Hans Erik Vestberg, a member of the board of Verizon Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: VZ), completed a sale of 225,000 shares of Verizon common stock on February 24, 2026, for a total of $11,163,150. According to the company filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the shares were transacted at prices ranging between $49.395 and $49.865 each.
The timing of the disposition is notable: Verizon shares were trading close to their 52-week high of $50.48 at the time and the stock had produced a year-to-date return of roughly 23%.
Details in the Form 4 reveal that Vestberg directly sold 200,000 shares and, after that direct sale, retained a balance of 145,069 shares. In addition to the direct sale, he recorded separate dispositions of 12,500 shares from two trusts listed in the filing as "By trust 1" and "By trust 2." After those trust sales, the filing shows the trusts continuing to hold 13,024 and 13,023 shares, respectively.
The filing also indicates indirect ownership: Vestberg holds 307,315 shares through grantor retained annuity trusts. The document supplies a snapshot of how his ownership is allocated across direct holdings, trusts, and other indirect vehicles, but does not provide commentary on his motives for the transactions.
Market context and recent corporate moves
Vestberg's sale comes at a time when several notable developments have been reported about Verizon's finances and analyst coverage. The company completed the sale of subordinated notes totaling 2.25 billion and 3 600 million, with institutions including Barclays Bank and Citigroup Global Markets involved in the transactions.
On the analyst front, a number of firms have updated their views and targets. Daiwa Securities upgraded Verizon to a Buy, citing an improvement in market share and subscriber momentum through 2024 and 2025. TD Cowen lifted its price target to $54.00 from $51.00 after what it described as an impressive fourth-quarter performance in 2025, even as it noted some pressure on EBITDA. KeyBanc Capital Markets kept a Sector Weight rating, describing prospects as mixed while acknowledging management's strategic initiatives and cost reductions. Bernstein SocGen Group raised its target to $48.00 from $44.00, highlighting strong fourth-quarter results, including substantial postpaid phone net additions and a notable increase in fixed wireless access additions.
Separately, third-party research referenced in disclosures indicates that InvestingPro's analysis considers Verizon undervalued at current levels and that more comprehensive Fair Value estimates and financial health metrics are available through its Pro Research Report for VZ.
What the filing shows and what it does not
The SEC Form 4 provides precise counts of shares sold and retained across direct and trust accounts, along with aggregate indirect holdings via grantor retained annuity trusts. The filing does not, however, include any explanation for the sale or any statements from Vestberg or Verizon regarding intent.
Investors watching insider activity will note the sale's scale alongside recent analyst actions and the company's capital markets activity, but the filing itself is a factual record of the transactions rather than an interpretation of strategic direction.