Charter earnings date, guidance and results
MyStockButler's October 2026 analysis: Charter's next results are expected on November 6, 2026. The key thing to watch is whether the combined company turns investment into cash.
What has Charter guided for capex and amortization?
Capital expenditures, or capex, buy assets that serve customers for years, such as network equipment and connections. Management guided to $11.4 billion of capex in 2026, then expects about $9.5 billion in 2027. It expects $7.5–8.0 billion annually in 2028 and 2029. A lower capex bill can release cash, but only if the operating business still produces enough cash after interest, customer costs and integration. Like renovating a house, the payment comes before the benefit.
Amortization is different from capex. It spreads an earlier acquisition cost across future years, so a lower charge can improve reported profit without sending cash to Charter. Management forecast $330 million of amortization in 2026 and $100 million in 2027, but Cox’s acquired assets may change that schedule.
| the period guided | low | high | the date it was given | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital expenditures, excluding impacts from the previously announced Cox transaction | Year to Dec 2026 | 11,400 | 11,400 | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Amortization expense | Year to Dec 2026 | 330 | 330 | Jan 30, 2026 |
| Amortization expense | Year to Dec 2027 | 100 | 100 | Jan 30, 2026 |
What this means. The capital spending forecast excludes the previously announced Cox transaction, so it does not show what the combined company may spend.
What do Charter's last eight quarters show?
Cash from operations increased, but capital spending rose faster, so free cash flow declined. Advertising also looked stronger than it was: Spectrum Reach sales rose 12.3%, but excluding political advertising they fell 4.6%. Across eight quarters, June operating income was the weakest observation. The quarter table puts the operating, earnings and cash trends together.
| Jun 2026 | Mar 2026 | Dec 2025 | Sep 2025 | Jun 2025 | Mar 2025 | Dec 2024 | Sep 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 13,526 | 13,597 | 13,601 | 13,672 | 13,766 | 13,735 | 13,926 | 13,795 |
| Operating income | 3,063 | 3,208 | 3,261 | 3,131 | 3,279 | 3,237 | 3,389 | 3,335 |
| Net income | 1,292 | 1,163 | 1,332 | 1,137 | 1,301 | 1,217 | 1,466 | 1,280 |
| EPS, diluted | 10.66 | 9.17 | 10.34 | 8.34 | 9.18 | 8.42 | 10.10 | 8.82 |
| Cash from operations | 3,925 | 4,304 | 3,761 | 4,480 | 3,600 | 4,236 | 3,460 | 3,905 |
| = Free cash flow | 969 | 1,372 | 773 | 1,621 | 1,046 | 1,564 | 984 | 1,619 |
What this means. Diluted earnings per share is the profit assigned to one share, not the company's total profit, so its numbers do not match net income.
What should investors watch in Charter's next results?
Charter’s November 6, 2026 results are the first major checkpoint. Investors should look for post-close liquidity, financing obligations, integration spending and a combined capex outlook. A larger revenue total will matter less than improving customer and cash trends.
The next tests are the end-2026 upgrade milestone and progress toward completion in 2027. Construction should be compared with service actually available to customers, and rural coverage should be followed into subscriptions. Completing a route is an engineering result; filling it with paying households determines the return.