While most of us in the Northern Hemisphere are thinking about getting outside again thanks to the arrival of spring, entertainment giant Comcast (CMCSA) is readying the streaming package we may want for next fall. Comcast already had several streaming services under its collective umbrella, but now, it is adding the Hulu / Disney+ bundle to the roster, as well as HBO Max. This oddly did little to please shareholders, who sent Comcast shares down 1.5% in Friday’s trading.
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With the new lineup, Comcast customers get serious options. They can essentially create their own streaming packages using their choice of three, four, or five separate streaming apps. The streaming packages range from $18 to $35 a month, which can—in the right combination—represent a savings of up to 45% off normal retail.
Perhaps the only downside to this is that, for the most part, the streaming services available via Comcast are ad-supported tiers. This means you will be subject to advertising no matter where you go, except with Apple TV. That will remain ad-free, except for its sports coverage. Comcast has been routinely adding streaming options for some time now; reports note its StreamStore platform has 450 streaming apps available to it as it stands.
Peacock Picks Up a New Bird
Meanwhile, Peacock is steadily augmenting its sports coverage, as Sue Bird is set to return to television. ESPN shut down The Bird & Taurasi Show just six weeks ago, but that was time enough for Peacock to step in and offer Bird a slot covering the WNBA.
Bird will be serving as a studio analyst, reports note, working with Maria Taylor to cover games. Bird will also be dispatched to host short features. This turned out to be a case of ESPN’s loss being Peacock’s gain, as ESPN recently revealed it was pivoting to the more standard “courtside-driven” format. This left little room for its current properties, left Bird somewhat at loose ends, and made her a prime target for Peacock to pick up.
Is Comcast Stock a Good Buy Right Now?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on CMCSA stock based on four Buys, 11 Holds and two Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 16.04% loss in its share price over the past year, the average CMCSA price target of $31.93 per share implies 13.39% upside potential.
