VZ is scheduled to report Q2 results tomorrow before the open with a conference call on tap for 8:30 a.m. ET.

The current Capital IQ Consensus Estimates call for Q2 EPS of $0.94 and revenues of $3.09 bln. VZ expects full year 2016 adjusted earnings to be comparable to the co's full year 2015 adjusted earnings of $3.99 EPS.

  • VZ acquired Yahoo (YHOO) for $4.83 billion in cash. YHOO confirmed the deal today.

The stock is currently trading near its 52-week high, on 7/05 the stock hit $56.95 and currently trades at $55.49 per share. The stock saw a mild reaction lower following last quarter's results (which were in-line on bottom line and a miss on the top). In the past month, VZ is +1.95% while the New York Stock Exchange is +10.82%. In the past three-months VZ is +10.64% while the NYSE is +4.17%.

Key Points from Last Quarter:

  • Consolidated: $1.06 in earnings per share, compared with $1.02 EPS in 1Q 2015.
  • Wireless: 640,000 retail postpaid net additions. Continued low 0.96 percent retail postpaid churn.
  • Wireline: 5.0 percent Fios revenue growth. 98,000 Fios internet and 36,000 Fios video net additions.
  • Total operating revenues in first-quarter 2016 were $32.2 billion, a 0.6 percent increase compared with first-quarter 2015. Excluding AOL (non-GAAP), which was not part of Verizon a year ago, total operating revenues declined 1.5 percent. AOL had its highest first-quarter revenues in the last five years.
  • New revenue streams from IoT (Internet of Things) are growing, with revenues of approximately $195 million in first-quarter 2016, a year-over-year increase of about 25 percent.
  • Cash flows from operating activities totaled $7.4 billion in first-quarter 2016. This compares with $10.2 billion in last year's first quarter, which included $2.4 billion related to a one-time transaction to monetize wireless tower assets.
  • With capital expenditures totaling $3.4 billion in first-quarter 2016, free cash flow (non-GAAP, cash flow from operations less capital expenditures) totaled $4.0 billion. Verizon continues to anticipate consolidated capital expenditures of between $17.2 billion and $17.7 billion in 2016.
  • Operating income was $7.9 billion, and operating income margin was 24.7 percent. Consistent with last year's first quarter, EBITDA (non-GAAP, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) totaled $12.0 billion and the consolidated EBITDA margin (non-GAAP) was 37.2 percent in first-quarter 2016.
  • On May 27th VZ confirmed that it had reached an 'agreement in principal' with the Co's wireline employees and a small number of wireless employees in the Northeast that were previously on strike. Deutsche Bank believes the strike will impact EPS by -$0.06. 
  • Verizon data center auction enters 2nd round of bidding according to CTFN on July 8th. An update is likely to be requested during Q&A. 

Options Activity:

  • Based on VZ options, the current implied volatility stands at ~ 15%, which is 37% higher than historical volatility (over the past 30 days). Based on the VZ Weekly Jul29 $55 straddle, the options market is currently pricing in a move of ~2% in either direction by weekly expiration (Friday).

TECHS:

Technically, VZ has been on a steady climb along its rising 20-day moving average since its May low for a gain of +15%. 

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