Charter Announces First Quarter 2026 Results
Rhea-AI Summary
Charter (CHTR) reported Q1 2026 results: total revenue $13.60B (-1.0% YoY), Adjusted EBITDA $5.64B (-2.2% YoY), net income $1.16B, and free cash flow $1.37B (-12.3% YoY). Charter served 12.1M mobile lines and 29.6M Internet customers as of March 31, 2026.
Operational notes: mobile lines grew 1.8M over the last 12 months; Internet customers declined 120,000; capital expenditures were $2.86B including $812M of line extensions; the company repurchased 4.3M shares for $963M.
Positive
- Mobile lines +1.8M year‑over‑year
- Adjusted EBITDA of $5.637B
- Net cash from operations $4.304B
- Share repurchase: 4.3M shares for $963M
Negative
- Total revenue down 1.0% to $13.597B
- Free cash flow down 12.3% to $1.372B
- Total Internet customers down 120,000
- Video revenue down 9.2% to $3.252B
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
Sector peers showed mixed, mostly modest moves (e.g., BCE +1.13%, TU +1.06%, SATS -0.04%). Momentum scanners only flagged TLK with a -3.74% move, suggesting CHTR’s reaction to earnings is more stock-specific than sector-driven.
Previous Earnings Reports
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11 | Earnings webcast notice | Neutral | +2.3% | Announcement of April 24, 2026 webcast for Q1 2026 results. |
| Jan 30 | Q4 and FY 2025 results | Neutral | +7.6% | Reported Q4 2025 revenue and Adjusted EBITDA with slight YoY declines. |
| Dec 18 | Q4/FY webcast notice | Neutral | -0.7% | Scheduled Jan 30, 2026 webcast for Q4 and full-year 2025 results. |
| Oct 31 | Q3 2025 earnings | Neutral | +1.3% | Q3 2025 revenue and Adjusted EBITDA declined modestly year-over-year. |
| Sep 22 | Q3 webcast notice | Neutral | +0.3% | Set October 31, 2025 earnings webcast and press release timing. |
Earnings-related announcements and webcasts have generally coincided with modest positive or limited share price reactions, with no strong pattern of selling off on these updates.
Over the last several quarters, Charter’s earnings and related webcasts have driven mostly moderate share price moves. The company reported softer top-line trends, such as Q4 2025 revenue of $13.6B (down 2.3% YoY) and Q3 2025 revenue of $13.7B (down 0.9% YoY), alongside relatively resilient Adjusted EBITDA. Webcast scheduling announcements on Dec 18, 2025 and Mar 11, 2026 produced small price changes. Against this backdrop, the first-quarter 2026 results continue a theme of modest revenue pressure with solid cash generation and ongoing capital investment.
Historical Comparison
In the past 12 months, Charter’s earnings-related headlines (results and webcast notices) saw an average move of 2.16%, indicating typically moderate price sensitivity to these updates.
Recent earnings coverage shows a consistent pattern of modest revenue declines with relatively stable Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow, alongside regular webcasts that frame quarterly and full-year results for investors.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement details a quarter with modest revenue and Adjusted EBITDA declines to $13.6B and $5.6B, respectively, alongside strong mobile growth and free cash flow of $1.4B. Internet and video customers continued to drift lower, while capital expenditures increased to $2.9B, reflecting network evolution and line extensions. Historically, earnings-related headlines produced average moves of about 2.16%, so investors often watch revenue mix, subscriber trends and cash generation closely.
Key Terms
adjusted ebitda financial
free cash flow financial
non-gaap financial
restricted stock financial
stock options financial
primary service units technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
- First quarter Spectrum Mobile™ lines increased by 368,000 and by 1.8 million over the last twelve months. As of March 31, 2026, Charter served 12.1 million mobile lines.
- During the first quarter, Spectrum Internet® customers declined by 120,000. As of March 31, 2026, Charter served 29.6 million Internet customers.
- As of March 31, 2026, customer relationships totaled 31.7 million and connectivity customers totaled 30.5 million.
- First quarter revenue of
declined$13.6 billion 1.0% year-over-year, primarily driven by lower residential video revenue. Residential connectivity revenue grew0.9% year-over-year. - Net income attributable to Charter shareholders totaled
in the first quarter.$1.2 billion - First quarter Adjusted EBITDA1 of
declined$5.6 billion 2.2% year-over-year and declined1.8% excluding transition expenses. - First quarter capital expenditures totaled
and included$2.9 billion of line extensions.$812 million - First quarter net cash flows from operating activities totaled
versus$4.3 billion in the prior year.$4.2 billion - First quarter free cash flow1 of
decreased from$1.4 billion in the prior year, primarily due to higher capital expenditures, partly offset by higher operating cash flow.$1.6 billion - During the first quarter, Charter purchased 4.3 million shares of Charter Class A common stock for
.$963 million
"We remain confident about our ability to win in the marketplace and grow over the longer term. That confidence is founded on our advanced network, our core operating strategy of delivering great products at great prices and our focus on increasing customer satisfaction," said Chris Winfrey, President and CEO of Charter. "As we continue to improve our products, pricing, packaging, and service, and complete our rural and network initiatives, we are poised for improving customer and free cash flow growth."
1. | Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow are non-GAAP measures defined in the "Use of Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow Information" section and are reconciled to net income attributable to Charter shareholders and net cash flows from operating activities, respectively, in the addendum of this news release. |
Key Operating Results
Approximate as of | ||||||
March 31, 2026 (c) | March 31, 2025 (c) | Y/Y Change | ||||
Footprint | ||||||
Estimated Passings (d) | 58,661 | 57,167 | 2.6 % | |||
Customer Relationships (e) | ||||||
Residential | 29,452 | 29,914 | (1.5) % | |||
Small Business | 2,231 | 2,246 | (0.7) % | |||
Total Customer Relationships | 31,683 | 32,160 | (1.5) % | |||
Residential | (157) | (50) | (107) | |||
Small Business | (6) | (4) | (2) | |||
Total Customer Relationships Quarterly Net Additions | (163) | (54) | (109) | |||
Total Customer Relationship Penetration of Estimated Passings (f) | 54.0 % | 56.3 % | (2.3) ppts | |||
Monthly Residential Revenue per Residential Customer (g) | $ 118.44 | $ 120.07 | (1.4) % | |||
Monthly Small Business Revenue per Small Business Customer (h) | $ 162.71 | $ 161.31 | 0.9 % | |||
Residential Customer Relationships Penetration (i) | ||||||
One Product Penetration | 47.7 % | 48.9 % | (1.2) ppts | |||
Two Product Penetration | 34.8 % | 33.4 % | 1.4 ppts | |||
Three or More Product Penetration | 17.5 % | 17.7 % | (0.2) ppts | |||
Connectivity (j) | ||||||
Residential | 28,446 | 28,758 | (1.1) % | |||
Small Business | 2,074 | 2,080 | (0.3) % | |||
Total Connectivity Customers | 30,520 | 30,838 | (1.0) % | |||
Residential | (117) | (5) | (112) | |||
Small Business | (3) | (2) | (1) | |||
Total Connectivity Quarterly Net Additions | (120) | (7) | (113) | |||
Internet | ||||||
Residential | 27,524 | 27,979 | (1.6) % | |||
Small Business | 2,036 | 2,045 | (0.5) % | |||
Total Internet Customers | 29,560 | 30,024 | (1.5) % | |||
Residential | (117) | (55) | (62) | |||
Small Business | (3) | (4) | 1 | |||
Total Internet Quarterly Net Additions | (120) | (59) | (61) | |||
Mobile Lines (k) | ||||||
Residential | 11,714 | 10,031 | 16.8 % | |||
Small Business | 420 | 334 | 25.7 % | |||
Total Mobile Lines | 12,134 | 10,365 | 17.1 % | |||
Residential | 344 | 488 | (144) | |||
Small Business | 24 | 19 | 5 | |||
Total Mobile Lines Quarterly Net Additions | 368 | 507 | (139) | |||
Video (l) | ||||||
Residential | 12,021 | 12,160 | (1.1) % | |||
Small Business | 524 | 551 | (5.0) % | |||
Total Video Customers | 12,545 | 12,711 | (1.3) % | |||
Residential | (51) | (167) | 116 | |||
Small Business | (9) | (14) | 5 | |||
Total Video Quarterly Net Additions | (60) | (181) | 121 | |||
Voice | ||||||
Residential | 4,665 | 5,372 | (13.2) % | |||
Small Business | 1,207 | 1,234 | (2.2) % | |||
Total Voice Customers | 5,872 | 6,606 | (11.1) % | |||
Mid-Market & Large Business (m) | ||||||
Mid-Market & Large Business Primary Service Units ("PSUs") | 360 | 344 | 4.5 % | |||
Mid-Market & Large Business Quarterly Net Additions | 3 | 4 | (1) | |||
In thousands, except per customer and penetration data. See footnotes to unaudited summary of operating statistics on page 7 of the addendum of this news release. The footnotes contain important disclosures regarding the definitions used for these operating statistics. All percentages are calculated using whole numbers. Minor differences may exist due to rounding. |
First quarter total Internet customers decreased by 120,000, compared to a decline of 59,000 during the first quarter of 2025. Spectrum Internet delivers the fastest Internet speeds1 in the nation. Spectrum is evolving its connectivity network to offer symmetrical and multi-gigabit Internet speeds across its entire footprint and has launched symmetrical Internet service in several markets. Spectrum expects to complete its network evolution initiative in 2027. Spectrum Advanced WiFi provides customers an optimized home network while providing greater control of connected devices with enhanced security and privacy. In February, Spectrum launched its Invincible WiFi™ product, a tri-band advanced WiFi 7 router that integrates 5G cellular and battery backup to keep customers seamlessly and fully connected during a power outage or network disruption. In the first quarter, Spectrum launched its
During the first quarter of 2026, Charter added 368,000 total mobile lines, compared to growth of 507,000 during the first quarter of 2025. Spectrum Mobile offers the fastest overall speeds,2 with plans that include 5G access, do not require contracts and include taxes and fees in the price. Spectrum Mobile is central to Charter's converged network strategy to provide customers a differentiated connectivity experience with highly competitive, simple data plans and pricing.
