Comcast’s Q3 confirmed what industry watchers suspected: Peacock has stabilized, but growth has stalled. The streamer’s $217 million loss was less than half last year’s $436 million hit, yet its paid subscriber count held flat at 41 million. Profitability is improving, but momentum is missing.
Revenue slipped to $1.4 billion from $1.5 billion, reflecting the absence of Olympics-driven ad dollars rather than new weakness. More importantly, retention held after a $3 price hike, a sign Peacock now has a solid core audience. Comcast has quietly turned the platform into a more disciplined, cost-controlled business, not a top-line growth story.
That contrasts sharply with the rest of the company. Comcast lost another 104,000 broadband customers and 257,000 pay-TV subscribers in the quarter, extending its multi-year slide in core connectivity. Wireless added 414,000 lines to 8.9 million, and theme-park revenue jumped 18 percent on the strength of Epic Universe, but those gains only soften structural decline elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Comcast is preparing to spin off its traditional cable networks (including MSNBC, USA, and E!) into a standalone company called Versant. The division’s profit fell 16% and ad revenue 13% in the first half of 2025, underscoring how linear TV has become a drag. Separating Versant will let Comcast concentrate capital on growth areas: streaming, studios, wireless, and parks.
On the earnings call, president and incoming co-CEO Mike Cavanagh emphasized sports as the key bridge between NBC broadcast and Peacock streaming. It’s a rational bet, sports deliver live reach and ad strength, but one that demands scale and tight cost control. Peacock’s ability to monetize that portfolio without Olympics-level boosts will define its trajectory in 2026 and beyond.
Speculation around a Warner Bros. Discovery sale continues to shadow Comcast. Cavanagh said the “bar remains very high” for acquisitions, but regulatory and political hurdles make any WBD move unlikely under a Trump administration. Still, the market conversation reflects Comcast’s position: it’s running out of domestic scale options that don’t involve buying or combining with someone else.
The Streaming Wars Take
Peacock’s flat quarter gives Comcast breathing room, not direction. The platform is no longer a drag, but it hasn’t become a growth driver. With legacy networks spinning out and connectivity in decline, the company’s future depends on turning a stable streaming business into a scalable one.
