Form 4: Verizon EVP adds phantom stock under deferred plan

Verizon EVP Alfonso Villanueva Rodriguez acquired 72.297 phantom stock units on March 26, 2026 via the company’s deferred compensation plan, lifting indirect holdings to 5,931.602 units.

Summary

• Verizon executive Alfonso Villanueva Rodriguez (EVP & Int. Group CEO - VZ Consumer & CTO) acquired 72.297 phantom stock units on March 26, 2026 under the company’s Deferred Compensation Plan (Transaction Code: A).
• The phantom stock is cash-settled and represents the economic equivalent of a portion of a Verizon common share; payout timing is per elections under the deferred compensation plan.
• Following this transaction, indirect beneficial ownership totals 5,931.602 phantom stock units, which includes units acquired through dividend reinvestment.
• The reported price for the derivative security was $14.47 per unit, and the line item lists 21 underlying Verizon common shares.
• No open-market purchases or sales of Verizon common stock were reported.

Sentiment

Score: 5

Explanation: StockSavvy.ai views this as a routine, neutral insider deferred compensation accrual with no read-through to fundamentals or valuation.

Positives

• Increase in insider indirect holdings via plan accrual: +72.297 phantom stock units.
• No dilution to shareholders because phantom stock is cash-settled.
• Indirect holdings are sizable at 5,931.602 units, aligning deferred compensation with stock performance.
• Includes ongoing dividend reinvestment, indicating continued participation in the plan.

Negatives

• No open-market purchase of common shares; limited positive signaling versus direct share buys.
• Phantom stock is cash-settled and does not increase insider ownership of Verizon common shares.
• No operational or financial performance information disclosed.

Future Outlook

No forward-looking statements or guidance provided.

Industry Context

StockSavvy.ai notes that cash-settled phantom stock accruals via deferred compensation plans are routine across large-cap telecom peers and are generally neutral indicators with limited signaling value.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• Comparable executives at AT&T (T) and Comcast (CMCSA) routinely report deferred compensation phantom stock accruals; such transactions are non-cash, cash-settled, and typically immaterial to share count.
• Unlike open-market common share purchases sometimes observed at peers, deferred plan accruals carry weaker signaling effects regarding management’s view of valuation.
• This report is consistent with standard Section 16 reporting practices for S&P 500 companies and does not deviate from industry governance norms.

Stakeholder Impact

• No expected operational impact; administrative update to insider indirect holdings.
• No effect on share count or dilution due to cash-settled nature of phantom stock.
• Neutral signaling for shareholders given absence of open-market common share activity.

Key Dates

Keywords

Verizon, VZ, Form 4, insider transaction, phantom stock, deferred compensation plan, dividend reinvestment, Section 16, executive officer, Alfonso Villanueva Rodriguez