reports
- Jonathan Chaplin
CHTR and CMCSA: correcting price comparisons
This note corrects the pricing comparison we showed for Comcast and Charter last week. When we checked pricing on the Charter website, we were presented with an old Spectrum One offer, for some reason. In this note, we include a more complete comparison of pricing across both categories of offers available at both companies. The punchline: Charter’s rack rates have come down a lot.
- Jonathan Chaplin
Charter Post-1Q25 Model Update
This note focuses on model changes. Please see separate notes reviewing results and on thoughts following the earnings call. The major changes were higher broadband losses and higher EBITDA in 2025. We expect Consensus to increase broadband losses but also increase EBITDA. Our near-term price target is $448 (+21%). With broadband revaluation and M&A, stock could get to $759 (+105%).
- Jonathan Chaplin
CHTR: quick thoughts following the 1Q25 call
We just wrapped the earnings call (which was brief; efficient). This will be a similarly brief and efficient note that touches on the drivers of the difference in broadband trends between Comcast and Charter, where we think EBITDA growth expectations will go following results, and what it means for repurchases and valuation. We also touch on tariff and macro impact briefly.
- Jonathan Chaplin
CHTR 1Q25 Quick Take: Net adds a little soft; EBITDA beat
Net adds missed estimates, but the miss was less severe than some might have feared following Comcast’s results. Importantly, adds in existing markets improved year-over-year. EBITDA growth was 3.5% after adjusting for a one-time benefit. This was well ahead of expectations. Estimates for EBITDA and FCF will likely increase for the year. Repurchases are back, and the Company seemed to reaffirm a leverage target of 4.25x. Repurchase estimates should increase too with higher EBITDA and FCF.
- Blair Levin
In Good News for CMSCA, DIS (and Robocallers and Pirate Radio, Among O...
What’s New: The Fifth Circuit overturned the FCC’s 2020 and 2024 decisions to impose a $57 million fine against T for actions related to improper use customer data. Based on a recent Supreme Court decision, the appellate court ruled that the FCC actions violate T’s Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial, likely upending broader FCC enforcement efforts. In this note we analyze the impact of the Court’s decision on our coverage universe generally and well as specifically to some of the companie...
- Blair Levin
BEAD Data Shows CMSCA Active in Many States
With all but four states having started and/or completed their prequalification process for eligibility for BEAD funding, there is new data showing high levels of participation by CMSCA and CHTR, with significant levels of participation by T and FBYR (to be acquired by VZ.) In this note we discuss that data and state of play as the states move forward and the Department of Commerce aims for a decision in about a month (which we think is likely to be delayed) for resolving how the BEAD should be...
- Jonathan Chaplin
Conflicting expectations in mobile and broadband
In our Broadband Trends report published this week, we show that bottom-up forecasts are well below our top-down forecast. The disconnect is all in Cable, and mostly in Comcast. We don’t have enough conviction in our top-down forecast to make a call on Comcast, particularly ahead of 1Q25 results where management has provided very clear context on trends, but we suspect results for the year won’t be as bad as feared. By contrast in our Wireless Trends report last week, we showed that our forecas...
- Jonathan Chaplin
- Jonathan Chaplin
Further thoughts on tariff impacts on Fiber and Cable
We published our quick take on tariff impacts on Mobile and Broadband stocks last week. We haven’t learned much over the last week that would change our initial take for Wireless, or for Broadband revenues and costs. We hosted a lunch with Shentel yesterday that provided some new insights on the impact to fiber capex, with implications for Cable.
- Jonathan Chaplin
4Q24 Broadband Trends: Our broadband forecast
In this report we highlight a disconnect between our top-down forecast and our and “Consensus” bottom-up forecast for broadband subscribers. Either market growth is much worse than it appeared at the end of 2024, or Cable adds will be better than expected. We also update our top-down forecast and reprise our work on competitive positioning of the operators based on relative cNPS scores.
- Russell Waller
- Jonathan Chaplin
CHTR Quick Hit: 1Q25 Buybacks At $0.8BN; Lowering Buyback Estimate Sli...
Advance / Newhouse filed their latest Charter ownership disclosure late last week. The buyback amount for the quarter was slightly below our prior estimate. As such, we are lowering our share repurchase estimate for 1Q25 to $820MM.
- Jonathan Chaplin
- Jonathan Chaplin
Charter Pre-1Q25 Model Update
This report covers changes to our model to incorporate recent management commentary at investor conferences. Our broadband losses for 1Q25 remain unchanged but we lowered wireless net adds for the year. Changes to financial estimates are minor. No change to thesis. We believe repurchases resumed post Liberty Broadband vote with $4BN of repurchases this year. Our near-term price target is $426 (+15%). With broadband revaluation and M&A, stock could get to $740 (+100%).
- Jonathan Chaplin
4Q24 Wireless Trends: Expectations for net adds are too high
This report focuses on drivers of subscriber growth in 2025. Expectations for net adds are too high, though expectations for service revenue and EBTDA look fine. We also reprised our work on comparative NPS, provide a comprehensive review of 4Q24 trends, and update our long-term forecast
- James Ratzer
- Felix Fischer
- Haidje Rustau
- Jayanth Kandalam
- Si Yong Ng
- Tanvi Arora
- James Ratzer
- Blair Levin
NSR Policy: What Does BEAD State Bidding Tell Us?
Last week, we provided several notes analyzing how Congressional Republicans and the Administration, as well as others, were debating changes in the BEAD program. While that rhetoric pointed to significant changes ahead, the states have been proceeding under the existing rules set in the Biden Administration, making significant progress in ways generally not reflected in the DC discussions. In this note, we summarize the state activity and ISP bidding to date. We analyze what the state activi...
- Blair Levin
NSR Policy: BEAD Adjustments Certain but Details Still Cloudy
Yesterday, we published a note on whether T, VZ/FYBR and CHTR or Musk will come out on top with revisions to the BEAD program that Republicans are contemplating. As we noted, there are numerous changes we felt confident Republicans would do, such as removing a fiber preference, that will have no material impact on publicly traded companies. But there are several other changes that could, including whether the federal government will impose a high-cost threshold on states that will shift funds f...
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