Form 4: Verizon Executive Acquires Phantom Stock Through Deferred Compensation Plan

Verizon's EVP & Chief HR Officer, Samantha Hammock, acquired 78.859 units of phantom stock through a deferred compensation plan, increasing her indirect beneficial ownership to 27,355.999 units.

Summary

• Samantha Hammock, EVP & Chief HR Officer of Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ), acquired 78.859 units of phantom stock.
• The acquisition occurred on July 2, 2025, as part of a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1(c) plan.
• Each phantom stock unit is the economic equivalent of a portion of one share of common stock and is settled in cash.
• The price of the acquired phantom stock units was $12.44 per unit.
• Following this transaction, Samantha Hammock's indirect beneficial ownership of phantom stock through a deferred compensation plan increased to 27,355.999 units.
• This total includes phantom stock acquired through dividend reinvestment.

Sentiment

Score: 6

Explanation: Neutral to slightly positive. The filing reports a routine executive compensation transaction (acquisition of phantom stock) which is generally a positive sign of executive alignment, but it does not contain any new strategic or financial information that would significantly alter sentiment.

Positives

• Acquisition of phantom stock by a key executive indicates continued alignment of interests with shareholders through a deferred compensation plan.
• The transaction was made pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1(c) plan, indicating a pre-scheduled, non-discretionary acquisition.

Risks

• Phantom stock is settled in cash, meaning the executive does not directly hold common stock and is exposed to the company's performance only through the cash value of the phantom units.
• The value of phantom stock is tied to the underlying common stock, so a decline in Verizon's share price would negatively impact the value of these holdings.

Future Outlook

The document reports a specific transaction and does not provide general future outlook or guidance for the company.

Industry Context

This Form 4 reports an executive's compensation-related transaction, which is a routine event in publicly traded companies. It does not provide broader industry trends or competitive analysis. Such transactions are common across various industries, including telecommunications, as part of executive compensation and deferred plans.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• This Form 4 filing reports a routine executive compensation transaction, which does not provide financial or operational data for direct comparison to industry standards or specific competitors.
• The acquisition of phantom stock through deferred compensation plans is a standard practice in executive compensation across large corporations, aligning with common industry benchmarks for executive incentives.

Related Party Transactions

• The acquisition of phantom stock by an executive through a deferred compensation plan is a standard related party transaction as part of executive compensation.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: The transaction aligns executive interests with shareholder value, as the phantom stock's value is tied to the common stock. It is a minor, routine event.
• Employees: No direct impact on general employees.
• Customers/Suppliers/Creditors: No direct impact.

Next Steps

• The shares of phantom stock become payable upon events established by the reporting person in accordance with the deferred compensation plan.

Key Dates

Recommendation

Keywords

Verizon, VZ, SEC Form 4, Phantom Stock, Deferred Compensation, Executive Compensation, Insider Trading, Samantha Hammock, Rule 10b5-1