Verizon Posts Q4 Loss On One-Time Charge Despite Revenue Beat (2024)

Key Takeaways

  • Verizon swung to a loss of $2.57 billion or 64 cents a diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2023.
  • The company's earnings were dragged down by a $7.8 billion loss on account of special items.
  • Revenue of $35.1 billion was better than expected, but lower compared to $35.25 billion for the same period last year.

Verizon's (VZ) fourth quarter earnings were dragged into the red due to a $7.8 billion loss on special items despite posting better-than-expected revenue. The company's shares were up a little over 3% in early trading.

The company reported a loss of $2.57 billion or 64 cents per diluted share for the quarter. The one-time loss comes as Verizon disclosed a $5.8 billion goodwill impairment charge for its business reporting unit, and almost $992 million in mark-to-market adjustments to its pension and employee benefits programs, among other things. Excluding these special items, the company's adjusted earnings per share would be $1.19.

Even prior to Verizon's disclosure of the goodwill charges and their potential impact on quarterly results, analyst consensus compiled by Visible Alpha forecast an earnings and revenue contraction.

Q4 2023Analysts' Estimate for Q4 2023Q4 2022
Revenue$35.13 billion$34.6 billion$35.25 billion
Diluted Earnings (Loss) Per Share (EPS)(64 centsper share)$1.06$1.56
Net Income($2.57 billion)$4.56 billion$6.7 billion

"2023 was a year of change. We have the right assets and the best team in place and are well-positioned for growth in 2024," said Verizon Chair and CEO Hans Vestberg.

Do you have a news tip for Investopedia reporters? Please email us at

tips@investopedia.com

Article Sources

Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in oureditorial policy.

Take the Next Step to Invest

×

The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Investopedia receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear. Investopedia does not include all offers available in the marketplace.

Verizon Posts Q4 Loss On One-Time Charge Despite Revenue Beat (2024)

FAQs

Verizon Posts Q4 Loss On One-Time Charge Despite Revenue Beat? ›

Verizon's (VZ) fourth quarter earnings were dragged into the red due to a $7.8 billion loss on special items despite posting better-than-expected revenue. 1 The company's shares were up a little over 3% in early trading. The company reported a loss of $2.57 billion or 64 cents per diluted share for the quarter.

Is Verizon losing customers in 2024? ›

Verizon reported its first quarter 2024 results yesterday, improving its customer losses compared to the same period last year, increasing wireless service revenues and for the first time, breaking out revenue details for its Fixed Wireless Access Service.

Is Verizon losing money? ›

Verizon's consumer business also saw its best first-quarter performance since 2018, with 158,000 wireless retail postpaid phone net losses, compared with 263,000 losses a year ago. However, the company's shares were down 3.3% in early trading, with one analyst pointing to growth challenges in the wireless industry.

What is Verizon's revenue in 2024? ›

Total consolidated operating revenue in first-quarter 2024 of $33.0 billion, up 0.2 percent from first-quarter 2023. The increase can be attributed to pricing actions implemented in recent quarters, combined with improved operating results offset by a decrease in wireless equipment revenue due to lower upgrade volumes.

Why did Verizon stock drop? ›

It came in below Wall Street's projection of $33.2 billion due to a decrease in wireless equipment revenue as customers put off upgrading their devices. Verizon's adjusted earnings was $1.15 a share, compared with expectations for $1.12.

Why are customers leaving Verizon? ›

"Verizon has historically been positioned as the best network at a premium price. However, customer perception of Verizon's network advantage has dissipated over the past two and a half years while price is still the biggest pain point cited by Verizon customers.

Will Verizon go under? ›

The Probability of Bankruptcy of Verizon Communications Inc (VZ) is 17.1% . This number represents the probability that Verizon will face financial distress in the next 24 months given its current fundamentals and market conditions.

Are customers happy with Verizon? ›

The good news for the brand: Verizon customers are, for the most part, happy customers.

Is Verizon a value trap? ›

The backtest indicates that VZ could be a value trap. A value trap occurs when a stock looks inexpensive based on fundamental analysis but fails to reach its intrinsic valuation over time, often due to underlying issues not reflected in quantitative data. Scrutinize beyond numbers; assess long-term potential.

Why is my Verizon bill so high? ›

Many customers sign up for plans with more data, talk time or features than they actually need. This can create a higher phone bill. Reviewing your phone plan and usage patterns can help you ensure that you get the best possible phone deal.

How much debt is Verizon in? ›

Total debt on the balance sheet as of March 2024 : $175.63 B

According to Verizon's latest financial reports the company's total debt is $175.63 B. A company's total debt is the sum of all current and non-current debts.

What is the financial projection for Verizon? ›

Following last week's earnings report, Verizon Communications' 21 analysts are forecasting 2024 revenues to be US$135.0b, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Per-share earnings are expected to soar 68% to US$4.51.

What is Verizon's main source of revenue? ›

The main source of income for Verizon Wireless primarily comes from providing wireless telecommunications services to its customers. This includes revenue generated from mobile phone plans, data usage fees, device sales, and related services such as internet access, text messaging, and value-added services.

Who owns most of Verizon stock? ›

According to the latest TipRanks data, approximately 32.15% of Verizon (VZ) stock is held by institutional investors. According to the latest TipRanks data, approximately 51.74% of Verizon (VZ) stock is held by retail investors. Vanguard owns the most shares of Verizon (VZ).

Is VZ dividend safe? ›

This is crucial as it shows that the hefty dividend which Verizon is paying now is very safe. It also has room to raise it, just as it did in its most recent payout (Verizon increased its quarterly dividend per share from $0.6525 to $0.665, a 2% increase).

Should I hold or sell Verizon stock? ›

Verizon has 8.00% upside potential, based on the analysts' average price target. Is VZ a Buy, Sell or Hold? Verizon has a conensus rating of Moderate Buy which is based on 4 buy ratings, 7 hold ratings and 0 sell ratings.

What is the future outlook for Verizon? ›

Verizon stock price stood at $39.79

According to the latest long-term forecast, Verizon price will hit $40 by the middle of 2024 and then $50 by the end of 2025. Verizon will rise to $55 within the year of 2026, $60 in 2027, $65 in 2028, $75 in 2029, $85 in 2030, $90 in 2032, $95 in 2033 and $100 in 2034.

What network is Verizon shutting down? ›

Verizon is focused on giving customers the best network and technology. For this reason, we will be retiring our 3G network by December 31, 2022. To help transition customers to 4G or 5G we are creating plans that support these devices.

Where will Verizon be in 5 years? ›

Price in 2024: According to experts, VZ stock will range between $41.96 and $51.43, reflecting positive market sentiment of the company. Long-term Price Forecast for 2025-2030: According to various analysts, Verizon's stock price may fall to $17.78 by mid-2029 or rise to $86.54 by December 2028.

Is Verizon a good stock to buy in 2024? ›

Should You Buy? It may surprise many investors that Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) is the top-performing telecom stock in 2024. Indeed, it benefits from being one of only three 5G providers, and the industry's massive fixed costs make it unlikely that additional competitors will enter it.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Chrissy Homenick

Last Updated:

Views: 5984

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (74 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Chrissy Homenick

Birthday: 2001-10-22

Address: 611 Kuhn Oval, Feltonbury, NY 02783-3818

Phone: +96619177651654

Job: Mining Representative

Hobby: amateur radio, Sculling, Knife making, Gardening, Watching movies, Gunsmithing, Video gaming

Introduction: My name is Chrissy Homenick, I am a tender, funny, determined, tender, glorious, fancy, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.