Verizon Communications Option Alert: Fri $39.5 Calls Sweep (28) near the Bid: 1723 vs 4803 OI; Earnings 4/22 Before Open 

Verizon Communications Option Alert: Fri $39.5 Calls Sweep (28) near the Bid: 1723 @ $3.651 vs 4803 OI; Earnings 4/22 Before Open Ref=$43.155

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) Stock

Verizon Communications

Wireless services account for about 70% of Verizon Communications' total service revenue and nearly all of its operating income. The firm serves about 93 million postpaid and 20 million prepaid phone customers via its nationwide network, making it the largest US wireless carrier. Fixed-line telecom operations include local networks in the Northeast, which reach about 30 million homes and businesses and serve about 8 million broadband customers. Verizon also provides telecom services nationwide to enterprise customers, often using a mixture of its own and other carriers' networks. Verizon agreed to acquire Frontier Communications in September 2024.

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TMUS


Bridgewater Associates, founded by famed investor Ray Dalio, loaded up on shares of some big-name stocks in Q4. Bridgewater Associates recently released its Form 13F. Institutional investment managers with more than

Ray Dalio&#39;s Bridgewater Loaded Up on These Stocks in Q4 2024

Lisa,Su,,,Amd,Chairman,And,Ceo,Hold,A,Chips

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Analyst Ratings

Tech

Trading Ideas

AMZN

BABA

CSCO

DELL

DOCN

GOOG

GOOGL

INTC

MSFT

NVDA

SMCI

AMD remains a strong buy with a $170 target price, thanks to its strong position in AI market, market share gains and competition with Intel and Nvidia.

AMD Closing Competitive GPU Gap With Nvidia, Gains Market Share From Intel In Client And Server Markets: Analyst

Cisco Systems Inc. CSCO

Markets

The Chinese hacker group, Salt Typhoon, has been found exploiting vulnerabilities in routers of Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO). The group continues to breach telecom networks and universities globally, according to a recent report.

Chinese Hacker Group Salt Typhoon Exploits Cisco Router Flaws, Targeting Telecom Networks And Universities Worldwide

Verizon Communications Inc

VIZIO HLDG CORP CL A COM

Vizsla Silver Corp

Verizon Communications's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>) short percent of float has risen 9.49% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 62.99 million shares sold short, which is 1.5% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.15 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Verizon Communications Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1740169816_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Verizon Communications has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Verizon Communications's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Verizon Communications's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 1.31%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

Peering Into Verizon Communications's Recent Short Interest

Benchmark analyst Cody Acree reiterated Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) with a Buy and a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AMD/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">$170&nbsp;price target</a>.
Acree recently hosted AMD&#8217;s Jean Hu, CFO, for a discussion with investors. He came away with further conviction in AMD&#8217;s strong fundamental position, its increasing competitiveness in the AI market, and its continued market share gains in both the Client and Server markets versus Intel Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>).
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43728563/amc-networks-q4-earnings-subscriber-growth-cash-flow-despite-revenue-declines-impairment-charges-free-cash-flow-outlook" rel="noreferrer noopener">AMC Networks Q4 Earnings: Streaming Revenue And Subscriber Growth Cushions Revenue Decline</a>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="650" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/18102022/newplot-12.png" alt="" class="wp-image-787133" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/18102022/newplot-12.png 750w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/18102022/newplot-12-300x260.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>
The analyst noted a focus on the company&#8217;s AI ramp of its next-generation MI350 GPU with a pulled-ahead schedule of mid-year 2025 versus the prior schedule of the second half. With the transition, AMD expects first-half 2025 Data Center revenue to be flat due to softer seasonality and its Instinct revenue to be flat as customers wait for the launch of the new platform.
AMD broadly expects MI350 to be much more directly competitive with Nvidia Corp&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) Blackwell, with MI400 likely to be technically competitive with Rubin. Nvidia&#8217;s Blackwell delays and accelerated move-up of the MI350 launch proved that AMD is closing the competitive gap.
AMD noted ASICs only make up about 20% of the total AI silicon opportunity, thereby remaining adamant about not changing its focus priority from its primary GPU roadmap.
The analyst said that the company&#8217;s Client business continues to look solid as AMD gains market share momentum in both the Desktop and Notebook markets.
At a high level, for 2025, AMD is forecasting its PC TAM to grow by a mid-single-digit percentage year-on-year. However, based on the breadth of its client CPU portfolio and strong design win momentum, the company expects to grow its Client segment revenue well ahead of the market.
While the company expects its Client business to see normal first-quarter softer seasonality, in 2025, it is benefiting from its first win at Dell Technologies Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>) in the commercial client space.
In the server market, AMD continues to benefit from the strong adoption of its Gen 4 and new Gen 5 designs.
The company is seeing its EPYC processors gaining traction thanks to Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), Dell, and Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>).
Amazon.Com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Amazon Web Services, Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) launched over 100 AMD general-purpose and AI instances in just the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, EPYC CPU sales grew by a strong double-digit percentage annually, thanks to high-volume deployments with ServiceNow Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOW#NYSE">NOW</a>), Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>), Visa Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>), and others. Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) exclusively used MI300X to power their Llama 405B frontier model on meta.ai.
Microsoft leveraged MI300X to power multiple GPT-4-based Copilot services.
With over 100 customer engagements in AI, AMD expanded its ROCm software suite.
International Business Machines Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), DigitalOcean Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DOCN#NYSE">DOCN</a>), and several other AI-focused Cloud Service Providers have begun deploying AMD Instinct accelerators for new instances. IBM also announced plans to enable MI300X on their watsonx.ai and data platform for training and deploying enterprise-ready generative AI applications.
AMD began volume production of MI325X in the fourth quarter. MI325 delivers significant performance and TCO advantages compared to competitive offerings, including H100.
AMD has passed key milestones and received unconditional regulatory approvals regarding its acquisition of ZT Systems. Additionally, AMD expects to divest ZT Systems&#8217; data center infrastructure production capabilities.
While industry capacity will likely remain tight, AMD noted it has successfully secured sufficient wafer capacity to support its customers&#8217; planned ramps through the end of this year and into 2026.
Price Action: AMD stock is up 1.10% at $114.35 at the last check on Tuesday.
Also Read:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43727973/taiwan-semiconductor-eyes-us-expansion-amid-taiwans-push-for-bigger-investments-and-advanced-chip-production" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Taiwan Semiconductor Eyes US Expansion Amid Push for Bigger Investments and Advanced Chip Production</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

The Chinese hacker group, Salt Typhoon, has reportedly been exploiting vulnerabilities in routers of Cisco (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>). The group continues to breach telecom networks and universities globally, according to a recent report.
What Happened: Recorded Future, a Cybersecurity firm has disclosed that Salt Typhoon had infiltrated five telecom and internet service providers globally. The group also compromised more than a dozen universities, spanning from Utah to Vietnam, between December and January. Among the affected entities are a U.S. internet service provider, a telecom company, and a U.S.-based subsidiary of a UK telecom firm.
Levi Gundert, head of Recorded Future&#8217;s research team, Insikt Group, said that Salt Typhoon remains highly active. The group has taken advantage of vulnerabilities in Cisco&#8217;s IOS software, which powers the company&#8217;s routers and switches, to gain complete control over targeted networks. Salt Typhoon is also tracked as RedMike by the Insikt Group. The report indicates that RedMike has attempted to access more than 1,000 Cisco network devices in the period from December 2024 to January 2025.
Cisco did not immediately respond to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga&#8217;s</a> request for comment.
Analysts at Recorded Future have reported that Chinese hackers have infiltrated not only U.S. telecom companies but also telecom networks in South Africa, Thailand, and an Italian internet service provider. Additionally, the group has targeted a wide range of universities worldwide, seemingly for espionage purposes.
RedMike may have targeted these universities to gain access to research in telecommunications, engineering, and technology, with a focus on institutions such as UCLA and TU Delft, revealed the report. 
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43690254/top-3-tech-telecom-stocks-that-could-lead-to-your-biggest-gains-this-quarter">Top 3 Tech &amp; Telecom Stocks That Could Lead To Your Biggest Gains This Quarter</a>
Why It Matters: The activities of Salt Typhoon have been under scrutiny for some time. In December, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42713217/nine-telecommunication-companies-hacked-as-part-of-salt-typhoon">nine U.S. telecom firms were hacked as part of Salt Typhoon&#8217;s campaign</a>. The hackers gained access to the private communication of an unknown number of Americans, according to Anne Neuberger, the U.S. deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology.
Shortly after, AT&amp;T Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/T#NYSE">T</a>) and Verizon Communications (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>) announced that their<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/24/12/42727432/att-and-verizon-contain-cyberattack-linked-to-chinas-salt-typhoon-group"> networks were secure following a cyberespionage </a>attack by Salt Typhoon, marking the first acknowledgment by the companies of the breach.
Despite media coverage, government reports, and sanctions from the U.S. Treasury, Salt Typhoon remains undeterred. Analysts at Recorded Future believe the group&#8217;s hacking campaign and victim list may be larger than what they have discovered so far.
The Trump administration has pledged to retaliate against China for the cyberattacks, advocating for a more aggressive deterrent strategy in cyberspace, though no concrete plan has been implemented yet. Meanwhile, China has consistently denied Beijing&#8217;s involvement in cyberattacks on U.S. systems and resorts to blaming the U.S. for exploiting Chinese networks
<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43656665/wall-streets-most-accurate-analysts-weigh-in-on-3-tech-telecom-stocks-with-over-3-dividend-yields">Wall Street&#8217;s Most Accurate Analysts Weigh In On 3 Tech &amp; Telecom Stocks With Over 3% Dividend Yields</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Verizon Communications, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>) released earnings for the fourth quarter of fiscal-year 2024 last month. Following the earnings report, Goldman Sachs hosted an investor meeting with key members of Verizon. Here&#8217;s what you <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43187225">need to know.</a>
What To Know: CFO Tony Skiadas highlighted improving trends in revenue and cost takeout, with wireless becoming a larger portion of the business, driving high incremental margins and boosting EBITDA. On the cost side, Verizon pointed to savings from an outsourcing deal and the reduction of legacy product and network costs, Goldman Sachs analyst James Schneider wrote in a note.
Furthermore, despite investor skepticism, Verizon expects the wireless market to grow by 8 to 8.5 million net additions in 2025. The company also anticipates year-over-year improvement in its own net additions, supported by efforts to reduce postpaid churn and strengthen prepaid performance, the analyst said.
Additionally, the company expects its AI Connect offering to generate over $100 million in revenue through dark and lit fiber sales. Schneider noted that Verizon also sees opportunities in edge computing and inference, using its data centers and retrofitted central offices for power, space and cooling.
&#8220;We believe Verizon's execution in its core wireless business continues to improve &#8211; with positive subscriber net additions and better prepaid revenue trends likely to be key drivers for 2025,&#8221; the Goldman analyst said
&#8220;We also highlight that Verizon's Business segment continues to notably outperform, and we believe this inflection in wireline EBITDA is sustainable and will not likely serve as a drag to overall results going forward.&#8221;
Goldman maintained a Buy rating on Verizon on Tuesday with a 12-month price target of $52, as the analyst expects the company to sustain revenue and EBITDA growth over the medium term.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/insights/options/25/02/43666823/a-closer-look-at-altria-groups-options-market-dynamics">A Closer Look at Altria Group&#8217;s Options Market Dynamics</a>
VZ Price Action: At the time of writing, Verizon shares were trading flat at $40.49, according to data from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Image via Shutterstock

