Charter shares jumped as much as 12% in early trading Friday after the company reported a rare uptick in video subscribers and fewer broadband losses than expected in the October-to-December quarter. In the quarter ended December 31, Charter added 44,000 video customers, compared with a loss of 123,000 in the year-earlier quarter. It ended the year with 12.6 million video customers, making it the No. 1 pay-TV operator in the U.S. Internet subscriber levels dipped by 119,000, which was better than analysts ...

Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bearish stance on Charter Communications.Looking at options history for Charter Communications (NASDAQ:CHTR) we detected 68 trades.If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 13% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 69% with bearish.From the overall spotted trades, 17 are puts, for a total amount of $893,040 and 51, calls, for a total amount of $20,950,502.Projected Price TargetsAfter evaluating ...

(Bloomberg) -- Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. is projecting declining revenue and profit over the next five years for its cable networks, which the company plans to spin off before selling the streaming and studios business to Netflix Inc. Total revenue for Warner Bros.’ channels, which include CNN, TNT and the Cartoon Network, will fall to $15.6 billion in 2030 from $16.9 billion projected this year, the company said Tuesday in a filing related to its Netflix deal. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciatio ...

Core Viewpoint - Netflix's stock has experienced a significant decline, dropping 12.9% in December 2025 and trading 30% below its all-time high from June 2025, primarily due to the ongoing buyout situation involving Warner Bros. Discovery [2][5]. Group 1: Buyout Bid Details - On December 5, 2025, Netflix proposed a negotiated buyout bid involving an $82.7 billion cash-and-stock deal for Warner Bros.' movie studio and streaming service assets, contingent on Warner Bros. separating from its Discovery-branded cable TV stations [3]. - The Netflix offer received unanimous support from Warner Bros. Discovery's board, which also rejected a competing bid from Paramount Skydance valued at $108.4 billion [4]. Group 2: Investor Sentiment and Market Reaction - Investors are apprehensive about three potential outcomes: a successful deal with Netflix, a hostile takeover by Paramount Skydance, or failure in regulatory approval, contributing to the decline in Netflix's stock price [5]. - The stock's current trading price of $91.18 per share reflects a significant drop from its June 2025 high, potentially presenting a buying opportunity for long-term investors [5]. Group 3: Financial Implications - The proposed deal would add $50 billion in new debt to Netflix's balance sheet, including $10.7 billion of Warner Bros. Discovery's debt and $11.7 billion in stock dilution, in exchange for acquiring a valuable content library [6]. - If the deal fails due to regulatory issues, Netflix would incur a $5.8 billion breakup fee to Warner Bros. Discovery, impacting the media industry's landscape [6].

Core Viewpoint - Paramount Skydance has valued Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) cable networks at $0.00 per share, factoring in expected debt and costs, which positions its $30-per-share offer more favorably compared to Netflix's $27.75 bid for streaming and studio assets only [1][2]. Valuation Comparisons - Paramount acknowledged a "theoretical possibility" that WBD's cable assets could trade at up to ~$0.50 per share, making its offer appear more attractive [2]. - The lower valuation of Discovery Global enhances the appeal of Paramount's proposal, with previous assessments being more optimistic [3]. - In past communications, Paramount had floated a $1-per-share value and later suggested a $1.40 valuation based on Wall Street consensus regarding Versant, a new cable TV company [4]. Market Performance Impact - Paramount's recent analysis reflects the poor stock performance of Versant, which has lost over 25% of its value since trading began, contributing to a more pessimistic outlook for WBD's networks [5]. - A Business Insider analysis indicated that WBD's networks could be valued at approximately $1.20 per share based on Versant's valuation [5]. Asset Comparison - Media analysts have drawn comparisons between Versant and WBD's cable networks due to similarities in asset mixes, with Versant owning CNBC and live sports rights, while WBD has networks like CNN and TNT [6]. - WBD has countered these comparisons, asserting that its cable assets have greater scale, profitability, and a stronger international presence [7]. Strategic Positioning - Analysts argue that WBD's cable assets are more valuable than Paramount suggests, with the WBD Board confident in generating significantly higher value through a strategic review process [8]. - Paramount is attempting to persuade WBD shareholders that its all-cash offer presents more financial security compared to WBD's arrangement with Netflix, supported by a $40.4 billion equity backstop from Larry Ellison [9].

