Comcast to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky into separate publicly traded company

Following quickly on the heels of spinning off Versant Media earlier this year, Comcast is now off-loading NBCUniversal, carrying with it more questions than answers.

Comcast break-up looms over ITV sale  The TelegraphMediawan, SPE ‘could be targets’ for NBCU-Sky  broadcastnow.co.ukComcast says it will spin off NBCUniversal  CNNSky under NBCUniversal umbrella in Comcast spin-off  Sky NewsComcast (CMCSA) Faces NFL Network Blackout While NBCUniversal Eyes Video Games  Yahoo Finance Singapore

In a surprising turn of events, Comcast has announced plans to spin off NBCUniversal as a separate entity, which would result in the creation of two independent, publicly traded companies. The unexpected split, which will happen within a year’s time, will see a distribution of assets, with each company having already assigned a CEO of […] The post Comcast Unveils Massive Split & NBCUniversal Spin-off Plans appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.

Comcast announced on Monday that it will spin off NBCUniversal and its European media unit, Sky, into a separate, independently traded company. Comcast will hang onto its cable-TV, broadband and wireless businesses.  Chris Marangi, Co-CIO: Value at Gabelli Funds, and Bloomberg 'Wall Street Week' host David Westin discuss the broader media landscape and how this spinoff fits into the recent consolidation trend we've seen in the space. (Source: Bloomberg)

Comcast will spin off NBCUniversal and Sky into a standalone media company, underscoring how finance chiefs are increasingly being tapped for the top job.

NBCUniversal is eyeing opportunities in digital gaming and new entertainment franchises as the company weighs options for future growth after its planned spinoff ​from Comcast, according to three people with direct knowledge of the ​matter.Comcast's cable and connectivity business, meanwhile, is ripe for technological investments that could take advantage of the massive surge in data centers and ​AI, these people said.Also read: Trump's tariffs aren't saving jobs at Whirlpool's Iowa refrigerator plantNo tie-ups have been discussed, and any potential deal would not happen until a period of time following the split, the people said. These are among a broad range of options the company is exploring.Comcast declined to comment on any possible deals.In an interview with Reuters, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said the company had decided the separation was "the better way to move forward for the opportunities that we see ‌for both of these businesses ⁠is to ⁠let them run independent of each other with focused dedicated great management teams and strong assets."As to the timing, he added: "We just decided once you're in go mode, you know, we want to go."The announcement has ignited chatter of ​potential M&A activity for both businesses, especially at a time when television and film sales have continued to decline as people cut the cord in favor of streaming, games and social media. Shares ​in Charter rose as much as 25% on Comcast's announcement on speculation the two could merge.Roberts denied any suggestion the planned spinoff was a prelude to further deals."Absolutely not," he said on a Monday call with investors. He added that it's "the right move to put each company in the strongest position to create value, fully monetize its assets, and aggressively pursue its ​own or great organic growth strategies."Also read: DBS completes $1 billion synthetic securitisation in first for a Singapore bankDespite that stance, bankers, lawyers and analysts said NBCUniversal assets could become an attractive takeover ⁠target, pointing to ‌its film and television studio, theme parks and streaming service Peacock as higher-growth businesses compared with its declining cable channels.One potential buyer could be ​Netflix, according to a person ​familiar with the matter, who said the streaming company could view NBCUniversal's studio and content library as strategically complementary, though any combination would likely ⁠face significant regulatory and structural hurdles.As part of the spinoff, Comcast will retain a 19.9% stake in ​NBCUniversal, which the company plans to sell down over time to help avoid taxes.But to preserve the tax‑free structure, NBCUniversal would ​need to operate independently for at least a year after the spinoff, during which period it cannot pursue a sale or a merger. At the same time, the entertainment giant could consider an M&A transaction sooner as long as the parties had not previously discussed a potential deal.Comcast declined to comment on this analysis of the tax implications.Michael Cavanagh, who will run NBCUniversal following the split, added, "We have the freedom now to explore adjacent businesses where we have the right to play."Roberts has had a long interest in gaming. His son, Tucker Roberts, runs Comcast's gaming division and advised his father on expanding into the Korean e-sports market.Comcast previously explored acquiring Activision and Electronic Arts, as well as taking an equity stake in Epic Games, maker of ‌Fortnite, according to one person with direct knowledge of the talks. The company also has a partnership with Nintendo for theme park attractions and two animated films, "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," that each grossed more than $1 billion at the global box office.Among the major game industry ​companies, Take-Two may have ​the most valuable trove of intellectual property, including Grand ⁠Theft Auto, whose sixth installment has already recorded more than $3 billion in preorders ahead of its November 19 launch.Microsoft's Xbox gaming unit - whose most successful titles include Halo, Fallout and The Elder Scrolls - may well be spun off into a separate company.Electronic Arts, a significant games publisher, is being taken private in a $55 billion deal controlled by Saudi Arabia's Public ​Investment Fund, private-equity firm Silver Lake and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners. The investors are awaiting approval from the European Commission.Overall, the planned separation was greeted warmly on Wall Street as Comcast's stock jumped as much as 20%. The split is expected to give Comcast greater strategic flexibility for its two businesses, signaling the end of a pipes-and-content empire that didn't make sense to many investors."We don't see a Netflix-for-NBCU deal. And no, we don't see a Comcast and Charter deal, either," longtime media analyst Craig Moffett of research firm MoffettNathanson wrote in a note following the announcement.He added: "Having them under the same roof didn't make either better, and the combined company has been saddled by a conglomerate discount for 15 years to reflect the suboptimal capital allocation that conglomerates demand."

