The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, AT&T and Verizon Communications

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – December 04, 2014 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include the Comcast Corp. (CMCSA-Free Report), Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC-Free Report), Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR-Free Report), AT&T Inc. (T-Free Report) and Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ-Free Report).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

Here are highlights from Wednesday’s Analyst Blog:

Cable MSOs Retain Dominance Over SMB Segment

The small and mid-sized business (SMB) segment has become a huge growth opportunity for the cable TV industry. Significant improvement in business data and video traffic is expected to act as a future growth catalyst for the industry. Furthermore, managing wireless backhaul traffic for mobile towers has also opened up a multi-billion dollar market.

Cable MSOs (multi service operators) are now gradually coming up with innovative wireless broadband services to their business customers in order to maintain this momentum.

According to a recent report by LightReading, the SMB market opportunity is likely to cross $10 billion mark in 2014. Many industry researchers predict that the SMB segment will become a market opportunity worth $20 billion - $30 billion in the long-term.

Meanwhile, Comcast Corp. (CMCSA-Free Report) is expected to garner around $4 billion in revenues, whereas Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC-Free Report), Cox Communications Inc. and Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR-Free Report) are expected to generate approximately $3 billion, $2 billion and $1 billion of revenues, respectively, in 2014.

This massive market opportunity has also encouraged telecom giants to restructure their SMB market strategy. AT&T Inc. (T-Free Report) is rapidly expanding its fiber-based U-verse network and has announced a new high-speed asymmetric 25 Mbps service for $50 per month to all SMBs located within its U-Verse footprint.

Similarly, Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ-Free Report), which is rolling out its fiber-based FiOS Internet service, has decided to offer a free SpeedMatch for SMBs who opt for the FiOS service.

Cable MSOs are gradually shifting focus from the small-sized business segment to the mid-sized business segment. In sync with the latest trend, Comcast has decided to deploy SIP trunking to offer VoIP (voice-over IP) based services nationwide by the end of 2014. VoIP service will help the company target mid-sized business establishments.

Notably, Comcast and Time Warner Cable are currently awaiting regulatory approval for their proposed $45.2 billion merger deal. The combined entity is likely to achieve the necessary economies of scale to serve large business enterprises.

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

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