Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, telecom giant Verizon Communications
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Verizon's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.
Verizon facts
Headquarters (founded) | New York (1983) |
Market Cap | $117.7 billion |
Industry | Integrated telecommunication services |
Trailing-12-Month Revenue | $112.1 billion |
Management | Chairman/CEO Lowell McAdam CFO Francis Shammo |
Return on Equity (average, past 3 years) | 12.7% |
Cash/Debt | $6.5 billion / $51.6 billion |
Dividend Yield | 4.8% |
Competitors |
AT&T Sprint Nextel T-Mobile USA |
Sources: S&P Capital IQ and Motley Fool CAPS.
On CAPS, 94% of the 4,876 members who have rated Verizon believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward.
Just last month, one of those Fools, tichtalk, highlighted several of the company's positives:
Verizon is a clear industry leader, with strong recurring cash flow and healthy margins. The firm's financial health has improved significantly as it has used asset sales, spin-offs and cash flow to sharply reduce debt in recent years. ... Verizon's current valuation, high dividend yield, and potential for modest capital gain over the near term support this [bullish view]. ... Additionally Verizon's average annual dividend yield over 5 years has been 5.3%, further making the case for holding.
If you want market-beating returns, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future. Of course, despite its four-star rating, Verizon may not be your top choice.
We've found another stock we are incredibly excited about -- excited enough to dub it "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2012." We have compiled a special free report for investors to uncover this stock today. The report is 100% free, but it won't be here forever, so click here to access it now
Want to see how well (or not so well) the stocks in this series are performing? Follow the new TrackPoisedTo CAPS account.