Victoria Greene on Verizon as a 2026 Safe Harbor Stock and Merck's Pipeline

Verizon: A Safe Harbor Investment for 2026

• 🎯 Verizon is identified as a potential safe harbor stock for 2026, offering a high dividend yield of nearly 7%.
• 💡 Despite past performance, the new CEO, Dan Schwman, is expected to focus on incremental gains, reducing churn, and improving customer value.
• 🤝 The combination with Frontier is seen as a positive, creating opportunities for cross-selling to approximately 29 million subscribers.
• 🤖 Artificial Intelligence is expected to help Verizon reduce headcount, aiding in cost control and potentially improving customer service without increasing costs.

Merck: A Diversified Pharmaceutical Play

• 🚀 Merck is highlighted for its strong pipeline, with Kito's exclusivity ending in 2028, but numerous other drugs in development.
• 📈 The company has a deep pipeline with around 80 drugs in Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials, spanning oncology and ophthalmology.
• 💡 A recent acquisition positions Merck in flu prevention with a long-lasting vaccine that covers both A and B strains, targeting a significant market.
• 💰 Merck's diversified approach also includes a growing animal health division, contributing to its overall strength.