Cable in the first quarter of 2012

How did cable operators and other providers fare in Q1 2012? FierceCable tracks the battle for multichannel video, high-speed Internet and telephone subscribers in the first quarter. In addition to analyzing competition between cable operators, telcos, satellite TV providers and other multichannel video providers, we're gauging the performance of cable technology suppliers, programmers and online video providers. 

The summary below is separated by multichannel video providers, online video providers, and technology vendors. Throughout the Q1 reporting season, we will update this page with the latest earnings information from these companies.

How did these providers perform in past quarters? Check out our summary earnings report pages from Q4 2011, Q3 2011, and Q2 2011. Our Q4 earnings wrap provides a quick glance at top MSOs' performance as well.

If you're interested in more wireline earnings results, our sister publications FierceTelecom, FierceEnterpriseCommunications, and FierceIPTV are also providing ongoing summaries of the first quarter's activity.

MULTICHANNEL VIDEO PROVIDERS

April 19

Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ)
Verizon said Thursday that it added 180,000 net new FiOS TV subscribers during the first quarter, along with 193,000 FiOS Internet customers. Its growth slowed compared to the fourth quarter, when Verizon signed 194,000 FiOS TV and 201,000 FiOS Internet customers.
- see these articles:
Verizon picks up 180K FiOS TV subscribers in Q1 2012, but growth slows
Shammo: Verizon eyes more FiOS rate hikes; will 'rebundle' packages
- see the earnings release
- more Verizon news

April 25

Virgin Media (Nasdaq: VMED)
The UK's top cable operator added 242,000 TiVo subscribers during the first quarter, expanding the number of homes that use TiVo DVRs and program guides to 677,100.
- see this article
- and the earnings release
- more Virgin Media news

April 26

Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC)
Time Warner Cable's increased marketing efforts appear to be paying off, as it reported that it lost 94,000 basic video subscribers in the first quarter, which was an improvement on the 129,000 video customers that it lost during the fourth quarter.
- see these articles:
Time Warner Cable reduces basic cable subscriber losses in Q1 2012
Britt: Aereo could help Time Warner Cable stop paying retransmission-consent fees
Time Warner Cable CEO: MSG spat had 'amazingly little impact' on subscribers
How will Time Warner Cable and Verizon Wireless innovate?
- and the earnings release
- more Time Warner Cable news

April 27

AT&T (NYSE: T)
AT&T surpassed the 6 million mark for combined U-verse TV and Internet subscribers during the first quarter, adding 200,000 pay TV and 718,000 U-verse broadband customers.
- see these articles:
AT&T cracks 6M U-verse subscribers in Q1 2012
In detail: AT&T's Q1 2012 earnings results
- and the earnings release
- more AT&T news

May 2

Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA)
Although it lost 39,000 video subs in Q1, the nation's largest cable MSO continues to post strong gains in high-speed Internet and phone subscribers, picking up 439,000 cable modem and 164,000 voice customers.
- see these articles:
Comcast to launch X1 next generation video service in 'major market'
Comcast loses 39,000 video subs in Q1 2012
- and the earnings release
- more Comcast news

May 3

Cablevision (NYSE: CVC)
In its first quarter without COO Tom Rutledge running its cable operations, Cablevision said it added 7,000 basic video subscribers during the first quarter. While its net income dipped by 3 cents per share compared to Q1 2011, the MSO posted its best quarter in terms of subscriber growth since 2008.
- see this article
- and the earnings release
- more Cablevision news

May 7

Dish Network (Nasdaq: DISH)
Dish gained 104,000 net subscribers during the first quarter, improving on the 58,000 subscribers that it added during the first quarter of 2011.
- see this article
- and the earnings release
- more Dish Network news

Frontier Communications (Nasdaq: FTR)
Rural telco Frontier Communications said it continues to lose FiOS TV subscribers, but that it is growing its video base by reselling satellite TV services from DirecTV and Dish Network.
- see this article
- and the earnings release
- more Frontier news

