Charter Communications (CHTR) Q3 2026 Earnings
Includes a $6,326 million impairment of franchises, partly offset by a $1,391 million gain on extinguishment of debt related to debt exchanges; also includes $76 million of Cox transition expenses and Cox acquisition consolidation effects.
How Did CHTR Stock React to Q3 2026 Earnings?
Did CHTR Beat Earnings? Q3 2026 Results
No. Charter Communications reported Q3 2026 earnings of $-20.50 a share on Nov 6, 2026, missing the $8.94 consensus estimate by 329.4%. Revenue was $14.9B against a $14.9B estimate.
Charter Communications delivered a deeply disappointing third quarter, reporting a GAAP loss of $20.50 per share against a consensus estimate of $8.94, a miss of 329.41%, as a $6.33 billion franchise impairment overwhelmed the period's operating results; a $1.39 billion gain on debt extinguishment and a tax benefit provided only partial relief. Revenue came in at $14.92 billion, up 9.1% year over year but fractionally below the $14.94 billion consensus, reflecting the first full partial-quarter contribution from Cox Communications, which was consolidated beginning August 20 following the close of the Cox Transactions. The deal meaningfully expanded Charter's footprint, yet pro forma revenue and Adjusted EBITDA both declined, pressured by residential Internet and video weakness, with pro forma Internet customers falling by 233,000. Free cash flow dropped to $674.00 million from $1.62 billion a year earlier. Looking ahead, Charter is targeting $2.00 billion in annualized operating expense savings over the next 18 months alongside more than $1.00 billion in Cox synergies, with management projecting the new operating model will gradually restore Internet customer growth and lift free cash flow over time.
- Cox Transactions consolidation drove actual revenue growth of 9.1% and Adjusted EBITDA growth of 6.9%
- Pro forma mobile service revenue up 17.3% on mobile line growth and rate adjustments
- Pro forma advertising sales up 21.0% on political advertising
- Higher mobile device sales lifted pro forma other revenue 18.1%
- Pro forma video revenue down 9.8%, including $286 million of costs allocated to streaming apps netted within video revenue
- Pro forma Internet revenue down 3.7% on fewer Internet customers
- Pro forma Internet customers declined by 233,000; pro forma mobile lines grew by 508,000
- Pro forma video losses narrowed to 77,000 from 121,000, helped by bundled streaming apps
- Pro forma programming costs down 10.3%
“With the combination of Charter and Cox, we have the scale and network capabilities to connect more Americans than ever before. We are America's Internet Company® and our purpose is Connecting Gigabit America. Today, we are announcing decisive steps to unlock our full potential.”
Charter Communications CEO, on the earnings call
What Is Charter Communications's Outlook?
Charter expects pro forma full-year 2026 capital expenditures, excluding transition capex, of about $13.0 billion. It is targeting $2 billion in annualized run-rate operating expense savings over the next 18 months, on top of more than $1 billion in anticipated Cox Transactions synergies. The new operating model is intended to return Charter to Internet customer growth, maximize revenue per passing over the long term, and support significantly higher free cash flow over time. Charter will fully return legacy Cox's customer service function to the U.S. over the next 18 months.
CHTR YoY Financials
| Metric | Q3 2026 | Q3 2025 | Year over year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $14.9B | $13.7B | +9.1% |
CHTR Revenue by Segment
When Does Charter Communications Report Next?
Figures from SEC filings and company reports. Not investment advice.