Key Takeaways Comcast's Q3 earnings beat estimates, but revenues fell 6.1% as broadband losses and competition weighed.CMCSA plans a restructuring charge exceeding $1 billion as it targets billions in cost improvements over time.Comcast added 368,000 wireless lines, while Peacock's EBITDA improved $478 million to $261 million.
Comcast Corporation (CMCSA - Free Report) outlined an extensive operational restructuring during its third-quarter 2026 earnings call, emphasizing cost reductions, customer retention and wireless expansion amid intensifying broadband competition.
Although adjusted earnings exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate, management acknowledged continued pressure on broadband profitability. Peacock's improving performance and the planned NBCUniversal separation remain important strategic priorities.
Comcast Beat Earnings Estimates Amid Revenue PressureComcast reported adjusted earnings of $1.07 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 98 cents by 9 cents. However, adjusted earnings declined 4% from $1.12 in the year-ago quarter.
Quarterly revenues totaled $29.29 billion, marginally below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $29.3 billion. Reported revenues declined 6.1% year over year, although pro forma revenues increased 0.5%.
Chief financial officer Jason Armstrong highlighted $4.2 billion in free cash flow. Adjusted EBITDA declined 5.8% to $9.1 billion, reflecting ongoing financial pressures despite improvement in certain operating businesses.
CMCSA Faces Intensifying Broadband CompetitionCo-CEO Michael Cavanagh acknowledged persistent competitive pressure from fixed wireless providers and aggressive fiber promotions. Management continues prioritizing simpler pricing, customer retention and service improvements.
Comcast lost 144,000 broadband subscribers during the quarter compared with 91,000 a year earlier. Domestic broadband revenues declined 4.7%, reflecting lower average rates and subscriber losses.
During the Q&A session, a MoffettNathanson analyst questioned whether competitors' recent pricing increases indicated improving conditions. Armstrong maintained that competition remained intense, citing fiber promotions offering gigabit services for $30-$40 monthly.
Comcast Expands Wireless and Premium AdoptionConnectivity & Platforms CEO Steven Croney emphasized wireless expansion as central to Comcast's customer retention strategy. The company added 368,000 wireless lines, bringing its total to 10.6 million.
Approximately 70% of customers receiving promotional free wireless lines convert into paying relationships. Premium unlimited plans accounted for approximately 40% of postpaid phone connections, compared with 30% in the preceding quarter.
Responding to a Citigroup analyst, Croney highlighted further expansion opportunities. Wireless penetration reached nearly 18% of residential broadband customers, while Comcast serves approximately 7% of addressable wireless lines within its footprint.
CMCSA Plans Significant Operating RestructuringArmstrong announced plans for a fourth-quarter restructuring charge exceeding $1 billion, supporting organizational simplification and operational changes entering 2027.
Management identified cost improvement opportunities totaling billions of dollars over time. Initiatives include organizational redesign, accelerated artificial intelligence adoption and improved customer service efficiency.
During discussions with an Evercore ISI analyst, Armstrong emphasized reinvestment rather than cost reductions alone. Potential growth opportunities include premium wireless services, enterprise solutions and longer-term edge computing initiatives.
Comcast Sees Peacock Profitability ImprovePeacock generated $261 million in adjusted EBITDA, improving $478 million year over year. Revenue reached $1.8 billion, while paid subscribers increased 17% to 48 million.
Cavanagh highlighted stronger distribution revenue, advertising performance and successful implementation of a subscription price increase. Subscriber levels remained stable sequentially.
In response to a UBS analyst’s questions about profitability, Cavanagh cautioned that quarterly results could fluctuate depending on the timing of content rights. He expects continued annual profitability improvement and identified the upcoming YouTube Premium bundle as an opportunity to reach additional audiences.
CMCSA Expects Theme Park Recovery in Late 2027Theme park revenues declined 4.4%, while adjusted EBITDA fell 17.1%. Management attributed the weakness primarily to softer Orlando demand and continued challenges in Japan.
Cavanagh identified marketing execution and capacity constraints at Epic Universe as additional pressures. Management is responding with targeted promotions, revised park packages and operational improvements.
During a Goldman Sachs analyst's questions, Cavanagh indicated that Orlando weakness could persist through the first half of 2027. Management expects overall theme park performance to return to growth during the second half.
Comcast Maintains Focus on ExecutionCavanagh reaffirmed plans to separate NBCUniversal and Sky by mid-2027. Armstrong reiterated that share repurchases remain suspended at least through the separation to preserve financial flexibility.
Management's near-term priorities center on broadband retention, wireless monetization, restructuring execution and positioning both businesses for independent operations.
What Zacks Rank and Style Scores Indicate for CMCSACMCSA currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), reflecting an unfavorable near-term earnings estimate revision outlook. Its Value Score of A indicates attractive valuation characteristics, while its Growth Score of C and Momentum Score of D reflect less favorable growth and price momentum characteristics. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The stock's VGM Score of B reflects a favorable combined assessment of value, growth and momentum. However, its weaker Zacks Rank tempers those positive style signals. The Zacks Rank can change as analysts revise earnings estimates following the latest quarterly results.
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Comcast chairman and Co-CEO Brian Roberts said staffers are eagerly anticipating the forthcoming split of NBCUniversal from the company’s broadband, pay-TV and wireless division.
“Really, there’s an energy and excitement with the proposed separation in both organizations,” Roberts told Wall Street analysts Thursday at the end of the company’s third-quarter earnings call. “We spent years building these businesses, and as the industry transforms itself, we’re meeting the moment.”
The remarks followed the release of strong quarterly results, with revenue and earnings beating analysts’ expectations despite a 6% downturn in revenue due to pressure squeezing all broadband purveyors. NBCU powered the report on the July-to-September period, with record-breaking box office from The Odyssey and booming viewership and ad revenue of the World Cup.
The split is expected to be completed by the middle of 2027, setting up NBCU as its own stand-alone entity to be run by Comcast co-CEO Mike Cavanagh. It will unlock a number of strategic options for the entertainment giant, while its Philadelphia-based sibling will be in restructuring mode as it adjusts for competition from satellite operators including Elon Musk’s Starlink. Comcast said it is taking a $1 billion charge in the current fourth quarter related to restructuring in the connectivity division, with that overhaul include an as-yet-unspecified number of layoffs.
On the NBCU end, Roberts said he and his management colleagues are “really pleased with Peacock,” which recorded its second straight quarter of profitability thanks to Spanish-language World Cup telecasts and Love Island USA.
Roberts said the streamer’s “open architecture and some of the relationships we’re gonna be able to have really gives us a unique place in the market.” As with a recent distribution agreement reached with Google and YouTube, NBCU and Peacock after the split will be “working with, hopefully, everybody,” the exec added.
Earlier in the call, Cavanagh said the company is “well into the execution phase” of the split, which includes “building the stand-alone public company infrastructure.” The pattern was established two years ago with the Versant spinoff, which was proposed in late 2024 and completed a year later ahead of Versant’s January IPO.
“While there is still significant work ahead, we have a clear path to completion and remain focused on creating two companies with a strategic flexibility, financial strength, and leadership to compete and grow independently,” Cavanagh said. “And we have tremendous confidence in the future of both companies. Each has significant structural advantages, a strong competitive position, and substantial opportunities for long term growth and value creation.”
As it continues to feel the squeeze on its broadband and pay-TV operations, Comcast executives said today the company will take a $1 billion charge for the current fourth quarter that will include layoffs as part of an ongoing revamp of its core connectivity business of broadband, pay-TV and wireless.
The media giant flagged the charge during its third-quarter earnings call.
“We are fundamentally redesigning our organization,” CFO Jason Armstrong told analysts. “We’ve already made important leadership changes across customer experience, growth, and marketing. We’re simplifying our organizational structure to move faster, improve execution, and operate more efficiently.”
No specifics were offered about the scope of the cuts or specific timing, but they are not expected to impact NBCUniversal with that business set to be spun off into a new stand-alone public company. The split is on track to be completed by mid-2027.
Co-CEOs Mike Cavanagh and Brian Roberts talked up the pending transaction during the call, with Roberts noting employees’ “energy and excitement” about the move. Cavanagh, a former banker with significant M&A experience, is expected to explore a number of potential options for the new company, which he will run as CEO.
Asked on the call to delve deeper restructuring plan across the non-NBCU business, CFO Armstrong described it as a “transformation exercise” and a set of “cost actions that’ll facilitate a fast start into 2027.” Executives, he added, “don’t look at it as a cost-cutting exercise” but rather an effort to “simplify in order to move faster, to be more nimble in decision-making.”
Last year, Comcast elevated Steve Croney to CEO of Connectivity & Platforms business and tapped former Expedia and Apple Executive Jon Gieselman as chief growth officer for the residential domestic businesses of Connectivity & Platforms. The segment has been focused on customer service and new offerings with flexible packages and different price points to attract consumers.
It is making progress. Still, Q3 Connectivity & Platforms revenue fell 2.6% to $19.7 billion amid ongoing broadband subscriber losses, offset in part by the fast growing areas of Wireless and Business Services.
Elon Musk’s Starlink merited only a passing mention during the earnings call, but the IPO of Starlink parent SpaceX has only added to Musk’s vast fortune. Those resources, and an asset portfolio spanning AI, social media and electric vehicles along with space exploration, has started to weigh on a number of broadband and wireless providers.
Uneasiness about broadband providers amid still competition from telcos is reflected in recent stock movement. Comcast shares perked up on the earnings, rising 4% in late-day trading Thursday, but they are still down 18% in 2026 to date. Shares in rival Charter Communications’ have tumbled 46%.
“While satellite is not yet a material factor, we recognize the importance of anticipating emerging forms of competition and positioning our business to respond as the market evolves,” Cavanagh said.
Along with competitive pressures and ongoing cutting of the pay-TV cord, agentic AI tools have streamlined the customer service operations at Comcast. “We’ve already reduced customer service contact rates by roughly 20% and eliminated more than 30 million service interactions year to date versus the prior year,” Armstrong said. “As personal AI agents reshape how consumers discover, purchase, and manage services, we’re positioning Comcast to capitalize on that shift.”
Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) Q3 2026 Earnings Call October 22, 2026 8:30 AM EDT
Company Participants
Marci Ryvicker - Executive Vice President of Investor Relations
Michael Cavanagh - Co-CEO & Director
Jason Armstrong - Chief Financial Officer
Steven Croney - Chief Executive Officer of Connectivity & Platforms Division
Brian Roberts - Chief Executive Officer, President, Director and Director of Comcast Cable Communications Inc
Conference Call Participants
Craig Moffett - MoffettNathanson LLC
Michael Rollins - Citigroup Inc., Research Division
John Hodulik - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Jessica Reif Cohen - BofA Securities, Research Division
Kutgun Maral - Evercore ISI Institutional Equities, Research Division
Sean Diffley - Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Michael Ng - Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division
Sebastiano Petti - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Comcast Third Quarter Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] Please note this conference call is being recorded.
I will now turn the call over to Executive Vice President, Investor Relations, Ms. Marci Ryvicker. Please go ahead, Ms. Ryvicker.
Marci Ryvicker
Executive Vice President of Investor Relations
Thank you, operator, and welcome, everyone. Joining us on today's call are Brian Roberts, Mike Cavanagh, Jason Armstrong and Steve Croney.
I will now refer you to Slide 2 of the presentation accompanying this call, which can also be found on our Investor Relations website and which contains our safe harbor disclaimer. This conference call may include forward-looking statements subject to certain risks and uncertainties. In addition, during this call, we will refer to certain non-GAAP financial measures. Please see our 8-K and trending schedule issued earlier this morning for the reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP.
With that, I'll turn the call over to Mike.
Michael Cavanagh
Co-CEO & Director
Thanks, Marci, and good morning, everyone. Let me start with an update on the separation of NBCUniversal and
On its third quarter of 2026 earnings call, held on Oct. 22, 2026, Comcast (CMCSA +3.13%) announced that it is embarking on a structural cost transformation that includes a fourth-quarter charge of over $1 billion, as it separates its media and technology businesses into two public companies. This operational overhaul comes as the company faces aggressive price competition in broadband while building out its mobile and streaming platforms to retain subscribers.
Understanding how management intends to navigate these shifting market dynamics is critical for evaluating its long-term earnings potential. Three things management said on the earnings call stand out.
1. A Billion Dollar Restructuring Aims to Drive Long-Term GrowthManagement is overhauling its corporate structure to simplify operations and speed up execution, preparing for a charge exceeding $1 billion in the fourth quarter. The company aims to reinvest the resulting savings into higher-growth segments like mobile convergence and enterprise networking.
