Verizon Communications stock gains on multi-billion Corning fiber deal and analyst upgrades

Verizon Communications stock (ISIN US92343V1044) has climbed about 22 percent year to date as of September 19, 2026, supported by a multi-billion fiber supply agreement with Corning and a series of recent analyst price target increases that underline continued confidence in the telecom group’s earnings trajectory.StocksDownUnder

Corning fiber deal underpins Verizon’s network strategy

As StocksDownUnder reported on September 19, 2026, Corning and Verizon agreed a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar supply contract under which Verizon will buy more than 80 million miles of high-density optical fiber and connectivity solutions between 2027 and 2032.

According to StocksDownUnder, the fiber will support both Verizon’s expansion of broadband access for households and businesses and the build-out of high-capacity long-haul networks that connect AI data centers, combining broadband, mobile connectivity and high-capacity infrastructure on a single architecture.

Analysts see further upside for Verizon stock

In the wake of Verizon’s second-quarter 2026 earnings, at least six Wall Street analysts raised their price targets on Verizon Communications stock, citing what they described as a positive backdrop for the company’s cash flow and network investment story.Stocktwits News

As Stocktwits News noted on September 19, 2026, TD Cowen lifted its 12-month price target on Verizon from USD 54 to USD 56 while maintaining a Buy rating, implying an upside of more than 18 percent from the last closing price mentioned in that report.

According to the same Stocktwits News article, Morgan Stanley also raised its Verizon price target from USD 50 to USD 52, signaling roughly 10 percent upside, while Morningstar reaffirmed a USD 54 fair value estimate and continues to view the shares as undervalued despite competitive pressures in US telecom.

As per Koyfin data cited by Stocktwits News, the average 12-month analyst price target for Verizon Communications stands at USD 51.56, which implies about 9 percent potential upside from the last quoted closing level in mid-September 2026.

Recent insider transactions provide additional context

Beyond external analyst commentary, recent insider trading activity adds nuance to the Verizon story. According to MarketBeat, Verizon’s chief executive Kyle Malady sold 1,100 Verizon shares at an average price of USD 49.98 on September 8, 2026, for a total value of USD 54,978.00.

The same insider overview from MarketBeat shows that Malady also sold 1,100 shares at USD 50.50 on September 1, 2026, for USD 55,550.00, while several other executives have sold Verizon stock over the last 24 months, bringing total insider disposals to 293,133 shares with an aggregate transaction value of about USD 13,958,792.32.

In percentage terms, insider ownership remains relatively low: MarketBeat calculates that around 0.03 percent of Verizon Communications stock is owned by insiders, which is typical for a large-cap telecom incumbent and suggests that the share register is dominated by institutional and retail investors rather than management.

Earnings backdrop and investor takeaway

The analyst upgrades summarized by Stocktwits News were framed explicitly in the context of Verizon’s second-quarter 2026 earnings results, which analysts cited as evidence of an improving revenue and free-cash-flow profile after a period of heavy 5G and fiber investment.

While the latest report did not enumerate all headline figures, the reaction shows that for many on Wall Street, the combination of a roughly 22 percent year-to-date share price gain, a visible network expansion plan supported by the Corning deal, and an average price target of USD 51.56 still leaves room for further upside in Verizon Communications stock.

Verizon Communications stock price snapshot

Verizon Communications stock last closed at USD 49.83 on the New York Stock Exchange on September 19, 2026, down 3.15 percent for that session, with an extended-hours indication of USD 49.87 later that day.MarketBeat

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