Verizon reported adjusted fourth-quarter earnings per share of $1.09, surpassing consensus estimates of $1.06, while delivering total operating revenue of $36.4 billion against forecasts of $36.1 billion. Wireless service revenue rose 1.1% year-over-year to $21.0 billion, with equipment revenue up 9.1% to $8.2 billion. These results represent the highest quarterly mobility and broadband volumes since 2019, signaling stronger-than-expected performance across both consumer and business segments.

In the quarter, Verizon achieved 616,000 postpaid phone net additions—the best result since 2019—and recorded 372,000 broadband net additions, including 319,000 fixed wireless access customers and 67,000 Fios internet subscribers. Total mobility and broadband net additions exceeded one million units, reflecting successful promotions during the peak holiday season and the initial contribution from the recently closed Frontier Communications fiber acquisition, which expanded fiber access to over 30 million homes and businesses.

Management raised its free cash flow target to at least $21.5 billion in 2026, up approximately 7% from 2025 levels, and set adjusted earnings per share guidance of $4.90 to $4.95 versus the analyst consensus of $4.76. The company forecasts total retail postpaid phone net additions of 750,000 to 1.0 million and mobility and broadband service revenue growth of 2.0% to 3.0%, underpinning plans for sustained shareholder returns through increased buybacks and dividends.

Verizon has enhanced its disaster-readiness by deploying mobile assets pre-positioned for extreme weather, expanding backup power capabilities at critical sites and establishing dedicated crisis response teams. These measures aim to minimize service disruptions during winter storms and reinforce customer loyalty, supporting the company’s strategy to win back subscribers from competitors through reliable network performance and operational excellence.