Short Interest in Verizon Communications Declines by 23.5%

Verizon sees significant drop in shares sold short amid positive sentiment around earnings and analyst upgrades

Mar. 14, 2026 at 4:03pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) saw a significant 23.5% decrease in short interest during the month of February, with short interest totaling 113,473,590 shares as of February 27th compared to 148,344,833 shares on February 12th. The short-interest ratio is currently 4.3 days based on the company's average daily trading volume of 26,623,513 shares, with approximately 2.7% of Verizon's shares currently sold short.

Why it matters

The decline in short interest for Verizon suggests increased investor confidence in the company's outlook, likely driven by factors such as its recent Q4 earnings beat, positive guidance for fiscal year 2026, and analyst upgrades and price target increases that have reinforced the stock's valuation and growth potential.

The details

Verizon's short interest dropped significantly in February, with the number of shares sold short declining by 23.5% from 148,344,833 on February 12th to 113,473,590 on February 27th. This represents approximately 2.7% of the company's outstanding shares. The short-interest ratio, which measures the number of days it would take to cover the short positions based on average daily trading volume, is currently 4.3 days.

  • As of February 27th, 2023, Verizon had short interest totaling 113,473,590 shares.
  • On February 12th, 2023, Verizon had short interest totaling 148,344,833 shares.

The players

Verizon Communications Inc.

A major U.S.-based telecommunications company that provides a broad range of communications and information services, including wireless voice and data services, fixed-line broadband and fiber-optic services, and enterprise networking solutions.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

The significant decline in short interest for Verizon Communications suggests growing investor confidence in the company's outlook, driven by factors such as its recent earnings performance, positive guidance, and analyst endorsements. This could signal a potential shift in sentiment and increased buying pressure for Verizon's stock going forward.