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If You'd Invested $10,000 in Verizon Stock 10 Years Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have Today | The Motley Fool

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  Published in Stocks and Investing on Monday, September 1st 2025 at 10:54 GMT by The Motley Fool
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What a $10,000 Verizon Investment Looks Like After a Decade

When a financial journalist looks back at a decade of growth in the telecom world, Verizon’s story stands out as a rare blend of steady dividend returns, moderate price appreciation, and a pivot into the next‑generation 5G ecosystem. In a recent feature on The Motley Fool, the author walks readers through the journey that turns an initial $10,000 in Verizon stock at the beginning of 2015 into a portfolio worth roughly $28,000 by September 2025. That figure comes from a combination of capital gains and the compounding power of dividends, and it paints a vivid picture of how a “hold” strategy can play out over a long period.

1. The Numbers That Matter

The article begins with the fundamentals: in late 2014, Verizon’s share price hovered around $20.00. An investor who purchased $10,000 worth of the stock on the first trading day of 2015 would have acquired approximately 500 shares. Over the next ten years, Verizon’s stock price grew to roughly $56.00 per share—a 180 % increase in nominal terms. When you factor in the company’s consistent dividend payments—averaging a 5 % yield over the period—the total return climbs to about 280 %. In dollar terms, the $10,000 initial outlay would now sit at about $28,000.

The piece also compares Verizon’s performance to the broader market, using the S&P 500 as a benchmark. While the S&P 500 delivered an approximate 300 % nominal return over the same time frame, its yield lagged, and the relative advantage of Verizon’s dividends is highlighted. The article stresses that while Verizon didn’t deliver the highest price appreciation, its stability and cash‑generating prowess made it an attractive long‑term holding for income‑focused investors.

2. Dividend Strategy: A Steady Income Stream

One of the most compelling parts of the article is the breakdown of Verizon’s dividend history. From 2015 to 2025, Verizon raised its quarterly dividend from $0.30 to $0.44 per share—a 47 % increase. The piece includes a handy table that lists each dividend payment, the cumulative dividend income earned, and the reinvested value of those dividends when bought back into the stock. Readers can see how a simple “buy‑and‑hold” approach that also includes dividend reinvestment can boost the effective return to near 300 % over the decade.

The author links to Verizon’s Investor Relations page to provide readers with a direct source for dividend history and payout ratios. That page shows that Verizon has maintained a payout ratio of roughly 70 % of earnings, a figure that signals the company’s commitment to rewarding shareholders without compromising its ability to fund capital expenditures, particularly in its 5G rollout.

3. The Shift to 5G and Digital Services

While Verizon’s stock story is largely one of incremental gains, the article also delves into why the company’s long‑term prospects remain solid. Verizon’s leadership under CEO Hans Vestberg has aggressively pushed into 5G technology, investing $45 billion in the past five years to build the most extensive 5G network in the United States. The author explains that the network’s maturity, combined with the company’s massive customer base—over 200 million active service contracts—provides a platform for new revenue streams such as the Internet of Things (IoT), automotive connectivity, and edge computing.

A link to Verizon’s 5G Network Overview (available on their corporate website) gives readers a deeper dive into how the company is positioning itself for the future. The article points out that as the demand for data skyrockets, Verizon’s 5G infrastructure could become a pivotal income engine. For investors, this means that while the current dividend yield may appear modest, the potential upside from future growth could be significant.

4. The Competitive Landscape

The article doesn't shy away from competition. Verizon’s major rivals—AT&T, T‑Mobile, and newer entrants like Comcast and Charter Communications—are mentioned as points of comparison. Each competitor has pursued a slightly different strategy. AT&T has moved into media with Warner Bros. Discovery, while T‑Mobile has aggressively undercut pricing to gain market share. The author includes a comparative chart that shows Verizon’s price‑to‑earnings ratio versus the industry average, highlighting Verizon’s relative valuation as slightly higher than its peers—an indicator that the market still values its stability.

An additional link to a recent earnings call transcript from Verizon’s Investor Relations section allows readers to hear directly from the CFO about the company’s strategic priorities and capital allocation decisions. In that call, the CFO emphasized that the company remains committed to both dividends and reinvestment into high‑yield, low‑risk projects such as 5G and fiber‑optic infrastructure.

5. Lessons for Long‑Term Investors

By the time the article wraps up, it turns to actionable takeaways for the average investor. The author stresses that:

• Stability matters: Verizon’s consistent dividend and moderate price volatility make it a strong candidate for investors who want a defensive play in an otherwise cyclical industry.
• Reinvestment pays dividends: Even without aggressive stock price appreciation, reinvesting dividends can produce outsized returns over a long horizon.
• Watch for tech upgrades: Verizon’s focus on 5G and related services could provide a catalyst for future earnings growth.

The piece concludes with a call to action: “If you’re looking for a proven track record of paying dividends, consider adding Verizon to your portfolio. It’s not a growth juggernaut, but its steady stream of income and strategic pivot to next‑generation tech make it a solid long‑term bet.”

Final Thoughts

The Motley Fool article does more than crunch numbers—it paints a narrative about how a telecom giant has weathered industry shifts while keeping the investor’s pocketbook happy. From a $10,000 investment in 2015 to a $28,000 payoff in 2025, Verizon’s performance exemplifies the power of patience, steady dividends, and strategic reinvestment. For those contemplating a long‑term play in the telecom sector, Verizon’s decade‑long track record offers a reassuring case study in how a company can combine reliable income with the promise of future technological gains.