We've embarked on the most significant operating and cost transformation in our company's history, with an opportunity we believe will ultimately amount to billions of dollars over time.
-- Mike Cavanagh, President2. Free Wireless Promotions Are Successfully Converting Into Paying CustomersTo protect its core broadband subscriber base from low-cost fiber and fixed wireless competitors, Comcast relies on a capital-light mobile virtual network operator model. That partner framework lets it offer free lines that convert into full-priced subscriptions over time, deepening customer retention without massive infrastructure spending.
Approximately half of our residential postpaid phone connects continued to come from customers taking a free line, and we're now converting 70% of those free lines into paying relationships.
-- Jason Armstrong, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer3. Bundling Partners Drives Growth and Scale for Peacock StreamingPeacock delivered its second consecutive quarter of profitability, earning $261 million in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). Rather than locking content inside a closed ecosystem, management is expanding its reach through external distribution bundles, including a new partnership with Alphabet-owned YouTube.
Our core strategy is to combine our exceptional content and distribution with select partners and third-party IP to reach audiences wherever they choose to engage.
-- Mike Cavanagh, PresidentLooking AheadCompetitive fiber builds and theme park softness create near-term pressure, yet streaming profits and wireless expansion demonstrate clear operational momentum. Management is keeping its focus squarely on its long-term strategy.
In Orlando, attendance, guest spending, and overall financial performance remain materially above where they were two years ago, and guest satisfaction continues to rise. Looking ahead, we expect performance to strengthen as we move through 2027, with a return to growth in the second half of the year.
-- Mike Cavanagh, PresidentStructural advantages in network infrastructure, enterprise telecom services, and iconic entertainment content provide a durable foundation for future value. As Comcast navigates market shifts and prepares to spin off its media assets, management is watching pricing discipline in broadband, customer retention across bundled tiers, and execution on its major operating transformation.
We spent years building these businesses, and as the industry transforms itself, we are meeting the moment.
-- Brian Roberts, Chairman and Chief Executive OfficerThe Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet. The Motley Fool recommends Comcast. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
3 Stocks Standing Out and 2 Losing Momentum as the Tech Rally CracksComcast NASDAQ: CMCSA reported flat pro forma third-quarter revenue and approximately 1% growth in adjusted EBITDA, as investments in broadband pricing, packaging and customer experience continued to weigh on its Connectivity & Platforms segment. The company generated adjusted earnings per share of $1.07 and $4.2 billion in free cash flow during the quarter.
Co-CEO Mike Cavanagh said Comcast remains on track to separate NBCUniversal and Sky into a standalone public company by the middle of next year. The company is building the infrastructure for the new entity and named Chris Halpin as NBCUniversal’s chief financial officer earlier in the quarter.
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Why the Comcast Spin-Off Won't Fix What's Actually Broken“We have a clear path to completion and remain focused on creating two companies with the strategic flexibility, financial strength, and leadership to compete and grow independently,” Cavanagh said.
Broadband competition pressures Connectivity & Platforms
Connectivity & Platforms revenue declined 2.6% and EBITDA fell 4.4%, reflecting the financial effects of changes to Comcast’s go-to-market approach. The company has been simplifying pricing and packaging, expanding wireless offers and seeking to improve the customer experience, though those initiatives have created near-term pressure on results.
Comcast’s NBCUniversal Split Puts Broadband Back in FocusComcast lost 144,000 broadband subscribers in the quarter while adding 368,000 net wireless lines. Management cited aggressive fixed-wireless and fiber competition, including promotional fiber pricing in certain markets, as well as an unusually high number of customers rolling off legacy promotional broadband offers.
CFO Jason Armstrong said some fiber competitors were offering service for $30 to $40 in certain markets, which Comcast considers difficult to sustain given the cost of network construction. He characterized the competitive environment as more intense in the second half of the year than in the first half.
Comcast said it is refining its retention offers and placing more emphasis on convergence between broadband and mobile. Convergence revenue declined 2%, while convergence average revenue per account fell 0.5%. However, wireless service revenue rose nearly 15% year over year.
Comcast ended the quarter with 10.6 million total wireless lines, up 18% from a year earlier.
Wireless penetration reached nearly 18% of the residential broadband customer base.
About 70% of free wireless lines are converting to paid relationships, according to the company.
Premium unlimited plans represented about 40% of postpaid phone connects, up from 30% in the prior quarter.
Steve Croney, CEO of Connectivity and Platforms, said mobile remains a major growth opportunity because the capital-light model relies on Comcast’s broadband customer base and Wi-Fi network. The company said roughly 90% of Xfinity Mobile traffic travels over Wi-Fi.
Transformation effort to bring fourth-quarter charge
Comcast is undertaking what Cavanagh described as the company’s most significant operating and cost transformation, aiming to simplify its organization, accelerate product development and create more capacity to invest in growth. Armstrong said Comcast expects to record a fourth-quarter charge of more than $1 billion, largely tied to transformation efforts.
The company has already made leadership changes in customer experience, growth and marketing, and is expanding the use of artificial intelligence in network management and customer service. Armstrong said service contact rates have been reduced by roughly 20%, eliminating more than 30 million customer service interactions year to date compared with the prior year.
Management said the effort is not solely a cost-cutting initiative. It is intended to support investments in areas including premium wireless plans, multi-line mobile relationships, business services and potential longer-term opportunities such as edge computing. Comcast operates 1,400 headends with 250 megawatts of capacity, according to Armstrong.
Business services revenue increased 2.7% and EBITDA rose 1.7%. Growth in enterprise solutions, including advanced connectivity, managed networking and security services, remained the principal driver. Small-business revenue was essentially flat.
Peacock profitability and studio gains lift media results
Media revenue increased 13% and EBITDA rose by more than $500 million to $769 million, driven primarily by Peacock and World Cup advertising. Peacock recorded its second consecutive profitable quarter, generating $261 million in EBITDA, a $478 million year-over-year improvement.
Peacock revenue grew 34%, with distribution revenue up 44% and advertising revenue up 23%. The platform ended the period with 48 million subscribers, while paid subscribers increased by 7 million year over year and remained stable sequentially after a price increase earlier in the quarter.
The FIFA World Cup generated $224 million of incremental advertising revenue in the third quarter and $664 million across the second and third quarters. Cavanagh said advertising conditions were relatively stable after adjusting for the World Cup and programming comparisons, with technology strength offsetting weaker consumer-driven categories.
Cavanagh said Comcast expects Peacock’s annual profitability to continue improving, though quarterly results may vary based on the timing of programming and other factors. He also highlighted the company’s forthcoming YouTube Premium bundle with Peacock, which is designed to reach younger and incremental audiences while complementing Peacock’s direct-to-consumer strategy.
At Studios, revenue declined 1% because of the timing of lower-margin television licensing deals, but theatrical revenue increased 77% and EBITDA rose 19%. Universal surpassed $5 billion at the global box office during the year. Management said The Odyssey generated $1.8 billion in worldwide box office, becoming Universal’s biggest film ever.
Theme parks face Orlando and Japan softness
Theme parks revenue declined 4% and EBITDA fell 17%, primarily because of weaker results in Orlando and Japan. Cavanagh said Orlando demand has been pressured by macroeconomic conditions, comparisons following the opening of Epic Universe and challenges involving capacity and ride throughput at the new park.
In Japan, China-related travel restrictions continued to affect attendance and financial performance. Comcast expects to begin lapping the initial Japan pressure in the fourth quarter, while Hollywood could benefit from its recently opened Fast & Furious coaster. Still, Orlando softness and difficult comparisons are expected to remain fourth-quarter headwinds.
Management expects parks performance to strengthen through 2027, with a return to growth anticipated in the second half of the year. Cavanagh said attendance, guest spending and financial performance in Orlando remain materially above levels from two years ago, while guest satisfaction has continued to improve.
Comcast paid $1.2 billion in dividends during the quarter and said its share repurchase pause, which began July 1, will remain in effect at least through the NBCUniversal and Sky separation. The company said it is prioritizing balance-sheet flexibility and investment-grade credit ratings for both post-separation businesses.
About Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA)Comcast Corporation is a global media and communications company headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1963 as American Cable Systems, the company grew through the expansion of cable television and broadband services and adopted the Comcast name in 1969.
Through its Connectivity & Platforms businesses, Comcast provides residential and business customers with broadband internet, video, voice, mobile and related services. Its Xfinity brand offers internet, television, streaming and wireless products in the United States, while Comcast Business serves commercial and enterprise customers with connectivity, communications and technology solutions.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
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Key Takeaways Comcast reports Q3 adjusted EPS of $1.07, beating estimates by 9.2%, as revenues fall 6.1% year over year.Wireless service revenues rose 14.7% and Peacock subscribers grew 17% to 48M, supporting segment growth.Free cash flow fell to $4.21B, while Comcast paused share repurchases through its planned business separation.
Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) delivered adjusted earnings of $1.07 per share in the third quarter of 2026, which declined 4% from the year-ago period but surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 98 cents by 9.2%.
Consolidated revenues decreased 6.1% year over year to $29.3 billion and missed the consensus mark of $29.35 billion by 0.2%. On a pro forma basis, which reflects the Versant separation completed on Jan. 2, 2026, and the sale of Sky operations in Germany completed on May 31, 2026, revenues increased 0.5% year over year.
The quarter was shaped by continued wireless momentum in Connectivity & Platforms and Peacock’s second consecutive profitable quarter, partly offset by cyclical weakness in Theme Parks. Universal became the first studio to cross $5 billion at the global box office in 2026, led by The Odyssey, which became Universal’s highest-grossing film ever with nearly $1.8 billion in worldwide box office year to date.
Comcast launched Xfinity Shield, a platform that turns Xfinity Wi-Fi into an always-on cybersecurity and home protection layer, and opened Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift at Universal Studios Hollywood. Comcast also said the planned separation of NBCUniversal and Sky into two independent companies remains on track. The quarter included $22 million of transaction costs related to the proposed NBCUniversal spin-off.
CMCSA Wireless Momentum Offsets Broadband PressureConnectivity & Platforms revenues (67.1% of revenues) decreased 2.7% year over year to $19.66 billion, as declines in Residential Connectivity & Platforms outweighed gains in Business Services Connectivity.
Within the segment, Residential Connectivity & Platforms revenues decreased 3.5% year over year to $17.02 billion. Domestic broadband revenues fell 4.7% to $6.24 billion, while domestic wireless service revenues rose 14.7% to $1.05 billion, aided by the conversion of promotional free lines to paid service. Business Services Connectivity revenues increased 2.7% year over year to $2.65 billion, driven by enterprise solutions.
Total Residential Connectivity & Platforms customer relationships increased 33,000 to 47.8 million. A rise in international customer relationships more than offset a decline in domestic customer relationships. Total domestic broadband residential customer net losses were 144,000. Total domestic wireless line net additions were 368,000, with total wireless lines rising to 10.6 million. That represents nearly 18% penetration of domestic residential broadband customers and 7% of addressable wireless lines in Comcast’s footprint. Total domestic video customer net losses were 274,000. Nearly 45% of broadband customers are now on gig-plus speed tiers.
Content & Experiences revenues (36% of revenues) increased 6.5% year over year to $10.54 billion, driven primarily by Media.
Within the segment, Media revenues increased 13% year over year to $5.36 billion, including $224 million of incremental revenue from the FIFA World Cup. Excluding the World Cup, Media revenues rose 8.3%. Peacock generated revenues of $1.8 billion, up from $1.4 billion, and adjusted EBITDA of $261 million, up $478 million year over year. Paid subscribers increased 17% year over year to 48 million.
Studios revenues decreased 1.1% year over year to $2.97 billion, as lower content licensing revenues offset a 76.6% jump in theatrical revenues. Theatrical gains came from The Odyssey, Minions & Monsters and the carryover benefit of Obsession. Theme Parks revenues decreased 4.4% year over year to $2.60 billion, reflecting lower park admissions revenues, including the impact of increased promotional activity.
CMCSA’s Operating DetailsCosts and expenses in the third quarter of 2026 decreased 6.6% year over year to $23.98 billion.
Programming and production costs decreased 13.2% from the year-ago quarter to $7.52 billion. Marketing and promotion expenses decreased 3.5% year over year to $2.12 billion, while other operating and administrative expenses declined 1.4% to $10.65 billion.
Adjusted EBITDA decreased 5.8% year over year to $9.11 billion. On a pro forma basis reflecting the Versant separation and the Sky Germany sale, adjusted EBITDA increased 0.8% year over year.