Movers

Verizon Analyst Sees Improving Trends As Company Sizes Up AI Opportunity

During times of turbulence and uncertainty in the markets, many investors turn to dividend-yielding stocks. These are often companies that have high free cash flows and reward shareholders with a<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/yield-investments"> high dividend payout</a>.
Benzinga readers can review the latest analyst takes on their favorite stocks by visiting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">Analyst Stock Ratings</a> page. Traders can sort through Benzinga's extensive database of analyst ratings, including <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/22/09/28888638/exclusive-study-finds-benzinga-analyst-ratings-data-yields-market-beating-strategie">by analyst accuracy</a>.
Below are the ratings of the most accurate analysts for three high-yielding stocks in the communication services sector.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Dividend Yield: 6.69%</li>
<li>Tigress Financial analyst Ivan Feinseth maintained a Buy rating with a price target of $55 on Jan. 30, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 76%.</li>
<li>Scotiabank analyst Maher Yaghi maintained a Sector Perform rating and raised the price target from $47 to $47.5 on Jan. 27, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 69%.</li>
<li>Recent News: On Jan. 24, Verizon reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter GAAP EPS and revenue results.</li>
<li>Benzinga Pro&#8217;s real-time newsfeed alerted to <a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent021225&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">latest VZ news</a>. </li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent021225&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="910" height="840" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12083812/image-2-31.png" alt="" class="wp-image-778704" style="width:548px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12083812/image-2-31.png 910w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12083812/image-2-31-300x277.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12083812/image-2-31-768x709.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 910px) 100vw, 910px" /></a></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">AT&amp;T Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/T#NYSE">T</a>)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Dividend Yield: 4.41%</li>
<li>Tigress Financial analyst Ivan Feinseth maintained a Buy rating and raised the price target from $30 to $32 on Feb. 4, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 76%.</li>
<li>Scotiabank analyst Maher Yaghi maintained a Sector Outperform rating and increased the price target from $24 to $26 on Jan. 28, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 69%.</li>
<li>Recent News: On Feb. 4, AT&amp;T said it is extending its multi-year partnership with Nokia Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOK#NYSE">NOK</a>) to enhance its voice core network..</li>
<li>Benzinga Pro's real-time newsfeed alerted to latest AT<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent021225&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">&amp;T news</a> </li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent021225&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img decoding="async" src="blob:https://editorial.benzinga.com/5116a93c-62a2-4409-8586-5acaae2a1346" alt="" style="width:627px;height:auto" /></a></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMCSA#NASDAQ">CMCSA</a>)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Dividend Yield: 3.52%</li>
<li>Rosenblatt analyst Barton Crockett maintained a Neutral rating and cut the price target from $45 to $36 on Feb. 3, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 74%.</li>
<li>Scotiabank analyst Maher Yaghi downgraded the stock from Sector Outperform to Sector Perform and slashed the price target from $48 to $44.5 on Feb. 3, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 69%.</li>
<li>Recent News: On Jan. 30, Comcast reported a fourth-quarter revenue growth of 2.1% year-over-year to $31.92 billion, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $31.64 billion.</li>
<li>Benzinga Pro&#8217;s real-time newsfeed alerted to latest CMCSA <a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent021225&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">news </a></li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent021225&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="907" height="841" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12084003/image-2-32.png" alt="" class="wp-image-778715" style="width:601px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12084003/image-2-32.png 907w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12084003/image-2-32-300x278.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12084003/image-2-32-768x712.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 907px) 100vw, 907px" /></a></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> 
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<iframe loading="lazy" title="How to Find Dividend Stocks: Scan, Analyze, and Capture with Benzinga Pro" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pVF0O2lsEH4?start=1&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>
</figure>
Read More: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/short-ideas/25/02/43655479/top-3-utilities-stocks-that-may-collapse-in-q1">Top 3 Utilities Stocks That May Collapse In Q1</a></li>
</ul>

Dividends

Pre-Market Outlook

CMCSA

Wall Street's Most Accurate Analysts Weigh In On 3 Tech & Telecom Stocks With Over 3% Dividend Yields

