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Verizon Communications Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 January 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 10 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Highest quarterly net additions since 2019: Mobility and broadband net additions exceeded 1 million in fourth-quarter 2025, the highest reported quarterly total since 2019. Source
  • Postpaid phone net adds reached 616,000: Postpaid phone net additions were 616,000 in the fourth quarter, up from 504,000 a year earlier. The release called it the best quarter of this measure since 2019. Source
  • Severance and rationalization charges booked: Severance charges of $1,715 million and asset and business rationalization charges of $583 million were added back in the reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for the quarter. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $20.1 billion: Free cash flow for 2025 was $20.1 billion, compared with $19.8 billion in 2024, according to the release's non-GAAP measure. Source
  • Frontier acquisition closed January 20: The Frontier acquisition closed, and Verizon now reports over 16.3 million fixed wireless access and fiber broadband connections. Source
  • Mobility and broadband revenue growth guided: Mobility and broadband service revenue growth is guided at 2.0 to 3.0 percent, equating to about $93 billion. Source
  • Adjusted EPS guided at $4.90 to $4.95: Adjusted EPS is guided at $4.90 to $4.95, or 4.0 to 5.0 percent year-over-year growth, which the release described as a significant acceleration. Source
  • Free cash flow guided at $21.5 billion: Free cash flow is guided at $21.5 billion or more, which the release says would be the highest generated since 2020. Source

“Verizon will no longer be a hunting ground for our competitors.”

Verizon CEO Dan Schulman

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Postpaid phone net additions Source2026750,000 to 1.0 millionNew
Mobility and broadband service revenue growth Source20262.0 percent to 3.0 percent, equating to approximately $93 billionNew
Wireless service revenue growth Source2026approximately flatNew
Adjusted EPS Source2026$4.90 to $4.95, or 4.0 percent to 5.0 percent growthNew
Cash flow from operations Source2026$37.5 billion to $38.0 billionNew
Capital expenditures Source2026$16.0 billion to $16.5 billionNew
Fiber build pace Source2026at least 2.0 million passingsNew
Free cash flow Source2026$21.5 billion or moreNew
Free cash flow growth Source2026 versus 2025approximately 7.0 percent or moreNew
Free cash flow growth (forecast schedule) Source2026 versus 20256.8 percentNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Verizon issued 2026 guidance covering postpaid phone net additions, revenue, adjusted EPS, cash flow, capital expenditures and free cash flow. Source
  • New guidance: Financial guidance now includes Frontier results from January 20, 2026, the date the acquisition closed. Source
  • New: The revenue growth metric changed: 2025 guidance was on total wireless service revenue, while 2026 guidance is on total mobility and broadband service revenue.
  • New: The Frontier acquisition closed, and Verizon now reports over 16.3 million fixed wireless access and fiber broadband connections. Source
  • New: Verizon amended and modernized its long-term MVNO agreement with Charter and Comcast. Source
  • New: Severance charges of $1,715 million and asset and business rationalization charges of $583 million were recorded in the fourth quarter. Source
  • New: Management said Verizon is transforming into a leaner, outcomes-oriented organization with faster decision-making. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Highest quarterly net additions since 2019: Mobility and broadband net additions exceeded 1 million in fourth-quarter 2025, the highest reported quarterly total since 2019. Source
  • Full-year revenue rose 2.5 percent: Total operating revenue for 2025 was $138.2 billion, against $134.8 billion in 2024, up 2.5 percent. Source
  • Full-year adjusted EPS of $4.71: For 2025, EPS was $4.06, and adjusted EPS, excluding special items, was $4.71. Source
  • Fourth-quarter EPS and adjusted EPS: Fourth-quarter EPS was $0.55, against $1.18 a year earlier. Adjusted EPS was $1.09, against $1.10, with special items excluded from the adjusted figure. Source

Mobility and broadband growth

  • Postpaid phone net adds reached 616,000: Postpaid phone net additions were 616,000 in the fourth quarter, up from 504,000 a year earlier. The release called it the best quarter of this measure since 2019. Source
  • Fixed wireless base passed 5.7 million: Fixed wireless access added 319,000 subscribers in the quarter, bringing the base to over 5.7 million. Source
  • Fios internet adds highest since 2020: Verizon added 67,000 Fios internet net additions in the fourth quarter, the highest fourth-quarter figure since 2020. Source
  • Broadband net additions totaled 372,000: Broadband net additions were 372,000 in the fourth quarter, as reported in the release highlights. Source
  • Wireless service revenue up 1.1 percent: Wireless service revenue was $21.0 billion in the fourth quarter, up 1.1 percent year over year. Source

“Our performance in the fourth quarter proves that we can grow by delighting our customers and building deep trust and loyalty.”

