5 Best Value Stocks in Warren Buffett’s Portfolio

3. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ)

Berkshire Hathaway’s Stake Value: $8,578,115,000

Percentage of Berkshire Hathaway’s 13F Portfolio: 2.92%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 57

P/E Ratio: 9.43

With a price to earnings ratio of 9.43, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is one of Warren Buffett’s top value stock picks from the third quarter, with the billionaire holding an $8.57 billion position in the company. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), an American multinational telecommunications conglomerate, announced a quarterly dividend of $0.64 per share on December 2, payable on February 1 to shareholders of record on January 10. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) offers a forward dividend yield of 5.10%. 

On October 20, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) announced Q3 results, posting an EPS of $1.41, beating estimates by $0.05. The quarterly revenue amounted to $32.92 billion, missing estimates by $301.93 million. Following the Q3 performance, Cowen analyst Colby Synesael raised the price target on Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) to $71 from $68 and kept an Outperform rating on the shares. 

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) was awarded two contracts worth $34.6 million by the U.S. Department of Energy. The task orders were awarded through the federal government’s Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract vehicle on December 1. 

By the end of the third quarter, 57 hedge funds were bullish on Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), down from 63 funds in the preceding quarter. Jaime Sterne’s Skye Global Management is one of the leading Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) stakeholders from Q3, holding a $282.3 million position in the company. 

Here is what Miller/Howard Investments has to say about Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) in its Q1 2021 investor letter:

“We sold Verizon (VZ) based on concerns over how much they might spend in ongoing spectrum auctions. Management may legitimately view spending billions of dollars to expand their spectrum holdings as necessary, but we believe the payoff will be slow and will make it challenging to grow the dividend at a good pace.”