Core Insights - Versant (VSNT) shares experienced a significant decline on their first day of trading on the Nasdaq, closing at $40.57 after opening just above $45 and dropping to nearly $39 [1][7] - Comcast announced plans to spin off its cable TV channels, including CNBC and USA Network, into a new entity named Versant, which also encompasses digital brands like Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes [2] Company Performance - Versant projected an estimated revenue of $6.6 billion for 2025, a decrease from $7.1 billion in 2024, according to a regulatory filing [5] - The company claims its viewing hours are comparable to leading streaming services, with news and sports content constituting approximately 60% of its portfolio [5] Industry Context - The cable TV market is facing challenges as subscriber numbers have been declining for years, with a shift towards streaming services [6] - Other media companies, such as Warner Bros. Discovery, are also pursuing spin-offs of their TV networks, indicating a broader trend in the industry [6]

Core Viewpoint - Versant Media Group's shares fell over 13% in their market debut, reflecting investor skepticism towards traditional TV businesses amid the rise of streaming services [1][5][7] Group 1: Company Overview - Versant Media Group includes channels like USA Network, CNBC, and MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), along with other brands such as Oxygen, E!, SYFY, and Golf Channel [3][4] - The company generates approximately $7 billion in annual revenue, according to Comcast [7] Group 2: Market Dynamics - The spinoff from Comcast is a strategic move to adapt to changing market dynamics, as streaming services increasingly pressure traditional cable TV viewership [1][3] - Comcast aims to focus on its streaming, film, and TV assets while divesting its declining cable networks division [3][8] Group 3: Financial Position - Versant Media Group is reported to have a strong balance sheet and substantial cash flow, which positions it to create long-term shareholder value [8]

Core Insights - The U.S. cable network industry has officially entered a decline stage characterized by falling revenues, shrinking viewership, and significant restructuring of legacy assets [2][4] Industry Trends - The high-stakes bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) represents a pivotal moment for the future of cable television, with Netflix and Paramount Skydance pursuing different strategies [2][3] - Paramount Skydance aims to acquire WBD entirely, while Netflix is focused on its film studio and streaming assets, potentially leading to the separation of WBD's cable assets [3] Financial Data - In 2024, gross advertising revenue for cable networks decreased by 5.9% to $20.2 billion, marking the lowest level since 2007 [6] - Affiliate fee revenue fell nearly 3% to approximately $38.7 billion, indicating a decline in what TV operators pay to carry cable networks [6] - The average cable network experienced a 7.1% decline in subscriber base, dropping to 31.4 million homes [6] Strategic Movements - Major media conglomerates are increasingly abandoning cable networks in favor of streaming services, as evidenced by Comcast's planned spinoff of its cable networks into a standalone entity named "Versant" [5] - The launch of ESPN Unlimited and FOX One streaming platforms in August 2025 further accelerates this trend [5]

After Paramount came out with its own hostile takeover offer yesterday, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sranos says he's not too worried. He spoke at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in New York yesterday. Just take a listen.>> Today's move was entirely expected. Um, we have a deal done and we and we are incredibly happy with the deal. We think it's great for our shareholders. We think it's great for consumers. We think it's a great way to create and protect jobs in the entertainment industry.Uh we're ...

After Paramount came out with its own hostile takeover offer yesterday, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos says he's not too worried. He spoke at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in New York yesterday. Just take a listen.Today's move was entirely expected. We have a deal done and we and we are incredibly happy with the deal. We think it's great for our shareholders, it's great for consumers. We think it's a great way to create and protect jobs in the entertainment industry. We're super confident ...