BENGALURU: Comcast Corporation's consolidated revenue increased 6.4 per cent, operating cash flow increased 6.9 per cent, Operating Income increased 9.9 per cent and Free Cash Flow exceeded $ 8 billion in FY2014. 

Earnings per share increased 25.0 per cent to $ 3.20; Excluding Adjustments, EPS increased 18.6 per cent to $ 2.93.

Cable communications revenue increased 5.5 per cent and operating cash flow increased 5.3 per cent.

Customer relationships increased by 358,000, a 67 per cent improvement compared to 2013.

NBCUniversal revenue increased 7.5 per cent and operating cash flow increased 18.1 per cent. 

4th Quarter 2014 Highlights:

Consolidated revenue increased 4.8 per cent, operating cash flow increased 4.1 per cent and operating income increased 3.8 per cent.

Earnings per share increased 2.8 per cent to US$ 0.74; excluding adjustments, EPS increased 16.7 per cent to US$ 0.77.

Cable communications revenue increased 6.1 per cent and operating cash flow increased 6.3 per cent.

Customer relationships increased by 178,000, a 47 per cent increase from the fourth quarter of 2013.

NBCUniversal revenue increased 2.3 per cent and operating cash flow increased 6.6 per cent. 

Comcast chairman and CEO Brian L. Roberts said, "2014 was a great year financially, operationally, and strategically for Comcast NBC Universal. We continued to execute incredibly well as we accelerated our innovation, launched new products, and brought amazing films, shows and theme park attractions to consumers. Cable's results, driven by High-Speed Internet and Business Services, demonstrate our focus on driving profitable growth and technology innovations, including our transformative X1 platform. This is bearing fruit in our operating performance, as we added 358,000 customer relationships, while video subscriber trends were the best in 7 years and in broadband we added over 1 million subscribers for the ninth year in a row. NBCUniversal also had a standout performance in 2014, with 18 percent growth in operating cash flow, driven by a successful Sochi Olympics, continued momentum at NBC Broadcast, the successful opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley in Orlando, and strong box office performance from Universal Pictures. We enter 2015 with great momentum and significant opportunities ahead, and we look forward to receiving regulatory approval for the Time Warner Cable merger. Underscoring our confidence in the continued success of our company, we are increasing our dividend to US$ 1.00 per share on an annualized basis, marking the seventh consecutive annual increase, and plan to repurchase at least US$ 4.25 billion of our stock this year."

Cable Communications

Revenue for Cable Communications increased 6.1 per cent to US$ 11.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared to US$ 10.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013, driven by increases of 9.9 per cent in high-speed internet and 20.8 per cent in business services. Advertising revenue increased 18.9 per cent, reflecting higher political advertising in the fourth quarter of 2014. The increase in cable revenue reflects increased customer relationships (see below), customers receiving higher levels of service, customers taking additional services, as well as rate adjustments.

For the year ended 31 December, 2014, cable revenue increased 5.5 per cent to US$ 44.1 billion compared to US$ 41.8 billion in 2013, driven by growth in high-speed internet, business services and advertising.

Customer relationships increased by 178,000 to 27.0 million during the fourth quarter of 2014, a 47 per cent improvement compared to an increase of 121,000 in the fourth quarter of 2013. At the end of the fourth quarter, the triple product customers increased to 37 per cent of the company’s total customer relationships compared to 35 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2013. In addition, video, high-speed internet and voice customers increased in the fourth quarter of 2014.

For the year ended 31 December, 2014, customer relationships increased by 358,000, a 67 per cent improvement compared to net additions of 215,000 in 2013. Video customer net losses improved year-over-year and were the best result in seven years.

High-speed internet customer net additions of 1.3 million marked the ninth consecutive year of more than one million net additions. Voice net additions slowed, reflecting X1 availability that was more focused on triple play customers last year, making for a difficult comparison.

NBC Universal

Revenue for NBC Universal increased 2.3 per cent to US$ 6.6 billion in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared to US$ 6.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013, as revenue growth in Theme Parks and Broadcast Television was partially offset by lower Filmed Entertainment revenue driven by a year-over-year decline in home entertainment revenue. Operating Cash Flow increased 6.6 per cent to US$ 1.4 billion compared to US$ 1.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013, driven by strong results at Theme Parks and Broadcast Television.

