Right now, a lot of media is buzzing about how Paramount (PARA) has been handling its upfront, or, the time when a media property introduces its upcoming slate of content. Communications giant Comcast (CMCSA) is firing up its own upfront as well, and reports suggest this is going to be one big year for Comcast. Investors are handing over a tiny dollop of benefit of the doubt, and sent shares up fractionally in Friday afternoon’s trading.
We found out yesterday that Comcast spin-off Versant is going to have a lot of sports action built into it, thanks in no small part to new CEO Mark Lazarus‘ career in sports media. But, based on word from ad sales chairman Mark Marshall, it will not just be Versant that is packed with sports action. The NBA on NBC lineup will be returning, he noted, and in 2026, the year will kick off with an absolute monster of a sports run.
Within roughly three months, reports note, NBC will be showing the Winter Olympics, the Super Bowl, and the NBA playoffs. The 2026 upfront, Marshall noted, is a product that has been, basically, four years in the making. And granted, the overall economy is not so hot right now, and NBC is adjusting some of its pitches to acknowledge that ad sales might be a bit light as tariffs and recession concerns start to emerge. And Marshall wants to be able to build more flexibility into ad sales to calm some of these concerns.
Meanwhile, at the Theme Park
And while NBC works to line up its advertising sales, it also has some issues to face at the theme park as well. Particularly at Epic Universe, which will have its grand opening in just 13 days. While Comcast’s theme park experience has been faltering a bit lately, a big win at Epic Universe could turn that whole matter around.
But what does Comcast need to do to better ensure an epic win from Epic Universe? Reports suggest that ride reliability is proving a major problem, particularly in the Harry Potter and the Ministry of Magic segment. Issues of food pricing—home of the $12 breadstick!—and issues with the app are also in play. Issues of layout, accessibility, and even weather may prove to be an issue for Epic Universal going forward.
Is Comcast Stock a Good Buy Right Now?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on CMCSA stock based on nine Buys, nine Holds and two Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 9.83% loss in its share price over the past year, the average CMCSA price target of $40.62 per share implies 18.49% upside potential.
