Strong Quarter At Cablevision Could Boost Cable Stocks

Cablevision (CVC) shares are up sharply after the company reported better than expected 4Q05 results and announced 2006 guidance for its cable division that is above current analyst estimates. As the conference call begins, CVC shares are up 5% and dragging Comcast (CMCSA/K), up over 1% along for the ride. Wall Street may hate cable […]

Comcast: Not Good Enough But I’d Hold On

Comcast (CMCSA/K) reported 4Q05 earnings that were pretty much inline across all metrics. Revenue exactly hit estimates, EBITDA might be considered light but that is certainly not the case if hurricane losses of $48 million due to the loss of 20,000 subscribers are considered. Subscriber additions were on target with basic subs growing 40,000 (60,00 […]

Comcast Earnings Preview

Comcast (CMCSA/K) reports before the open on Thursday. So far in 2006, CMCSA has risen 7.5%. I think this sets up a big move in the stock off the earnings report as investors will either be disappointed and willing to lock in this year’s gains or they will be happy and build on the gains. […]

More Price Increases From Cable Competitors

Back at year end I came across a research report noting that Dish Network and Comcast were both raising pricies across their entire spectrum of video offerings with the largest percentage increases occurring on introductory level packages. This struck me as out of sync with the very bearish sentiment on the Street concerning the competitive […]

The Fiber Threat to Cable

Last week, a fellow contributor to Street Insight, Jeff Bagley, noted via his personal experience how powerful Verizon’s all fiber strategy will be in the competition for broadband subscribers. I can’t really argue with his opinion but I do think that for the time being that news is deeply discounted in Comcast (CMCSA/CMCSK) shares. For […]

Continuing the Discussion of Cable Stocks

In response to my latest post on a la carte subscriptions in the cable industry, Rob Martorana, a colleague at StreetInsight.com, emailed me the following comment: On a completely different note, isn’t “on-demand” programming the ultimate form of a-la-carte pricing? And what happens when individual shows are available for $0.99 for one-time viewing? For those […]

Cable Stocks Still Require Patience

I still like Comcast (CMCSA/K) and as I pointed out in the previous post the key to getting Time Warner (TWX) to close its valuation gap is an improved multiple for its cable division. This week has seen a few new developments on the cable scene but nothing that seems likely to boost multiples in […]

Is A La Carte Pricing Coming To Cable?

The big news this week in media is the announcement that the FCC appears to have changed its mind and is now supporting requiring the cable TV industry to offer a la carte programming. A la carte means that subscribers could chose whatever channels they want to come into their house and pay only for […]

Comcast: Disappointing Quarter Delays Potential Upside

Elements of Comcast’s 3Q05 earnings report are disappointing and they are elements that will matter to the Street. While top line revenue growth and EBITDA growth closely tracked Street estimates, rising 10% and 14%, respectively, a loss of 37,000 basic subscribers in a seasonally strong quarter and higher than expected capital spending, and thus lower […]