Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) vs Vodafone Group Public Limited Company (VOD) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | VZ | 2.5% revenue growth vs VOD's 2.0% |
| Value | VZ | Lower P/E (10.2x vs 16.4x) |
| Quality / Margins | VZ | 12.4% net margin vs VOD's -4.1% |
| Stability / Safety | VZ | Beta 0.10 vs VOD's 0.36 |
| Dividends | VZ | 5.4% yield, 10-year raise streak, vs VOD's 5.2% |
| Momentum (1Y) | VOD | +80.1% vs VZ's +22.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | VZ | 4.3% ROA vs VOD's -2.2%, ROIC 8.0% vs -0.3% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Verizon is a telecommunications giant providing wireless and wireline connectivity services to consumers and businesses across the United States. It generates revenue primarily from wireless service plans (~70% of total revenue) and equipment sales, supplemented by Fios broadband, video, and business solutions. The company's key advantage is its extensive nationwide network infrastructure—particularly its 5G leadership—which creates high switching costs for customers and barriers to entry for competitors.
Vodafone is a multinational telecommunications company providing mobile, fixed-line, and converged connectivity services across Europe and Africa. It generates revenue primarily from mobile services (~60% of service revenue), fixed broadband and TV, and its African mobile money platform M-Pesa — which has become a significant growth driver. The company's competitive advantage lies in its extensive European network infrastructure and its entrenched position in African markets where M-Pesa has created a powerful financial services ecosystem.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
VZ leads in 5 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). VOD leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
VZ is the larger business by revenue, generating $138.5B annually — 1.9x VOD's $74.2B. VZ is the more profitable business, keeping 12.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to VOD's -4.1%. On growth, VOD holds the edge at +29.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | VZVerizon Communica… | VODVodafone Group Pu… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $138.5B | $74.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $47.8B | $21.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $17.2B | -$3.0B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $23.1B | $21.9B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +55.6% | +33.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +21.2% | +4.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +12.4% | -4.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +16.7% | +29.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +1.5% | +29.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +50.0% | -4.6% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, VOD's 7.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than VZ's 8.3x.
| Metric | VZVerizon Communica… | VODVodafone Group Pu… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $211.4B | $35.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $393.0B | $89.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 12.35x | -8.14x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 10.22x | 16.41x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 8.25x | 7.30x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.53x | 0.81x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.01x | 0.59x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 10.51x | 3.50x |
Profitability & Efficiency
VZ delivers a 16.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $16 in annual profit, vs $-5 for VOD. VOD carries lower financial leverage with a 0.99x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to VZ's 1.90x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), VZ scores 6/9 vs VOD's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | VZVerizon Communica… | VODVodafone Group Pu… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +16.3% | -5.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +4.3% | -2.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +8.0% | -0.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +8.8% | -0.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.90x | 0.99x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $181.5B | $45.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $19.0B | $11.9B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $200.6B | $57.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 4.37x | -0.18x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in VZ five years ago would be worth $11,437 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $11,207 for VOD. Over the past 12 months, VOD leads with a +80.1% total return vs VZ's +22.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors VZ at 14.5% vs VOD's 13.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | VZVerizon Communica… | VODVodafone Group Pu… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +25.4% | +15.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +22.7% | +80.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +49.9% | +46.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +14.4% | +12.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +48.3% | -12.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +14.5% | +13.6% |
Risk & Volatility
VZ is the less volatile stock with a 0.10 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than VOD's 0.36 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | VZVerizon Communica… | VODVodafone Group Pu… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.10x | 0.36x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $50.48 | $15.91 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $10.60 | $8.05 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.3% | +96.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 66.9 | 56.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 28.1M | 4.0M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates VZ as "Hold" and VOD as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply -1.6% upside for VZ (target: $49) vs -24.6% for VOD (target: $12). For income investors, VZ offers the higher dividend yield at 5.41% vs VOD's 5.24%.