Total Connectivity & Platforms adjusted EBITDA declined 4.4% year over year to $7.59 billion. Residential Connectivity & Platforms adjusted EBITDA decreased 5.8% year over year to $6.11 billion, reflecting investment in the go-to-market strategy. Business Services Connectivity adjusted EBITDA increased 1.7% year over year to $1.48 billion, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 55.9%.
Content & Experiences adjusted EBITDA increased 29.3% year over year to $1.80 billion. Media adjusted EBITDA increased to $769 million from $247 million in the year-ago quarter. Studios adjusted EBITDA increased 18.6% year over year to $402 million on lower operating expenses. Theme Parks adjusted EBITDA decreased 17.1% year over year to $780 million.
CMCSA’s Cash Flow & LiquidityAs of Sept. 30, 2026, cash and cash equivalents totaled $7.60 billion, down from $7.66 billion as of June 30, 2026.
As of Sept. 30, 2026, consolidated total debt was $87.37 billion, down from $90.38 billion as of June 30, 2026.
Free cash flow was $4.21 billion in the reported quarter, down from $4.95 billion in the prior-year quarter.
In the third quarter of 2026, Comcast generated $7.9 billion in cash from operations, down from $8.69 billion in the prior-year quarter. Capital expenditures were consistent year over year at $3.1 billion.
Comcast paid dividends totaling $1.2 billion. As previously announced, the company suspended its share repurchase program beginning in the third quarter. It expects the pause to remain in place through the proposed separation of its businesses into two independent publicly traded companies.
Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) reported $29.3 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2026, representing a year-over-year decline of 6.1%. EPS of $1.07 for the same period compares to $1.12 a year ago.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $29.35 billion, representing a surprise of -0.18%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +9.18%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.98.
While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.
Here is how Comcast performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Net Additions / (Losses) - Total Domestic Wireless Lines: 368 thousand versus the five-analyst average estimate of 399.2 thousand.Total Domestic Wireless Lines: 10.56 million compared to the 10.59 million average estimate based on five analysts.Total Domestic Video Customers: 10.39 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of 10.44 million.Net Additions / (Losses) - Total Domestic Broadband Residential Customers: -144 thousand versus the five-analyst average estimate of -132.58 thousand.Revenue- Residential Connectivity & Platforms- Residential Connectivity- Domestic convergence- Domestic wireless service: $1.05 billion versus $1.04 billion estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -15.7% change.Revenue- Content & Experiences- Theme Parks: $2.6 billion versus $2.69 billion estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -4.4% change.Revenue- Content & Experiences- Studios: $2.97 billion compared to the $3.05 billion average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of -1.1% year over year.Revenue- Content & Experiences- Media: $5.36 billion compared to the $5.34 billion average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of -18.7% year over year.Revenue- Residential Connectivity & Platforms- Video: $5.91 billion compared to the $6.01 billion average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of -10.3% year over year.Revenue- Residential Connectivity & Platforms- Other: $1.11 billion versus $1.13 billion estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -7% change.Revenue- Residential Connectivity & Platforms- Residential Connectivity- Domestic convergence- Domestic broadband: $6.24 billion versus the six-analyst average estimate of $6.22 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -3%.Revenue- Residential Connectivity & Platforms- Advertising: $918 million versus $919.8 million estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +6.3% change.View all Key Company Metrics for Comcast here>>>
Shares of Comcast have returned -2.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's no change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.
Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA, XETRA:CTP2) reported a 4% decline in adjusted earnings per share to $1.07 in the third quarter, as pressure on its connectivity business offset stronger results from streaming and film operations.
Revenue fell 6% year on year to $29.3 billion, while adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) declined 6% to $9.1 billion.
However, excluding the effects of the separation of Versant and the sale of Sky’s German operations, revenue increased by less than 1% and adjusted EBITDA was broadly unchanged.
Net income attributable to Comcast rose 4% to $3.4 billion, although adjusted net income fell 7% to $3.8 billion.
The US media and technology group generated $4.2 billion in free cash flow, down 15% from a year earlier, and paid $1.2 billion in dividends to shareholders.
The results highlighted a widening contrast between Comcast’s entertainment operations and its core connectivity business, which continued to face pressure from customer losses and lower broadband revenue.
Peacock, the company’s streaming service, generated $261 million in adjusted EBITDA on $1.8 billion in revenue, compared with a $217 million loss a year earlier.
Paid subscribers increased 17% to 48 million, while higher distribution revenue reflected increased subscription numbers and stronger average rates.
Comcast’s studios also improved profitability, with adjusted EBITDA rising 19% to $402 million, supported by successful film releases including The Odyssey and Minions & Monsters.
Theme parks remained a weak spot, as revenue fell 4% to $2.6 billion and adjusted EBITDA declined 17% to $780 million amid lower admissions revenue and increased promotional activity.
Within Connectivity & Platforms, revenue fell 3% to $19.7 billion, while adjusted EBITDA decreased 4% to $7.6 billion, reflecting weaker residential performance partly offset by business services growth.
Domestic broadband customer losses reached 144,000 during the quarter, while wireless net additions totalled 368,000, bringing Comcast’s domestic wireless lines to approximately 10.6 million.
The group also confirmed that its planned separation of NBCUniversal and Sky into two independent, publicly traded companies remained on track, with its share repurchase programme suspended throughout the process.
Shares of Comcast gained around 4.4% on Thursday morning.
Comcast beat Wall Street's expectations for third-quarter earnings — despite headwinds in its theme parks business — thanks to continued strength in its media unit.
The company's Peacock streaming service reported a quarterly profit for the second time since its launch in 2020, posting $261 million in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization on $1.8 billion in revenue.
Peacock paid subscribers grew to 48 million, up 17% year over year.
The streaming platform continued to reap the benefits of record-high viewership for the FIFA World Cup, as the final games played out at the beginning of the quarter and aired on NBCUniversal's Telemundo and on Peacock.
Revenue in Comcast's media division, which includes the streaming service, rose 13% compared with the third quarter last year to $5.4 billion. The overall content and experiences unit, which also includes its film studio and theme parks, saw revenue rise 6.5%.
Comcast's connectivity and platforms sector, however, continued to face pressure, with revenue down 2.7% year over year.
The company reported a net loss in domestic broadband residential customers of 144,000 and a net loss in its cable customers of 274,000 during the period. Its mobile business added 368,000 customers.
After years of stagnating growth in broadband and heightened competition from wireless providers like Verizon and T-Mobile, Comcast announced in January 2025 that it would refocus on its mobile business and pursue more competitive pricing plans.
Here's how Comcast performed for the period ended Sept. 30 compared with what analysts expected, according to LSEG:
Earnings per share: $1.07 adjusted vs. 98 cents expectedRevenue: $29.3 billion vs. $29.28 billion expectedIn June, Comcast announced plans to spin off NBCUniversal and European media business Sky from its core cable, wireless and business services units. The split, which Comcast said would take about a year, will create two separate publicly traded companies.
Co-CEO and Chair Brian Roberts said on a call with investors directly following the June announcement that the separation would allow each business to have more "dedicated focus, strategic flexibility, and tailored investment priorities."
The decision comes after Comcast spun off most of its cable networks, along with an array of digital businesses, into Versant. That separation was completed in January.
For the third quarter, Comcast's revenue was 6% lower than the year-ago period. However, adjusting for the impact of the Versant spin, revenue was essentially flat year over year, Comcast said.
Net income for the period was $3.45 billion, or 97 cents per share, compared with $3.33 billion, or 90 cents per share, in the third quarter of 2025. Adjusting for one-time items, including investments and the value of certain intangible assets, Comcast reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.07.
The company's theme park revenue fell 4.4% during the period to $2.6 billion, which the company attributed to "cyclical headwinds" and lower revenue from admissions, dented by promotional activity. Adjusted EBITDA for the division sank 17%.
The weakness in theme parks comes despite continued investment in the sector with the opening of a new coaster at Universal Studios Hollywood this quarter and Universal's largest theme park property, Epic Universe, last year.
Theme park rival Disney reported record quarterly revenue in its park division in August.
Comcast's studios division reported revenue of $2.97 billion, down 1.1% from the third quarter last year. Adjusted EBITDA for the segment, however, increased 18.6% to $402 million, thanks to lower operating expenses.
The July theatrical release of "The Odyssey," which became Universal's highest-grossing film of all time, boosted the division. Meanwhile, content licensing revenue was down 23.7% from the comparable quarter, leading to the decrease in studio revenue, according to Comcast.
Disclosure: Versant Media Group is the parent company of CNBC.
Odysseus and his intrepid crew sailed through Comcast’s latest quarter as Universal surpassed $5 billion at the global box office, led by the The Odyssey, now Universal’s highest-grossing film of all time.
The Christopher Nolan smash based on Homer’s epic has grossed nearly $1.9 billion worldwide since its July opening and set all sort of records for the director and the studio with $625 million domestically and $1.16 million of international box office.
Theatrical revenue surged 77% to $1.13 billion for the third quarter.
Peacock delivered its second consecutive profitable quarter with $261 million of adjusted EBITDA on $1.8 billion in revenue, driven by strong growth in distribution. Subscribers of 48 million held steady from Q2.
Comcast reported consolidated pro forma revenue of about $29.3 billion for the quarter ended in September and adjusted ebidta, also pro forma, of $9.1 billion, both about flat from the year earlier. The proforma numbers reflect the spinoff of Versant early this year, housing the former NBCU cable networks (except Bravo) and some digital assets.
The stock, which has taken a hit (down over 20% year to date) is having a nice premarket run on the numbers, up 2.3%.
In another major restructuring, Comcast plans to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky into a standalone company, separate from Comcast’s core Connectivity & Platforms business.
The NBCUniversal side will be run by Comcast’s current co-CEO Mike Cavanagh. Comcast’s former CFO Michael Angelakis will become CEO of Comcast after the separation and is working as a strategic advisor until then. Wall Street has been enthusiastic about the separation, which is designed to unlock the value of each group of assets and is likely to generate M&A interest.
Execs said today they are “making meaningful progress on the separation of NBCUniversal and Sky, which remains on track to create two independent companies with the financial strength and flexibility to pursue their respective growth strategies.”
Separately last summer, Sky inked a £1.6 billion ($2.1 billion) deal to acquire ITV‘s television network operations, a major shakeup in the UK media landscape.
Theme parks continued see softness. Last quarter execs cited higher travel prices and weaker consumer sentiment. The ongoing U.S.-Iran war has squeezed oil markets and inflating the price of gasoline and jet fuel, making travel more expensive and increasing other costs for consumers and businesses. Higher interest rates are also squeezing budgets.
Profit at parks fell 17% to $780 million on revenue down 4.4% to $2.6 billion.
At Connectivity, residential broadband net losses continue amid aggressive fiber and fixed wireless access competition. Investors are laser focused on whether the company can stabilize performance there without pressuring profitability given the fierce competition.
Total domestic broadband residential customer net losses were 144,000; total domestic wireless line net additions were 368,000 and total domestic video customer net losses were 274,000.
The stock took a hit last month when Comcast CFO Jason Armstrong called certain promotional price points then in the broadband market “irrational” (presumably referring primarily to AT&T’s, although a competitor wasn’t explicitly named),” says MoffettNathanson in a September report titled ‘U.S. Broadband Pricing: Back From The Brink? – positing the idea that prices have started rising.
Wireless and Business Services, led by Enterprise, the bright spots.
Execs said today that near-term connectivity results “reflect the investments we’re making to navigate an increasingly dynamic environment. We’re encouraged by improving customer satisfaction, strong conversion of free wireless lines to paid relationships, growing adoption of premium wireless plans across our 10.6 million total wireless lines and healthy growth in Business Services, led by Enterprise.”
The cable and entertainment company's quarterly earnings beat analysts' expectations, but bleeding in the key broadband business continued at a worrying pace.
Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.07 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.98 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.12 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +9.18%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this cable provider would post earnings of $0.97 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.04, delivering a surprise of +7.22%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.
Comcast, which belongs to the Zacks Cable Television industry, posted revenues of $29.3 billion for the quarter ended September 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.18%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $31.2 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Comcast shares have lost about 26.1% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 13.3%.
What's Next for Comcast?While Comcast has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Comcast was unfavorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.70 on $30.32 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.49 on $120.18 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Cable Television is currently in the bottom 11% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Another stock from the same industry, Cable One (CABO - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended September 2026.
This telecommunications company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $7.26 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +40.4%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
Cable One's revenues are expected to be $341.35 million, down 9.2% from the year-ago quarter.
Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisors L.P. cut its holdings in shares of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA – Free Report) by 10.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 470,457 shares of the cable giant’s stock after selling 56,588 shares during the quarter. Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisors L.P.’s holdings in Comcast were worth $10,237,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in CMCSA. PFS Partners LLC increased its holdings in Comcast by 32.7% during the 3rd quarter. PFS Partners LLC now owns 3,547 shares of the cable giant’s stock worth $77,000 after purchasing an additional 874 shares in the last quarter. Sawyer & Company Inc purchased a new position in shares of Comcast in the 3rd quarter worth about $329,000. Sowell Financial Services LLC grew its position in shares of Comcast by 11.0% during the 3rd quarter. Sowell Financial Services LLC now owns 71,971 shares of the cable giant’s stock valued at $1,566,000 after acquiring an additional 7,114 shares during the period. Quadrant Capital Group LLC raised its stake in Comcast by 9.4% in the 3rd quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 27,191 shares of the cable giant’s stock valued at $568,000 after acquiring an additional 2,336 shares during the period. Finally, Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Comcast by 25.4% during the 3rd quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 2,874 shares of the cable giant’s stock valued at $63,000 after buying an additional 583 shares in the last quarter. 84.32% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analyst Ratings Changes CMCSA has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Zacks Research lowered Comcast from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Friday, October 16th. Citigroup lowered their target price on Comcast from $30.00 to $27.50 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, September 24th. UBS Group restated a “neutral” rating and set a $27.00 price target (down from $32.00) on shares of Comcast in a report on Tuesday, September 15th. Barclays set a $24.00 price objective on Comcast and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 29th. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut Comcast from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and six have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Comcast presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $30.81.
Get Our Latest Research Report on Comcast Comcast Stock Down 1.3% Shares of NASDAQ:CMCSA opened at $22.08 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $78.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94. Comcast Corporation has a 52-week low of $20.48 and a 52-week high of $32.85. The business’s 50 day moving average is $23.94 and its 200 day moving average is $24.68.
Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The cable giant reported $1.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.97 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $29.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $29.24 billion. Comcast had a return on equity of 14.77% and a net margin of 8.97%. The business’s revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.25 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Comcast Corporation will post 3.49 EPS for the current year.
Comcast News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Comcast this week:
Positive Sentiment: Comcast trades at roughly six times earnings and offers a dividend yield near 6%, which could appeal to income-oriented and value investors. A potential spinoff may also unlock value if the separated businesses improve their strategic positioning. Comcast Trades at 6 Times Earnings and Yields 6% Positive Sentiment: Recent institutional activity was mixed but included sizeable purchases by Invesco, Arrowstreet Capital, JPMorgan and Capital Research, suggesting some large investors view CMCSA’s depressed valuation as attractive. Neutral Sentiment: Investors are awaiting third-quarter results, with broadband subscriber trends, revenue, margins and management’s outlook expected to be the main catalysts. Comcast is scheduled to report on October 22. Comcast Q3 2026 Earnings Preview Negative Sentiment: Comcast is reportedly planning significant job cuts as part of a restructuring of its cable-TV, broadband and wireless operations. While the reductions could lower costs, they also signal pressure on the company’s core businesses. Comcast Planning Significant Job Cuts Negative Sentiment: Management previously indicated that third-quarter broadband subscriber losses were unlikely to improve year over year, amid aggressive, low-priced fiber competition. Investor concerns about another weak broadband quarter have weighed on the stock. Comcast Falls as Investors Brace for Another Tough Broadband Quarter Negative Sentiment: Options activity also reflected bearish positioning, with put purchases more than doubling the average daily volume on October 20. Comcast Profile (Free Report)
Comcast Corporation is a global media and communications company headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1963 as American Cable Systems, the company grew through the expansion of cable television and broadband services and adopted the Comcast name in 1969.
Through its Connectivity & Platforms businesses, Comcast provides residential and business customers with broadband internet, video, voice, mobile and related services. Its Xfinity brand offers internet, television, streaming and wireless products in the United States, while Comcast Business serves commercial and enterprise customers with connectivity, communications and technology solutions.
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PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) today reported results for the quarter ended September 30, 2026. “We are taking decisive steps to strengthen our businesses and unlock the full potential of their structural advantages," said Brian L. Roberts and Mike Cavanagh, co-CEOs of Comcast Corporation. "In Connectivity & Platforms, our near-term financial results reflect the investments we're making to navigate an increasingly dynamic environment. We're encouraged by.
Comcast (CMCSA.O) lost more broadband customers than expected in the third quarter as fierce competition chipped away at its core business, while NBCUniversal benefited from gains in theatrical and streaming ahead of its planned spinoff next year.
Aggressive price cuts by carriers such as AT&T and smaller fiber providers are making it harder for Comcast to retain broadband subscribers without offering heavy discounts.
Here are more details:
Broadband users decreased by 144,000 in the third quarter, the company said on Thursday. That is higher than the 116,800 losses estimated by analysts polled by FactSet and the 91,000 decrease reported in the year-ago period
The company is reportedly planning significant number of layoffs to restructure the connectivity business
Comcast's media businesses, including its studios, theme parks and Peacock streaming service, are set to separate from the company as part of the planned NBCUniversal spinoff by mid-2027
"The Odyssey" was a bright spot for Universal Studios, becoming the highest-grossing film in its history and helping drive pre-tax profit up 18.6% for the unit
The media division posted a 13% increase in third-quarter revenue to $5.36 billion, driven by soccer World Cup programming and "Love Island USA" on Peacock
Comcast shares rose about 2% in premarket trading
Peacock reported a quarterly pre-tax profit of $261 million, compared with a $217 million loss a year ago
NBCUniversal's theme park unit is seeing weaker demand in Orlando while geopolitical tensions continue to deter Chinese tourists from visiting Japan
The segment reported a 4.4% decline in revenue to $2.60 billion, missing analysts' average estimate of $2.71 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG
Comcast reported adjusted profit of $1.07 per share, above the estimate of 98 cents per share
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.33 a share on the company's common stock. The quarterly dividend is payable on January 27, 2027, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on January 6, 2027. To automatically receive Comcast financial news by e-mail, please visit www.cmcsa.com and subscribe to E-mail Alerts. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is.
Comcast Corp (CMCSA.O) is planning a significant number of job cuts as part of a restructuring of its cable-TV, broadband and wireless businesses, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the plan.
The cuts, aimed at creating a nimble workforce and freeing up cash for investments, could start being announced in a matter of weeks, the report said, without revealing how many jobs were at stake
Comcast did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside regular business hours
The report comes months after Comcast said it will split into two publicly traded companies through a spinoff of NBCUniversal and Sky, under pressure from streaming rivals and industry consolidation
The company had about 179,000 employees as of December 31, 2025
Comcast is bleeding subscribers while Spotify keeps adding them, but both stocks have sold off in 2026 and face pressure on earnings per share. Thursday's results will reveal which company actually commands the pricing power to hold onto your monthly…
Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA | CMCSA Price Prediction) and Spotify (NYSE:SPOT) are scheduled to post third-quarter results on Thursday, October 22. Comcast sells the internet, phone, and Peacock lines on your bill. Spotify sells your music. Which one holds subscribers and pricing power better?
Comcast releases results that morning and holds its call at 8:30 a.m. ET. Spotify reports the same day. Both stocks have lagged in 2026. Comcast is down 19.2% year to date at $22.36, and Spotify is down 8.5% at $526.08.
Wall Street Expects Comcast to Shrink and Spotify to Grow
The year-over-year changes below compare estimates with third-quarter 2025 and full-year 2025 results.
Comcast’s Cable Squeeze Versus Its Content Upside
Consumer advocate Clark Howard pointed out on October 9 that Comcast and Charter Communications (NASDAQ:CHTR) “are seeing enormous loss of customers now that they face more and more competition” and “are not standing up to the competition test.” Barron’s Streetwise noted the same day that Comcast was down 60% over five years and traded at six times forward earnings (share price divided by next year’s expected profit), among the lowest P/Es in the S&P 500.
Zacks Investment Research flagged that domestic broadband revenue fell 5.5% in the prior quarter and cited Peacock’s first quarterly profit of $189 million, helped by the FIFA World Cup, plus August price increases of $1 to $3 per month. Zacks added that Universal became the first studio to cross $4 billion in 2026 global box office, while theme parks stayed soft. Comcast has paused buybacks ahead of a tax-free spin-off of NBCUniversal and Sky.
Sports content is Peacock’s competitive weapon. Gene Sykes, the co-head of global M&A at Goldman Sachs and chair of the board of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said on Bloomberg’s Odd Lots podcast on September 19 that NBC holds U.S. Olympics rights through 2036 at “a billion and a half dollars or more per Games.” After a record 448,000 wireless line additions, management promised “modest improvements starting in the third quarter” as free wireless lines convert to paid ones.
Spotify Faces a Pure Subscription Test
Spotify crossed 300 million Premium subscribers in the second quarter, up 9%, with 777 million monthly users. Bloomberg reported on August 4 that users rose 12% following major product announcements. Price increases raised Premium average revenue per user (monthly revenue per subscriber) 7% to €4.89.
For the third quarter, management guided to 305 million subscribers, 788 million monthly users, and a 32.9% gross margin (revenue left after royalty and delivery costs). Audiobooks+ passed $100 million in annual recurring revenue, an add-on that raises revenue per user without a headline price rise.
Co-founder Daniel Ek has offered a longer view, famously saying, “We really want to soundtrack every moment of your life,” and citing artificial intelligence as a tool to create an adaptive, real-time soundtrack tailored to what a listener is doing, feeling, or experiencing.
What Each Company Must Prove on Thursday
Comcast must show broadband customer losses narrowing as free wireless lines become paying accounts. Spotify must reach 305 million subscribers while protecting its 32.9% gross margin target. Whichever company delivers on that test will have the stronger claim on your monthly budget.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Trading at just 6 times forward earnings and with a 6% forward dividend yield, Comcast (CMCSA +2.10%) stock is arguably priced for disaster. But is the super-low valuation of this telecommunications and media giant warranted, or have investors overreacted by giving the stock such a "value trap" valuation?
On one hand, there is justification for caution, given the company's ongoing broadband subscriber losses. On the other hand, with Comcast's upcoming plans to spin off the rest of its media assets, it may be on the verge of unlocking its underlying value. Or is it?
Let's take a closer look to see whether this is a prime deep-value opportunity or a name that's likely to remain a value-and-yield trap.
Image source: Getty Images.
Comcast, valuation, and market skepticism
Broadband subscriber losses and their impact on Comcast's profitability remain key drivers of the stock's poor performance and low valuation. Comcast stopped reporting subscriber numbers this year, but as noted in a recent downgrade by KeyBanc analyst Brandon Nispel, the company is on track to lose 558,000 broadband subscribers in 2026, with another 665,000 expected to "cut the cord" with Comcast in 2027.
Nispel is not alone in his downbeat view on Comcast's dwindling subscriber base. Based on analyst estimates for 2026 and 2027 earnings, it's clear that declining subscribers, and thus declining revenue and earnings for Comcast, remain highly anticipated. Forecasts call for earnings of $3.48 and $3.59 per share in 2026 and 2027, respectively, down from $4.10 per share in 2025.
Still, it's not as if this is the sole factor at play with Comcast shares right now. After last year's spinoff of Versant Media Group (VSNT +0.60%), a new entity that owns Comcast's former cable television business, Comcast plans to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky into a separate public company soon.
Analysts anticipate the market rerating these businesses separately, leading to share appreciation, even if earnings aren't set to amaze anytime soon. These bullish price targets range from $31 to $37 per share.
Value unlock remains highly speculative
A major reason so many analysts still believe better times lie ahead for the stock price is recent merger activity among telecom stocks and media stocks. Following Charter Communications' purchase of Cox's cable business, there is much speculation that Comcast will merge with Charter, creating new opportunities for cost and growth synergies.
CMCSA Comcast$22.36+$0.46 (+2.10%)
NASDAQ · As of 4:00 PM ET 10/20/26
After Skydance (SKYD +4.41%) purchases Warner Bros. Discovery, there's also much speculation that a larger media conglomerate could swallow up NBCUniversal after it becomes independent. However, there are no guarantees. It's unclear whether a Comcast-Charter merger would get through antitrust scrutiny.
After completing such a big transaction, I don't see Skydance rushing in to buy NBCUniversal, either. Other companies could bid for NBCUniversal, but given how peers like Walt Disney already own competing broadcast networks, finding a deep-pocketed buyer may be harder than you think.