Super Bowl LIX aired on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025 and the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22, ending the Chiefs' attempt to be the first three-peat <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/25/02/43583513/eagles-fly-over-chiefs-40-22-as-super-bowl-lix-tests-potential-137-million-viewership-for-fox">Super Bowl winners.</a>
The game also featured dozens of commercials advertising products and showcasing new movies and television shows. They also featured many celebrity cameos.
What Happened: Super Bowl LIX commercials were <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/25/02/43560232/super-bowl-lix-commercials-ai-celebs-muppets-warren-buffett-linked-brand-take-the-spotlight">priced between $7 million and $8 million</a> for a 30-second slot by Fox Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FOX#NASDAQ">FOX</a>)(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FOXA#NASDAQ">FOXA</a>), which had the media rights to the game.
Fox was able to secure $8 million or more for some last-second advertising inventory ahead of Sunday's game.
This author tracked all the commercials, from the singing of the National Anthem to the final round of ads after the Eagles won the Super Bowl. View the 2024 and 2023 Super Bowl commercials <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/24/02/37076429/super-bowl-commercials-2024-complete-list-of-super-bowl-lviii-ads-and-companies-behind-them">here </a>and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/02/30883140/super-bowl-commercials-2023-the-complete-list-of-super-bowl-lvii-ads-and-the-companies-behi">here</a>. 
The tweet below shows the Super Bowl LIX commercial tracking in real time during the big game.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Super Bowl LIX Commercial Thread. Feel free to retweet. After National Anthem: Misson: Impossible The Final Reckoning Trailer <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24PARA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$PARA</a> Sketches <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24SKX&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$SKX</a> TurboTax <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24INTU&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$INTU</a> NASCAR on Fox <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24FOX&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$FOX</a> After Con Toss: Lilo &amp; Stitch Live Action Spot <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24DIS&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$DIS</a> YouTubeTV <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24GOOG&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$GOOG</a>
&mdash; Chris Katje (@chriskatje) <a href="https://twitter.com/chriskatje/status/1888740049883173010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Here&#8217;s a list of the Super Bowl LIX commercials and the companies behind them.
After National Anthem:
<ul>
<li>"Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning" Trailer, Paramount (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PARA#NASDAQ">PARA</a>)(NASDA:PARAA)</li>
<li>Skechers (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SKX#NYSE">SKX</a>)</li>
<li>TurboTax, brand of Intuit Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTU#NASDAQ">INTU</a>)</li>
<li>NASCAR on Fox</li>
</ul>
After Coin Toss:
<ul>
<li>Lilo &amp; Stitch live action movie teaser for Disney (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>)</li>
<li>YouTube TV, brand of Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>)(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>)</li>
</ul>
After Kickoff, During First Quarter:
<ul>
<li>Dunkin'</li>
<li>"How to Train Your Dragon" live action movie trailer, Comcast (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMCSA#NASDAQ">CMCSA</a>)</li>
<li>Pfizer Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PFE#NYSE">PFE</a>)</li>
<li>"Thunderbolts" trailer, Marvel film from Disney</li>
<li>MSC Cruises</li>
<li>Little Caesars</li>
<li>Fox News</li>
<li>T-Mobile (NASDA:TMUS) with Starlink</li>
<li>Homes.com, brand of CoStar Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSGP#NASDAQ">CSGP</a>)</li>
<li>Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) with Ray-Ban</li>
<li>IndyCar racing on Fox</li>
<li>Doritos, brand of PepsiCo (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>)</li>
<li>Cirkul</li>
<li>Michelob Ultra, brand of Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BUD#NYSE">BUD</a>)</li>
</ul>
After End of First Quarter, During Second Quarter:
<ul>
<li>Disney+ and Hulu streaming platforms</li>
<li>Ritz, brand of Mondelez International (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MDLZ#NASDAQ">MDLZ</a>)</li>
<li>Red Bull</li>
<li>Squarespace</li>
<li>"The Floor" on Fox</li>
<li>Local Ad</li>
<li>Mountain Dew Baja Blast, brand of PepsiCo</li>
<li>Instacart, brand of Maplebear (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CART#NASDAQ">CART</a>)</li>
<li>Coors Light, brand of Molson Coors Beverage (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TAP#NYSE">TAP</a>)</li>
<li>Stand Up to Hate</li>
<li>FanDuel Kick of Destiny challenge, brand of Flutter Entertainment (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FLUT#NYSE">FLUT</a>)</li>
<li>"Extracted" on Fox</li>
<li>Uber Eats, brand of Uber Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>)</li>
<li>WeatherTech</li>
<li>TurboTax, brand of Intuit</li>
<li>NASCAR on Fox</li>
<li>Google Pixel phone with Gemini AI</li>
<li>UFL on Fox</li>
<li>Rocket Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RKT#NYSE">RKT</a>)</li>
<li>He Gets Us</li>
<li>Liquid Death</li>
<li>HexClad</li>
<li>Duracell, brand of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>)(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>)</li>
<li>OpenAI</li>
<li>CoffeeMate, brand of Nestle (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NSRGY#OTC">NSRGY</a>)</li>
<li>NFL youth organizations</li>
<li>Ram Truck, brand of Stellantis (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STLA#NYSE">STLA</a>)</li>
<li>Hellmann's, brand of Unilever (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UL#NYSE">UL</a>)</li>
<li>Pringles, brand of Kellanova (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/K#NYSE">K</a>)</li>
<li>Budweiser, brand of Anheuser-Busch InBev</li>
<li>Nike Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NKE#NYSE">NKE</a>)</li>
<li>NYU Langone Health</li>
<li>Novartis Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVS#NYSE">NVS</a>)</li>
</ul>
After End of Second Quarter, During Halftime, During Third Quarter:
<ul>
<li>IndyCar on Fox</li>
<li>MyFitnessPal</li>
<li>Yahoo!, brand of Apollo Global (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APO#NYSE">APO</a>) and Verizon Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>)</li>
<li>Southwest Airlines (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LUV#NYSE">LUV</a>)</li>
<li>Jewel-Osco, brand of Albertsons (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ACI#NYSE">ACI</a>)</li>
<li>Bayer Aspirin</li>
<li>"The Masked Singer" on Fox</li>
<li>Fox Nation streaming platform</li>
<li>On Holding (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ONON#NYSE">ONON</a>)</li>
<li>Angel Soft, brand of Georgia-Pacific</li>
<li>Reese's Lava Cup, brand of The Hershey Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HSY#NYSE">HSY</a>)</li>
<li>NFL ad</li>
<li>Tubi streaming platform, brand of Fox</li>
<li>Fox shows</li>
<li>Local ad</li>
<li>Local ad</li>
<li>Salesforce Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>)</li>
<li>DoorDash Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DASH#NASDAQ">DASH</a>)</li>
<li>Meta Platforms</li>
<li>Stand Up to Hate</li>
<li>Nerds</li>
<li>Lay's, brand of PepsiCo</li>
<li>"M3gan 2.0" trailer, distributed by Comcast</li>
<li>Taco Bell, brand of Yum! Brands (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/YUM#NYSE">YUM</a>)</li>
<li>Nerdwallet</li>
<li>Häagen-Dazs</li>
<li>Tubi</li>
<li>Fox Nation</li>
<li>Bud Light, brand of Anheuser-Busch InBev</li>
<li>Hims &amp; Hers Health Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HIMS#NYSE">HIMS</a>)</li>
<li>Poppi</li>
<li>TV shows on Fox</li>
</ul>
After End of Third Quarter, During Fourth Quarter:
<ul>
<li>Salesforce Inc</li>
<li>Ramp</li>
<li>Tullamore Dew whiskey</li>
<li>Toyota (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TM#NYSE">TM</a>)</li>
<li>Sandals Resorts</li>
<li>Local Ad</li>
<li>Jeep, brand of Stellantis</li>
<li>Tubi streaming platform</li>
<li>Fox News</li>
<li>Stella Artois, brand of Anheuser-Busch InBev</li>
<li>Dove, brand of Unilever</li>
<li>Booking.com (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BKNG#NASDAQ">BKNG</a>)</li>
<li>UFL on Fox</li>
<li>Bosch</li>
<li>Totino's Pizza Rolls, brand of General Mills (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GIS#NYSE">GIS</a>)</li>
<li>GoDaddy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GDDY#NYSE">GDDY</a>)</li>
<li>Fetch</li>
<li>TV shows on Fox</li>
</ul>
End of Game, Eagles win 40-22, Final Ad Spot After Game:
<ul>
<li>Progressive (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PGR#NYSE">PGR</a>)</li>
<li>Adidas (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADDYY#OTC">ADDYY</a>)</li>
<li>Cirkul</li>
<li>Vrbo, brand of Expedia Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EXPE#NASDAQ">EXPE</a>)</li>
<li>Universal Resorts</li>
<li>Energy Transfer (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ET#NYSE">ET</a>)</li>
</ul>
The list includes all the Super Bowl LIX commercials that aired from the playing of the national anthem to the first ad break after the Eagles won.
Read Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/25/02/43578857/if-you-invested-in-bitcoin-instead-of-buying-super-bowl-tickets-each-year-since-2012-heres-how-much-youd-have-today"> If You Invested in Bitcoin Instead of Buying Super Bowl Tickets Each Year Since 2012, Here&#8217;s How Much You&#8217;d Have Today</a>
Winners and Losers: While everyone will have their own favorites and ads they wish they'd never seen, here's a look at some of the winners and losers.
USA Today asks consumers to <a href="https://admeter.usatoday.com/2025">vote </a>on their favorite Super Bowl commercials each year via the Ad Meter.
Here are the top 10 highest rated ads as of Monday morning:
<ol>
<li>Budweiser – "First Delivery"</li>
<li>Lay's – "The Little Farmer"</li>
<li>Michelob Ultra – "The ULTRA Hustle"</li>
<li>Stella Artois – "David and Dave</li>
<li>NFL – "Somebody"</li>
<li>NFL – "Flag 50"</li>
<li>Bud Light – "Big Men on Cul-De-Sac"</li>
<li>Uber Eats – "Century of Cravings"</li>
<li>Hellmann's – "When Sally Met Hellmann's"</li>
<li>Pfizer – "Knock Out"</li>
</ol>
Here are the 10 lowest rated ads as of Monday morning:
<ol>
<li>Tubi – "The Z Suite"</li>
<li>Fetch – "The Big Reward"</li>
<li>CoffeeMate – "Foam Diva"</li>
<li>Cirkul – "You Got Cirkul"</li>
<li>OpenAI – "ChatGPT: The Intelligence Age"</li>
<li>Squarespace – "A Tale As Old As Websites"</li>
<li>T-Mobile – "A New Era in Connectivity"</li>
<li>DoorDash – "DashPass Math"</li>
<li>Hims &amp; Hers – "Sick of the System"</li>
<li>GoDaddy – "Act Like You Know"</li>
</ol>
The list of winners shows that Anheuser-Busch InBev continues the tradition of unforgettable Super Bowl beer ads once again, taking four places on the top 10 list.
The list of losers shows that companies like CoffeeMate and Hims &amp; Hers, which had their first ever Super Bowl commercials may not have hit the mark with consumers watching.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="EXCLUSIVE: Is Super Bowl $7M Ad Cost Worth It? 61% Say No, 18% Say They Looked Up Companies After Last Year's NFL Championship">EXCLUSIVE: Is Super Bowl $7M Ad Cost Worth It? 61% Say No, 18% Say They Looked Up Companies After Last Year&#8217;s NFL Championship</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Sports

ADDYY

BKNG

CART

CSGP

DASH

EXPE

FLUT

FOXA

GDDY

Hims & Hers Health, Inc. Class A Common Stock

HIMS

INTU

MDLZ

Nestle Sponsored representing Registered Shares Series B

NSRGY

ONON

PARA

PARAA

STLA

UBER

Super Bowl Commercials 2025: Complete List of Super Bowl LIX Ads And Companies Behind Them

T-Mobile US Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMUS#NASDAQ">TMUS</a>) shares are trading higher Monday after the company announced the nationwide rollout of its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43582884/elon-musks-spacex-and-t-mobile-go-live-with-starlink-powered-satellite-to-cell-service-heres-how-much-it-will-cost">Starlink beta service</a>.
What Happened: T-Mobile announced the public beta launch of SpaceX&#8217;s Starlink satellite service in an advertisement aired during&nbsp;Super Bowl LIX&nbsp;on Sunday. 
&#8220;T-Mobile Starlink, if you can see the sky, you&#8217;re connected,&#8221; the company said in the ad.
The public beta launch is available across the U.S. to mobile customers of T-Mobile, as well as AT&amp;T Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/T#NYSE">T</a>) and Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>). The company said the new satellite connectivity will help provide service in the more than 500,000 square miles of the country that are not serviced by any carrier&#8217;s earth-bound towers. 
T-Mobile Starlink uses specially configured satellites with Direct-to-Cell capabilities. The Starlink service currently offers text messaging capabilities, with picture messages, data and voice calls expected to become available at a later date.
Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43583058/super-bowl-ads-go-all-in-on-ai-stars-and-8m-price-tags-elon-musk-shared-this-advert-with-his-followers">Super Bowl Ads Go All-In on AI, Stars, and $8M Price Tags: Elon Musk Shared This Advert With His Followers</a>
&#8220;T-Mobile Starlink is the first and only space-based mobile network in the US that automatically connects to your phone so you can be connected even where no cellular network reaches. It&#8217;s a massive technical achievement and an absolute game changer for ALL wireless users,&#8221; said Mike Sievert, president and CEO of T-Mobile. 
The beta rollout is free for mobile users until July. After the beta period ends, T-Mobile Starlink will be included at no extra cost on the company&#8217;s Go5G Next plan. The service will also be available for free for Go5G Business Next customers and first responder agencies on T-Priority plans. T-Mobile customers on all other plans can choose to add the service for $15 per month. 
TMUS Price Action: <a href="http://benzinga.com/quote/tmus">T-Mobile shares</a> were up 2.96% at $253.53 at the time of publication Monday, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Photo: Shutterstock.

