PHILADELPHIA, Jan 29, 2026, 14:19 EST
- Comcast shed 181,000 broadband subscribers in Q4, a steeper drop than analysts had forecasted
- The company announced it will keep broadband prices steady through 2026 and introduce new bundles that include free mobile lines
- Theme parks and Peacock boosted profits beyond expectations, even as streaming losses grew larger
Comcast saw a bigger-than-expected drop in broadband subscribers in Q4, highlighting the growing threat from wireless and fiber competitors to its main business. (Reuters) https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/comcast-sheds-more-broadband-customers-wireless-competition-mounts-2026-01-29/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Timing is crucial as the U.S. home internet market shifts into a price war. Fixed-wireless access—broadband delivered via 5G—is dropping in cost, while fiber companies continue to offer promotions that cable providers struggle to compete with. (Reuters)
Comcast and Charter used to rely on consistent broadband growth to fuel everything—from TV services to share buybacks. Now, that growth is slipping quarter after quarter. Investors are zeroing in on broadband numbers just as much as overall earnings. (Reuters)
Comcast reported a loss of 181,000 broadband subscribers this quarter, falling short of the 173,780 drop analysts surveyed by FactSet had predicted. (Reuters)
Comcast is holding off on raising broadband prices this year to halt subscriber losses. Instead, it’s tweaking its packages, bundling services, and handing out free mobile lines, the company announced. It aims to turn a “meaningful portion” of those free mobile users into paying customers by the second half of 2026. (Reuters) https://www.cmcsa.com/news-releases/news-release-details/comcast-reports-4th-quarter-2025-results?utm_source=chatgpt.com
The company posted revenue of $32.31 billion for the quarter ending in December, matching expectations. Adjusted earnings were 84 cents per share, beating the 75-cent forecast, according to LSEG data referenced by Reuters. (Reuters)
Free cash flow—the cash remaining after operations and capital expenses—hit $4.37 billion, far surpassing analysts’ forecast of $2.23 billion. Shares jumped roughly 3% in early trading. (Reuters)
Theme parks stood out as the clearest highlight. Comcast’s parks division hit a record quarter, with revenue climbing 21.9% to $2.98 billion, Reuters reported. The boost came largely from strong results at its parks, including Orlando’s Epic Universe. (Reuters)
Peacock gained 3 million paid subscribers, but Comcast’s losses ballooned to $552 million, Reuters reported, driven by expenses linked to fresh sports rights. The service snagged National Basketball Association games and an exclusive National Football League deal, pushing costs higher. (Reuters)
Co-CEO Mike Cavanagh announced that NBCUniversal plans to broadcast “roughly 40%” of the big live events in the industry this year, with the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics among them. (Reuters)
Barron’s reported that Comcast’s connectivity and platforms segment saw revenue dip 1.1% to $20.24 billion, while its content and experiences division grew 5.4% to $12.74 billion. The company held its annual dividend steady at $1.32 per share. By midmorning, the stock was up roughly 4%, according to Barron’s. (Barron’s) https://www.barrons.com/articles/comcast-earnings-stock-price-d4ed131b
The near-term risk remains straightforward: maintaining prices and relying on free mobile lines might curb churn but won’t necessarily halt broadband declines as wireless options get better and fiber grows. On the other hand, bigger sports rights deals could boost Peacock subscriptions, even as streaming losses persist for a longer stretch. (Reuters)
