Altice USA Reports Mixed Q3 2025 Results Amidst Subscriber Pressures and Strategic Shifts
ALTICE USA INC- A (NYSE:ATUS) announced financial results for the third quarter of 2025, revealing a performance that fell short of analyst expectations on the top and bottom lines. The telecommunications provider continues to navigate a challenging competitive landscape and a sustained low-growth environment, which has pressured its subscriber base.
Earnings and Revenue Versus Estimates
The company’s third-quarter financial results highlight the ongoing pressures on its core business operations.
- Revenue: Total revenue reached $2.11 billion, a decrease of 5.4% compared to the same period last year. This figure came in below the analyst consensus estimate of $2.18 billion.
- Earnings Per Share (EPS): The company reported a non-GAAP loss per share of $0.12. This was a wider loss than the $0.068 per share loss that analysts had projected.
The market reaction in pre-market trading reflected this earnings miss, with the stock declining approximately 2.3%. This negative price action suggests investor disappointment with the company's inability to meet financial targets amidst intense industry competition.
Operational and Financial Performance Overview
The earnings report presented a mixed operational picture, marked by strategic progress in some areas countered by persistent subscriber losses in its legacy services.
Key Financial Metrics:
- Adjusted EBITDA: Declined 3.6% year-over-year to $830.7 million, though the company reiterated its full-year outlook of approximately $3.4 billion.
- Net Loss: Reported a net loss attributable to stockholders of $1.63 billion, which includes a significant non-cash impairment charge of $1.6 billion related to cable franchise rights.
- Free Cash Flow: Turned negative at ($178.1) million, compared to a positive $76.9 million in the prior year period.
Subscriber and Growth Highlights:
- Broadband Pressures: The company experienced a net loss of 58,000 broadband subscribers, an acceleration from the 50,000 lost in Q3 2024. Total broadband subscribers now stand at 4.2 million.
- Fiber Growth: A bright spot was the fiber segment, which added 40,000 customers in the quarter, reaching a total of over 703,000. Fiber customer penetration increased to 23.0% of the fiber network.
- Mobile Expansion: Mobile lines grew by 38,000, reaching 584,000 lines, a 39% increase year-over-year.
- Customer Experience: The company noted improvements, including a record gross margin of 69.7% and a 6-point year-over-year increase in its Relationship Net Promoter Score.
Strategic Initiatives and Outlook
CEO Dennis Mathew emphasized the company's focus on profitability and operational efficiency in the face of market challenges. "We delivered record gross margin performance and improved operational efficiencies... at the same time, we faced intense competition and a sustained low-growth environment," Mathew stated.
Looking ahead, the company's full-year Adjusted EBITDA outlook of $3.4 billion aligns with its previous guidance. However, this outlook does not provide a specific revenue or EPS forecast for the upcoming periods. Analyst estimates for the full year 2025 project sales of $8.74 billion, while for the fourth quarter, they anticipate revenue of $2.19 billion and a return to positive EPS of $0.013.
A significant corporate development announced alongside the earnings is the company's name change to Optimum Communications, Inc., effective November 7, 2025. The NYSE ticker symbol will change from "ATUS" to "OPTU" on November 19, 2025, a move intended to better align the corporate identity with its consumer-facing Optimum brand.
Conclusion
Altice USA's third-quarter results underscore the difficult transition the company is undergoing. While it demonstrates progress in controlling costs, expanding its fiber and mobile customer base, and improving customer satisfaction, these gains are being offset by persistent subscriber losses in its core broadband business and a resulting revenue decline. The market's negative reaction to the earnings miss reflects concerns over whether the company's strategic initiatives can ultimately stabilize its top-line performance in a highly competitive market.
For a detailed look at historical earnings and future analyst estimates for Altice USA, visit the earnings estimates page on Chartmill.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. The author has no position in any stock mentioned.