May 8

Charter Communications (Nasdaq: CHTR)
Charter picked up 20,000 video subscribers during the first quarter. New CEO Tom Rutledge said it was the first quarter in more than five years that Charter has posted video subscriber growth.
- see this article
- and the earnings release
- more Charter news

DirecTV (Nasdaq: DTV)
DirecTV picked up 81,000 net new subscribers during the first quarter, a big drop from the 184,000 new subscribers that it gained this time last year. It marks the first quarter in years that DirecTV trailed rival Dish in subscriber growth.
- see this article
- and this followup story
- and the earnings release
- more DirecTV news

May 11

Mediacom
Privately held cable MSO Mediacom reported that it lost 5,000 basic video subscribers during the first quarter of 2012, while it gained 21,000 high-speed Internet and 9,000 telephone customers during the period. Its basic video subscriber losses improved compared to the fourth quarter, when it lost 16,000 subscribers.
- see this article
- and the earnings release
- more Mediacom news

ONLINE VIDEO PROVIDERS

April 23

Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX)
Netflix added 1.74 million net new streaming video subscribers during the first quarter, and downplayed the competitive threat posed by TV Everywhere products such as HBO Go or Comcast's new Streampix service.
- see this article
- see the letter to shareholders
- more Netflix news

April 24

Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL)
- see the earnings release
- more Apple news

TECHNOLOGY VENDORS

April 25

Arris (Nasdaq: ARRS)
The company, which saw its Moxi gateway and whole home product deployed recently by WOW and Buckeye Cablesystem, generated $302 million in revenue during the first quarter. Revenue jumped by about $35 million compared to the first quarter of 2011.
- see this article
- and the earnings release
- more Arris news

May 1

Motorola Mobility (NYSE: MMI)
Motorola Mobility reported decreased set-top sales during the first quarter, with net revenue from its home segment dropping 2 percent to $884 million.
- see this article
- and the earnings release
- more Motorola Mobility news

May 3

Rovi (Nasdaq: ROVI)
- more Rovi news

EchoStar (Nasdaq: SATS)
The provider generated $237.3 million in equipment revenue from Dish in the first quarter, down about $35 million compared to this time last year. Total revenue increased 59 percent to $765 million, and it generated $127 million ($1.45 per share) in net income, compared to $17 million (19 cents per share) during the first quarter of 2011.
- see this article
- and the earnings release
- more EchoStar news

May 9

Cisco (Nasdaq: CSCO)
Cisco reported its third-quarter 2012 earnings rose 20 percent to beat Wall Street expectations by a penny. Cisco reported earnings of $2.6 billion, or 48 cents per share, excluding one-time charges. Analysts expected per-share earnings of 47 cents. The company reported $11.6 billion in sales, also in line with expectations.
- see this story
- see the earnings release
- more Cisco news

TBA

Tivo (Nasdaq: TIVO)
- more Tivo news

PROGRAMMERS

May 2

Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX)
- more Time Warner news

May 3

Viacom (NYSE: VIA)
- more Viacom news

May 8

Nexstar Communications (Nasdaq: NXST)
Nexstar posted a 70 percent increase in retransmission-consent revenue during the first quarter of 2012. The company collected $14.5 million in retransmission-consent revenue during the first quarter.
- see this article
- and the earnings release
- more Nexstar news

Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS)
Led by affiliate fee increases at ESPN--the most expensive basic cable network--Disney saw revenue from its cable networks jump 12 percent, to $3.2 billion, during the first quarter. Disney hopes to boost affiliate revenue by licensing affiliates WatchESPN and mobile video apps it is developing for broadcast network ABC, Disney Channel and ABC Family.
- see this article
- and the earnings release
- more Walt Disney news

May 9

News Corp. (Nasdaq: NWSA)
- more News Corp. news