VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC. $46 - New York symbol VZ

VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC. $46 (New York symbol VZ, Conservative Growth Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 2.9 billion; Market cap: $133.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Dividend yield: 4.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.verizon.com) is close to completing its $3.9- billion purchase of wireless spectrum from a group of cable companies. This will help Verizon profit from rising wireless data use: the Federal Communications Commission estimates mobile data demand will be 25 to 50 times greater by 2015 than it was in 2010.

The company also increased its quarterly dividend by 3.0%, to $0.515 a share from $0.50. The new annual rate of $2.06 yields 4.5%.

Verizon is a buy.

A professional investment analyst for more than 30 years, Pat has developed a stock-selection technique that has proven reliable in both bull and bear markets. His proprietary ValuVesting System™ focuses on stocks that provide exceptional quality at relatively low prices. Many savvy investors and industry leaders consider it the most powerful stock-picking method ever created.