Verizon Communications Inc. announced impressive second-quarter 2026 financial and operational results Friday, demonstrating how its customer-first strategic transformation is driving sustainable growth and momentum. With these results, Verizon raised its full-year guidance for the second straight quarter. Additionally, Verizon expanded its full-year share buyback target to as much as $4.5 billion.
The company is undergoing a strategic transition under new CEO Dan Schulman, launching simplified mobile plans, a new loyalty program, and bundled wireless-broadband packages to attract more customers after falling behind competitors in subscriber growth. Schulman credited the record growth to maintaining strict operational discipline and improved unit economics, which directly led to more subscribers, lower churn rates, strong operating cash flow, and industry-leading free cash flow generation.
Verizon’s key highlights
- Mobility and broadband service revenue grew by 2.8 percent in second-quarter 2026, and forecasted to rise to approximately 4.0 percent growth in fourth-quarter 2026
- Delivered 184,000 postpaid phone net additions, with the best Consumer second-quarter postpaid phone net additions in the past five years
- Generated more than 550,000 total mobility and broadband net additions in second-quarter 2026, an increase of more than 230,000 compared to second-quarter 2025
- Delivered more than 1 million mobility and broadband net additions in first-half of 2026, more than doubling the mobility and broadband net additions in first-half of 2025
- Built account momentum, achieving new postpaid account growth over the past 60 days
- Grew cash flow from operations in first-half of 2026 by 9.9 percent compared to first-half of 2025 to fuel a 16.0 percent surge in free cash flow ¹ . Second-quarter 2026 cash flow from operations grew by 16.3 percent and free cash flow ¹ grew by 24.4 percent
- Executed with strict operational discipline and delivered solid consolidated net income performance to drive the highest adjusted EBITDA ¹ and adjusted EBITDA margin ¹ ever reported
- Raised full year guidance for mobility and broadband service revenue, cash flow from operations, free cash flow ¹ and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) ¹
- Returned $9.4 billion in total capital to shareholders in first-half of 2026 while expanding the full-year share buyback target to up to $4.5 billion
Dan Schulman, Verizon CEO, told investors, “We’re putting customers at the center of every decision we make. With recent updates including our new Simplicity plans, Verizon One converged offerings, and an industry-leading loyalty program, we are gaining subscribers and earning long-term retention based on real value rather than subsidized promotions. Our second-quarter results provide clear, compelling evidence that this transformation is driving a structural inflection point across our entire business.”
“We are accelerating across our key metrics, achieving a step-change in churn reduction while lowering our customer acquisition and retention costs. By compounding lower churn with healthier unit economics, we have generated the strongest operating position we have seen in years. Our core connectivity business is gaining momentum, and with the emergence of AI infrastructure revenue, we are fundamentally reshaping Verizon’s growth trajectory.”
Verizon shares rose 3% following the announcement.
By CEO NA Editorial Staff