Total video customers decreased by 60,000 in the first quarter of 2026, compared to a decline of 181,000 in the first quarter of 2025, with the improvement driven by simplified pricing and packaging and benefits from the inclusion of programmers' streaming applications in Spectrum's expanded basic video packages. As of March 31, 2026, Charter had 12.5 million total video customers.
Spectrum TV Select video customers now receive up to approximately
During the first quarter of 2026, total wireline voice customers declined by 174,000, compared to a decline of 278,000 in the first quarter of 2025. As of March 31, 2026, Charter had 5.9 million total wireline voice customers.
Charter continues to work with federal, state and local governments to bring Spectrum Internet to unserved and underserved communities. During the first quarter of 2026, Charter activated 89,000 subsidized rural passings. Within Charter's subsidized rural footprint, total customer relationships increased by 41,000 in the first quarter of 2026.
1. | Fastest Speeds claim based on Broadband Download Speed among the top 5 national providers in Opensignal |
2. | Fastest Wireless Speeds based on combined mean download speed results for 4G, 5G and Wi-Fi across converged users on the top 5 national providers in November 2025 report. |
First Quarter Financial Results
(in millions)
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||
2026 | 2025 | % Change | |||
Revenues: | |||||
Internet | $ 5,852 | $ 5,930 | (1.3) % | ||
Mobile service | 1,052 | 914 | 15.1 % | ||
Connectivity | 6,904 | 6,844 | 0.9 % | ||
Video | 3,252 | 3,580 | (9.2) % | ||
Voice | 338 | 356 | (5.0) % | ||
Residential revenue | 10,494 | 10,780 | (2.7) % | ||
Small business | 1,090 | 1,088 | 0.2 % | ||
Mid-market & large business | 749 | 734 | 2.1 % | ||
Commercial revenue | 1,839 | 1,822 | 1.0 % | ||
Advertising sales | 358 | 340 | 5.3 % | ||
Other | 906 | 793 | 14.2 % | ||
Total Revenues | $ 13,597 | $ 13,735 | (1.0) % | ||
Net income attributable to Charter shareholders | $ 1,163 | $ 1,217 | (4.4) % | ||
Net income attributable to Charter shareholders margin | 8.6 % | 8.9 % | |||
Adjusted EBITDA1 | $ 5,637 | $ 5,763 | (2.2) % | ||
Adjusted EBITDA margin | 41.5 % | 42.0 % | |||
Capital expenditures | $ 2,855 | $ 2,399 | 19.0 % | ||
Net cash flows from operating activities | $ 4,304 | $ 4,236 | 1.6 % | ||
Free cash flow1 | $ 1,372 | $ 1,564 | (12.3) % | ||
All percentages are calculated using whole numbers. Minor differences may exist due to rounding. | |
1. | Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow are non-GAAP measures defined in the "Use of Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow Information" section and are reconciled to net income attributable to Charter shareholders and net cash flows from operating activities, respectively, in the addendum of this news release. |
Revenues
First quarter revenue decreased by
Residential revenue totaled
First quarter 2026 monthly residential revenue per residential customer totaled
Internet revenue declined
First quarter mobile service revenue totaled
Video revenue totaled
Voice revenue decreased by
Commercial revenue increased by
First quarter advertising sales revenue of
Other revenue totaled
Operating Costs and Expenses
First quarter total operating costs and expenses declined
First quarter programming costs decreased by
Other costs of revenue increased by
Field and technology operations expenses decreased by
Customer operations expenses decreased by
Marketing and residential sales expenses decreased by
Transition expenses represent incremental costs incurred to prepare for the integration of the previously announced Cox transaction.