T-Mobile Stock Is Rising Monday: What's Going On?

On Sunday, T-Mobile U.S. Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMUS#NASDAQ">TMUS</a>) offered free access to its satellite-to-cell beta service, powered by SpaceX&#8217;s Starlink, for all users.
What Happened: According to T-Mobile, 500,000 square miles of the U.S., previously unreachable by terrestrial towers, can now maintain connectivity.
When the service officially launches in July, it will be included at no extra cost for customers on T-Mobile&#8217;s premium Go5G Next plan. Other T-Mobile users can add it for $15 per month.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43550876/iphone-se-could-be-unveiled-as-early-as-next-week-apples-budget-model-to-feature-iphone-14-design-and-ai-features">iPhone SE Could Be Unveiled As Early As Next Week — Apple&#8217;s Budget Model To Feature iPhone 14 Design And AI Features</a>
For a limited time, beta testers on other T-Mobile plans can lock in an Early Adopter Discount. Until March 1, they can save $5 per month, bringing the cost down to $10 per month.
Customers on Verizon Communications (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>), AT&amp;T (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/T#NYSE">T</a>), or other networks can also access T-Mobile Starlink without switching. Once the beta ends in July, the service will be available for $20 per month.
The service initially offers text via satellite, with voice and data features to follow.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://t.co/pSQfcQI1QM">pic.twitter.com/pSQfcQI1QM</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1888748226875883926?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Device Compatability: Most smartphones, released in the last four years, will support T-Mobile Starlink beta, but satellite connectivity requires optimization for the best experience. This includes the iPhone 14 and later, the Google Pixel 9 series, Samsung Galaxy A14–A54, and Galaxy S21.
Why It Matters: Last month, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) integrated Starlink satellite capabilities into its iOS 18.3 update, allowing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43294364/apple-surprises-iphone-users-by-teaming-up-with-spacex-and-t-mobile-to-bring-starlink-satellite-texting-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-feature">iPhone users to access</a> satellite texting.
Previously, T-Mobile highlighted Starlink&#8217;s role in providing connectivity <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/01/43328377/t-mobile-underscores-spacexs-starlinks-role-in-california-wildfire-relief-closes-record-breaking-growth-year">during the California wildfires</a>, showcasing the resilience of its network.
T-Mobile exceeded expectations in its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43300596/t-mobile-q4-earnings-beats-estimates-adds-1-9-million-postpaid-customers-targets-6-million-new-customers-in-2025">fourth-quarter results</a>, posting earnings of $2.57 per share, above the analyst estimate of $2.26.
Price Action: T-Mobile's stock rose 0.31% to $247 in after-hours trading after closing at $246.24 on Friday, down 0.38%, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
Image via Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221770/apples-ipad-turns-15-today-heres-a-throwback-to-when-steve-jobs-explained-called-it-the-third-category-after-phones-and-notebooks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple&#8217;s iPad Turns 15 Today: Here&#8217;s A Throwback To When Steve Jobs Explained Called It The ‘Third Category&#8217; After Phones And Notebooks</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

AAPL

Elon Musk's SpaceX And T-Mobile Go Live With Starlink-Powered  Satellite-To-Cell Service: Here's How Much It Will Cost

