Verizon's 157th Volume Rank Drives Stock Rise as TV Ad Cuts Signal Digital Strategy Shift

Verizon (VZ) rose 1.42% on August 7, with a trading volume of $660 million, ranking 157th among stocks by volume. The move follows a Samba TV report highlighting shifts in advertiser spending, which directly impacted the telecom giant’s strategic priorities.

The report revealed that Verizon reduced its television advertising investment by 37% in the first half of 2025, pivoting toward digital, social, and retention-focused initiatives. This shift contrasts with competitors like T-Mobile, which increased TV ad spend by 34%, and Starbucks, which boosted its TV advertising by 88%. The data underscores a broader industry trend of reallocating budgets to digital platforms as streaming viewership grows, with connected TV (CTV) hours rising 46% year-over-year.

Verizon’s decision to scale back TV advertising aligns with its recent focus on fiber expansion and fixed wireless technology. The company aims to reach 9 million fixed wireless customers by 2028 and has added 293,000 broadband users in Q2 2025. Meanwhile, its partnership with Staples to expand retail presence and its Manhattan headquarters relocation signal ongoing operational investments.

Backtesting results indicate that a strategy of purchasing the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding for one day generated a 166.71% return from 2022 to the present, outperforming the benchmark by 137.53%. This highlights the potential of liquidity-driven strategies in volatile markets, though investors are cautioned to assess risk tolerance before adopting such approaches.