Other expenses increased by
Net Income Attributable to Charter Shareholders
Net income attributable to Charter shareholders totaled
Net income per basic common share attributable to Charter shareholders totaled
Adjusted EBITDA
First quarter Adjusted EBITDA of
Capital Expenditures
Capital expenditures totaled
Charter continues to expect full year 2026 capital expenditures, excluding impacts from the previously announced Cox transaction, to total approximately
Cash Flow and Free Cash Flow
During the first quarter of 2026, net cash flows from operating activities totaled
Free cash flow in the first quarter of 2026 totaled
Liquidity & Financing
As of March 31, 2026, total principal amount of debt was
In January 2026, CCO Holdings, LLC ("CCO Holdings") and CCO Holdings Capital Corp. jointly issued
Share Repurchases
During the three months ended March 31, 2026, Charter purchased 4.3 million shares of Charter Class A common stock for
Webcast
Charter will host a webcast on Friday, April 24, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) related to the contents of this release.
The webcast can be accessed live via the Company's investor relations website at ir.charter.com. Participants should go to the webcast link no later than 10 minutes prior to the start time to register. The webcast will be archived at ir.charter.com two hours after completion of the webcast.
Additional Information Available on Website
The information in this press release should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and footnotes contained in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2026, which will be posted on the "Results & SEC Filings" section of the Company's investor relations website at ir.charter.com, when it is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). A slide presentation to accompany the conference call and a trending schedule containing historical customer and financial data will also be available in the "Results & SEC Filings" section.
Use of Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow Information
The Company uses certain measures that are not defined by
Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income attributable to Charter shareholders plus net income attributable to noncontrolling interest, net interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, stock compensation expense, other income (expenses), net and other operating (income) expenses, net, such as special charges, merger and acquisition costs and (gain) loss on sale or retirement of assets. As such, it eliminates the significant non-cash depreciation and amortization expense that results from the capital-intensive nature of the Company's businesses as well as other non-cash or special items, and is unaffected by the Company's capital structure or investment activities. However, this measure is limited in that it does not reflect the periodic costs of certain capitalized tangible and intangible assets used in generating revenues and the cash cost of financing. These costs are evaluated through other financial measures.
Free cash flow is defined as net cash flows from operating activities, less capital expenditures and changes in accrued expenses related to capital expenditures.
Management and Charter's board of directors use Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow to assess Charter's performance and its ability to service its debt, fund operations and make additional investments with internally generated funds. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA generally correlates to the leverage ratio calculation under the Company's credit facilities or outstanding notes to determine compliance with the covenants contained in the facilities and notes (all such documents have been previously filed with the SEC). For the purpose of calculating compliance with leverage covenants, the Company uses Adjusted EBITDA, as presented, excluding certain expenses paid by its operating subsidiaries to other Charter entities. The Company's debt covenants refer to these expenses as management fees, which were
About Charter
Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) is a leading broadband connectivity company with services available to nearly 59 million homes and small to large businesses across 41 states through its Spectrum brand. Founded in 1993, Charter has evolved from providing cable TV to streaming, and from high-speed Internet to a converged broadband, WiFi and mobile experience. Over the Spectrum Fiber Broadband Network and supported by our
More information about Charter can be found at corporate.charter.com.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This communication includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, regarding, among other things, our plans, strategies and prospects, both business and financial. Although we believe that our plans, intentions and expectations as reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or realize these plans, intentions or expectations. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions including, without limitation, the factors described under "Risk Factors" from time to time in our filings with the SEC. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this communication may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "believe," "future," "expect," "anticipate," "should," "planned," "will," "may," "intend," "estimated," "aim," "on track," "target," "opportunity," "tentative," "positioning," "designed," "create," "predict," "project," "initiatives," "seek," "would," "could," "continue," "ongoing," "upside," "increases," "grow," "focused on" and "potential," among others. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements we make in this communication are set forth in our annual report on Form 10-K, and in other reports or documents that we file from time to time with the SEC, and include, but are not limited to:
- our ability to sustain and grow revenues and cash flow from operations by offering Internet, mobile, video, voice, advertising and other services to residential and commercial customers, to adequately meet the customer experience demands in our service areas and to maintain and grow our customer base, particularly in the face of increasingly aggressive competition, the need for innovation and the related capital expenditures;
- the impact of competition from other market participants, including but not limited to incumbent telephone companies, direct broadcast satellite ("DBS") operators, wireless and satellite broadband and telephone providers, digital subscriber line ("DSL") providers, fiber to the home providers and providers of video content over broadband Internet connections;
- general business conditions, unemployment levels and the level of activity in the housing sector and economic uncertainty or downturn;
- our ability to develop and deploy new products and technologies including consumer services and service platforms;
- any events that disrupt our networks, information systems or properties and impair our operating activities or our reputation;
- the effects of governmental regulation on our business including subsidies to consumers, subsidies and incentives for competitors, costs, disruptions and possible limitations on operating flexibility related to, and our ability to comply with, regulatory conditions applicable to us;
- our ability to procure necessary services and equipment from our vendors in a timely manner and at reasonable costs including in connection with our network evolution and rural construction initiatives;
- our ability to obtain programming at reasonable prices or to raise prices to offset, in whole or in part, the effects of higher programming costs (including retransmission consents and distribution requirements);
- the ability to hire and retain key personnel;
- the availability and access, in general, of funds to meet our debt obligations prior to or when they become due and to fund our operations and necessary capital expenditures, either through (i) cash on hand, (ii) free cash flow, or (iii) access to the capital or credit markets;
- our ability to comply with all covenants in our indentures and credit facilities, any violation of which, if not cured in a timely manner, could trigger a default of our other obligations under cross-default provisions;
- our ability to satisfy the conditions to consummate the Liberty Broadband Combination and/or the Cox Transactions and/or to consummate the Liberty Broadband Combination and/or the Cox Transactions in a timely manner or at all;
- the risks related to us being restricted in the operation of our business while the Liberty Broadband Merger Agreement and the Cox Communications Transaction Agreement are in effect;
- other risks related to the Liberty Broadband Combination as described in the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus with respect to the Liberty Broadband Combination, filed by Charter on January 22, 2025, including the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Where You Can Find More Information" included therein; and
- other risks related to the Cox Transactions as described in the definitive proxy statement with respect to the Cox Transactions, filed by Charter on July 2, 2025, including the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Where You Can Find More Information" included therein.
All forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. We are under no duty or obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this communication.
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES | |||||||
UNAUDITED RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES TO GAAP MEASURES | |||||||
(dollars in millions) | |||||||
Three Months Ended | Last Twelve Months Ended | ||||||
2026 | 2025 | 2026 | 2025 | ||||
Net income attributable to Charter shareholders | $ 1,163 | $ 1,217 | $ 4,933 | $ 5,194 | |||
Plus: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest | 200 | 192 | 787 | 788 | |||
Interest expense, net | 1,256 | 1,241 | 5,057 | 5,154 | |||
Income tax expense | 465 | 445 | 1,712 | 1,648 | |||
Depreciation and amortization | 2,211 | 2,181 | 8,741 | 8,664 | |||
Stock compensation expense | 203 | 222 | 654 | 659 | |||
Other, net | 139 | 265 | 698 | 728 | |||
Adjusted EBITDA (a) | $ 5,637 | $ 5,763 | $ 22,582 | $ 22,835 | |||
Net cash flows from operating activities | $ 4,304 | $ 4,236 | $ 16,145 | $ 15,454 | |||
Less: Purchases of property, plant and equipment | (2,855) | (2,399) | (12,115) | (10,877) | |||
Change in accrued expenses related to capital expenditures | (77) | (273) | 782 | 886 | |||