The White House said the National Security Council is reviewing the implications of&nbsp;DeepSeek, a Chinese AI firm.&nbsp;The review comes amid fears of intellectual property theft, a concern raised by&nbsp;David Sacks, the White <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43293506/chinas-deepseek-under-white-house-scrutiny-over-potential-national-security-risks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">House's AI and crypto czar</a>.
Meta Platforms Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) CEO&nbsp;Mark Zuckerberg&nbsp;is reportedly considering purchasing a property in Washington DC as part of his strategy to work <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43296858/mark-zuckerberg-reportedly-explores-buying-property-in-washington-dc-as-meta-ceo-looks-to-work-closely-with-trump" rel="noreferrer noopener">closely with President&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43296858/mark-zuckerberg-reportedly-explores-buying-property-in-washington-dc-as-meta-ceo-looks-to-work-closely-with-trump" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donald Trump</a>.
Earnings Results
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>)&nbsp;reported second-quarter GAAP earnings of $3.23 per share, beating the $3.11 consensus estimate. Quarterly revenue clocked in at $69.6 billion, beating the $68.78 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43320124/microsoft-shares-slide-after-q2-results-cloud-revenue-misses-expectations-details" rel="noreferrer noopener">billion analyst consensus estimate</a>.
Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43327016/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-accepts-deepseek-ai-has-some-real-innovations-but-wont-say-if-they-mark-a-turning-point-for-ai-cost-reduction" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Accepts DeepSeek AI Has Some &#8216;Real Innovations&#8217; — But Won&#8217;t Say If They Mark A Turning Point For AI Cost Reduction</a>
International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) reported fourth-quarter earnings of&nbsp;$3.92&nbsp;per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of&nbsp;$3.75. Quarterly revenue came in at $17.55 billion,&nbsp;which beat the analyst <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43321676/ibm-reports-q4" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate of&nbsp;$17.54 billion</a>.
Meta reported fourth-quarter revenue of $48.39 billion, beating&nbsp;analyst estimates of $47.03 billion. The company reported fourth-quarter earnings of $8.02 per share,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/01/43322201/meta-platforms-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-daily-actives-up-5-continued-strong-revenue-growth-expected" rel="noreferrer noopener"> beating analyst estimates of $6.77 per share</a>.
Related:<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43326499/mark-zuckerberg-says-chinas-deepseek-did-some-novel-things-were-still-digesting-but-meta-may-keep-pouring-billions-into-ai-infrastructure-anyway" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Mark Zuckerberg Says China&#8217;s DeepSeek Did Some Novel Things &#8216;We&#8217;re Still Digesting,&#8217; But Meta May Keep Pouring Billions Into AI Infrastructure Anyway</a>
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) reported fourth-quarter earnings of&nbsp;13&nbsp;per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of&nbsp;12&nbsp;cents. Quarterly revenue clocked in at $14.3 billion,&nbsp;which beat the analyst <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43354712/intel-stock-climbs-on-better-than-expected-q4-report-details" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate of&nbsp;$13.81 billion</a>.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) reported fiscal first-quarter revenue of $124.3 billion, beating analyst&nbsp;estimates&nbsp;of $124.13 billion. The iPhone maker reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share, beating <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43355688/apple-q1-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-iphone-sales-slip-installed-base-climbs-to-all-time-high-ou" rel="noreferrer noopener">analyst estimates of $2.36 per share</a>.
Related: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43373775/tim-cook-praises-chinas-deepseek-for-driving-efficiency-stresses-apples-prudent-and-deliberate-approach-toward-capital-expenditure" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tim Cook Praises China&#8217;s DeepSeek For Driving Efficiency, Stresses Apple&#8217;s &#8216;Prudent And Deliberate&#8217; Approach Toward Capital Expenditure</a>
Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) stock took a hit as China&#8217;s&nbsp;DeepSeek unveiled an AI model that reportedly offers cutting-edge performance at a fraction of the cost. This development has sparked doubts about the need <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43220297/nvidia-stock-slide-as-chinas-deepseek-ai-sparks-doubts-over-gpu-spending-frenzy-what-tech-experts-are-saying" rel="noreferrer noopener">for&nbsp;massive GPU investments</a>.
The race among large language models has intensified with DeepSeek R1 emerging&nbsp;as a formidable competitor&nbsp;to established players like OpenAI's o1 and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/01/43243584/deepseek-r1-vs-openai-what-consumers-need-to-know-about-ais-latest-challenger" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meta Platforms Inc.</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/01/43243584/deepseek-r1-vs-openai-what-consumers-need-to-know-about-ais-latest-challenger" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘s Llama 3.2</a>.
DeepSeek was targeted by significant cyberattacks, coinciding with its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43257133/chinese-ai-startup-deepseek-hit-by-cyberattacks-after-toppling-us-giants-like-nvidia-with-new-ai-model-dubbed-as-chatgpt-killer" rel="noreferrer noopener">growing prominence in the AI sector</a>.
Veteran investor&nbsp;Ross Gerber voiced his apprehensions <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43258810/ross-gerber-slams-deepseeks-privacy-policy-as-the-chinese-ai-models-rise-triggers-market-chaos-i-dont-trust-a-thing-china-does" rel="noreferrer noopener">regarding&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43258810/ross-gerber-slams-deepseeks-privacy-policy-as-the-chinese-ai-models-rise-triggers-market-chaos-i-dont-trust-a-thing-china-does" rel="noreferrer noopener">DeepSeek's</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43258810/ross-gerber-slams-deepseeks-privacy-policy-as-the-chinese-ai-models-rise-triggers-market-chaos-i-dont-trust-a-thing-china-does" rel="noreferrer noopener"> privacy policy on&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43258810/ross-gerber-slams-deepseeks-privacy-policy-as-the-chinese-ai-models-rise-triggers-market-chaos-i-dont-trust-a-thing-china-does" rel="noreferrer noopener">X</a>.
OpenAI&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;Sam Altman has addressed the capabilities of&nbsp;DeepSeek's R1 model, acknowledging its impressive <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43259545/deepseeks-r1-is-impressive-but-openai-ceo-sam-altman-says-they-will-crush-it-with-much-better-models-looking-forward-to-bringing-you-all-agi-and-beyond" rel="noreferrer noopener">performance and cost-</a>effectiveness.
Palmer Luckey, founder of&nbsp;Oculus&nbsp;and&nbsp;Anduril Industries, has voiced strong criticism against the reaction to&nbsp;DeepSeek,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43294552/palmer-luckey-blasts-hysteria-over-deepseek-oculus-founder-says-chinese-hedge-funds-psyops-targeted-us-ai-giants-like-nvidia" rel="noreferrer noopener"> labeling it as an overreaction</a>.
SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFBQF#OTC">SFBQF</a>)&nbsp;is reportedly negotiating a potential investment of $15 billion to $25 billion in&nbsp;OpenAI. This move could make SoftBank the largest investor in the&nbsp;ChatGPT&nbsp;creator, surpassing&nbsp;Microsoft, which <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43327823/softbank-eyes-historic-25-billion-investment-in-openai-poised-to-dethrone-microsoft-as-chatgpt-parents-biggest-investor" rel="noreferrer noopener">has&nbsp;invested nearly $14 billion</a>.
Technology &amp; Telecom
Meta said it has agreed to a $25 million settlement with President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;over his suspension from&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;and&nbsp;Instagram&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/01/43325503/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-pays-trump-25-million-to-settle-lawsuit-over-facebook-instagram-ban-after-jan-6-riot-a-big-year-for-redefining-our-relationships-with-governments" rel="noreferrer noopener">following&nbsp;the Jan. 6 Capitol riot</a>.
As McKinsey highlights a significant shift in how artificial intelligence will be used in the future,&nbsp;Verizon Communications Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>) launched&nbsp;AI Connect&nbsp;during its fourth quarter conference call, to meet the growing demand for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43222744/verizon-launches-ai-connect-as-mckinsey-predicts-that-60-70-of-ai-workload-will-shift-from-training-to-inferencing-by-2030" rel="noreferrer noopener">network capacity and computational power</a>.
Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43223228/satya-nadella-said-we-should-take-development-out-of-china-very-very-seriously-now-deepseeks-r1-has-emerged-as-chatgpt-killer-outperforming-openai-with-50x-cheaper-prices-heres-more" rel="noreferrer noopener">Satya Nadella Said &#8216;We Should Take Development Out Of China Very, Very Seriously.&#8217; Now, DeepSeek&#8217;s R1 Has Emerged As A ChatGPT Killer, Outperforming OpenAI With 50x Lower Costs: Here&#8217;s More</a>
Google Maps, owned by&nbsp;Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>), said that it will rename the "Gulf of Mexico" to "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43256798/google-maps-to-rename-gulf-of-mexico-to-gulf-of-america-for-us-users-in-aftermath-of-trump-executive-order" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gulf of America" for U.S. users</a>.&nbsp;
Google&nbsp;has reportedly reclassified the U.S. as a "sensitive country.", which is typically reserved for nations with strict governments or border <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/01/43295150/google-reclassifies-us-as-sensitive-country-just-like-china-and-russia-after-trumps-gulf-of-america-move" rel="noreferrer noopener">disputes like China, Russia, and Iraq</a>.
Social Media
Jeff Bezos-backed&nbsp;Perplexity AI has reportedly submitted a&nbsp;revised proposal&nbsp;to merge with&nbsp;TikTok&#8217;s U.S. business, offering the U.S. government a 50% stake in the new entity.
A group of U.S. investors, with backing from&nbsp;YouTube&nbsp;star&nbsp;Jimmy Donaldson, also known as&nbsp;MrBeast, has amassed over <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43325891/backed-by-youtube-king-mrbeast-group-of-american-investors-including-roblox-ceo-lock-in-over-20-billion-for-tiktok-takeover-but-they-have-not-heard-back-directly-from-bytedance" rel="noreferrer noopener">$20 billion to bid for&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43325891/backed-by-youtube-king-mrbeast-group-of-american-investors-including-roblox-ceo-lock-in-over-20-billion-for-tiktok-takeover-but-they-have-not-heard-back-directly-from-bytedance" rel="noreferrer noopener">TikTok</a>.
Smartphones
Apple reportedly plans to release the&nbsp;iOS 18.4&nbsp;update in April, following the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221500/ios-18-4-preview-updates-to-siri-more-languages-for-apple-intelligence-and-robot-vacuum-support-everything-we-know-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">public rollout of&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221500/ios-18-4-preview-updates-to-siri-more-languages-for-apple-intelligence-and-robot-vacuum-support-everything-we-know-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iOS 18.3</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221500/ios-18-4-preview-updates-to-siri-more-languages-for-apple-intelligence-and-robot-vacuum-support-everything-we-know-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;this week</a>.&nbsp;Apple has released&nbsp;iOS 18.3, addressing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43257851/ios-183-released-with-urgent-security-fixes-heres-why-every-iphone-user-should-update-immediately" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">29 security vulnerabilities</a>.
Apple joined forces with Elon Musk&#8217;s SpaceX and T-Mobile US Inc. to bring Starlink <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43294364/apple-surprises-iphone-users-by-teaming-up-with-spacex-and-t-mobile-to-bring-starlink-satellite-texting-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-feature" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">satellite texting capabilities to </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43294364/apple-surprises-iphone-users-by-teaming-up-with-spacex-and-t-mobile-to-bring-starlink-satellite-texting-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-feature" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iPhones</a>.
Image: Shutterstock

SFBQF

Consumer Tech News (Jan 27-Jan 31): China's DeepSeek Launch Gets Mixed Reaction From Experts, Tech Biggies Reported Earnings & More

Tigress Financial analyst Ivan Feinseth maintains Verizon Communications (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>) with a Buy and maintains $55 price target.

Tigress Financial Maintains Buy on Verizon Communications, Maintains $55 Price Target

The U.S. telecom sector has delivered a robust performance over the past year, outpacing broader market gains. The S&amp;P Telecom Select Industry Index surged around 37% over the past year, significantly outperforming the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/24/12/42751664/sp-500-ends-2024-23-higher-experts-see-double-digit-growth-for-2025">S&amp;P 500's 22.95% gain</a>. 
This strength has inevitably seeped into telecom-focused ETFs, making them attractive investment avenues. Here are three ETFs that could be a door for investors to ride this wave:
Strong gains in several telecom ETFs speak of the sector's bullish momentum:
<ul>
<li>Vanguard Communication Services ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VOX#NYSE">VOX</a>): Up 10% over the past three months and 31.36% over the past year.</li>
<li>Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FCOM#NYSE">FCOM</a>): Climbed 9.83% in the past three months and 31.52% over the past year.</li>
<li>iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IYZ#BATS">IYZ</a>): Gained 6.7% over three months and 15% in a year.</li>
</ul>
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/01/43331404/top-3-tech-and-telecom-stocks-that-could-lead-to-your-biggest-gains-this-quarter">Top 3 Tech And Telecom Stocks That Could Lead To Your Biggest Gains This Quarter</a>
The telecom sector's outlook remains optimistic, considering the positive forecasts in artificial intelligence. Moreover, interest rate cuts throughout 2024, and President Trump&#8217;s push for further rate reductions, could support positive sentiments and hence, industry growth.
Notably, telecom giants AT&amp;T (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/T#NYSE">T</a>), Verizon (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>), T-Mobile (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMUS#NASDAQ">TMUS</a>) and Comcast (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMSCA#NASDAQ">CMSCA</a>) reported relatively healthy Q4 earnings, reinforcing investor confidence:
<ul>
<li>Comcast<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43335926/comcast-q4-earnings-beats-estimates-peacock-subscribers-surge-29-dividend-raised-15-billion-buyback-approved"> exceeded Wall Street's expectations</a>, driven by strong broadband revenues, despite customer losses. Earnings per share (EPS) is at 96 cents adjusted revenue at $31.92 billion; net income was $4.78 billion, up 47% year over year, and adjusted EBITDA growth of 10%.</li>
<li>Verizon's Q4 results reflected healthy growth, with both revenue and earnings <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43189382/verizon-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-1-million-mobile-and-broadband-subscriber-adds-business-segment-margin-expands">surpassing estimates</a>. Its EPS was recorded at $1.10 adjusted, revenue at $35.68 billion, and net Income at $5.11 billion, rebounding from a loss a year ago.</li>
<li>AT&amp;T reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43230968/att-q4-earnings-307k-fiber-adds-projects-mid-teens-broadband-growth-in-2025">strong subscriber growth</a> and operational efficiency gains, with EPS and revenues at $0.54 and $32.3 billion respectively. Net Income of $4.03 billion nearly doubled from a year ago.</li>
<li>T-Mobile&#8217;s stock gained after it reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43300596/t-mobile-q4-earnings-beats-estimates-adds-1-9-million-postpaid-customers-targets-6-million-new-customers-in-2025">strong fourth-quarter results</a>, surpassing analyst expectations. Its EPS was $2.57, and revenue came in at $21.87 billion.</li>
</ul>
U.S. telecom ETFs remain well-positioned for continued growth thanks to strong corporate earnings and an optimistic industry outlook.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/new-etfs/25/01/43335143/peo-alphaquest-tidal-launch-etf-with-private-equity-inspired-strategy-thematic-appeal">PEO, AlphaQuest, Tidal Launch ETF With Private Equity-Inspired Strategy, Thematic Appeal</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Sector ETFs