In short, consider this catalyst highly speculative. Meanwhile, subscriber losses remain a concern, calling into question the sell side's current view that Comcast's earnings could stabilize in the coming year. Until it can fully shake off this perception, err on the side of caution and avoid the effort to bottom-fish Comcast stock.
IFP Advisors Inc increased its position in shares of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) by 171.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 210,360 shares of the cable giant's stock after buying an additional 132,967 shares during the period. IFP Advisors Inc's
Analysts on Wall Street project that Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) will announce quarterly earnings of $0.98 per share in its forthcoming report, representing a decline of 12.5% year over year. Revenues are projected to reach $29.35 billion, declining 5.9% from the same quarter last year.
The current level reflects a downward revision of 1% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter over the past 30 days. This demonstrates how the analysts covering the stock have collectively reappraised their initial projections over this period.
Prior to a company's earnings announcement, it is crucial to consider revisions to earnings estimates. This serves as a significant indicator for predicting potential investor actions regarding the stock. Empirical research has consistently demonstrated a robust correlation between trends in earnings estimate revision and the short-term price performance of a stock.
While investors typically rely on consensus earnings and revenue estimates to gauge how the business may have fared during the quarter, examining analysts' projections for some of the company's key metrics often helps gain a deeper insight.
That said, let's delve into the average estimates of some Comcast metrics that Wall Street analysts commonly model and monitor.
Analysts expect 'Revenue- Connectivity & Platforms- Residential Connectivity & Platforms' to come in at $17.01 billion. The estimate indicates a change of -3.3% from the prior-year quarter.
The average prediction of analysts places 'Revenue- Residential Connectivity & Platforms- Residential Connectivity- Domestic convergence- Domestic wireless service' at $1.04 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -16.2%.
According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Revenue- Residential Connectivity & Platforms- Video' should come in at $6.01 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -8.9%.
The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Revenue- Connectivity & Platforms- Business Services Connectivity' will likely reach $2.66 billion. The estimate points to a change of +3.2% from the year-ago quarter.
The consensus among analysts is that 'Total Domestic Broadband Residential Customers' will reach 28.35 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 28.90 million in the same quarter of the previous year.
Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Total Domestic Wireless Lines' should arrive at 10.59 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 8.94 million in the same quarter last year.
The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Total Domestic Video Customers' of 10.44 million. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 11.52 million.
It is projected by analysts that the 'Net Additions / (Losses) - Total Domestic Wireless Lines' will reach 399.20 thousand. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of 414.00 thousand.
Analysts predict that the 'Customer Relationships - International Residential Connectivity & Platforms Customer Relationships' will reach 17.49 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 17.60 million in the same quarter last year.
The consensus estimate for 'Customer Relationships - Total Residential Connectivity & Platforms Customer Relationships' stands at 47.54 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 50.95 million in the same quarter last year.
Analysts' assessment points toward 'Customer Relationships - Domestic Residential Connectivity & Platforms Customer Relationships' reaching 30.04 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 30.64 million in the same quarter of the previous year.
Analysts forecast 'Domestic Residential Passings' to reach 59.74 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 64.64 million in the same quarter last year.
View all Key Company Metrics for Comcast here>>>
Comcast shares have witnessed a change of -3.7% in the past month, in contrast to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.5% move. With a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), CMCSA is expected underperform the overall market performance in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Earnings season rolls on this week, with reports from businesses ranging from air travel to consumer goods scheduled to be released in the coming days. But tech will take the spotlight.
Key Takeaways Comcast is expected to report Q3 revenues of $29.35 billion and earnings of 98 cents per share.Broadband pressure, softer theme park demand and Peacock's post-World Cup slowdown may weigh on results.Universal's box office success offers support, while elevated capital spending pressures free cash flow.
Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) is scheduled to report its third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 22.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings is pegged at 98 cents per share, down by a penny over the past 30 days. The figure indicates a 12.5% decrease from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
The consensus mark for revenues is pegged at $29.35 billion, indicating a 5.92% decrease from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
CMCSA’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 7.32%.
Let us see how things are shaping up for the upcoming announcement.
Factors to ConsiderThe quarter is likely to have reflected a business in transition, with connectivity pressure and softer theme park demand weighing on gains in streaming and film. Comparisons are expected to have been clouded by the May 31 sale of Sky’s German operations and the planned tax-free spin-off of NBCUniversal and Sky, announced on June 29.
Connectivity & Platforms is expected to have remained the key drag. In the second quarter, domestic broadband revenues fell 5.5% as Comcast held rates steady and migrated customers to lower price points, while Residential EBITDA margin contracted 160 basis points to 37.7%. Management guided for only modest improvement from the third quarter as free wireless lines converted to paying relationships, implying broadband revenues likely stayed under pressure. Wireless momentum, after a record 448,000 line additions, is expected to have continued, though free-line promotions are likely to have diluted revenue per line. Business Services, which grew revenues 3.7% last quarter, is expected to have offered support, aided by network expansions such as multi-gigabit availability in Beaufort and Edisto, SC, in September.
In Media, Peacock is likely to have benefited from price increases of $1-$3 per month across plans, effective Aug. 18 for new subscribers, alongside the August beta launch of a membership rewards program. However, Peacock’s maiden $189 million second-quarter profit was aided by the FIFA World Cup, which added $440 million of incremental Media revenues, and the event’s July conclusion is likely to have tempered growth.
Studios is expected to have been a bright spot. Universal became the first studio to cross $4 billion in 2026 global box office by August, powered by The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s biggest opening ever, and Minions & Monsters, which debuted at No. 1. Higher marketing and production costs are likely to have partly offset these gains.
Theme Parks is likely to have stayed soft, as Orlando attendance weakened in June and remained pressured into the third quarter, while Osaka faced travel headwinds. Universal Kids Resort, opened July 1 in Frisco, TX, is expected to have added revenues but also start-up costs.
Capital expenditures are expected to have stayed elevated after rising 8.3% to $2.9 billion last quarter, with Connectivity & Platforms spending up 19.9%, pressuring free cash flow. The buyback pause announced on June 29 is likely to have limited earnings support.
What Our Model SaysAccording to the Zacks model, the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy), or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. But that is not the case here.
Comcast currently has an Earnings ESP of -0.09% and a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Stocks to ConsiderHere are some stocks worth considering, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle.
PEOPLES BANCORP (PEBO - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.09% and sports a Zacks Rank #1 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
PEOPLES BANCORP shares have gained 22.3% year to date. PEOPLES BANCORP is scheduled to report its third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 20.
ATI INC (ATI - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.09% and sports a Zacks Rank #1.
ASE Technology shares have surged 61.7% year to date. ATI INC is set to report its third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 29.
BP (BP - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +7.29% and flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 at present.
BP shares have gained 44.6% in the year-to-date period. BP is set to report third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 30.
Is It Too Late to Buy Comcast Corp (CMCSA) After 3.4% Rally? GF Value Says Undervalued
On October 15, 2026, Comcast Corp CMCSA shares rose 3.4% to $21.77, recovering slightly from a challenging month that saw a decline of 9.5%. The stock has traded within a 52-week range of $20.48 to $32.86.
GF Value™ verdict: CMCSA is currently priced at $21.77, which represents a 40.8% discount to its GF Value™ estimate of $36.80.GF Score™: The stock has a score of 66/100, indicating an above-average investment quality.Most notable signal: Insider activity has seen $2.3 million in sales over the past 12 months, with no insider buying reported.Is CMCSA Overvalued or Undervalued?The current price of Comcast Corp CMCSA at $21.77 is significantly below its GF Value™ of $36.80, indicating a potential undervaluation of 40.8%. GF Value™ is GuruFocus' proprietary intrinsic-value estimate that considers historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance projections. This strong margin of safety suggests that there may be an opportunity for value investors. However, it is important to note that the GF Valuation label classifies CMCSA as a "Possible Value Trap," which advises caution. This typically indicates that while shares may appear undervalued based on traditional metrics, underlying business challenges could hinder future performance.
Given the valuation signals, potential investors should consider the sustainability of the company's dividend yield and payout ratio. If the financial fundamentals do not support a sustainable dividend, the perceived value may not translate into actual returns for shareholders.
How Does CMCSA's Valuation Compare to Its History?MetricCurrentHistoricalP/E (TTM)7.0x10.6xForward P/E6.1xN/ACMCSA's current P/E (TTM) of 7.0x is 33% below its 5-year median P/E of 10.6x, indicating that the stock is trading at a lower valuation compared to its historical averages. This perspective aligns with the GF Value™ verdict, reinforcing the notion that the stock may be undervalued relative to its historical performance. However, the low P/E ratio could also suggest underlying issues that warrant further investigation.
What Does CMCSA's GF Score™ Tell Us?The GF Score™ evaluates a stock's overall quality based on various factors, including financial strength, profitability, growth potential, valuation, and momentum. CMCSA's score of 66/100 indicates it has above-average investment quality, with notable strengths and weaknesses across its sub-ranks.
MetricRatingGF Score™66Financial Strength4/10Profitability9/10Growth5/10Valuation4/10Momentum1/10CMCSA's profitability rank of 9/10 suggests strong margins and operational efficiency, which is a significant positive aspect for potential investors. However, the financial strength rank of 4/10 and a momentum rank of only 1/10 raise concerns about the company's financial stability and recent stock performance. The low momentum score indicates a lack of upward price movement in recent periods, which could deter investors looking for growth.
What Are Gurus and Insiders Doing with CMCSA?Currently, 26 gurus hold shares of CMCSA, with 11 adding to their positions and 14 trimming their holdings in recent quarters. This mixed activity indicates a divided opinion among institutional investors regarding the stock's potential.
On the insider front, $2.3 million worth of shares were sold by insiders over the past 12 months, with no reported buying. This trend of selling without any purchasing activity may suggest a lack of confidence from those closest to the company, which could be a red flag for potential investors.
What This Means for InvestorsBased on the GF Value™ assessment, Comcast Corp CMCSA appears to be undervalued at its current price of $21.77, presenting a potential opportunity for investors. However, the significant insider selling and the classification as a "Possible Value Trap" should be carefully weighed against the stock's attractive valuation metrics. Investors need to consider both the sustainability of dividends and the overall financial health of the company before making investment decisions. For further details on Comcast Corp, visit the Comcast Corp (CMCSA) stock page.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is CMCSA's GF Score™?
CMCSA has a GF Score™ of 66/100, indicating above-average investment quality based on various fundamental factors.
Is CMCSA overvalued or undervalued?
CMCSA is currently undervalued, with a GF Value™ estimate of $36.80 compared to its price of $21.77.
What is CMCSA's P/E ratio?
CMCSA's P/E (TTM) is 7.0x, which is significantly below its 5-year median of 10.6x, suggesting it is trading at a lower valuation compared to its historical averages.
This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Disclosures
I/We may personally own shares in some of the companies mentioned above. However, those positions are not material to either the company or to my/our portfolios.
Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.
The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 22. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis cable provider is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.98 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -12.5%.
Revenues are expected to be $29.35 billion, down 5.9% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 4.06% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Comcast?For Comcast, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +0.12%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #4.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Comcast will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Comcast would post earnings of $0.97 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.04, delivering a surprise of +7.22%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Comcast doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. boosted its position in Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA – Free Report) by 71.4% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 120,836 shares of the cable giant’s stock after acquiring an additional 50,329 shares during the quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co.’s holdings in Comcast were worth $2,697,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Invesco Ltd. lifted its stake in Comcast by 10.0% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 43,332,228 shares of the cable giant’s stock valued at $1,295,200,000 after purchasing an additional 3,952,642 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its holdings in shares of Comcast by 10.2% during the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 40,864,921 shares of the cable giant’s stock worth $1,173,232,000 after purchasing an additional 3,783,234 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in shares of Comcast by 1.8% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 29,461,308 shares of the cable giant’s stock worth $845,919,000 after purchasing an additional 507,097 shares during the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. raised its position in Comcast by 19.6% during the 4th quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 15,677,870 shares of the cable giant’s stock worth $468,612,000 after purchasing an additional 2,573,360 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hsbc Holdings PLC lifted its holdings in Comcast by 43.4% during the 4th quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 13,797,091 shares of the cable giant’s stock worth $404,414,000 after buying an additional 4,175,418 shares during the period. 84.32% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. New Street Research lowered their price objective on Comcast from $31.00 to $30.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. Scotiabank cut their price target on shares of Comcast from $29.00 to $27.50 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 2nd. Moffett Nathanson decreased their price target on Comcast from $52.00 to $43.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Raymond James Financial reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Comcast in a report on Friday, October 2nd. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane lowered their price objective on Comcast from $25.00 to $22.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $30.81.
