Strike to pressure Verizon earnings; Q1 net income meets estimates

Verizon Communications Inc said an ongoing strike by its wireline workers was expected to hurt earnings in the current quarter, even as it reported first-quarter net income that met analyst expectations amid strong tablet sales. Shares of Verizon, the No. 1 U.S. wireless carrier, were down 1.3 percent at $50.47 in late morning trading on Thursday. If the strike, now in its second week, continues for an extended period of time, it could pressure full-year earnings, Chief Financial Officer Fran Sh