Better networks will fuel Verizon’s growth

Article Excerpt

VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC. $53 (New York symbol VZ; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector, Shares outstanding: 4.1 billion; Market cap: $217.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.7; Dividend yield: 4.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.verizon.com) has 113.9 million wireless users, 13.6 million phone customers and 15.6 million Internet and TV subscribers. In 2014, the company bought the 45% of the Verizon Wireless joint venture it didn’t already own from U.K.-based Vodafone Group (Nasdaq symbol VOD). Verizon Wireless sells wireless services in the U.S. Verizon paid $130 billion for Vodafone’s stake. Big purchase spurred revenue, earnings Thanks to that purchase, the company’s revenue rose 14.0%, from $115.8 billion in 2012 to $131.6 billion in 2015. In 2016, Verizon sold some of its local telephone operations. As a result, revenue for that year fell to $126.0 billion. Earnings jumped from $2.32 a share (or a total of $6.0 billion) in 2012 to $4.00 a share (or $11.5 billion) in 2013. Profit then fell to $3.35 a share (or $13.3 billion)…