Comcast is spinning off NBCUniversal and Sky into a new company. The split will leave Comcast with the cable, wireless, and business services, while the new company will handle the Universal theme parks, film and TV studios, NBC, Peacock, and Sky. This move practically undoes the 2011 acquisition of NBCUniversal by Comcast. So after 15 years of consolidation, it's now time for some de-consolidation. Interestingly, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts will remain "actively involved" in leading both companies after the split. Roberts, whose father Ralph founded the company in 1963, controls...

Comcast splits off Sky and NBCUniversal into standalone business  The TimesSky’s US owner to spin off media business ahead of ITV takeover  The TelegraphComcast to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky  Financial TimesComcast to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky into separate media business  The GuardianComcast Bosses Say NBCU-Cable Separation ‘Absolutely Not’ Designed to Pursue M&A Deals; ‘We’ve Now Simply Changed Our Mind’ That the Businesses Are Better Together  Variety

Monday’s move arrives just months after the company officially completed its separation of Versant Media Group, which is the new home of networks like USA, CNBC and MSNBC (now MS NOW).

The move follows the media giant spinning off Versant as its own business.

The spinoff announcement sent Comcast's stock up 23% — and may have turned NBCUniversal into a takeover target.

Once the transaction is complete, Comcast shareholders will own shares in both Comcast and NBCUniversal.

Comcast plans to spin out NBCUniversal and leave the entertainment business.

Comcast plans to spin off its broadcast assets, including NBC, as part of a major restructuring of the company's business announced on Monday. As part of the plan, Comcast will be its own company focusing on broadband, wireless and entertainment, while NBCUniversal, Universal film and television studios, NBC and Telemundo networks, Peacock and Bravo are...

It’s an era of media consolidation—and decoupling.  On Monday morning, Comcast Corporation announced plans to separate its media and technology businesses into two separate, publicly traded companies, spinning off NBCUniversal and Sky. The move effectively reverses one of the most transformational—and controversial—business combinations in media history: Comcast’s 2011 merger with NBCUniversal created a cable-TV juggernaut that controlled both content and distribution, giving it an outsize influence over how television was made and sending shockwaves throughout the industry. However, the landscape has changed dramatically in the years since then, most notably through the rise of streaming, and Comcast has since disentangled its cable-TV properties, spinning most of them off, all while other major players in the media industry have further consolidated.  Most notably, the $81 billion Warner-Paramount mega-merger is still in the works, and more recently, Fox announced its acquisition of Roku for $22 billion. The NBCUniversal spinoff comes roughly a year after Versant—a media company that now owns and operates MS Now (formerly MSNBC), CNBC, USA Network, and some other properties—was likewise spun off from Comcast. It’s also perhaps part of a larger strategy on Comcast’s part to shift away from the cable TV business as streaming and cord-cutting have become more or less the norm in many households.  When will the spinoff happen? According to Comcast, the separation will take roughly a year to complete, and happen via a tax-free spinoff, leaving Comcast shareholders with both NBCUniversal and Comcast shares.  Shares of Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) surged during premarket trading on Monday and were up about 10% after the markets opened. However, even with today’s boost, the stock is down about 7.43% year to date. Who will lead the separate companies? Comcast’s co-CEO Mike Cavanagh will be the new CEO of NBCUniversal, and Comcast’s former CFO, Michael Angelakis, will be the CEO of Comcast. Brian Roberts, the current chairman and co-CEO of Comcast, will continue to be involved in the leadership of both companies. Cavanagh said that he believes the new dynamic will allow both entities to better compete going forward. “Both companies begin this next chapter from positions of strength. Comcast will continue to build on its leadership in connectivity, while NBCUniversal, together with Sky, will have the scale, brands, content and financial resources to compete as a premier global media and entertainment company,” he said in a statement.