Get Our Latest Analysis on CMCSA Comcast Stock Up 0.8% CMCSA opened at $21.05 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.80. The company’s 50-day moving average is $24.28 and its 200 day moving average is $24.91. Comcast Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $20.48 and a fifty-two week high of $32.85. The firm has a market capitalization of $74.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.81, a PEG ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 0.68.
Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The cable giant reported $1.04 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.97 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $29.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $29.24 billion. Comcast had a return on equity of 14.77% and a net margin of 8.97%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.25 EPS. Research analysts expect that Comcast Corporation will post 3.49 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Comcast Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 28th. Investors of record on Wednesday, October 7th will be issued a dividend of $0.33 per share. This represents a $1.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 7th. Comcast’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 42.72%.
Comcast Company Profile (Free Report)
Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is a global media and communications company headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its businesses include broadband internet, wireless services, video, voice, and business connectivity services, primarily marketed under the Xfinity brand in the United States. Comcast also provides advertising and related technology services to businesses and media organizations.
Through NBCUniversal, Comcast operates national and local television networks, broadcast network NBC, Spanish-language network Telemundo, the Peacock streaming service, and a portfolio of film and television production businesses.
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WAUCHULA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast expands Xfinity and Comcast Business services in Hardee County, making high-speed Internet available to nearly 2,000 locations.
Comcast announced today that reliable, high-speed Internet services from Xfinity and Comcast Business are now available to nearly 2,000 homes and businesses in
Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $20.66, moving -2.59% from the previous trading session. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.6%. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a rise of 0.83%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw an increase of 0.64%.
Coming into today, shares of the cable provider had lost 15.73% in the past month. In that same time, the Consumer Discretionary sector lost 0.15%, while the S&P 500 gained 1.34%.
Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Comcast in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings report is set to be unveiled on October 22, 2026. The company's upcoming EPS is projected at $0.98, signifying a 12.50% drop compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $29.35 billion, down 5.92% from the year-ago period.
Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $3.49 per share and revenue of $120.18 billion. These totals would mark changes of -19.03% and -2.85%, respectively, from last year.
Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Comcast. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.
Empirical research indicates that these revisions in estimates have a direct correlation with impending stock price performance. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection has moved 0.83% lower. Comcast presently features a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell).
In terms of valuation, Comcast is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 6.08. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 4.32, which means Comcast is trading at a premium to the group.
We can also see that CMCSA currently has a PEG ratio of 1.52. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. By the end of yesterday's trading, the Cable Television industry had an average PEG ratio of 0.75.
The Cable Television industry is part of the Consumer Discretionary sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 239, putting it in the bottom 3% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.
Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.
Over the past month, shares of this cable provider have returned -15.7%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.3% change. During this period, the Zacks Cable Television industry, which Comcast falls in, has lost 19.7%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Revisions to Earnings EstimatesRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.
Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.
Comcast is expected to post earnings of $0.98 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -12.5%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -4.1%.
The consensus earnings estimate of $3.49 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of -19%. This estimate has changed -0.8% over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $3.61 indicates a change of +3.6% from what Comcast is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -2.2%.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for Comcast.
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Revenue Growth ForecastEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.
In the case of Comcast, the consensus sales estimate of $29.35 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of -5.9%. The $120.18 billion and $117.59 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of -2.9% and -2.2%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryComcast reported revenues of $29.94 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -1.2%. EPS of $1.04 for the same period compares with $1.25 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $29.18 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +2.62%. The EPS surprise was +7.22%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.
While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.
The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Comcast is graded A on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Comcast. However, its Zacks Rank #4 does suggest that it may underperform the broader market in the near term.
Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) closed at $20.94 in the latest trading session, marking a -2.88% move from the prior day. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.22%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.66%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 0.22%.
Shares of the cable provider have depreciated by 18.12% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Consumer Discretionary sector's loss of 2.69%, and the S&P 500's gain of 1.4%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Comcast in its upcoming release. The company plans to announce its earnings on October 22, 2026. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $0.98, reflecting a 12.5% decrease from the same quarter last year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $29.35 billion, down 5.92% from the prior-year quarter.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $3.49 per share and revenue of $120.18 billion, which would represent changes of -19.03% and -2.85%, respectively, from the prior year.
Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Comcast. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the business operations and its ability to generate profits.
Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), possesses a remarkable history of outdoing, externally audited, with #1 stocks returning an average annual gain of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed a 0.83% decrease. Comcast presently features a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell).
In terms of valuation, Comcast is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 6.18. This indicates a premium in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 4.36.
Investors should also note that CMCSA has a PEG ratio of 1.55 right now. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. Cable Television stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 0.76 based on yesterday's closing prices.
The Cable Television industry is part of the Consumer Discretionary sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 241, which puts it in the bottom 3% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
To follow CMCSA in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.
Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA – Get Free Report) and Creative Realities (NASDAQ:CREX – Get Free Report) are both communication services companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, analyst recommendations, dividends, valuation, risk, profitability and institutional ownership.
Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for Comcast and Creative Realities, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Comcast 5 13 11 0 2.21 Creative Realities 1 1 2 0 2.25 Comcast presently has a consensus price target of $31.00, suggesting a potential upside of 43.78%. Creative Realities has a consensus price target of $8.00, suggesting a potential upside of 221.29%. Given Creative Realities’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Creative Realities is more favorable than Comcast.
Profitability This table compares Comcast and Creative Realities’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Comcast 8.97% 14.77% 5.18% Creative Realities -29.29% -88.21% -13.51% Risk & Volatility Comcast has a beta of 0.68, indicating that its share price is 32% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Creative Realities has a beta of 1.52, indicating that its share price is 52% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Insider and Institutional Ownership 84.3% of Comcast shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 41.3% of Creative Realities shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.4% of Comcast shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 26.8% of Creative Realities shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Valuation & Earnings This table compares Comcast and Creative Realities”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Comcast $124.90 billion 0.61 $20.00 billion $3.09 6.98 Creative Realities $57.23 million 0.59 -$8.28 million ($2.11) -1.18 Comcast has higher revenue and earnings than Creative Realities. Creative Realities is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Comcast, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Summary Comcast beats Creative Realities on 10 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Comcast (Get Free Report)
Comcast Corporation operates as a media and technology company worldwide. It operates through Residential Connectivity & Platforms, Business Services Connectivity, Media, Studios, and Theme Parks segments. The Residential Connectivity & Platforms segment provides residential broadband and wireless connectivity services, residential and business video services, sky-branded entertainment television networks, and advertising. The Business Services Connectivity segment offers connectivity services for small business locations, which include broadband, wireline voice, and wireless services, as well as solutions for medium-sized customers and larger enterprises; and small business connectivity services in the United Kingdom. The Media segment operates NBCUniversal's television and streaming business, including national and regional cable networks; the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks and owned local broadcast television stations; and Peacock, a direct-to-consumer streaming services. It also operates international television networks comprising the Sky Sports networks, as well as other digital properties. The Studios segment operates NBCUniversal and Sky film and television studio production and distribution operations. The Theme Parks segment operates Universal theme parks in Orlando, Florida; Hollywood, California; Osaka, Japan; and Beijing, China. The company also offers a consolidated streaming platforms under the Philadelphia Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Xumo. Comcast Corporation was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
(Get Free Report)
Creative Realities, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides digital marketing technology and solutions in the United States and internationally. It offers digital signage and media solutions to enhance communications in a wide-ranging variety of out-of-home environments. The company’s solutions include digital merchandising systems and omni-channel customer engagement systems; interactive digital shopping assistants; advisors and kiosks; and other interactive marketing technologies, such as mobile, social media, point-of-sale transactions, beaconing, and web-based media that enables its customers to engage with their consumers. It also provides hardware system design/engineering, hardware installation, content development, content scheduling, post-deployment network and field support, and media sales, as well as media management and distribution software platforms and networks; device and product management; and customized software service layers, systems, experiences, workflows, and integrated solutions. The company sells its solutions to the automotive, retail, digital out of home comprising advertising networks and retail media networks, foodservice/quick-serve restaurants, financial services, gaming, and sports and entertainment venues. Creative Realities, Inc. is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.
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Comcast Business has released its 2026 Cybersecurity Threat Report, an analysis of 79.3 billion cybersecurity events detected across its cybersecurity customers between March 1, 2025, and February 28, 2026. The fourth annual report finds AI pressurizing every stage of the threat landscape, from the speed of initial access to the identities attackers use to move once inside.
The window between exposure and impact has narrowed. AI coding tools let attackers develop new exploits before patches are available, while the underlying techniques stay familiar. Phishing and drive-by compromise attacks still lead by volume. What shifted is the speed and cost of running them at scale.
Findings from 79.3 Billion Cybersecurity Events
47.9 billion initial access events and 5.2 billion resource development events, showing the volume of automated attacks probing the perimeter and the infrastructure attackers built to run them288.9 million active scans, evidence of adversaries constantly hunting vulnerable devices25.4 billion phishing events and 21.9 billion drive-by compromise events the two highest-volume techniques in the data set5.8 million attempts to gain covert access to employee browsers through malicious extensions, browser sync, and session theft57,000 DDoS events driven by botnets seeking to interrupt digital business services with hyper-volumetric trafficThe total means an average of roughly 2,514 cybersecurity events every second.
Identity is Where the Pressure Lands
Stolen credentials, hijacked sessions, and an explosion of non-human identities have made identity the focal point of defense. AI agents and APIs open new inroads into the enterprise, each one carrying permissions no employee would be granted. Defending against this requires identity management paired with ongoing behavioral analysis rather than a one-time verification.
"Attackers have stopped needing to break in," said Noopur Davis, Chief Information Security and Product Privacy Officer, Comcast Corporation. "They get in with stolen credentials, then move through the network the way an employee would. The hard part is no longer just keeping them out. It is also seeing them once they are in and preventing their lateral movement."
The Unmapped Edge
A growing share of the corporate attack surface consists of devices nobody in the organization owns, manages, or monitors. Attackers compromise devices in employees’ homes and businesses such as routers, cameras, streaming devices, and point-of-sale terminals, conscript them into residential proxy networks, and rent the traffic to buyers who want their activity to look ordinary. Researchers at the Comcast Threat Research Lab traced this infrastructure and identified large groupings of infected devices forwarding traffic for outsiders. Perimeter controls do not account for these devices, because no one has mapped them.
“Many cybersecurity programs are designed around organizational boundaries, but cyber risk does not respect those boundaries,” said Amit Verma, Chief Technology Officer, Comcast Business. “Today’s threats often emerge from remote employees’ home offices, supplier networks, other third-party networks, and unmanaged devices. Effective defense requires visibility into network activity across that broader environment, so organizations can identify and respond to risk wherever it originates.”
Security Built into the Network
When threats move at machine speed, the advantage belongs to organizations that can act on intelligence in real-time. Comcast Business delivers secure SD-WAN and SASE, DDoS mitigation, and AI-powered Managed Detection and Response (MDR), backed by a 24/7 security operations center. For small businesses, Comcast Business SecurityEdge® helps block known malicious domains using threat intelligence that refreshes every five minutes, and SecurityEdge™ Preferred adds a next-generation firewall inside the Comcast network that inspects traffic in both directions.
More than 1.2 billion devices connect across the Comcast network, where the company identifies, filters, and blocks an average of 30 million cyber threats every day. That work spans the home and the business. Xfinity Shield, launched in August, turns home WiFi into a layer of protection through the Xfinity Gateway. Comcast Business applies a network-level approach to organizations of every size.
About the 2026 Data
The 2026 report draws on an expanded telemetry set analyzed through a new threat analytics platform. The figures represent that expanded data set and the updated methodology and are not comparable to totals published in prior reports.
To download the full 2026 Comcast Business Cybersecurity Threat Report, visit: https://business.comcast.com/resources/enterprise/reports/2026-comcast-business-cybersecurity-threat-report
About Comcast Business
Comcast Business offers leading global businesses the technology solutions and forward-thinking partnership they need. With a full suite of solutions including fast, reliable connectivity, secure networking solutions and advanced cybersecurity and a range of managed service options, Comcast Business is ready to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes. Comcast Business has been recognized by leading analyst firms for its continued growth, innovation, and leadership, and is committed to partnering with customers to help them drive their businesses forward.
For more information, call 800-501-6000. Follow @ComcastBusiness on social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261005724314/en/
Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA – Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, July 23rd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, October 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.33 per share by the cable giant on Wednesday, October 28th. This represents a $1.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.1%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, October 7th.
