Verizon Communications signed up more new customers than Wall Street expected in the third quarter, but growth on the financial front was minimal.
Stepped up marketing and promotions including buy-one-get-one smartphone offers and a lower price of its unlimited plans were effective on the subscriber front, but third-quarter revenue and earnings both rose less than 1% from the same time last year. An early gain in Verizon stock (ticker: VZ) faded away, leaving the shares near the break-even line in morning trading.