Comcast is splitting into two public companies, separating its media arm, NBCUniversal and Sky, from its core connectivity business. This strategic move aims to sharpen focus amidst industry shifts towards streaming and consolidation. Mike Cavanagh will lead the new media entity, while Michael Angelakis takes the helm of the remaining Comcast. The separation, expected within a year, has already boosted investor confidence.

The cable giant is separating NBCUniversal and Sky into an independent media company, ending a conglomerate structure investors have discounted for years.

More than 15 years ago, Comcast took its first steps toward taking over NBCUniversal. Now it’s unwinding the media business from the broadband and TV pipes, planning to spin off NBCU and Sky into a stand-alone entity. So what changed in the intervening years? Mike Cavanagh, Comcast co-CEO who is set to become chief exec […]

More than 15 years ago, Comcast took its first steps toward taking over NBCUniversal. Now it’s unwinding the media business from the broadband and TV pipes, planning to spin off NBCU and Sky into a stand-alone entity. So what changed in the intervening years? Mike Cavanagh, Comcast co-CEO who is set to become chief exec […]

Comcast said it plans to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky into a new publicly traded company as it looks to separate its media businesses from its cable-TV and internet operations. Kelcee Griffis reports on Bloomberg Television. (Source: Bloomberg)

NBCUniversal and Sky will be spun off into separate companies.

Comcast is spinning off its NBCUniversal entertainment and media assets into a separate publicly traded company.

Comcast said that the separation will happen through a tax-free spin-off of NBCUniversal and Sky.

Comcast said it plans to spin off the NBCUniversal media empire into a separate publicly traded company, separating it from the corporation’s broadcast and wireless businesses. NBC News' Brian Cheung has the latest details surrounding the planned spinoffs.

The move, which still requires regulatory approval, is expected to be completed in about a year. The post Comcast to Spin Off NBCUniversal in Major Corporate Shake-Up first appeared on Mediaite.

Comcast said it plans to spin off its big media division from its core broadband operations. That could lead to some big-ticket deal-making.

NBC's parent company, Comcast Corporation, has announced it will be separating into two independent publicly traded companies. Comcast will spin off NBCUniversal and Sky, including NBC News.

Comcast plans to split into two companies through a spinoff of Sky and former Showmax shareholder NBCUniversal.

The split will create two independent companies — one focused on broadband and wireless, the other on media and entertainment

Comcast shares rose more than 20% in premarket trading

Current shareholders would receive shares in both companies under the planned split, Comcast said Monday.

The transaction is expected to close in about a year, subject to regulatory and board approval.

Comcast's shares have soared after the US cable giant announced it would separate into two through a spin-off of NBCUiniversal and Sky.

Comcast's shares have soared after the US cable giant announced it would separate into two through a spin-off of NBCUiniversal and Sky.

Comcast's shares have soared after the US cable giant announced it would separate into two through a spin-off of NBCUiniversal and Sky.

NBCUniversal will include the group’s large theme parks operation and its Sky business in Europe.

Comcast has announced plans to separate itself into two publicly traded companies, spinning off its NBCUniversal and Sky broadcasting arms. The shake up aims to protect the media conglomerate's profitable broadband and wireless brand, which will retain the "Comcast" company name, as its media and entertainment business - now collectively named "NBCUniversal" - faces increasing […]

Entertainment arm to split from mobile and broadband in move that raises questions over future of Sky NewsBusiness live – latest updatesComcast is to spin off its media operation, which includes Sky and the Hollywood film studio, TV and theme park business NBCUniversal, into a separate publicly listed company.The move comes eight years after the US group, which said the separation will take a year to complete, acquired Sky’s European operations for £31bn. Continue reading...

