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Verizon Communications Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Culture and cost structure to change: Management said it will transform its culture, cost structure and financial profile to put customers first and deliver returns to shareholders. Source
  • EPS rose to $1.17: EPS was $1.17, compared with $0.78 in third-quarter 2024. Source
  • Consumer operating income margin eased: Consumer operating income was $7.7 billion, up 0.8 percent, with segment operating margin of 29.4 percent against 30.0 percent. Source
  • Broadband net additions of 306,000: Broadband net additions were 306,000, compared with 293,000 in the second quarter. Source
  • Nine-month free cash flow rose: Free cash flow for the nine months was $15.8 billion, up from $14.5 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Unsecured debt lower year on year: Total unsecured debt was $119.7 billion, down from $126.4 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Frontier deal pending, excluded from guidance: Full-year 2025 guidance does not include any assumptions about the pending Frontier acquisition. Source

“We are going to take bold and fiscally responsible action to redefine Verizon’s trajectory at this critical inflection point for our company.”

Dan Schulman, Verizon CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total wireless service revenue growth Sourcefull year 20252.0 percent to 2.8 percentKept
Adjusted EBITDA growth Sourcefull year 20252.5 percent to 3.5 percentKept
Adjusted EPS growth Sourcefull year 20251.0 percent to 3.0 percentKept
Cash flow from operations Sourcefull year 2025$37.0 billion to $39.0 billionKept
Free cash flow Sourcefull year 2025$19.5 billion to $20.5 billionKept
Capital expenditures Sourcefull year 2025within or below $17.5 billion to $18.5 billionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2025 guidance was reaffirmed, with no revised figures in this release. Source
  • New: Dan Schulman is quoted as Verizon CEO in this release; the prior release quoted Hans Vestberg as Chairman and CEO. Source
  • New: Management said it will shift the company to a customer-first culture. Source

Customer-first reset under new CEO

  • Culture and cost structure to change: Management said it will transform its culture, cost structure and financial profile to put customers first and deliver returns to shareholders. Source
  • Shift to customer-first culture: The CEO said the company will move quickly to a culture built around delighting customers. Source
  • Bold action to redefine trajectory: The CEO described the action as bold and fiscally responsible, aimed at redefining the company's trajectory. Source

Consolidated results and earnings

  • EPS rose to $1.17: EPS was $1.17, compared with $0.78 in third-quarter 2024. Source
  • Adjusted EPS above prior year: Adjusted EPS, excluding special items, was $1.21 compared with $1.19 a year earlier. Source
  • Revenue up 1.5 percent: Total operating revenue was $33.8 billion, up 1.5 percent from the same quarter a year earlier. Source
  • Net income rose to $5.1 billion: Consolidated net income was $5.1 billion, against $3.4 billion a year earlier. Source

“These will not be incremental changes. We will aggressively transform our culture, our cost structure, and the financial profile of Verizon in order to put our customers first, compete effectively, and deliver sustainable returns for our shareholders.”

Dan Schulman, Verizon CEO

Consumer segment results

  • Consumer revenue up 2.9 percent: Consumer total revenue was $26.1 billion, up 2.9 percent from a year earlier. Source
  • Consumer operating income margin eased: Consumer operating income was $7.7 billion, up 0.8 percent, with segment operating margin of 29.4 percent against 30.0 percent. Source
  • Consumer EBITDA margin slightly lower: Consumer segment EBITDA was $11.2 billion, up 2.0 percent, with margin of 43.0 percent against 43.4 percent. Source

Business segment results

  • Business revenue down 2.8 percent: Total Verizon Business revenue was $7.1 billion, a decrease of 2.8 percent from a year earlier. Source
  • Business operating income up 12.7 percent: Business operating income was $637 million, with segment operating margin of 8.9 percent against 7.7 percent. Source
  • Business EBITDA margin higher: Business segment EBITDA was $1.7 billion, up 4.2 percent, with margin of 23.4 percent against 21.8 percent. Source

“Verizon remains confident in its previously updated guidance for the full year:”

Verizon Communications Inc., press release

Broadband and fixed wireless access

  • Broadband net additions of 306,000: Broadband net additions were 306,000, compared with 293,000 in the second quarter. Source
  • Total broadband base above 13.2 million: Total broadband connections passed 13.2 million, up 11.1 percent year over year. Source
  • Fios internet best quarter in two years: Fios internet had its best quarterly net additions result in two years. Source

Costs, margins and operating income

  • Operating income up 36.8 percent: Operating income was $8.1 billion, up 36.8 percent from $5.9 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Selling and admin costs fell: Selling, general and administrative expense fell 20.1 percent. The prior-year quarter included $1,733 million severance and $374 million asset and business rationalization charges. Source
  • Equipment costs rose faster than revenue: Cost of wireless equipment rose 7.2 percent, while wireless equipment revenue rose 5.2 percent. Source

Cash flow, debt and dividend

  • Nine-month free cash flow rose: Free cash flow for the nine months was $15.8 billion, up from $14.5 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Unsecured debt lower year on year: Total unsecured debt was $119.7 billion, down from $126.4 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Dividend raised for 19th year: Quarterly dividend per share rose to $0.6900 from $0.6775, the 19th consecutive annual increase. Source
  • Cash balance higher than year-end: Cash and cash equivalents were $7.7 billion at September 30, up from $4.2 billion at year-end 2024. Source

Frontier acquisition and workforce

  • Frontier deal pending, excluded from guidance: Full-year 2025 guidance does not include any assumptions about the pending Frontier acquisition. Source
  • Common shares outstanding edged up: Common shares outstanding at period end were 4,216 million, up from 4,210 million at year-end 2024. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Consumer postpaid phone net additions Source7,000 net losses in third-quarter 2025
Business postpaid phone net additions Source51,000
Consumer core prepaid net additions Source47,000
Consumer postpaid churn Source1.12 percent
Consumer postpaid phone churn Source0.91 percent
Consumer postpaid ARPA Source$147.91
Fixed wireless access net additions and base Source261,000 net additions; nearly 5.4 million subscribers
Broadband net additions Source306,000
Fios internet net additions Source61,000
Capital expenditures, nine months Source$12,263 million

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: The company says it is on track to deliver full-year financial guidance. Source
  • On track: The company says it remains on track to meet its 2025 investment goals and expects capital expenditures within or below the guided range. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.