Comcast has increased its dividend by an average of 0.1%per year over the last three years and has increased its dividend every year for the last 18 years. Comcast has a payout ratio of 28.4% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities research analysts expect Comcast to earn $3.61 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.32 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 36.6%.
Comcast Stock Performance Shares of NASDAQ:CMCSA opened at $21.57 on Monday. Comcast has a 12-month low of $21.28 and a 12-month high of $32.85. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94. The company has a market cap of $76.54 billion, a PE ratio of 6.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.68. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $24.78 and a 200 day moving average of $25.36.
Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The cable giant reported $1.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.97 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $29.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $29.24 billion. Comcast had a net margin of 8.97% and a return on equity of 14.77%. The company’s revenue was down 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.25 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Comcast will post 3.48 EPS for the current year. Comcast Company Profile (Get Free Report)
Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is a global media and communications company headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its businesses include broadband internet, wireless services, video, voice, and business connectivity services, primarily marketed under the Xfinity brand in the United States. Comcast also provides advertising and related technology services to businesses and media organizations.
Through NBCUniversal, Comcast operates national and local television networks, broadcast network NBC, Spanish-language network Telemundo, the Peacock streaming service, and a portfolio of film and television production businesses.
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PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast Business has released its 2026 Cybersecurity Threat Report, an analysis of 79.3 billion cybersecurity events detected across its cybersecurity customers between March 1, 2025, and February 28, 2026. The fourth annual report finds AI pressurizing every stage of the threat landscape, from the speed of initial access to the identities attackers use to move once inside.The window between exposure and impact has narrowed. AI coding tools let attackers develop ne.
Media and connectivity are colliding as legacy giants adapt to digital shifts. Investors choosing between Comcast (CMCSA -0.90%) and Walt Disney (DIS +0.85%) must decide if they prefer infrastructure stability or creative brand power.
Comcast dominates the domestic broadband and cable landscape while expanding its Universal theme parks and NBCUniversal content. Disney relies on its unparalleled library of intellectual property to fuel streaming services and global resorts. Both companies are navigating a shifting landscape where content delivery and consumer experiences are increasingly intertwined, making this a classic match-up for value-minded investors.
The case for ComcastComcast operates as a diversified titan in the connectivity and content space, serving more than 50 million customers worldwide. It primarily sells broadband, mobile, and video services under the Xfinity and NOW brands while maintaining network infrastructure for small businesses and large enterprise clients. This business services connectivity utilizes proprietary network assets and MVNO agreements with major wireless carriers to broaden its reach.
In its latest annual report for FY 2025, revenue reached nearly $123.7 billion, which was roughly flat compared to the previous year. Despite the lack of top-line growth, the company reported a net income of approximately $20.0 billion, up from roughly $16.2 billion in FY 2024. This resulted in a net margin of close to 16.2%, as Comcast focused on high-margin connectivity services within the media stocks space.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio is roughly 1.1x. This ratio measures total debt against shareholder equity, indicating the company uses a moderate amount of leverage to fund its massive infrastructure. The current ratio, which compares short-term assets to short-term liabilities, is approximately 0.9x. Comcast generated free cash flow of nearly $21.9 billion, which is the cash left over after paying for operations and essential equipment.
The case for Walt DisneyDisney centers its business around a massive library of creative intellectual property distributed through its Entertainment, Sports, and Experiences segments. In its latest annual report for FY 2025, the company noted it serves approximately 132 million paid Disney+ subscribers while managing iconic global theme parks and cruise lines. It also earns fees by licensing its brands for merchandise and serving various distributors through affiliate agreements for its linear networks.
For FY 2025, revenue reached close to $94.4 billion, representing growth of approximately 3.4% over the roughly $91.4 billion earned in the prior year. Net income for the period was roughly $12.4 billion, a significant jump from the $5.0 billion reported in FY 2024. This performance led to a net margin of nearly 13.1% as the company successfully transitioned its streaming segment toward sustainable profitability.
Based on its September 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio is approximately 0.4x, indicating a relatively conservative use of debt compared to its equity. The current ratio is nearly 0.7x, a metric that helps investors understand if a company can cover its immediate debts with its most liquid assets. Free cash flow for the year was roughly $10.1 billion, representing the actual cash available for shareholders after capital spending.
Risk profile comparisonComcast faces stiff competition in the connectivity market from fiber-based providers and wireless carriers. The company also faces significant cybersecurity risks, having recently settled a data breach claim for approximately $117.5 million. Operational challenges persist as consumers move away from traditional cable toward digital streaming, and potential programming distribution blackouts with partners like Charter Communications (CHTR -1.44%) can disrupt revenue.
Disney depends heavily on its ability to create content that resonates with unpredictable consumer tastes. It faces rising costs for sports programming rights and intense competition for subscribers from platforms like Amazon (AMZN +1.06%) and Apple (AAPL +0.77%). Furthermore, the company deals with antitrust litigation regarding bundling and carries risks of competition in its theme park business from global operators like Oriental Land Co. (OLCLF +0.00%).
Valuation comparisonComcast is the cheaper option, carrying a lower forward P/E relative to future earnings estimates and a lower P/S ratio based on sales over the past 12 months.
MetricComcastWalt DisneyForward P/E6.3x13.5xP/S ratio0.6x1.8xValuation metrics include sourcing from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from other data providers.
Despite the proliferation of streaming services and "cord-cutting," cable TV provider Comcast isn't going anywhere. For one thing, it doesn't rely on residential customers alone -- it also provides connectivity for businesses. Through Xfinity, Comcast offers broadband internet, Wi-Fi, and wireless mobile services. So, as far as reliability, it's almost like a utility. Customers might not need this connectivity as much as they do electricity and water, but few would give it up.
But what about its business fundamentals? Comcast delivers a robust free cash flow of about $20 billion annually and a higher dividend yield. Although it still faces the erosion of traditional cable TV and enormous competition in the connectivity space, Comcast remains a defensive play.
Disney, however, is no slouch when it comes to diversifying income streams. It provides TV entertainment through its streaming service. But as most people know, it's much more than that. Disney also operates a few parks you might have heard about, as well as resorts and cruise lines. The company generated over $10 billion in free cash flow in FY 2025 and has a low debt-to-equity ratio, providing financial flexibility as it continues to invest in its properties.
Choosing the better buy right now depends on an investor's long-term goals. Those seeking higher current dividend yields and protection against economic uncertainty may prefer Comcast. Disney brings greater growth potential, brand power, and a huge range of intellectual property in exchange for potentially higher volatility. I don't see either as being a poor investment, but if I had to choose one, I'd pick Disney.
Five dividend stocks go ex-dividend within the next three trading days, but their yields tell only part of the story. The coverage behind those payouts ranges from rock-solid to genuinely alarming, and the clock is already running.
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Five dividend payers go ex-dividend between October 6 and October 8. That leaves only a few trading sessions to get on the books for October payments. Yields range from 3.44% to 12.2%, and the coverage behind those yields changes even more.
How the dates work: you must own the shares before the ex-dividend date to qualify for the payout. With one-day settlement, that means buying by the close of the prior trading day. After the ex-date passes, it is too late for that payment. The cash simply reaches your account on the pay date.
Upbound Group (UPBD): Nearly 10% Yield, Buy-By Monday Upbound Group (NASDAQ:UPBD) yields 9.94% on a $1.56 annualized dividend. Directors declared a $0.39 dividend September 23. It goes ex-dividend October 6 and is scheduled to pay October 27, so Monday, October 5 is the last day to buy. Part of the yield comes from a falling stock price: shares fell 26.73% over the past year and 14.88% in the past month.
On GAAP numbers, coverage is thin. Trailing EPS of $1.54 puts the payout at about 101%. On the reaffirmed non-GAAP guidance of $4.00 to $4.35, the payout falls to roughly 36% to 39%. Cash flow looks better. Second-quarter free cash flow of $84 million compares with a quarterly dividend cost of roughly $22.7 million. Net leverage is at 2.6x.
First Bancorp (FNLC): Rising Payout, Same Monday Deadline First Bancorp (NASDAQ:FNLC) declared a $0.38 dividend on September 24. It goes ex-dividend October 6 and is scheduled to pay October 16, so the buy-by date is Monday, October 5. The yield is 4.47%, held down by a stock that has gained 32.32% this year. The quarterly dividend has climbed from $0.36 in early 2025 to $0.38.
First Bancorp has the cleanest coverage on this list. The $1.52 forward dividend is about 45% of trailing EPS of $3.41. Second-quarter net income rose 18.6%, and net interest margin expanded for the 8th straight quarter to 2.88%. Operating cash flow was negative $12.79 million in the second quarter, a swing that is common at banks. Non-performing assets rose to 0.54% of total assets from 0.19%, so credit quality is worth keeping an eye on.
Comcast (CMCSA): 6% Yield After a Steep Slide Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA | CMCSA Price Prediction) goes ex-dividend October 7. The $0.33 payment is scheduled for October 28, so Tuesday, October 6 is the last day to buy. The 6.07% yield is high mostly because the price has dropped: shares are down 19.98% this year, including 17.15% in the past month.
Coverage is strong. The payout is about 42% of trailing EPS of $3.11. In 2025, operating cash flow minus capital spending left about $21.89 billion, compared with $4.89 billion in dividends. The bigger question is what happens after the separation. Comcast paused buybacks on June 29 ahead of the NBCUniversal/Sky spin-off, and the dividend policy after the split remains open.
Manhattan Bridge Capital (LOAN): 12% Yield on Thin Ice Manhattan Bridge Capital (NASDAQ:LOAN) yields 12.2%. Its $0.11 dividend goes ex October 8 and is scheduled to pay October 15, so Wednesday, October 7 is the buy-by date. Shares are down 25.8% over the past year, and that drop drives much of the yield.
For a lending REIT, net earnings serve as the distributable base, and they fall short. Trailing EPS of $0.43 covers only part of the $0.44 forward dividend, a payout of about 102%. Operating cash flow in 2025 was $4,929,066, below dividends of $5,261,780. The quarterly dividend has already been trimmed from $0.115 to $0.11. Coverage is shaky. A trim like that is one of the warning signs we flagged in a free guide to spotting dividend traps before the cut.
Millicom (TIGO): Big Installment, Lower Yield Millicom (NASDAQ:TIGO) goes ex-dividend October 8. The $0.75 payment is scheduled to pay October 15, so Wednesday, October 7 is the last day to buy. The yield is 3.44% on the $3.00 regular annual dividend. Millicom also declared a separate $1.50 interim dividend, which is payable in early 2027. Payments are subject to 15% Luxembourg withholding tax. The stock has gained 96.19% over the past year, which keeps the yield low.
The regular dividend is about 75% of trailing EPS of $4.01. Including the interim dividend, the full schedule costs roughly $754.7 million. Millicom’s 2026 equity free cash flow guidance of about $1.1 billion covers that, and management is aiming leverage below 2.5x by year-end.
Coverage Outlasts Any Single Payment Buying a stock just to collect one payment rarely pays off on its own, since on the ex-date the share price usually drops by about the amount of the dividend. What holds up is coverage. These five range from comfortable at First Bancorp and Comcast to stressed at Manhattan Bridge Capital. If you are considering any of them, check the deadlines: miss the ex-date and you miss the payment.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Longtime shareholders of Comcast (CMCSA -0.28%) haven't had much of a reason to celebrate over the last five years. The stock price of the cable, communications, and entertainment giant has fallen 58% during that time.
Of course, that's a little bit misleading. Five years ago was the peak of the company's pandemic-era success, when its TV and streaming services like Peacock and NBC and its Xfinity home internet service were seeing record demand from stay-at-home consumers.
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But it's not all bad news. Although Comcast shares trade at a 12-year low, its dividend yield is now at an all-time high of more than 6%!
For dividend investors, especially those nearing retirement, this looks like a golden opportunity to pick up a juicy yield on the cheap. The only question is, how cheap?
Here's how many shares of Comcast stock you'd need to buy to get $5,352.60 in annual dividends.
Why $5,352.60? Everyone's financial situation is different; how much income you need to derive from dividend stocks will vary according to your portfolio and lifestyle, so $5,352.60 may not be the right number for you.
But $5,352 is the approximate median monthly full-time wage in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So, if your portfolio consisted of 12 dividend-paying investments that each paid out $5,352/year, they would provide the same amount of income as the median full-time job ($64,224/year).
Image source: Getty Images.
Since Comcast's per-share dividend of $0.33/quarter amounts to $1.32/year, you would need 4,055 shares to yield exactly $5,352.60 in the current year. Of course, this could go up in future years if the dividend is raised ... or down if the dividend is cut.