Verizon CEO Dan Schulman

Consumer and Business segments

  • Consumer segment EBITDA rose 0.3 percent: Consumer segment EBITDA was $10,377 million, up 0.3 percent, with margin of 36.5 percent against 37.5 percent a year earlier. Consumer operating income was $6,897 million. Source
  • Consumer postpaid phone churn rose: Consumer retail postpaid phone churn was 0.95 percent in the fourth quarter, against 0.88 percent a year earlier. For 2025 it was 0.92 percent, against 0.83 percent. Source
  • Business segment EBITDA declined slightly: Business segment EBITDA was $1,619 million, down 2.2 percent, with margin of 22.0 percent against 22.1 percent. Full-year Business segment EBITDA was $6,644 million, up 4.4 percent. Source
  • Enterprise and Public Sector revenue fell: Enterprise and Public Sector revenue was $3,331 million in the fourth quarter, down 6.1 percent. Full-year revenue of $13,534 million was down 4.8 percent. Source
  • Business postpaid churn rose: Business retail postpaid churn was 1.64 percent in the fourth quarter, against 1.45 percent a year earlier. Source

Costs, charges and margins

  • Operating income down 32.6 percent: Consolidated operating income was $5,004 million in the fourth quarter, down 32.6 percent. Full-year operating income was $29,259 million, up 2.0 percent. Source
  • Selling and administrative costs up 26 percent: Selling, general and administrative expense was $10,380 million in the fourth quarter, up 26.0 percent. Full-year expense was $33,818 million, down 0.9 percent. Source
  • Severance and rationalization charges booked: Severance charges of $1,715 million and asset and business rationalization charges of $583 million were added back in the reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for the quarter. Source
  • Equipment costs grew with equipment sales: Cost of wireless equipment was $9,380 million, up 9.3 percent, against wireless equipment revenue up 9.1 percent in the same quarter. Source

“In the past 100 days, there has been a true shift in mindset.”

Verizon CEO Dan Schulman

Cash flow and capital spending

  • Free cash flow reached $20.1 billion: Free cash flow for 2025 was $20.1 billion, compared with $19.8 billion in 2024, according to the release's non-GAAP measure. Source
  • Operating cash flow edged higher: Cash flow from operating activities was $37.1 billion for 2025, up from $36.9 billion in 2024. Source
  • Capital spending slightly below 2024: Capital expenditures including capitalized software were $17.0 billion for 2025, against $17.1 billion in 2024. Source

Debt and shareholder returns

  • Unsecured debt higher, net debt lower: Total unsecured debt was $131.1 billion at year-end 2025, up from $117.9 billion. Net unsecured debt was $110.1 billion, down from $113.7 billion. Source
  • Leverage ratio at 2.2 times: Net unsecured debt to consolidated adjusted EBITDA was 2.2 times at year-end, against 2.3 times a year earlier. Unsecured debt to LTM net income was 7.4 times. Source
  • Quarterly dividend declared at $0.69: The quarterly cash dividend declared was $0.6900 per common share, against $0.6775 a year earlier. Source
  • Cash on hand reached $19.0 billion: Cash and cash equivalents were $19.0 billion at year-end, up from $4.2 billion a year earlier. Source

Frontier and MVNO agreement

  • Frontier acquisition closed January 20: The Frontier acquisition closed, and Verizon now reports over 16.3 million fixed wireless access and fiber broadband connections. Source
  • Fiber access reaches 30 million homes: The company said Frontier expands its fiber access to over 30 million homes and businesses, supporting its national convergence strategy. Source
  • Frontier excluded from prior guidance: The 2025 guidance had excluded any assumptions for the then-pending Frontier acquisition.
  • Charter and Comcast MVNO agreement amended: Verizon amended and modernized its long-term MVNO agreement with Charter and Comcast, which the company said supports continued growth for all three parties. Source

2026 guidance and targets

  • 2026 postpaid phone net adds guided: Verizon guided 2026 retail postpaid phone net additions to 750,000 to 1.0 million, about two to three times the 2025 reported result. Source
  • Mobility and broadband revenue growth guided: Mobility and broadband service revenue growth is guided at 2.0 to 3.0 percent, equating to about $93 billion. Source
  • Wireless service revenue guided flat: Wireless service revenue growth is expected to be approximately flat in 2026 as the company transitions to volume-based growth. Source
  • Adjusted EPS guided at $4.90 to $4.95: Adjusted EPS is guided at $4.90 to $4.95, or 4.0 to 5.0 percent year-over-year growth, which the release described as a significant acceleration. Source
  • Capital spending and fiber build guided: Capital expenditures are guided at $16.0 billion to $16.5 billion, including a fiber build pace of at least 2.0 million passings in 2026. Source
  • Free cash flow guided at $21.5 billion: Free cash flow is guided at $21.5 billion or more, which the release says would be the highest generated since 2020. Source

Strategy and organization

  • Investment is the top priority: Management named investing wisely and strategically in the business as its number one priority, to maintain network excellence and delight customers. Source
  • Headcount down to 89,900: Total employees on a full-time-equivalent basis were 89.9 thousand at year-end 2025, against 99.6 thousand a year earlier. Source
  • Leaner organization and faster decisions: Management said Verizon is increasing decision-making speed and transforming into a leaner, outcomes-oriented organization. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 January 2026

  • 2026 framed as start of turnaround: Management described 2026 guidance as reflecting the beginning of the turnaround, and a step function change from its past five-year historical average. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Postpaid phone net additions (fourth quarter 2025) Source616,000
Consumer retail postpaid phone churn (fourth quarter 2025) Source0.95 percent
Consumer wireless retail postpaid ARPA (fourth quarter 2025) Source$147.36
Fixed wireless access net additions (fourth quarter 2025) Source319,000
Broadband net additions (fourth quarter 2025) Source372,000
Capital expenditures (2025) Source$17.0 billion

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Adjusted forecasts exclude special items that management said cannot be predicted without unreasonable effort, so reconciliations are not provided for certain forecasts. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said Verizon delivered on its 2025 financial guidance, with the highest quarterly net additions since 2019. Source
  • On track: The prior release said 2025 investment goals were on track and capital expenditures were expected within or below $17.5 billion to $18.5 billion.

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.