Form 4: Verizon HR chief acquires phantom stock units

Verizon EVP & Chief HR Officer Samantha Hammock acquired 68.31 phantom stock units on March 26, 2026, lifting total indirect holdings to 35,256.646 units under a deferred compensation plan.

Summary

• Samantha Hammock (EVP & Chief HR Officer) reported an acquisition of derivative securities classified as phantom stock (unitized) on March 26, 2026.
• Transaction details: 68.31 phantom stock units acquired (Transaction Code: A) at a derivative price of $14.47.
• The derivative security references an underlying 19 shares of Verizon common stock.
• Post-transaction, total derivative (phantom stock) units beneficially owned: 35,256.646, held indirectly via the Deferred Compensation Plan.
• Phantom stock is cash-settled and represents the economic equivalent of a portion of one share of common stock; payout occurs upon events established under the deferred compensation plan.
• Holdings include phantom stock acquired through dividend reinvestment.
• A Power of Attorney executed March 26, 2026 authorizes designated attorneys-in-fact to administer EDGAR access and submit Section 16 filings; Form 4 was signed by attorney-in-fact on March 30, 2026.

Sentiment

Score: 5

Explanation: StockSavvy.ai views this as a neutral, routine insider deferred-compensation transaction with no impact on share count and limited signaling value.

Positives

• Incremental increase in executive’s economic exposure to company performance via 68.31 additional phantom stock units.
• No dilution to common shareholders since phantom stock is cash-settled rather than share-settled.
• Clear compliance infrastructure: Power of Attorney in place for timely and accurate EDGAR submissions and Section 16 reporting.

Negatives

• No open-market purchase of common stock disclosed; the transaction is in cash-settled phantom stock, offering less direct ownership alignment than share purchases.
• Small incremental size (68.31 units referencing 19 underlying shares) provides limited signaling value.

Future Outlook

No forward-looking statements or guidance provided.

Management Comments

• Phantom stock is the economic equivalent of a portion of one share of common stock and is settled in cash; payout occurs upon events established in accordance with the deferred compensation plan.
• Holdings include phantom stock acquired through dividend reinvestment.
• Power of Attorney remains in effect until terminated in writing and authorizes attorneys-in-fact to manage EDGAR credentials, filings, and account administration.

Industry Context

StockSavvy.ai notes that cash-settled phantom stock within executive deferred compensation plans is a common large-cap practice that does not affect share count and typically carries less signaling value than open-market stock purchases.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• The use of cash-settled phantom stock units in a deferred compensation plan is consistent with practices at many large-cap U.S. companies, including major telecom and media peers (e.g., AT&T, Comcast) that utilize plan-based, stock-tracking units for executives.
• Compared with open-market insider purchases sometimes seen at sector peers, plan-based accruals like this typically provide a weaker signal regarding management’s near-term view on valuation.
• From a governance and compliance standpoint, establishing a Power of Attorney and EDGAR account administration mirrors standard Section 16 reporting controls observed across S&P 500 constituents.

Related Party Transactions

• Indirect beneficial ownership of 35,256.646 phantom stock units held through Verizon’s Deferred Compensation Plan; phantom stock is cash-settled.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: No dilution, as phantom stock is cash-settled and does not increase outstanding shares.
• Regulatory/compliance stakeholders: Power of Attorney and EDGAR administration steps support timely and accurate Section 16 reporting.
• Employees and customers: No direct operational or employment impact disclosed.

Key Dates

Keywords

Verizon Communications, VZ, Form 4, insider transaction, phantom stock, deferred compensation plan, Section 16, EDGAR Next, power of attorney, executive compensation