For the year ended 31 December, 2014, NBC Universal revenue increased 7.5 per cent to US$ 25.4 billion compared to US$ 23.7 billion in 2013. Excluding US$ 1.1 billion of revenue generated by the Sochi Olympics in the first quarter of 2014, revenue increased 2.9 per cent.

Operating cash flow increased 18.1 per cent to US$ 5.6 billion compared to US$ 4.7 billion in 2013. Excluding US$ 130 million of operating cash flow generated by the Olympics, operating cash flow increased 15.3 per cent, reflecting solid results at each business segment.

Cable Networks

For the fourth quarter of 2014, revenue from the Cable Networks segment was stable at US$ 2.3 billion and operating cash flow decreased 1.8 percent to US$ 912 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2013. These results reflect a 5.6 percent decline in advertising revenue along with a slight increase in operating costs driven by investment in programming, which more than offset a 4.6 percent increase in distribution revenue.

For the year ended December 31, 2014, revenue from the Cable Networks segment increased 3.9 percent to US$ 9.6 billion compared to US$ 9.2 billion in 2013. Excluding US$ 257 million of revenue generated by the 2014 Sochi Olympics, revenue increased 1.1 percent, reflecting a 4.6 percent increase in distribution revenue, partially offset by a 3.5 percent decrease in advertising revenue. Operating cash flow increased 2.5 percent to US$ 3.6 billion compared to US$ 3.5 billion in 2013. Excluding the Olympics, operating cash flow increased

2.2 percent, reflecting higher revenue and flat operating costs, even as we continue to invest in programming.

Broadcast Television

For the fourth quarter of 2014, revenue from the Broadcast Television segment increased 4.8 percent to US$ 2.3 billion compared to US$ 2.2 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013, driven by a 3.1 percent increase in advertising revenue, as well as higher retransmission consent fees. Operating cash flow increased 64.0 percent to US$ 230 million compared to US$ 140 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, reflecting higher revenue, which more than offset a slight increase in operating costs and expenses.

For the year ended December 31, 2014, revenue from the Broadcast Television segment increased 20.0 percent to US$ 8.5 billion compared to US$ 7.1 billion in 2013. Excluding US$ 846 million of revenue generated by the 2014 Sochi Olympics, revenue increased 8.1 percent, reflecting higher advertising revenue and retransmission consent fees. Operating cash flow increased US$ 389 million to US$ 734 million compared to US$ 345 million in 2013. Excluding the Olympics, operating cash flow increased US$ 272 million, or 78.6 percent, reflecting higher revenue and a modest increase in operating costs and expenses.

Filmed Entertainment

For the fourth quarter of 2014, revenue from the Filmed Entertainment segment decreased 10.6 percent to US$ 1.3 billion compared to US$ 1.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013, reflecting a decline in home entertainment revenue primarily due to the strong performance of Despicable Me 2 in the fourth quarter of 2013. Operating cash flow decreased US$ 115 million to US$ 77 million compared to US$ 192 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, reflecting lower revenue, partially offset by a decrease in the amortization of film costs.

For the year ended December 31, 2014, revenue from the Filmed Entertainment segment decreased 8.2 percent to US$ 5.0 billion compared to US$ 5.5 billion in 2013, reflecting lower theatrical and home entertainment revenue, primarily due to the strong performances of Despicable Me 2 and Fast and Furious 6 in 2013. Operating cash flow increased US$ 228 million to US$ 711 million compared to US$ 483 million in 2013, as lower revenues were more than offset by a decrease in the amortization of film costs and reduced advertising, marketing and promotion expense due to a reduced film slate.

Theme Parks

For the fourth quarter of 2014, revenue from the Theme Parks segment increased 29.9 percent to US$ 735 million compared to US$ 566 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, reflecting higher guest attendance and per capita spending, driven by the continued success of Orlando's The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ - D iagon Alley™, as well aHsa lloween Horror Nights at the Orlando and Hollywood parks. Fourth quarter operating cash flow increased 37.6 percent to US$ 352 million compared to US$ 257 million in the same period last year, reflecting higher revenue, partially offset by an increase in operating costs to support the new attractions.

For the year ended December 31, 2014, revenue from the Theme Parks segment increased 17.3 percent to US$ 2.6 billion compared to US$ 2.2 billion in 2013. Operating cash flow increased 16.4 percent to US$ 1.2 billion compared to US$ 1.0 billion in 2013, driven by The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley and Despicable Me attractions.