A snapshot of Verizon's business and finances — revenue, profit, market value, and dividend — explained in plain terms using publicly reported figures.
A Fixture of American Telecom
Verizon Communications has been part of the country's communications backbone since it was founded in 1983, the same year it went public on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker VZ. Headquartered in New York, New York, the company has grown into one of the largest telecom operators in the country, employing approximately 89,900 people.
Wireless Is the Engine
Wireless service accounts for 75% of Verizon's total service revenue and nearly all of its operating income, according to the company's own figures. It serves about 94 million postpaid phone customers and 20 million prepaid customers, which together make it the largest wireless carrier in the United States.
A Business Built on Scale
That customer base is enormous by any measure, and it explains why wireless service dominates the company's financial picture. When a business this size grows even modestly, the dollar impact is significant.
Wires in the Ground, Not Just Towers
Verizon isn't only a wireless company. Its fixed-line telecom operations include local networks concentrated in the Northeast, reaching about 30 million homes and businesses. Roughly 20 million of those locations are served by its Fios fiber-optic network, which delivers internet, TV, and phone service over fiber lines rather than traditional copper.
Expanding the Fiber Footprint
In January, Verizon closed its acquisition of Frontier Communications, adding networks that reach another 15 million locations. That deal extends Verizon's fixed-line and fiber reach well beyond its traditional Northeast base.
What Revenue and Profit Actually Mean
In fiscal year 2025, Verizon reported revenue of $138.2 billion and net income of $17.2 billion. In plain terms, that means the company kept roughly 12 to 13 cents of profit for every dollar it took in — a solid margin for a capital-intensive industry that requires constant investment in towers, fiber lines, and spectrum.
Steady, Not Explosive, Growth
Revenue grew 8% from FY2020 to FY2025. That's a modest, multi-year growth rate rather than a rapid expansion, which fits a mature industry where most Americans already have a phone plan and the fight is over switching carriers rather than finding new customers.
Sizing Up the Balance Sheet
Verizon's total assets stand at $404.3 billion, reflecting the vast physical infrastructure — networks, equipment, and real estate — needed to run a nationwide wireless and fiber operation. That figure dwarfs the company's annual revenue, underscoring just how asset-heavy the telecom business is.
How the Market Values the Company
Verizon's market capitalization is $189.4 billion, with shares recently trading at $42.56, according to 15-minute delayed pricing. That share price is 17% below its 52-week high. The stock carries a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.5, a way of comparing a company's stock price to its earnings, and pays a dividend yielding about 6.65% annually — a payout to shareholders funded from its profits.
The Bottom Line
Verizon is a large, profitable telecom company with steady if unspectacular growth, a wireless business that drives most of its earnings, and an expanding fiber network following its Frontier acquisition. This article is factual reporting drawn from public filings and market data, not investment advice.