ETFs

CMSCA

FCOM

iShares Dow Jones US Telecommunications Sector Index Fund

Telecom ETFs Gain Momentum As Sector Giants AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile Reinforce Investor Confidence

Shares of T-Mobile US Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMUS#NASDAQ">TMUS</a>) were climbing in early trading on Thursday, after the company reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43300596/t-mobile-q4-earnings-beats-estimates-adds-1-9-million-postpaid-customers-targets-6-million-new-customers-in-2025">upbeat fourth-quarter earnings</a>.
The company reported its quarterly results amid a<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings"> positive earnings season</a>. Here are some key analyst takeaways.
Scotiabank On T-Mobile US
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst/5a53c034adcfa70001c2b366/maher-yaghi">Analyst Maher Yaghi</a> reiterated a Sector Perform rating, while raising the price target from $234 to $247.
T-Mobile US reported "a strong quarter yet again," with subscriber growth surpassing peers and double-digit growth in profitability, Yaghi said in a note. The company's service revenue grew by 5.5%, driven by postpaid phone net additions of 903,000 coming in higher than consensus of 860,000 and upbeat postpaid ARPA (average revenue per account) growth, he added.
The momentum in service revenue growth is likely to continue in 2025, the analyst stated. He raised the free cash flow generation estimate from $17 billion to $17.6 billion, citing expectations of "additional growth potential in suburban, rural and enterprise segments in mobile as well as a path towards additional market share gains in broadband."
Check out <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">other analyst stock ratings</a>.
RBC Capital Markets On T-Mobile US
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst/5846ee55ee7bf6000154d12b/jonathan-atkin">Analyst Jonathan Atkin</a> maintained a Sector Perform rating, while lifting the price target from $240 to $245.
T-Mobile US reported "solid" quarterly results, with total revenue of $21.9 billion beating consensus of $20.3 billion, driven by "higher postpaid, wholesale, and equipment revenues," Atkin said. The company's postpaid net add guidance range for 2025 has a midpoint of 5.8 million, higher than consensus of 5.4 million, he added.
Management raised their growth target for wireless service revenues to 5%, from their previous guidance of around 4% "on the back of a strong subscriber outlook and ARPA growth of 3%," the analyst stated. "We view that adding Starlink service could aid the company's wireless ARPU trajectory." 
Benchmark On T-Mobile US
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst/58ca96e4b85e930001f446dd/matthew-harrigan">Analyst Matthew Harrigan</a> reaffirmed a Buy rating, while raising the price target from $255 to $275.
T-Mobile US made "incremental market share gains" versus AT&amp;T Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/T#NYSE">T</a>) and Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>), Harrigan said. The company's postpaid phone add result was the highest quarterly gain in its history and represented around 46% of the total growth among the three major US mobile network operators in the fourth quarter, he added.
"T-Mobile provided 2025 postpaid connection guidance for 5.5M to 6M connections this year, the highest it has ever provided embarking on a new year," the analyst wrote. The company should also benefit significantly from the expected acceleration in phone replacement cycles due to new AI capabilities, he further stated.
TMUS Price Action: Shares of T-Mobile US had risen by 1.33% to $238.27 at the time of publication on Thursday.
Read More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/01/43328377/t-mobile-underscores-spacexs-starlinks-role-in-california-wildfire-relief-closes-record-breaking-growth-year">T-Mobile Underscores SpaceX&#8217;s Starlink&#8217;s Role In California Wildfire Relief, Closes Record-Breaking Growth Year</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Earnings Beats

T-Mobile US Posts Strong Q4, Subscriber Adds Beat Expectations: Analysts See Continued Momentum In 2025

The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded Verizon Business an 8-year Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) task order worth up to $66 million over the life of the contract. Under this agreement, Verizon will provide Wi-Fi, phone, data, and other services to the U.S. Coast Guard's C5I (Command, Control, Communication, Computer, Cyber, and Intelligence) office.
Verizon will be partnering with the Coast Guard to phase out end-of-life TDM services, implementing solutions like a cellular-based POTS replacement for essential voice communications. This includes offering Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS), delivering secure IL-4 (Impact Level 4) software-based solutions for Coast Guard call centers.

Contracts

Verizon Awarded 8-Year, $66M Contract By U.S. Coast Guard For C5I Office; Provides Wi-Fi, Phone, Data Services And Phases Out TDM For Cellular-Based Solutions; Delivers IL-4 Secure Software For Call Centers

During times of turbulence and uncertainty in the markets, many investors turn to dividend-yielding stocks. These are often companies that have high free cash flows and reward shareholders with a<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/yield-investments"> high dividend payout</a>.
Benzinga readers can review the latest analyst takes on their favorite stocks by visiting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">Analyst Stock Ratings</a> page. Traders can sort through Benzinga's extensive database of analyst ratings, including <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/22/09/28888638/exclusive-study-finds-benzinga-analyst-ratings-data-yields-market-beating-strategie">by analyst accuracy</a>.
Below are the ratings of the most accurate analysts for three high-yielding stocks in the communication services sector.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Dividend Yield: 6.67%</li>
<li>Scotiabank analyst Maher Yaghi maintained a Sector Perform rating and raised the price target from $47 to $47.5 on Jan. 27, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 62%.</li>
<li>UBS analyst John Hodulik maintained a Neutral rating and increased the price target from $44 to $45 on Dec. 20, 2024. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 76%.</li>
<li>Recent News: On Jan. 24, Verizon reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter GAAP EPS and revenue results.</li>
<li>Benzinga Pro's real-time newsfeed alerted to <a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent012825&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">latest VZ news</a>. </li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent012825&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="907" height="818" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/28043934/image-216.png" alt="" class="wp-image-753045" style="width:567px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/28043934/image-216.png 907w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/28043934/image-216-300x271.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/28043934/image-216-768x693.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 907px) 100vw, 907px" /></a></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IPG#NYSE">IPG</a>)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Dividend Yield: 4.51%</li>
<li>JP Morgan analyst David Karnovsky upgraded the stock from Neutral to Overweight and increased the price target from $32 to $39 on Jan. 27, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 71%.</li>
<li>Wells Fargo analyst Steven Cahall upgraded the stock from Underweight to Equal-Weight and raised the price target from $26 to $34 on Dec. 10, 2024. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 62%.</li>
<li>Recent News: On Dec. 9, 2024, Omnicom Group Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OMC#NYSE">OMC</a>) agreed Monday to acquire Interpublic Group of Companies in a stock-for-stock transaction.</li>
<li>Benzinga Pro's real-time newsfeed alerted to <a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent012825&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">latest IPG news</a> </li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent012825&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="912" height="827" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/28044011/image-217.png" alt="" class="wp-image-753047" style="width:582px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/28044011/image-217.png 912w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/28044011/image-217-300x272.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/28044011/image-217-768x696.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 912px) 100vw, 912px" /></a></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Shutterstock, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SSTK#NYSE">SSTK</a>)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Dividend Yield: 4.16%</li>
<li>Needham analyst Bernie McTernan maintained a Buy rating and cut the price target from $55 to $45 on Jan. 13, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 66%.</li>
<li>JMP Securities analyst Andrew Boone reiterated a Market Perform rating on Jan. 6, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 81%.</li>
<li>Recent News: On Jan.7, Getty Images and Shutterstock announced a $3.7 billion merger.</li>
<li>Benzinga Pro&#8217;s real-time newsfeed alerted to latest <a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent012825&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">SSTK news</a>.</li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent012825&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="921" height="812" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/28044046/image-218.png" alt="" class="wp-image-753051" style="width:534px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/28044046/image-218.png 921w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/28044046/image-218-300x264.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/28044046/image-218-768x677.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 921px) 100vw, 921px" /></a></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="How to Find Dividend Stocks: Scan, Analyze, and Capture with Benzinga Pro" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pVF0O2lsEH4?start=1&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>
</figure>
Read More:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/01/43230206/jim-cramer-is-worried-about-this-consumer-cyclical-stock-7-yield-something-may-be-wrong-here"> </a>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/01/43230206/jim-cramer-is-worried-about-this-consumer-cyclical-stock-7-yield-something-may-be-wrong-here">Jim Cramer Is Worried About This Consumer Cyclical Stock: 7% Yield? &#8216;Something May Be Wrong Here&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>

SSTK

Wall Street's Most Accurate Analysts Spotlight On 3 Tech & Telecom Stocks Delivering High-Dividend Yields

