NEW YORK, Jan 30, 2026, 13:22 EST — Regular session
Liberty Broadband Corp (LBRDA) shares jumped about 6% on Friday, mirroring gains in Charter Communications after the cable provider revealed a smaller-than-expected drop in broadband subscribers. Liberty’s stock rose 6.1% to $47.25 by midday, having reached an intraday peak of $49.90. Charter shares climbed 6.3%.
This shift matters because broadband has become the main focus for U.S. cable companies, squeezed by fiber upgrades and wireless providers pushing home internet. Charter’s results frequently influence Liberty shareholders, since Liberty’s valuation hinges heavily on Charter.
Charter agreed earlier this year to buy Liberty Broadband in an all-stock deal. The plan is to close by June 30, 2027, but only after spinning off Liberty’s Alaska unit, GCI, along with meeting other conditions. Until then, Liberty acts as a stand-in for Charter and a trade linked to the acquisition.
Charter lost 119,000 internet customers in Q4, fewer than the 131,970 decline analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha had predicted. The company pointed to discounted bundles that combine mobile and home internet as a factor in slowing churn. It added 44,000 video subscribers and 428,000 mobile lines, but revenue fell nearly 2% to $13.60 billion, missing the $13.73 billion consensus, according to LSEG data. CEO Chris Winfrey said the company aims to “nearly complete our rural build-out” by 2026, extending its footprint to more than 1.7 million subsidized rural “passings”—homes that can be connected. Yet, Vikash Harlalka of New Street Research cautioned it “will be a while” before broadband subscriber growth turns meaningfully positive. Reuters
The update follows Comcast’s report yesterday of a sharper-than-expected loss in broadband subscribers, underscoring rising pressure from competitors. The company blamed aggressive fiber deals and lower-cost fixed-wireless services—home internet delivered via cellular networks—for the declines. Comcast says it will keep prices flat this year, instead betting on bundling and free mobile lines to retain customers.
Traders are debating whether Charter’s bundling strategy signals a sharp pivot or simply a slow, steady shift.
Broadband contracted once more this quarter, while mobile net additions missed expectations, dragging down the sector’s growth story. Any shifts in the timing or setup of the Charter-Liberty deal, plus the required GCI spin-off beforehand, could change how Liberty’s shares track Charter’s on a daily basis.
Liberty has set its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call for Feb. 11 at 11:15 a.m. ET, according to its investor page. Many are watching this date closely, expecting updates on the GCI plan and potential clues about the Charter merger timeline.