Comcast to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky into separate media business  The GuardianComcast to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky  Financial TimesComcast split could spark M&A, despite denial  AxiosSky under NBCUniversal umbrella in Comcast spin-off  Sky NewsComcast Announces Plans to Separate Media and Technology Businesses into Two Leading Public Companies  Comcast Corporation

Split will create separate cable and media businesses amid industry consolidation and pressure from streaming rivals

In premarket trading, Comcast shares surged 24%.

Comcast Shares Jump Most Since 2008 On Plans To Separate Units Comcast shares jumped the most in nearly two decades on news that it plans to split NBCUniversal and Sky into a separate publicly traded company through a tax-free spin-off. The transaction, expected to close in about one year, would leave Comcast shareholders owning stakes in both. Comcast would remain centered around broadband, wireless, business services, and entertainment platforms, backed by a network that reaches more than 65 million homes and businesses. NBCUniversal, which will also include Sky, will house Universal’s film and TV studios, NBC, Telemundo, Peacock, Bravo, sports, news, and the company’s theme parks business. Comcast said the standalone media company will have the scale, content library, and intellectual property needed to compete with leading streaming platforms. Mike Cavanagh will become CEO of NBCUniversal, and former Comcast CFO Michael Angelakis will return as CEO of Comcast. Comcast expects to retain up to a 19.9% stake in NBCUniversal for up to one year after the spin-off and plans to monetize that position over time in a tax-efficient manner. The company said both businesses are expected to have strong investment-grade balance sheets. Shares of Comcast in pre-market trading soared 23% on the news, the largest intraday gain since the 24.5% gain on October 28, 2008. On the year, shares are down 17%, as of Friday's close. Goldman Sachs and PJT Partners are advising Comcast on the tax-free spin-off, with Davis Polk serving as legal counsel. Tyler Durden Mon, 06/29/2026 - 07:20

Sky under NBCUniversal umbrella in Comcast spin-off  Sky NewsComcast to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky into separate media business  The GuardianComcast Announces Plans to Separate Media and Technology Businesses into Two Leading Public Companies  Comcast CorporationComcast to split from NBC Universal to create two companies  broadcastnow.co.ukComcast to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky  Financial Times

Comcast is planning to split itself into two separate publicly traded companies by spinning off NBCUniversal and Sky

Comcast is planning to split itself into two separate publicly traded companies by spinning off NBCUniversal and Sky.

The media business, which owns NBC News, Universal Pictures and the Peacock streaming service, will be separated from Comcast’s cable and internet business, following a trend in the media industry.

The company said it expects the split to be completed within a year, with Comcast’s shareholders owning shares in both companies.

Comcast on Monday said it would spin off NBCUniversal into a separate company, breaking off the media business it acquired 15 years ago

Studio and broadcast business to become separate public companies

Comcast Corp. said it plans to split its media and technology businesses, spinning off NBCUniversal and Sky into a separate publicly traded company.

Comcast announced Monday that it plans to split into two publicly traded companies by spinning off NBCUniversal and Sky

Comcast is to formally separate its media business encompassing NBCUniversal and Sky from its broadband and wireless biz into two public companies. Following the example of the likes of Warner Bros. Discovery, the tax-free spin-off should complete in about a year. The NBCUniversal business will house Sky and be run by Comcast Co-CEO Mike Cavanagh. […]

Comcast said it plans to split into two publicly traded companies through a tax-free spinoff of NBCUniversal and Sky, separating its broadband and wireless business from ‌its ⁠media ⁠and entertainment assets. Shares of Comcast rose more than 9% in premarket trading on Monday. The split, expected to be completed in about a year, will create one company anchored by ⁠Comcast's cable, ‌wireless and business services arm and another built around Universal ⁠theme parks, film and TV studios, NBC, Peacock and the European media business Sky. Legacy media companies have been considering options to adapt to shifts in consumer behavior and a fast-changing competitive landscape driven by ‌streaming. Comcast shareholders will own stock in both companies after the deal closes. Comcast will ⁠keep a stake of up to 19.9% in NBCUniversal for up to a year following the spinoff, which it plans to monetize over time in a tax-efficient manner, the company said.

Comcast, just months after shedding most of its cable TV business into Versant Media, is now again cleaving itself into two separate companies: one housing its namesake cable and tech operations, and the other comprising the NBCUniversal and Sky media biz. Under the proposed separation, announced Monday, Comcast intends to make a tax-free spin-off of […]

Mike Cavanagh will serve as the CEO of NBCUniversal, while Comcast’s former CFO Michael Angelakis will become the CEO of Comcast in the separation of its media and technology businesses.