Evercore ISI Maintains "Outperform" Rating for Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) Amid Leadership Transition

Font: Financial Modeling Prep  • Oct 06, 2025

• Evercore ISI has maintained its "Outperform" rating for Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), despite recommending to "hold" the stock due to leadership changes and industry uncertainty.
• Verizon appoints former PayPal CEO Dan Schulman as its new CEO, succeeding Hans Vestberg, leading to a 4% decline in stock price.
• The leadership transition is expected to focus on expanding Verizon's market share and achieving growth in key financial metrics under Schulman's guidance.

On October 6, 2025, Evercore ISI maintained its "Outperform" rating for Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), with the stock priced at $41.44. Despite this positive rating, the recommendation is to "hold" the stock. The announcement comes amid a significant leadership transition, as highlighted by TheFly, which is causing uncertainty in the wireless industry.

Verizon has appointed Dan Schulman, the former CEO of PayPal, as its new CEO, succeeding Hans Vestberg. This leadership change has led to a 4% decline in Verizon's stock, now priced at $41.92, below its 200-day moving average. The stock is forming a long saucer-with-handle base, with a buy point at $45.75.

Hans Vestberg, who led Verizon since 2018, was instrumental in developing the company's 5G network strategy. He will remain as a special advisor until October 2026 and focus on integrating Frontier Communications, a $20 billion acquisition. Vestberg expressed confidence in Schulman, who aims to expand Verizon's market share and achieve growth in key financial metrics.

The leadership change has also impacted Verizon's competitors. AT&T's stock fell by 3% to $26.24, while T-Mobile's stock decreased by 2.7% to $224.07. Mark Bertolini, CEO of Oscar Health and newly appointed chairman of Verizon's board, praised Schulman for his transformative leadership and operational excellence, emphasizing his potential to lead Verizon into a new phase of customer focus and financial growth.

Verizon's stock, currently at $41.44, has experienced a 5.11% decrease, dropping $2.23. The stock's trading range for the day was between $41.35 and $43.38. Over the past year, Verizon's stock has fluctuated between a high of $47.36 and a low of $37.59. The company's market capitalization is approximately $174.72 billion, with a trading volume of 73,996,883 shares on the NYSE.