied to the Value Guarantee offer, while the MDU solution is rolling out in over 15 markets and expected to ramp in the coming year. In future quarters, the StockStory team will be following (1) the pace of adoption for Verizon's three-year price lock and associated customer churn improvements, (2) progress on broadband subscriber growth—especially fixed wireless and multi-dwelling unit solutions, and (3) integration milestones and market expansion stemming from the pending Frontier acquisition. Additional drivers include how management navigates potential tariff changes and competitive pressures on both the consumer and business sides. Verizon currently trades at $43.68, up from $42.93 just before the earnings. In the wake of this quarter, is it a buy or sell? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth. While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we're leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
Phone Arena
18 hours ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
Is another T-Mobile service about to raise its data plans without extra costs?
Mere hours ago, we told you that the prepaid Ultra Mobile service, an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) of T-Mobile's, now offers more gigabytes for the same money. Will fellow MVNOs follow accordingly? A quick update for those who haven't heard of MVNOs yet. The Mobile Virtual Network Operator is a wireless service provider that doesn't own its own network infrastructure. Instead, it pays to access other, larger networks' ( T-Mobile , AT&T, or Verizon) infrastructure. The MVNO operator then uses these rented networks for its own service and resells it to customers under its own brand. This allows MVNOs to offer more affordable or flexible plans, while still giving users access to the same nationwide coverage and speeds provided by the major carriers. So, Ultra Mobile is upgrading its plans without raising prices, giving customers more data for the same monthly cost. The $15 plan now includes 500 MB instead of 250 MB, the $19 plan jumps from 3 GB to 4 GB, and higher-tier options see even bigger boosts – like the $39 plan going from 15 GB to 24 GB. The $59 Ultra Unlimited+ plan still has no data limits and now includes 25 GB of hotspot data plus more international credit. All plans keep unlimited talk and text in the US, along with extras like Wi-Fi calling, hotspot access, and international features. Customers don't need to do anything to get these updates – they're applied automatically. Personally, I love that: the less paperwork and interactions, the is also offering bigger savings for those who pay upfront: up to 30% off with a 12-month plan, potentially saving users as much as $216 per year, with smaller discounts for three- and six-month options. Over at Reddit, user LeftOn4ya is asking the real questions: will Mint Mobile – another MVNO owned by T-Mobile – follow soon? Image source – Reddit The user certainly hopes so and lays out their guess, citing Ultra Mobile's new plans. Based on those changes, they predicted Mint Mobile might soon increase data on its intro/annual plans as well – potentially offering 8 GB for $15 (up from 5 GB), 16 GB for $20 (up from 15 GB), and 24 GB for $25 (up from 20 GB). They also expect Mint's Unlimited+ plan to match Ultra's, with 25 GB of hotspot data and possibly expanded roaming in Canada and Mexico. This seems pretty logical, so definitely keep an eye on it. Switch to a 2-month Total 5G or 5G+ plan with Total Wireless and score this foldable deal. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
From bulky car phones to pocket computers, cellphones mark 40 years in Canada
Victor Surerus poses for a photo at his farm in Roseneath, Ontario, on Wednesday, June 24, 2015 with the first cellphone in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Thornhill MONTREAL — Pierre Robitaille remembers feeling embarrassed in 1985 when he made his cellphone calls from a bulky device that came with its own carrying case. Now 86 years old, Robitaille was one of the first people in Canada to sign up for a wireless plan when they became available 40 years ago, on July 1, 1985. As an electrician, Robitaille wanted a way to keep in touch with colleagues and clients while on the road at various construction sites. First came a car phone, then came the early hand-held versions, which included a mobile device and a suitcase in which to carry it. 'It wasn't very heavy but it was embarrassing, it was big,' Robitaille said of the mid-80s cellphone, in an interview from his home in the western Quebec town of St-André-Avellin. The first wireless call in Canadian history took place 40 years ago on July 1, 1985, when then-Toronto mayor Art Eggleton used a 10-pound mobile phone to call his Montreal counterpart, Jean Drapeau. Telecommunications company Rogers says that in the first month, mobile networks in Canada handled 100 calls per day. Today, that number has risen to 100 million calls, as well as 6.5 billion megabytes of data on the Rogers network alone. Oakville, Ont., resident Peter Kent was another early mobile phone adopter — though the initiative came from his boss rather than himself. His car phone had to be installed professionally and cost around $3,500, he recalled in a recent interview. At first, he was unsure if he should be thankful for the new connectivity. 'I said, 'why are we doing this?' And then (my boss) said, 'well, when I want you, I want you.'' Kent, however, soon started to enjoy his new phone. He recalls driving with his wife to his mother-in-law's home and making a call from her driveway. 'She said, 'where are you?' And I said, I'm in your driveway,' Kent recalled. 'She couldn't believe it. She ran to the door with her cordless phone and she could see me talking in the car.' Eric Smith, the senior vice-president for the Canadian Telecommunications Association, said the early commercial cellular services were limited to voice calling in select urban areas and involved 'very large, bulky devices' with limited battery time. Users were charged by the minute. 'If you flash forward 40 years, people really have more than just the capability of calling, and they have a kind of a computer in their pocket,' he said. Today, some 99 per cent of areas where people live and work in Canada have some form of mobile coverage, he said. Smith said that initially, there was skepticism about whether cellular service would be widely embraced. 'It required a large investment by companies in a country that's very large geographically with a widely dispersed population,' he said. 