Yield Theory

Communication Services stock comparison

CMCSA vs WBD: which business are you actually underwriting?

Compare Comcast Corporation with Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
Sector
Communication
Industry
Same SIC
Shared themes
0
Updated
2026-02-27

CMCSA vs WBD: quick comparison

Company factCMCSAWBD
CompanyComcast CorporationWarner Bros. Discovery, Inc.
ExchangeNASDAQNASDAQ
HeadquartersPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania—
Founded1963—
SEC industryCable & Other Pay Television ServicesCable & Other Pay Television Services
Fiscal year-endDecember 31December 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-02-0310-K · 2026-02-27

CMCSA vs WBD: audited financials

CMCSA reported about 3.3× the revenue of WBD in the latest audited fiscal year. On profitability, CMCSA converted a larger share of revenue into net income (16.2% versus 1.9%). Scale and margin are starting facts for the thesis, not the verdict.

MetricCMCSAWBD
Revenue$123.7B$37.3B
Net income$20.0B$727M
Operating cash flow$33.6B$4.3B
Diluted EPS$5.39$0.29
Net margin16.2%1.9%

CMCSA: FY ending 2025-12-31 · WBD: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

How the businesses differ

Why this pair belongs in the comparison set

CMCSA and WBD share the SEC industry classification “Cable & Other Pay Television Services,” giving the comparison a primary-source operating relationship. A shared classification or theme makes the pair useful for a defined research question; it does not mean the companies have identical products, economics, or risks.

Comcast Corporation (CMCSA)

Comcast is a major US cable and broadband provider that also owns NBCUniversal and the Peacock streaming platform. Its business blends connectivity subscriptions with media, film, and theme-park operations.

Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD)

Warner Bros. Discovery owns film and TV studios, cable networks, and the Max streaming service.

The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. CMCSA is classified by the SEC as Cable & Other Pay Television Services, while WBD is classified as Cable & Other Pay Television Services. The matching industry code strengthens the peer comparison, although product mix can still differ materially.

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The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $15 a month.

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Which thesis does each company fit?

Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.

Study CMCSA when…

  • Digital advertising budgets and the ad cycle
  • Streaming economics and content spend
  • AI's effect on search and content distribution
  • Antitrust and platform regulation

Study WBD when…

  • Digital advertising budgets and the ad cycle
  • Streaming economics and content spend
  • AI's effect on search and content distribution
  • Antitrust and platform regulation

Shared research themes

Cable & Other Pay Television Services (SEC industry)

SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.CMCSA's fiscal year ends December 31, while WBD's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 32matched transaction rows for CMCSAand 12 for WBD. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

CMCSA vs WBD FAQs

Are CMCSA and WBD direct competitors?

Comcast Corporation and Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. share the SEC industry classification “Cable & Other Pay Television Services.” That makes the operating comparison relevant, but it does not prove that every product, customer, or revenue stream competes directly.

Which is better, CMCSA or WBD?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this CMCSA vs WBD comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Comcast Corporation and Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-09-25. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-09-25. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

A comparison is the setup. The thesis is the call.

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