Free cash flow (a) | $ 1,372 | $ 1,564 | $ 4,812 | $ 5,463 | |||
The above schedule is presented in order to reconcile Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow, non-GAAP measures, to the most directly comparable GAAP measures in accordance with Section 401(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. |
UNAUDITED ALTERNATIVE PRESENTATION OF ADJUSTED EBITDA | |||||
(dollars in millions) | |||||
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||
2026 | 2025 | % Change | |||
REVENUES: | |||||
Internet | $ 5,852 | $ 5,930 | (1.3) % | ||
Mobile service | 1,052 | 914 | 15.1 % | ||
Connectivity | 6,904 | 6,844 | 0.9 % | ||
Video | 3,252 | 3,580 | (9.2) % | ||
Voice | 338 | 356 | (5.0) % | ||
Residential revenue | 10,494 | 10,780 | (2.7) % | ||
Small business | 1,090 | 1,088 | 0.2 % | ||
Mid-market & large business | 749 | 734 | 2.1 % | ||
Commercial revenue | 1,839 | 1,822 | 1.0 % | ||
Advertising sales | 358 | 340 | 5.3 % | ||
Other | 906 | 793 | 14.2 % | ||
Total Revenues | 13,597 | 13,735 | (1.0) % | ||
COSTS AND EXPENSES: | |||||
Programming | 2,088 | 2,302 | (9.3) % | ||
Other costs of revenue | 1,765 | 1,584 | 11.4 % | ||
Field and technology operations | 1,258 | 1,282 | (1.8) % | ||
Customer operations | 766 | 772 | (0.8) % | ||
Marketing and residential sales | 919 | 949 | (3.2) % | ||
Transition expenses | 24 | — | n/a | ||
Other expense (b) | 1,140 | 1,083 | 5.3 % | ||
Total operating costs and expenses (b) | 7,960 | 7,972 | (0.2) % | ||
Adjusted EBITDA (a) | $ 5,637 | $ 5,763 | (2.2) % | ||
All percentages are calculated using whole numbers. Minor differences may exist due to rounding. See footnotes on page 7. |
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES | |||
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS | |||
(dollars in millions, except per share data) | |||
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||
2026 | 2025 | ||
REVENUES | $ 13,597 | $ 13,735 | |
COSTS AND EXPENSES: | |||
Operating costs and expenses (exclusive of items shown separately below) | 8,163 | 8,194 | |
Depreciation and amortization | 2,211 | 2,181 | |
Other operating expenses, net | 15 | 123 | |
10,389 | 10,498 | ||
Income from operations | 3,208 | 3,237 | |
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSES): | |||
Interest expense, net | (1,256) | (1,241) | |
Other expenses, net | (124) | (142) | |
(1,380) | (1,383) | ||
Income before income taxes | 1,828 | 1,854 | |
Income tax expense | (465) | (445) | |
Consolidated net income | 1,363 | 1,409 | |
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests | (200) | (192) | |
Net income attributable to Charter shareholders | $ 1,163 | $ 1,217 | |
EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHARTER SHAREHOLDERS: | |||
Basic | $ 9.27 | $ 8.59 | |
Diluted | $ 9.17 | $ 8.42 | |
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic | 125,488,486 | 141,591,396 | |
Weighted average common shares outstanding, diluted | 126,849,271 | 144,574,684 | |
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES | |||
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS | |||
(dollars in millions) | |||
March 31, | December 31 | ||
2026 | 2025 | ||
ASSETS | (unaudited) | ||
CURRENT ASSETS: | |||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ 517 | $ 477 | |
Accounts receivable, net | 3,510 | 3,680 | |
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 933 | 987 | |
Total current assets | 4,960 | 5,144 | |
INVESTMENT IN CABLE PROPERTIES: | |||
Property, plant and equipment, net | 47,198 | 46,444 | |
Customer relationships, net | 324 | 440 | |
Franchises | 67,471 | 67,471 | |
Goodwill | 29,710 | 29,710 | |
Total investment in cable properties, net | 144,703 | 144,065 | |
OTHER NONCURRENT ASSETS | 4,981 | 5,004 | |
Total assets | $ 154,644 | $ 154,213 | |
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY | |||
CURRENT LIABILITIES: | |||
Accounts payable, accrued and other current liabilities | $ 12,375 | $ 12,556 | |
Current portion of long-term debt | — | 750 | |
Total current liabilities | 12,375 | 13,306 | |
LONG-TERM DEBT | 94,414 | 94,006 | |
EQUIPMENT INSTALLMENT PLAN FINANCING FACILITY | 1,596 | 1,447 | |
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES | 20,049 | 19,841 | |
OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES | 5,140 | 5,094 | |
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY: | |||
Controlling interest | 16,385 | 16,054 | |
Noncontrolling interests | 4,685 | 4,465 | |
Total shareholders' equity | 21,070 | 20,519 | |
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity | $ 154,644 | $ 154,213 | |
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES | |||
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS | |||
(dollars in millions) | |||
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||
2026 | 2025 | ||
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: | |||
Consolidated net income | $ 1,363 | $ 1,409 | |
Adjustments to reconcile consolidated net income to net cash flows from operating activities: | |||
Depreciation and amortization | 2,211 | 2,181 | |
Stock compensation expense | 203 | 222 | |
Noncash interest, net | 6 | 8 | |
Deferred income taxes | 214 | (27) | |
Other, net | 126 | 233 | |
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions and dispositions: | |||
