Cost cuts free up cash for 5G

Article Excerpt

VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC. $57 (New York symbol VZ; Income-Growth Dividend Portfolio, Utilities sector, Shares outstanding: 4.1 billion; Market cap: $233.7 billion; Dividend yield: 4.2%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.verizon.com) increased its quarterly dividend by 2.1% with the November 2018 payment. The new annual rate of $2.41 yields a high 4.2%. Verizon now aims to cut its long-term operating costs with a new plan that offers employees a voluntary separation payment. The company aims to realize total cash savings of $10.0 billion by the end of 2021. Those savings will help fund Verizon’s plan to launch ultrafast 5G wireless service in over 30 U.S. cities this year. This new system will make it easier for the company to offer Internet and TV services to more households—particularly in rural areas and underpopulated markets. It plans to spend between $17 billion and $18 billion on upgrades to its networks in 2019. Verizon is a buy. buy…