Deutsche Bank analyst Matthew Niknam upgraded Verizon Communications (VZ) to Buy from Hold with an unchanged price target of $56. The stock closed yesterday down 59c to $47.46.

Following a heightened wave of aggressive competitive activity in recent years, wireless fundamentals are "meaningfully improving," Niknam tells investors in a research note. Industry pricing has stabilized, competitive intensity has moderated, and the industry's two biggest disruptors, T-Mobile (TMUS) and Sprint (S), have announced plans to merge, the analyst contends. He expects Verizon's Q2 results to reflect a return to normalized service revenue growth year-over-year for the first time since late 2014.

The analyst also sees "upside optionality" for Verizon shares from 5G and Oath. Despite inflecting fundamentals and this optionality, Verizon continues to trade at a discounted valuation, Niknam says. He sees 18% upside from current share levels along with a 5% dividend yield, representing total return potential of 23%.