Form 4: Verizon CFO Boosts Phantom Stock Holdings

Verizon's EVP and CFO, Anthony T. Skiadas, acquired 157.813 phantom stock units through a deferred compensation plan, increasing his indirect beneficial ownership.

Summary

• Anthony T. Skiadas, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Verizon Communications Inc., acquired 157.813 phantom stock units.
• The transaction occurred on October 23, 2025, as part of a deferred compensation plan.
• Each phantom stock unit is the economic equivalent of a portion of one share of common stock and is settled in cash.
• The derivative security (phantom stock) is reported to be underlying 45 shares of Verizon's common stock.
• The price of the derivative security (phantom stock unit) was $10.97.
• Following this transaction, Skiadas indirectly beneficially owns 128,458.734 phantom stock units through the deferred compensation plan.
• The reported phantom stock holdings include units acquired through dividend reinvestment.

Sentiment

Score: 6

Explanation: Slightly positive. While a routine compensation event, an executive increasing their holdings in company-linked instruments generally signals confidence and alignment with the company's future performance.

Positives

• Executive acquisition of company-linked compensation (phantom stock) can signal continued alignment with company performance.
• The increase in beneficial ownership, even if indirect, demonstrates a vested interest in the company's long-term success.

Negatives

• No direct negatives are apparent from this routine compensation-related filing.

Risks

• The value of phantom stock is tied to the performance of Verizon's common stock, exposing the holder to market fluctuations.
• Phantom stock is settled in cash, meaning the holder does not directly own common shares and is subject to the terms of the deferred compensation plan for payout events.

Future Outlook

The phantom stock units become payable upon events established by the reporting person in accordance with the deferred compensation plan, indicating future cash settlement tied to these units.

Management Comments

• No direct quotes or paraphrased statements from management are provided in this Form 4 filing, beyond the details of the transaction itself.

Industry Context

This transaction is a routine executive compensation event, common across publicly traded companies, where executives receive equity-linked incentives through deferred compensation plans to align their interests with shareholders. It does not provide broader industry trends or competitive insights.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• Executive deferred compensation plans involving phantom stock are a standard practice in large corporations like Verizon, aligning executive incentives with company performance.
• The specific terms and value of such grants are typically benchmarked against peer companies in the telecommunications sector to ensure competitive executive remuneration.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: The acquisition of phantom stock by a key executive can be viewed positively as it aligns management's financial interests with shareholder value creation, albeit indirectly through a cash-settled instrument.
• Employees: No direct impact on general employees is indicated by this filing.

Next Steps

• Phantom stock units will become payable upon events established by the reporting person in accordance with the deferred compensation plan.

Key Dates

Keywords

Verizon, VZ, Anthony T. Skiadas, CFO, executive compensation, phantom stock, deferred compensation, insider transaction, SEC Form 4