Charter Posts Quarterly Loss as Internet Customers Keep Leaving

Charter Communications reported a $2.4 billion net loss for the third quarter on November 6, equivalent to $20.50 per share. Excluding one-time items, it earned $21.70 per share, above the $9.08 average estimate from four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research. Revenue was $14.92 billion, up 9% from a year earlier.

The Stamford, Connecticut-based cable provider lost 233,000 internet customers during the quarter: 156,000 from its legacy Charter business and 77,000 from legacy Cox. The company’s pro forma results account for its $34.5 billion acquisition of Cox, which closed in August. Charter’s total internet customer count stood at 34.3 million at quarter’s end.

Charter also lost 77,000 video customers, less than the 121,000 decline a year earlier, leaving it with 13.8 million video subscribers. Wireless service grew by 1.8 million customers over the past year, bringing its total to 13.5 million as of September 30.

Shares dropped 5% in early trading. The decline added to a 43% fall in the stock so far in 2026. CEO Chris Winfrey announced a plan to reduce costs by $2 billion and reiterated a forecast for $1 billion in savings from the Cox merger.

Competition from wireless and satellite internet providers has weighed on broadband companies. An analyst said investors may wait for Charter’s internet customer losses to stabilize, and raised a possible combination with Comcast as a future catalyst.