VZ
Verizon’s glow-up is getting real
Verizon just posted second-quarter 2026 results that read less like a telecom shrug and more like a comeback montage. Mobility and broadband service revenue grew 2.8%, the company added 184,000 postpaid phone customers, and total mobility plus broadband net additions topped 550,000. That’s not “fine, I guess” territory — that’s momentum.
The cash machine got louder
If you’re an investor, the real juice is in the cash flow. Verizon said cash flow from operations jumped 16.3% in the quarter and free cash flow climbed 24.4%. For the first half of the year, free cash flow was up 16%, which gives Verizon more room to do the two things shareholders love most: pay them back and keep the turnaround going.
Management is basically saying, ‘We told you so’
Verizon also raised full-year guidance for:
- mobility and broadband service revenue
- cash flow from operations
- free cash flow
- adjusted EPS
And because the company apparently woke up feeling generous, it expanded its full-year share buyback target to as much as $4.5 billion after returning $9.4 billion to shareholders in the first half alone.
Big picture
This is the kind of quarter that can change the vibe around a stock. Verizon isn’t suddenly a flashy growth rocket ship, but it’s proving it can still grow the core business, throw off a ton of cash, and reward shareholders while it does it. In telecom, that’s basically the version of finding a parking spot right in front of the store.