Accounts receivable | 5 | (48) | |
Prepaid expenses and other assets | 7 | (235) | |
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other | 169 | 493 | |
Net cash flows from operating activities | 4,304 | 4,236 | |
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: | |||
Purchases of property, plant and equipment | (2,855) | (2,399) | |
Change in accrued expenses related to capital expenditures | (77) | (273) | |
Other, net | (42) | (132) | |
Net cash flows from investing activities | (2,974) | (2,804) | |
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: | |||
Borrowings of long-term debt | 7,216 | 1,393 | |
Borrowings of equipment installment plan financing facility | 148 | 121 | |
Repayments of long-term debt | (7,499) | (1,609) | |
Payments for debt issuance costs | (30) | — | |
Purchase of treasury stock | (1,026) | (802) | |
Proceeds from exercise of stock options | 2 | 17 | |
Purchase of noncontrolling interest | — | (20) | |
Distributions to noncontrolling interest | (2) | (3) | |
Other, net | (115) | (169) | |
Net cash flows from financing activities | (1,306) | (1,072) | |
NET INCREASE IN CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH | 24 | 360 | |
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH, beginning of period | 598 | 506 | |
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH, end of period | $ 622 | $ 866 | |
CASH PAID FOR INTEREST | $ 1,067 | $ 995 | |
As of March 31, 2026, December 31, 2025, March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash includes |
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES | ||||||
UNAUDITED SUMMARY OF OPERATING STATISTICS | ||||||
(in thousands, except per customer and penetration data) | ||||||
Approximate as of | ||||||
March 31, | December 31, | March 31, | ||||
Footprint | ||||||
Estimated Passings (d) | 58,661 | 58,399 | 57,167 | |||
Customer Relationships (e) | ||||||
Residential | 29,452 | 29,609 | 29,914 | |||
Small Business | 2,231 | 2,237 | 2,246 | |||
Total Customer Relationships | 31,683 | 31,846 | 32,160 | |||
Residential | (157) | (125) | (50) | |||
Small Business | (6) | (2) | (4) | |||
Total Customer Relationships Quarterly Net Additions | (163) | (127) | (54) | |||
Total Customer Relationship Penetration of Estimated Passings (f) | 54.0 % | 54.5 % | 56.3 % | |||
Monthly Residential Revenue per Residential Customer (g) | $ 118.44 | $ 117.19 | $ 120.07 | |||
Monthly Small Business Revenue per Small Business Customer (h) | $ 162.71 | $ 159.85 | $ 161.31 | |||
Residential Customer Relationships Penetration (i) | ||||||
One Product Penetration | 47.7 % | 48.0 % | 48.9 % | |||
Two Product Penetration | 34.8 % | 34.5 % | 33.4 % | |||
Three or More Product Penetration | 17.5 % | 17.5 % | 17.7 % | |||
Connectivity (j) | ||||||
Residential | 28,446 | 28,563 | 28,758 | |||
Small Business | 2,074 | 2,077 | 2,080 | |||
Total Connectivity Customers | 30,520 | 30,640 | 30,838 | |||
Residential | (117) | (95) | (5) | |||
Small Business | (3) | — | (2) | |||
Total Connectivity Quarterly Net Additions | (120) | (95) | (7) | |||
Internet | ||||||
Residential | 27,524 | 27,641 | 27,979 | |||
Small Business | 2,036 | 2,039 | 2,045 | |||
Total Internet Customers | 29,560 | 29,680 | 30,024 | |||
Residential | (117) | (119) | (55) | |||
Small Business | (3) | — | (4) | |||
Total Internet Quarterly Net Additions | (120) | (119) | (59) | |||
Mobile Lines (k) | ||||||
Residential | 11,714 | 11,370 | 10,031 | |||
Small Business | 420 | 396 | 334 | |||
Total Mobile Lines | 12,134 | 11,766 | 10,365 | |||
Residential | 344 | 406 | 488 | |||
Small Business | 24 | 22 | 19 | |||
Total Mobile Lines Quarterly Net Additions | 368 | 428 | 507 | |||
Video (l) | ||||||
Residential | 12,021 | 12,072 | 12,160 | |||
Small Business | 524 | 533 | 551 | |||
Total Video Customers | 12,545 | 12,605 | 12,711 | |||
Residential | (51) | 49 | (167) | |||
Small Business | (9) | (5) | (14) | |||
Total Video Quarterly Net Additions | (60) | 44 | (181) | |||
Voice | ||||||
Residential | 4,665 | 4,832 | 5,372 | |||
Small Business | 1,207 | 1,214 | 1,234 | |||
Total Voice Customers | 5,872 | 6,046 | 6,606 | |||
Mid-Market & Large Business (m) | ||||||
Mid-Market & Large Business Primary Service Units ("PSUs") | 360 | 357 | 344 | |||
Mid-Market & Large Business Quarterly Net Additions | 3 | 3 | 4 | |||
See footnotes on page 7. |
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES | |||
UNAUDITED CAPITAL EXPENDITURES | |||
(dollars in millions) | |||
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||
2026 | 2025 | ||
Customer premise equipment (n) | $ 668 | $ 473 | |
Scalable infrastructure (o) | 310 | 293 | |
Upgrade/rebuild (p) | 675 | 395 | |
Support capital (q) | 390 | 360 | |
Capital expenditures, excluding line extensions | 2,043 | 1,521 | |
Subsidized rural construction line extensions | 426 | 467 | |
Other line extensions | 386 | 411 | |
Total line extensions (r) | 812 | 878 | |
Total capital expenditures | $ 2,855 | $ 2,399 | |
Capital expenditures included in total related to: | |||
Commercial services | $ 286 | $ 273 | |
Subsidized rural construction initiative (s) | $ 427 | $ 468 | |
Mobile | $ 60 | $ 53 | |
See footnotes on page 7. |
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES | |
FOOTNOTES | |