At Comcast's current stock price of $21.52/share, 4,055 shares would cost you $87,263.60. That's much more than most people just have lying around! But by gradually investing over time -- and by reinvesting dividends during the preretirement years -- building up a substantial position in a dividend-paying stock like Comcast can provide a steady stream of income in retirement.
Comcast's (CMCSA.O) NBCUniversal is cutting jobs in its global streaming technology organization, the owner of the Fast & Furious and Jurassic Park franchises said on Thursday.
The number of employees affected would depend on the outcome of consultations with employees, a source familiar with the matter said.
Most of the cuts are at Sky, Comcast's European media arm, although some US-based NBCUniversal employees will also be impacted, the source added.
NBCUniversal said it is proposing changes to its Global Streaming Technology organization to ensure it has the right structure and resources in place for future growth.
The layoffs come as media companies seek to improve margins in their streaming operations after years of heavy investment in technology and content.
New “Multiscreen Performance Report” connects attention, reach, consideration, and measurable action, finding that TV and streaming campaigns deliver 2X incremental return on ad spend
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast Advertising, the advertising division of Comcast, today released new findings from its Multiscreen Performance Report, an evolution of its flagship Multiscreen TV Advertising Report. The purpose of the research is to better prove how advertising impacts outcomes throughout the buyer journey by combining Comcast Advertising campaign data with insights from independent measurement partners to examine performance across attention, reach, consideration, and website activity for advertisers of all sizes.
The findings reveal multiscreen TV campaigns deliver a 2X incremental return on ad spend and drive 2.4X more website visits, versus campaigns using only one tactic.
Share The research report outlines the building blocks of advertising performance, starting with how attention to TV ads drives memory. Once a viewer’s attention is captured, TV builds awareness at scale, sharpens consideration and focus, and ultimately drives consumers to take action.
The findings reveal multiscreen TV campaigns deliver a 2X incremental return on ad spend and drive 2.4X more website visits, versus campaigns using only one tactic. Additionally, the data showed sports streaming campaigns, fueled by events like the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, March Madness, and the FIFA World Cup 2026™, had a 52% unique reach, capturing hard-to-reach households 10x more effectively than TV alone.
“Advertisers are under more pressure than ever to prove their media dollars are performing, which is often measured only during conversion. In reality, it starts earlier: when quality access meets the right data to capture true attention,” said Dawn Lee Williamson, Chief Revenue Officer, Media Solutions, Comcast Advertising. “When TV and streaming are paired together, it helps brands capture attention and stay top-of-mind to help drive the measurable results they need. We hope this research helps advertisers make more informed decisions about where and how to invest their media dollars.”
The report also found:
Attention to ads drives memory for brands – When compared to social media, TV exposure leads to +36% more time spent viewing an ad and 2.2X higher brand recall. TV builds awareness at scale, streaming extends reach – Traditional TV delivers 71% of unique multiscreen reach and streaming delivers 21%, with just 8% overlap between the two, underscoring the need for advertisers to leverage both TV and streaming to maximize campaign reach. TVs impact on website visits – Multiscreen TV campaigns generate 2.4X more website visits than single-tactic campaigns and are 105% more efficient at delivering those visits. Attention and consideration convert to action – The impact of addressable advertising delivered a 38% incremental sales lift because it was 2X more likely to reach the target audience and increase delivery among priority households. About the Multiscreen Performance Report
The report includes metrics measured from the first half of 2026, combining aggregated Comcast Advertising TV and streaming campaign data across billions of impressions with outcome measurement from attribution partners Innovid, Clarivoy, and Mastercard, and a recent viewer study conducted in partnership with MediaScience to demonstrate the role attention plays in driving brand memories.
To view the full findings of Comcast’s Multiscreen Performance Report, visit here.
About Comcast Advertising
Comcast Advertising is the advertising division of Comcast. As a global leader in media, technology, and advertising, the company fosters powerful connections between brands and their audiences as well as among publishers, distributors, MVPDs, agencies, and other industry players. Comcast Advertising’s Media Solutions team provides a streamlined way for advertisers to build brand relevancy and sustainable business outcomes through multiscreen TV advertising campaigns—powered by the media, data, and technology assets of Comcast. Reaching nearly 125 million households – including both Comcast and non-Comcast households – across all 210 DMAs, Comcast Advertising’s Media Solutions delivers seamless, consolidated access to a wide range of premium video inventory and proof of performance using its media, data, and technology assets. FreeWheel, its media and technology arm, provides the technology, data enablement, and convergent marketplaces required to ensure buyers and sellers can transact across all screens, data types, and sales channels to help ensure the ultimate goal – results for marketers. And, Comcast Advertising’s Universal Ads enables brands of any size to seamlessly create, buy, and measure ads across premium video directly from top publishers with no fees. Comcast Advertising, along with NBCUniversal and Sky, is part of the Comcast Corporation.
New Solution Expands Harmonic's Network Intelligence Portfolio and Brings Comcast-Developed Fiber Monitoring Technology to Broadband Operators, Providing Real-Time Network Visibility, Proactive Fault Detection and Faster Resolution
, /PRNewswire/ -- Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today introduced Recon, a new family of network monitoring and measurement solutions developed in collaboration with Comcast to help broadband operators detect network issues earlier, pinpoint their location and resolve them faster. The initial Recon offering is built on XMFR fiber monitoring technology developed by Comcast and proven in its network.
Harmonic and Comcast worked together to evolve the technology into a commercial solution that can be deployed by broadband operators and other infrastructure providers, combining Comcast's network technology and operational experience with Harmonic's broadband portfolio and global reach. Comcast's technology continuously monitors performance to identify changes that can indicate degradation or fiber cuts and provide precise location information to network teams.
Recon pairs in-network monitoring hardware and handheld diagnostic tools with cloud-based software to provide real-time visibility across fiber infrastructure. The solution also integrates with Harmonic's cOS SensAI™ intelligence fabric, which uses network data collected by Recon to proactively detect faults and validate remediation.
"Subscribers today expect nothing less than a flawless connectivity experience. With broadband networks expanding rapidly, operators often lack the real-time visibility to detect minor issues before they become large-scale outages," said Yaniv Ben-Soussan, Senior Vice President of Cloud and Intelligence Platform at Harmonic. "Our new Recon family gives broadband service providers the critical intelligence they need to detect problems early and confidently deliver exceptional connectivity that build long-term subscriber loyalty."
Recon helps operators:
Act before customers notice: Continuously identify network degradation and service-impacting events and pinpoint the location and severity of faults. Resolve issues faster: Give field technicians more precise diagnostics and information to help reduce the time required to locate and repair network problems. Expand network visibility cost effectively: Deploy monitoring across access, metro and core networks as well as data center interconnect links. "XMFR grew out of a challenge our teams were solving every day inside Comcast's network: how to see problems developing across fiber infrastructure and give our teams better information to address them quickly," said Elad Nafshi, Chief Network Officer, Comcast. "Our work with Harmonic takes that innovation beyond our own network, combining Comcast-developed technology with Harmonic's capabilities to give other operators a smarter way to monitor and manage their fiber infrastructure."
The launch builds on Comcast and Harmonic's longstanding collaboration on software-powered broadband technologies. Harmonic plans to expand the Recon family over time as it broadens its network intelligence portfolio.
Harmonic will showcase Recon at SCTE TechExpo26 in booth A153.
About Comcast
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit ComcastCorporation.com for more information.
About Harmonic
Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT), the worldwide leader in virtualized broadband solutions, is transforming multi-gigabit connectivity. The company's industry-leading cOS™ virtualized broadband platform, suite of solutions for fiber and DOCSIS, and a growing portfolio of AI-powered network intelligence solutions, enable broadband service providers to simplify operations, deliver exceptional subscriber experiences and expand revenue streams. With thousands of vCMTS servers and hundreds of thousands of RPDs deployed globally, Harmonic powers next-generation broadband services with five-nines reliability. Anchored with a customer-first approach and driven by a legacy of innovation, Harmonic supports broadband service providers at every stage of their network evolution. More information is available at www.harmonicinc.com.
Harmonic, the Harmonic logo and other Harmonic marks are owned by Harmonic Inc. or its affiliates. All other trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.
Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements concerning Harmonic's business and the anticipated capabilities, advantages, reliability, efficiency, market acceptance, market growth, specifications and benefits of Harmonic products, services and technology are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on our current expectations and beliefs and are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties more fully described in Harmonic's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2025, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current Reports on Form 8-K. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Harmonic as of the date hereof, and Harmonic disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX) could pose a growing threat to terrestrial broadband providers, particularly in rural and lower-density markets, MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett said Tuesday as Starlink begins deploying higher-capacity V3 satellites.
Starlink Poses Bigger Threat to Comcast and CharterThe analyst sees SpaceX’s Starlink becoming a more credible competitor to terrestrial broadband as Starship enables higher-capacity satellite deployments, although he expects fiber and cable networks to retain important speed advantages.
Moffett told CNBC that Starlink presents a much greater competitive challenge to terrestrial broadband providers such as Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ:CMCSA) and Charter Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) than to traditional wireless carriers such as AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ).
"The terrestrial broadband business where they deliver ISP service is a very credible product and will have a direct impact. It already is having a significant impact," Moffett said.
Investors are now trying to determine whether Starlink’s impact will remain concentrated in rural and low-density markets or expand further into suburban and potentially some urban areas.
Moffett said the technology remains best suited to rural markets but can also serve some customers in denser areas.
V3 Satellites Strengthen Starlink’s OfferingSpaceX’s first Starship orbital flight marked an important milestone because the rocket deployed 26 V3 Starlink satellites, which Moffett said carry substantially more capacity and should improve the service.
However, he expects the transition to take time. Moffett said it will be after 2030 before most of the Starlink constellation consists of V3 satellites.
Even with V3 satellites, he does not expect Starlink to match the speeds offered by terrestrial fiber or cable broadband.
That leaves pricing and customer segmentation as major competitive factors. Starlink could compete more effectively for value-oriented customers who prioritize lower costs over maximum broadband performance.
Cable Providers Counter With BundlesMoffett compared Starlink’s challenge with the pressure Comcast and Charter already face from fixed wireless access.
The cable operators have responded by bundling broadband with wireless services, a strategy Moffett said has proven relatively successful.
The key question is how far Starlink can expand beyond its natural strength in rural markets and take customers from traditional broadband providers without matching the speed and quality of fiber and cable networks.
Price ActionSPCX Price Action: SpaceX shares were down 0.20% at $148.94 during premarket trading on Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast today unveiled fiber sensing technology that uses fiber lines to detect and pinpoint activity happening around its network in real time. The technology analyzes vibrations traveling through fiber to identify activity such as construction near buried lines, giving Comcast an early warning of potential damage and helping teams respond faster. “Customers count on our network every moment of every day, and our job is to make the incredible complexity behind th.
WASHINGTON, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast has completed a network expansion project that now offers Xfinity and Comcast Business services to more than 2,300 previously unserved homes and businesses across Washington County, Pennsylvania. Residents and business owners now have access to multi-gigabit, symmetrical Internet, mobile, entertainment, home security and advanced business connectivity solutions from America's smartest and most reliable, converged network. The project was made possible t.
GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast announced today Xfinity and Comcast Business reliable, high-speed Internet services are now available to more than 2,300 homes and businesses in Clay County, including more than 1,600 locations that previously lacked access to broadband. The project is made possible through a public-private partnership with the state and includes locations in and around the communities of Clay Hill, Green Cove Springs, Keystone Heights, Kingsley Lake, Lake Gene.
Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) is one of the stocks most watched by Zacks.com visitors lately. So, it might be a good idea to review some of the factors that might affect the near-term performance of the stock.
Shares of this cable provider have returned -19% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1% change. The Zacks Cable Television industry, to which Comcast belongs, has lost 20% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.
Revisions to Earnings EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.
Comcast is expected to post earnings of $0.98 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -12.5%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -2.8%.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $3.48 points to a change of -19.3% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed -1%.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $3.61 indicates a change of +3.6% from what Comcast is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -2.2%.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for Comcast.
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Projected Revenue GrowthEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.
In the case of Comcast, the consensus sales estimate of $29.48 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of -5.5%. The $120.33 billion and $117.92 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of -2.7% and -2%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryComcast reported revenues of $29.94 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -1.2%. EPS of $1.04 for the same period compares with $1.25 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $29.18 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +2.62%. The EPS surprise was +7.22%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Comcast is graded A on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Comcast. However, its Zacks Rank #4 does suggest that it may underperform the broader market in the near term.
