With a market cap of $142.3 billion, Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) is a leading global media and technology company. The company delivers broadband, wireless, and video services through its Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands, while also creating and distributing entertainment, sports, and news content via NBCUniversal, Telemundo, Peacock, Sky Studios, and more. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based company is expected to release its fiscal Q4 earnings results before the market opens on Thursday, Jan. 30.
Ahead of this event, analysts expect the cable provider to report a profit of $0.88 per share, up 4.8% from $0.84 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has surpassed Wall Street's bottom-line estimates in the last four quarters. CMCSA exceeded the consensus EPS estimate by 5.7% in the most recent quarter.
For fiscal 2024, analysts expect CMCSA to report EPS of $4.25, up 6.8% from $3.98 in fiscal 2023.
Comcast has declined 13.6% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 25.8% gain and the Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF Fund's (XLC) 35.8% increase over the same period.
Shares of Comcast rose 3.4% on Oct. 31, driven by its strong Q3 2024 earnings report. Adjusted earnings per share of $1.12 beat the consensus estimate, while revenue of $32.1 billion topped estimates and grew 6.5% year-over-year. Peacock’s revenues surged 82% year-over-year to $1.5 billion, with a 29% increase in paid subscribers to 36 million, reflecting strong growth in its streaming segment. Additionally, strong performance in Media and Studios revenues further bolstered investor optimism, offsetting declines in Theme Parks and other segments.
Overall, analysts' consensus view on Comcast stock is moderately optimistic, with a "Moderate Buy" rating. Out of 29 analysts covering the stock, 17 recommend a "Strong Buy," 11 give a "Hold" rating, and one suggests a "Strong Sell." This configuration is more bullish than three months ago, with a 15 "Strong Buy" rating.
As of writing, CMCSA is trading below the average analyst price target of $48.04.