(a) | Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income attributable to Charter shareholders plus net income attributable to noncontrolling interest, net interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, stock compensation expense, other (income) expenses, net and other operating (income) expenses, net such as special charges, merger and acquisition costs and (gain) loss on sale or retirement of assets. As such, it eliminates the significant non-cash depreciation and amortization expense that results from the capital-intensive nature of our businesses as well as other non-cash or special items, and is unaffected by our capital structure or investment activities. Free cash flow is defined as net cash flows from operating activities, less capital expenditures and changes in accrued expenses related to capital expenditures. |
(b) | Other expense excludes stock compensation expense. Total operating costs and expenses excludes stock compensation expense, depreciation and amortization and other operating (income) expenses, net. |
(c) | We calculate the aging of customer accounts based on the monthly billing cycle for each account in accordance with our collection policies. On that basis, at March 31, 2026, December 31, 2025 and March 31, 2025, customers included approximately 87,600, 82,300 and 92,200 customers, respectively, whose accounts were over 60 days past due, approximately 7,800, 9,700 and 10,700 customers, respectively, whose accounts were over 90 days past due and approximately 13,600, 13,600 and 17,000 customers, respectively, whose accounts were over 120 days past due. |
(d) | Passings represent our estimate of the number of units, such as single family homes, apartment and condominium units and small business and mid-market & large business sites passed by our cable distribution network in the areas where we offer the service indicated. These estimates are based upon the information available at this time and are updated for all periods presented when new information becomes available. |
(e) | Customer relationships include the number of customers that receive one or more levels of service, encompassing Internet, mobile, video and voice services, without regard to which service(s) such customers receive. Customers who reside in residential multiple dwelling units ("MDUs") and that are billed under bulk contracts are counted based on the number of billed units within each bulk MDU. Total customer relationships exclude mid-market & large business customer relationships. |
(f) | Penetration represents residential and small business customers as a percentage of estimated passings. |
(g) | Monthly residential revenue per residential customer is calculated as total residential quarterly revenue divided by three divided by average residential customer relationships during the respective quarter. |
(h) | Monthly small business revenue per small business customer is calculated as total small business quarterly revenue divided by three divided by average small business customer relationships during the respective quarter. |
(i) | One product, two product and three or more product penetration represents the number of residential customers that subscribe to one product, two products or three or more products, respectively, as a percentage of residential customer relationships. |
(j) | Connectivity customers represent all customers receiving our Internet and/or mobile connectivity services. |
(k) | Mobile lines include phones and tablets which require one of our standard rate plans (e.g., "Unlimited" or "By the Gig"). Mobile lines exclude wearables and other devices that do not require standard phone rate plans. |
(l) | Video customers only include customers that purchase Spectrum traditional or streaming linear video packages and exclude customers that only purchase streaming applications. |
(m) | Mid-market & large business PSUs represents the aggregate number of fiber service offerings counting each separate service offering at each customer location as an individual PSU. |
(n) | Customer premise equipment includes equipment and devices located at the customer's premise used to deliver our Internet, video and voice services (e.g., modems, routers and set-top boxes), as well as installation costs. |
(o) | Scalable infrastructure includes costs, not related to customer premise equipment or our network, to secure growth of new customers or provide service enhancements (e.g., headend equipment). |
(p) | Upgrade/rebuild includes costs to modify or replace existing fiber/coaxial cable networks, including our network evolution initiative. |
(q) | Support capital includes costs associated with the replacement or enhancement of non-network assets (e.g., back-office systems, non-network equipment, land and buildings, vehicles, tools and test equipment). |
(r) | Line extensions include network costs associated with entering new service areas (e.g., fiber/coaxial cable, amplifiers, electronic equipment, make-ready and design engineering). |
(s) | The subsidized rural construction initiative subcategory includes projects for which we are receiving subsidies from federal, state and local governments, excluding customer premise equipment and installation. |
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SOURCE Charter Communications, Inc.