| Metric | VZVerizon Communica… | VODVodafone Group Pu… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $49.36 | $11.58 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 60 | 25 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +5.4% | +5.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 10 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.71 | $0.68 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +6.2% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Communicati… (VZ) | 100 | 77.83 | -22.2% |
| Vodafone Group Publ… (VOD) | 100 | 85.89 | -14.1% |
Verizon Communicati… (VZ) returned +14% over 5 years vs Vodafone Group Publ… (VOD)'s +12%. A $10,000 investment in VZ 5 years ago would be worth $11,437 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Communicati… (VZ) | $126.0B | $138.2B | +9.7% |
| Vodafone Group Publ… (VOD) | $52.0B | $37.4B | -27.9% |
Verizon Communications Inc.'s revenue grew from $126.0B (2016) to $138.2B (2025) — a 1.0% CAGR. Vodafone Group Public Limited Company's revenue grew from $52.0B (2016) to $37.4B (2025) — a -3.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Communicati… (VZ) | 10.4% | 12.4% | +19.3% |
| Vodafone Group Publ… (VOD) | -9.8% | -11.1% | -13.4% |
Verizon Communications Inc.'s net margin went from 10% (2016) to 12% (2025). Vodafone Group Public Limited Company's net margin went from -10% (2016) to -11% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Communicati… (VZ) | 7.2 | 10 | +38.9% |
| Vodafone Group Publ… (VOD) | 12.1 | 20.2 | +66.9% |
Verizon Communications Inc. has traded in a 7x–15x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~12x. Vodafone Group Public Limited Company has traded in a 2x–20x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~-8x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Communicati… (VZ) | 3.21 | 4.06 | +26.5% |
| Vodafone Group Publ… (VOD) | -1.9 | -1.6 | +15.8% |
Verizon Communications Inc.'s EPS grew from $3.21 (2016) to $4.06 (2025) — a 3% CAGR. Vodafone Group Public Limited Company's EPS grew from $-1.90 (2016) to $-1.60 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Verizon Communications Inc. generated $20B FCF in 2025 (+173% vs 2021). Vodafone Group Public Limited Company generated $9B FCF in 2025 (+9% vs 2021).
VZ vs VOD: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is VZ or VOD a better buy right now?
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) offers the better valuation at 12.3x trailing P/E (10.2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Vodafone Group Public Limited Company (VOD) a "Buy" — based on 25 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — VZ or VOD?
On forward P/E, Verizon Communications Inc. is actually cheaper at 10.2x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — VZ or VOD?
Over the past 5 years, Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) delivered a total return of +14.4%, compared to +12.1% for Vodafone Group Public Limited Company (VOD). A $10,000 investment in VZ five years ago would be worth approximately $11K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VZ returned +48.3% versus VOD's -12.4%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — VZ or VOD?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) is the lower-risk stock at 0.10β versus Vodafone Group Public Limited Company's 0.36β — meaning VOD is approximately 259% more volatile than VZ relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Vodafone Group Public Limited Company (VOD) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 99% versus 190% for Verizon Communications Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — VZ or VOD?
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) is the more profitable company, earning 12.4% net margin versus -11.1% for Vodafone Group Public Limited Company — meaning it keeps 12.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: VZ leads at 21.2% versus -1.1% for VOD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VZ leads at 45.6%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is VZ or VOD more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) trades at 10.2x forward P/E versus 16.4x for Vodafone Group Public Limited Company — 6.2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for VZ: -1.6% to $49.36.
07Which pays a better dividend — VZ or VOD?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) offers the highest yield at 5.4%, versus 5.2% for Vodafone Group Public Limited Company (VOD).
08Is VZ or VOD better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.10), 5.4% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (VZ: +48.3%, VOD: -12.4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between VZ and VOD?
Both stocks operate in the Communication Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: VZ is a large-cap deep-value stock; VOD is a mid-cap income-oriented stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Net Margin > 7%
- Dividend Yield > 2.1%
- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Revenue Growth > 14%
- Gross Margin > 20%