Shares of leading telecom company Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) have been sluggish over the past 12 months, delivering flat returns over that time frame.
And over the past five years, they’re down 25%, which is particularly disappointing given that the S&P 500 has been fairly strong over that stretch, rising by more than 70%
Verizon’s stock had been rallying earlier in the year, but things have cooled off of late. However, later this month, there may be a potential catalyst that gives the stock a boost, as it’s scheduled to release its second-quarter earnings numbers on July 24. If they’re strong, that could be just what’s needed to get the stock back on a positive trajectory.
Should you buy it before then? Why Verizon could use a positive distraction In the early part of 2026, it looked like it might be a comeback year for this struggling stock, as Verizon was up over $50 and its year-to-date returns were approaching 30%. But gradually, it began to give back much of those gains, and with Space Exploration Technologies (also known as SpaceX) going public recently and raising concerns that the company could disrupt the telecom sector, Verizon’s stock fell even further.