'And some people thought that the companies who were investing in this were taking a very big risk.' Over time, the cellphones evolved from offering calls only, followed by text messaging, early internet connectivity and later a range of features from cameras to GPS. 'It's hard to think of things you can't do on your mobile device,' Smith said. Smith says there are still hurdles that remain for Canadian telecommunications, including poor connectivity in rural areas and 'regulatory challenges' that he says can discourage investment. In recent years, there have been questions around cellphone use, especially among children. Several jurisdictions have banned phones in classrooms, while Quebec has gone a step further in prohibiting them on elementary and high school grounds. Robitaille sees both the good and bad. He believes their widespread use among children is problematic because of the type of sensitive and vulgar content they have access to. On the other hand, as a senior who lives alone, his phone is an important tool to stay in touch with his friends and his children. Kent, meanwhile, is convinced that cellphones have made life in Canada easier — despite the pressure to remain always connected — although he says he's happy he only got one as an adult. Smith says the mobile industry is still evolving. Increasingly, connectivity is expanding beyond phones to other devices: everything from cars to appliances are connected to the internet, while internet-enabled sensors monitor conditions in the agriculture and mining industries. He says it's hard to know what the future will be, as people continue to adopt different forms of technology, enabled by increased computing power and innovation. 'I'm excited to see what happens, but I don't think anyone really knows what it's going to look like 40 years from now,' Smith said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 1, 2025. Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
From bulky car phones to pocket computers, cellphones mark 40 years in Canada
MONTREAL — Pierre Robitaille remembers feeling embarrassed in 1985 when he made his cellphone calls from a bulky device that came with its own carrying case. Now 86 years old, Robitaille was one of the first people in Canada to sign up for a wireless plan when they became available 40 years ago, on July 1, 1985. As an electrician, Robitaille wanted a way to keep in touch with colleagues and clients while on the road at various construction sites. First came a car phone, then came the early hand-held versions, which included a mobile device and a suitcase in which to carry it. "It wasn't very heavy but it was embarrassing, it was big," Robitaille said of the mid-80s cellphone, in an interview from his home in the western Quebec town of St-André-Avellin. The first wireless call in Canadian history took place 40 years ago on July 1, 1985, when then-Toronto mayor Art Eggleton used a 10-pound mobile phone to call his Montreal counterpart, Jean Drapeau. Telecommunications company Rogers says that in the first month, mobile networks in Canada handled 100 calls per day. Today, that number has risen to 100 million calls, as well as 6.5 billion megabytes of data on the Rogers network alone. Oakville, Ont., resident Peter Kent was another early mobile phone adopter — though the initiative came from his boss rather than himself. His car phone had to be installed professionally and cost around $3,500, he recalled in a recent interview. At first, he was unsure if he should be thankful for the new connectivity. "I said, 'why are we doing this?' And then (my boss) said, 'well, when I want you, I want you.'" Kent, however, soon started to enjoy his new phone. He recalls driving with his wife to his mother-in-law's home and making a call from her driveway. "She said, 'where are you?' And I said, I'm in your driveway," Kent recalled. "She couldn't believe it. She ran to the door with her cordless phone and she could see me talking in the car." Eric Smith, the senior vice-president for the Canadian Telecommunications Association, said the early commercial cellular services were limited to voice calling in select urban areas and involved "very large, bulky devices" with limited battery time. Users were charged by the minute. "If you flash forward 40 years, people really have more than just the capability of calling, and they have a kind of a computer in their pocket," he said. Today, some 99 per cent of areas where people live and work in Canada have some form of mobile coverage, he said. Smith said that initially, there was skepticism about whether cellular service would be widely embraced. "It required a large investment by companies in a country that's very large geographically with a widely dispersed population," he said. "And some people thought that the companies who were investing in this were taking a very big risk." Over time, the cellphones evolved from offering calls only, followed by text messaging, early internet connectivity and later a range of features from cameras to GPS. "It's hard to think of things you can't do on your mobile device," Smith said. Smith says there are still hurdles that remain for Canadian telecommunications, including poor connectivity in rural areas and "regulatory challenges" that he says can discourage investment. In recent years, there have been questions around cellphone use, especially among children. Several jurisdictions have banned phones in classrooms, while Quebec has gone a step further in prohibiting them on elementary and high school grounds. Robitaille sees both the good and bad. He believes their widespread use among children is problematic because of the type of sensitive and vulgar content they have access to. On the other hand, as a senior who lives alone, his phone is an important tool to stay in touch with his friends and his children. Kent, meanwhile, is convinced that cellphones have made life in Canada easier — despite the pressure to remain always connected — although he says he's happy he only got one as an adult. Smith says the mobile industry is still evolving. Increasingly, connectivity is expanding beyond phones to other devices: everything from cars to appliances are connected to the internet, while internet-enabled sensors monitor conditions in the agriculture and mining industries. He says it's hard to know what the future will be, as people continue to adopt different forms of technology, enabled by increased computing power and innovation. "I'm excited to see what happens, but I don't think anyone really knows what it's going to look like 40 years from now," Smith said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 1, 2025. Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
