Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) First-Quarter Results: Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting For This Year

As you might know, Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) recently reported its first-quarter numbers. Comcast reported in line with analyst predictions, delivering revenues of US$30b and statutory earnings per share of US$0.89, suggesting the business is executing well and in line with its plan. This is an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance in its report, look at what experts are forecasting for next year, and see if there has been any change to expectations for the business. With this in mind, we've gathered the latest statutory forecasts to see what the analysts are expecting for next year.

We've discovered 2 warning signs about Comcast. View them for free.

Taking into account the latest results, Comcast's 28 analysts currently expect revenues in 2025 to be US$122.4b, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are forecast to decline 11% to US$3.75 in the same period. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$122.4b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$3.82 in 2025. So it's pretty clear that, although the analysts have updated their estimates, there's been no major change in expectations for the business following the latest results.

See our latest analysis for Comcast

The analysts reconfirmed their price target of US$40.78, showing that the business is executing well and in line with expectations. Fixating on a single price target can be unwise though, since the consensus target is effectively the average of analyst price targets. As a result, some investors like to look at the range of estimates to see if there are any diverging opinions on the company's valuation. There are some variant perceptions on Comcast, with the most bullish analyst valuing it at US$52.67 and the most bearish at US$30.00 per share. These price targets show that analysts do have some differing views on the business, but the estimates do not vary enough to suggest to us that some are betting on wild success or utter failure.

These estimates are interesting, but it can be useful to paint some more broad strokes when seeing how forecasts compare, both to the Comcast's past performance and to peers in the same industry. These estimates imply that revenue is expected to slow, with a forecast annualised decline of 1.2% by the end of 2025. This indicates a significant reduction from annual growth of 3.5% over the last five years. By contrast, our data suggests that other companies (with analyst coverage) in the same industry are forecast to see their revenue grow 2.5% annually for the foreseeable future. It's pretty clear that Comcast's revenues are expected to perform substantially worse than the wider industry.

The Bottom Line

The most obvious conclusion is that there's been no major change in the business' prospects in recent times, with the analysts holding their earnings forecasts steady, in line with previous estimates. Fortunately, the analysts also reconfirmed their revenue estimates, suggesting that it's tracking in line with expectations. Although our data does suggest that Comcast's revenue is expected to perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at US$40.78, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

Keeping that in mind, we still think that the longer term trajectory of the business is much more important for investors to consider. We have forecasts for Comcast going out to 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here.

That said, it's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Comcast (at least 1 which is potentially serious) , and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.