Goldman Sachs analyst James Schneider maintained a Buy rating on AT&amp;T Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/T#NYSE">T</a>) with a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/T/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">price target of $28</a>.
Schneider expects the stock to trade modestly higher following in-line results in light of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43230968/att-q4-earnings-307k-fiber-adds-projects-mid-teens-broadband-growth-in-2025" rel="noreferrer noopener">a solid quarter</a> with strong underlying subscriber metrics.
The analyst noted expectations were modestly elevated given investor positioning but sees fundamentals as de-risked mainly as the company has already provided 2025-27 guidance.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/01/43155691/amazon-to-shut-7-quebec-fulfillment-centers-axe-around-2000-jobs" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amazon To Shut 7 Quebec Fulfillment Centers, Axe Around 2,000 Jobs</a>
Investors are concentrated on the broadband market, and any comment on the call regarding the pace of fiber additions, broadband pricing forecast, or changes in the pace of FWA additions could be incremental for the wireless and cable stocks.
AT&amp;T reported revenue of $32.3 billion, which was in line with Schneider&#8217;s estimate of $32.2 billion and the Street&#8217;s estimate of $32.1 billion. Adjusted EBITDA of $10.79 billion was just below Schneider&#8217;s estimate of $10.94 billion and the Street&#8217;s estimate of $10.83 billion. Free cash flow of $4.83 billion was just above Schneider&#8217;s estimate of $4.7 billion and the Street&#8217;s estimate of $4.8 billion.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Wireless service revenue of $16.56 billion was just below Schneider&#8217;s estimate of $16.7 billion but in line with the Street&#8217;s at $16.53 billion. Postpaid phone net adds came in at +482k, well above Schneider&#8217;s estimate of +446k, and the Street&#8217;s at +425k. Wireless EBITDA of $8.89 billion was in line with Schneider&#8217;s estimate of $8.95 billion and the Street&#8217;s at $8.87 billion.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Business wireline service revenue of $4.38 billion was above Schneider&#8217;s estimate of $4.34 billion and the Street&#8217;s estimate of $4.30 billion. In comparison, EBITDA of $1.20 billion was below Schneider&#8217;s estimate of $1.26 billion and the Street&#8217;s estimate of $1.23 billion.
Consumer Wireline revenue of $3.47 billion was in line with Schneider&#8217;s estimate of $3.48 billion and the Street&#8217;s estimate of $3.47 billion.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Broadband revenue was $2.91 billion, versus Schneider&#8217;s estimate of $2.91 billion and the Street&#8217;s estimate of $2.90 billion. Consumer Wireline EBITDA was $1.22 billion, well above Schneider&#8217;s estimate of $1.14 billion and the Street&#8217;s estimate of $1.16 billion.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Fiber net additions of +307k were well above Schneider&#8217;s estimate at +245k and the Street at +259k, while Internet Air net additions of +158k were above GS&#8217;s estimate at +130k and the Street at +134k.
AT&amp;T reiterated its guidance for 2025. Wireless service revenue growth stands at the higher end of 2%-3%, versus Schneider and Street&#8217;s estimate of +2.7%. Fiber broadband revenue growth stands at mid-teens versus Schneider&#8217;s +15.5% and the Street at +16.0%. Adjusted EBITDA growth stands at 3.0% or better versus Schneider&#8217;s at +3.1% and the Street at +2.7%. 
Capital Investment guidance remains at $22 billion versus Schneider at $21.8 billion and the Street at $21.8 billion, free cash flow at $16+ billion versus Schneider at $16.3 billion and the Street at $17.9 billion (not comparable). Adjusted EPS remains at $1.97-$2.07 versus Schneider at $2.04 and the Street at $2.11 (not comparable).
Between Verizon Communications Inc and AT&amp;T, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43189382/verizon-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-1-million-mobile-and-broadband-subscriber-adds-business-segment-margin-expands" rel="noreferrer noopener">postpaid phone net adds</a> are running +1050 Y/Y (relative to the fourth quarter of 2023, when total net adds were +975k Y/Y), which suggests solid trends in the overall wireless market. Also, consumer broadband net additions for AT&amp;T and Verizon are +358k Y/Y (relative to the fourth quarter of 2023, when net additions were +273k) and imply a strengthening market.
Price Action: T stock is up 6.6% at $24.22 at the last check on Monday.
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43139681/himax-to-gain-big-as-tsmc-nvidia-and-amd-advance-silicon-photonics-and-coupe-tech-analyst" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Himax To Gain Big As TSMC, Nvidia and AMD Advance Silicon Photonics and COUPE Tech: Analyst</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock.

Equities

AT&T's Subscriber Momentum And De-Risked Fundamentals Drive Optimism: Goldman Sachs Analyst

Scotiabank analyst Maher Yaghi maintains Verizon Communications (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>) with a Sector Perform and raises the price target from $47 to $47.5.

Scotiabank Maintains Sector Perform on Verizon Communications, Raises Price Target to $47.5

As McKinsey highlights a significant shift in how artificial intelligence will be used in the future, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>) launched <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/43191256/verizon-ai-connect-unleashes-next-level-business-solutions-whats-on-the-cards">AI Connect</a> during its fourth quarter conference call, to meet the growing demand for network capacity and computational power.
What Happened: Traditionally, AI models primarily focused on training, where they learn from massive datasets. Inference is the stage where the trained model is used to make predictions or decisions on new data.
According <a href="https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-unveils-ai-strategy-power-next-gen-ai-demands">to</a> a press release, McKinsey predicts that a substantial portion of about 60% to 70% of AI workloads will transition to real-time inference by 2030. This means AI will be used for immediate, on-the-spot tasks rather than just offline analysis.
Verizon aims to become a key enabler of the AI ecosystem by providing the essential connectivity and infrastructure that AI applications rely upon.
McKinsey also outlines that there is an urgent need for low-latency connectivity, computing, and security at the edge beyond current demand.
<ul>
<li>Low-Latency Connectivity: Real-time inference demands extremely fast data transfer. Edge computing, where processing happens closer to the data source (like a factory floor or a self-driving car), is crucial to minimize delays.</li>
<li>Compute Power: Processing complex AI models requires significant computing power. This necessitates deploying powerful processing units directly at the edge locations.</li>
<li>Enhanced Security: As more critical operations rely on AI at the edge, robust security measures are paramount to protect sensitive data and prevent disruptions.</li>
</ul>
In essence, the shift towards real-time inference from training will drive a surge in demand for advanced edge computing infrastructure. Companies will need to invest in high-speed networks, powerful edge devices, and robust security solutions to support this evolving AI landscape.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/01/43221229/trumps-executive-orders-fuel-tech-weaken-energy-stocks-in-his-first-week-immigration-tariff-reforms-on-cards-but-experts-say-dont-play-politics-with-your-portfolio">Trump&#8217;s Executive Orders Fuel Tech, Weaken Energy Stocks In His First Week</a>
Why It Matters: Verizon, which reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43189382/verizon-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-1-million-mobile-and-broadband-subscriber-adds-business-segment-margin-expands">earnings</a> of $1.10 per share on revenue of $35.7 billion in Q4, met analysts&#8217; expectations. 
The telecom company has already funneled over $1 billion to leverage its existing infrastructure, said its business group CEO, Kyle Malady, during the earnings call.
Google, an Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) company, and Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) have purchased capacity in Verizon&#8217;s network with the intent of using it for their AI workloads. Players like Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) are also working with Verizon to reimagine how telecom functions can work along with AI workloads.
&#8220;The bottom line is we are ready to help power the AI ecosystem. We have the assets, the expertise and the vision to deliver AI solutions at scale. By unlocking the potential of our existing assets, we can further improve the financial profile of Verizon business,&#8221; said Malady.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/01/43184963/nvidia-microsoft-or-oracle-which-among-these-stargate-ai-project-beneficiaries-are-the-least-expensive-to-own">Nvidia, Microsoft, Or Oracle: Which Stock Among These Stargate AI Project Beneficiaries Are The Least Expensive To Own?</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Verizon Launches AI Connect As McKinsey Predicts That 60-70% Of AI Workload Will Shift From Training To Inferencing By 2030

