Peacock reached a major financial milestone for Comcast. The streaming service posted its first profitable quarter.
What We Know: Nearly six years after launch, Peacock has reached profitability for the first time, giving Comcast a significant streaming victory. During the second quarter of 2026, Peacock generated $189 million in profit after reporting a $101 million loss during the same quarter last year. The platform also grew to 48 million subscribers, adding 7 million customers over the past 12 months. Company executives credited strong engagement from the NBA Playoffs, the FIFA World Cup, and Love Island for helping drive subscriber growth and financial improvement. However, Comcast cautioned investors that Peacock’s profitability will likely fluctuate because premium sports rights and other programming costs vary throughout the year.
What the Numbers Show:
| Quarter | EBITDA |
|---|---|
| Q1 2023 | -$704 million |
| Q2 2023 | -$651 million |
| Q3 2023 | -$565 million |
| Q4 2023 | -$852 million |
| Q1 2024 | -$639 million |
| Q2 2024 | -$348 million |
| Q3 2024 | -$436 million |
| Q4 2024 | -$372 million |
| Q1 2025 | -$215 million |
| Q2 2025 | -$101 million |
| Q3 2025 | -$217 million |
| Q4 2025 | -$552 million |
| Q1 2026 | -$432 million |
| Q2 2026 | $189 million |
What’s At Stake: Streaming profitability has become a key benchmark for legacy media companies. Peacock’s turnaround strengthens Comcast’s direct-to-consumer strategy while demonstrating that premium sports and exclusive entertainment can translate into both subscriber growth and improved financial performance. Even so, executives acknowledged future quarters could return to losses depending on programming investments and sports calendars.
What It Means: Peacock’s first profitable quarter doesn’t necessarily signal a permanent turning point. Instead, it proves Comcast’s years of heavy investment are beginning to produce meaningful financial returns. If subscriber momentum continues and sports programming remains a powerful acquisition tool, Peacock could emerge as one of the industry’s strongest examples of a traditional media company successfully building a profitable streaming business.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.