Wall Street paused for a breather on Friday, with the S&amp;P 500 index hovering around the flatline at midday trading in New York after a five-day rally that pushed the market to fresh record highs this week. Meanwhile, investor attention shifted to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/forex">forex and gold markets.</a>
The greenback is experiencing its worst weekly performance since July 2023, as President Donald Trump refrained from imposing new tariffs during his first week and escalated pressure on the Federal Reserve, urging the central bank to lower interest rates. The U.S. dollar index – tracked by the Invesco DB USD Index Bullish Fund ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UUP#NYSE">UUP</a>) – dropped 0.7% on Friday, extending its weekly decline to 1.7%.
Adding to the dollar's downward momentum, the Bank of Japan raised interest rates by 25 basis points to 0.5%, the highest level since 2008, in a move that broadly met expectations.
Gold capitalized on the dollar's weakness and rising tensions between the president and the central bank, marking another week of strong gains and approaching all-time highs. The bullion, tracked by the SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GLD#NYSE">GLD</a>), was trading at $2,777 per ounce.
On the macro front, S&amp;P Global reported a slowdown in private sector growth in January, as the services sector faced an unexpected setback, despite manufacturing expanding for the first<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/01/43195427/us-services-growth-slows-manufacturing-finally-expands-in-january-inflation-was-broad-based-expert-warns"> time in seven months.</a>
A warning came from the University of Michigan's consumer survey, which downwardly revised the January consumer confidence indicator and pointed to increasing trends of households making purchases in advance to avoid potential price hikes <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/01/43197024/consumer-confidence-declines-as-buying-in-advance-trends-grow">linked to tariffs.</a>
In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) climbed 2.5% following Trump's executive order signed on Thursday, aimed at strengthening U.S. leadership in digital assets. 
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Friday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Major Indices</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>1-day %chg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>2,314.96</td>
<td>0.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>6,119.65</td>
<td>0.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>44,541.76</td>
<td>-0.1 %</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>21,861.02</td>
<td>-0.2%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 1:00 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>
According to&nbsp;<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent012425&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:
<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) eased 0.1% to $608.89.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>)&nbsp;inched 0.1% lower to $444.96.</li>
<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust Series&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) slipped 0.4% to $530.73.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) stalled at $229.40.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLU#NYSE">XLU</a>) outperformed, up 0.9%; the&nbsp;Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>) lagged, down 0.4%.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Friday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h3>
<ul>
<li>American Express Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>) fell 2.4% after reporting fourth-quarter results. </li>
<li>Other stocks moving on quarterly results were Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>), up 1.3%, NextEra Energy Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEE#NYSE">NEE</a>), up 4%, HCA Healthcare Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>), down 3.2%, First Citizens BancShares Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FCNCA#NASDAQ">FCNCA</a>), up 3.1%, Ericsson (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ERIC#NASDAQ">ERIC</a>), down 14.3%, Intuitive Surgical Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ISRG#NASDAQ">ISRG</a>), down 3.6%, Texas Instruments Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TXN#NASDAQ">TXN</a>), down 7.1%, and CSX Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSX#NASDAQ">CSX</a>), down 2.8%. </li>
<li>Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVO#NYSE">NVO</a>) soared 8.1% after new weight loss drug amycretin showed strong trial results. </li>
</ul>
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/01/43198272/us-stocks-hit-dot-com-era-valuations-vs-bonds-why-some-experts-remain-bullish">US Stocks Hit Dot-Com Era Valuations Vs. Bonds: Why Some Experts Remain Bullish</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Large Cap

Macro Economic Events

Mid Cap

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Specialty ETFs

Commodities

Forex

Econ #s

Economics

$BTC

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust

ERIC

FCNCA

ISRG

PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund

Stocks Stall, Gold Nears Record Highs As Dollar Faces Worst Week Since July 2023: What's Driving Markets Friday?

High-rolling investors have positioned themselves bullish on Verizon Communications (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>), and it's important for retail traders to take note. 
\This activity came to our attention today through Benzinga's tracking of publicly available options data. The identities of these investors are uncertain, but such a significant move in VZ often signals that someone has privileged information.
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 8 options trades for Verizon Communications. This is not a typical pattern.
The sentiment among these major traders is split, with 62% bullish and 25% bearish. Among all the options we identified, there was one put, amounting to $32,020, and 7 calls, totaling $550,845.
<h3>Projected Price Targets</h3>
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $35.0 and $45.0 for Verizon Communications, spanning the last three months.
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Looking at the volume and open interest is a powerful move while trading options. This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Verizon Communications's options for a given strike price. Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Verizon Communications's whale trades within a strike price range from $35.0 to $45.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Verizon Communications Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737746165_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>VZ</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$0.71</td>
<td>$0.59</td>
<td>$0.71</td>
<td>$40.50</td>
<td>$144.2K</td>
<td>1.8K</td>
<td>5.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VZ</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$0.69</td>
<td>$0.6</td>
<td>$0.68</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$136.0K</td>
<td>7.1K</td>
<td>337</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VZ</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/24/25</td>
<td>$0.55</td>
<td>$0.47</td>
<td>$0.5</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$94.0K</td>
<td>31.9K</td>
<td>4.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VZ</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$6.4</td>
<td>$6.3</td>
<td>$6.35</td>
<td>$35.00</td>
<td>$63.5K</td>
<td>974</td>
<td>350</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VZ</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$1.3</td>
<td>$1.21</td>
<td>$1.21</td>
<td>$45.00</td>
<td>$59.5K</td>
<td>8.5K</td>
<td>46</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Verizon Communications</h3>
Wireless services account for about 70% of Verizon Communications' total service revenue and nearly all of its operating income. The firm serves about 93 million postpaid and 20 million prepaid phone customers via its nationwide network, making it the largest US wireless carrier. Fixed-line telecom operations include local networks in the Northeast, which reach about 30 million homes and businesses and serve about 8 million broadband customers. Verizon also provides telecom services nationwide to enterprise customers, often using a mixture of its own and other carriers' networks. Verizon agreed to acquire Frontier Communications in September 2024.
Having examined the options trading patterns of Verizon Communications, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
<h3>Verizon Communications's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 24,435,391, the price of VZ is up 1.51% at $39.77. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 0 days.</li>
</ul>
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Options

Verizon Communications Unusual Options Activity For January 24

U.S. stocks traded mixed this morning, with the Dow Jones index falling over 50 points on Friday.
Following the market opening Friday, the Dow traded down 0.14% to 44,496.54 while the NASDAQ rose 0.05% to 20,063.40. The S&amp;P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.02% to 6,119.92.
Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43189390/top-3-materials-stocks-that-may-fall-off-a-cliff-in-january">Top 3 Materials Stocks That May Fall Off A Cliff In January</a>
Leading and Lagging Sectors Energy shares surged by 0.9% on Friday.
In trading on Friday, information technology shares fell by 0.6%.
Top Headline
Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>) reported better-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter sales results on Friday.
Its revenue growth was 1.6% year-over-year reaching $35.70 billion, topping the analyst consensus estimate of $35.32 billion. Adjusted EPS of $1.10 was in line with the analyst consensus estimate.
Verizon added ~1 million postpaid mobile and broadband subscribers in the quarter, marking its best quarterly result in more than a decade.
Equities Trading UP &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Allurion Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALUR#NASDAQ">ALUR</a>) shares shot up 171% to $10.01 after the company announced plans to raise approximately $7.4 million of gross proceeds in offering priced at-the-market.</li>
<li>Shares of Nvni Group Limited (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVNI#NASDAQ">NVNI</a>)got a boost, surging 98% to $2.9501 after the company announced it regained Nasdaq compliance regarding the minimum bid pricing list requirement.</li>
<li>PMGC Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ELAB#NASDAQ">ELAB</a>) shares were also up, gaining 77% to $3.5100 after the company announced its Northstrive Biosciences subsidiary will present at a symposium on anti-obesity treatments.</li>
</ul>
Equities Trading DOWN
<ul>
<li>U Power Limited (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UCAR#NASDAQ">UCAR</a>) shares dropped 28% to $5.75 after the company announced the pricing of $5 million registered direct offering.</li>
<li>Shares of Hyzon Motors Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HYZN#NASDAQ">HYZN</a>) were down 27% to $0.5599.</li>
<li>Diginex Limited (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DGNX#NASDAQ">DGNX</a>) was down, falling 48% to $6.64. Diginex announced the closing of $9.2 million initial public offering.</li>
</ul>
Commodities In commodity news, oil traded up 0.5% to $75.00 while gold traded up 0.7% at $2,784.10.
Silver traded up 1.5% to $31.290 on Friday, while copper fell 0.2% to $4.3215.
Euro zone
European shares were mixed today. The eurozone's STOXX 600 gained 0.2%, Germany's DAX 40 fell 0.1% and France's CAC 40 gained 0.5%. Spain's IBEX 35 Index fell 0.3%, while London's FTSE 100 fell 0.5%.
Asia Pacific Markets
Asian markets closed mixed on Friday, with Japan's Nikkei 225 falling 0.07%, China's Shanghai Composite Index gaining 0.70%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gaining 1.86% and India's BSE Sensex falling 0.43%.
Economics
<ul>
<li>The S&amp;P Global services PMI declined to 52.8 in January from 56.8 in the previous month, compared to market expectations of 56.5.</li>
<li>The S&amp;P Global manufacturing PMI rose to 50.1 in January versus 49.4 in December, versus market estimates of 49.7</li>
</ul>
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43189554/how-to-earn-500-a-month-from-general-motors-stock-ahead-of-q4-earnings">How To Earn $500 A Month From General Motors Stock Ahead Of Q4 Earnings</a></li>
</ul>

Eurozone

Intraday Update

ALUR

DGNX

ELAB

HYZN

NVNI

UCAR

US Stocks Mixed; Verizon Posts Upbeat Sales

Press Releases

General

Verizon FanFests "Sold Out" with 100K+ Tickets Claimed

Verizon Foundation provides $500,000 to support wildfire recovery efforts in Southern California

Verizon adds another epic deal for mobile and home customers with Google One AI Premium

Johnson Fistel Investigates the Proposed Merger of Frontier Communications; Is $38.50 a Fair Price?

Verizon has the best 5G network in America

Verizon powers winning network experience on Super Bowl Sunday

Verizon to redeem debt securities on March 18, 2025

Verizon Innovative Learning reaches 8.5 million students, adds 34 schools for 2025-2026 school year

Management

Verizon to speak at Barclays Symposium February 25

Upgrade to iPhone 16e and save with incredible offers from Verizon

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Shenandoah

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Sunrise Communications

AT&T

Telefonica

Telecom Argentina

Telkom Indonesia

Telefonica Brasil S.A. American Depositary Shares (Each representing One Common Share)

Telefonica Brasil

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Startups

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