Peacock finally reaches profitability in Q2
Peacock finally reaches profitability in Q2
The streamer also added 2 million new customers in the second quarter, per its new earnings report.
There was a time not so long ago for streamers when no one really cared whether or not streaming was profitable. Streaming was still a new, rogue technology that was making impressive inroads with linear TV audiences, and investors were more concerned about new subscriber additions than piddling financial metrics. But in 2026, streamers have to show that they can turn a profit, and the NBCUniversal streaming service Peacock has been one of the last across that finish line. At long last, however, Comcast’s earnings report for the second quarter of 2026 shows that Peacock has reached the promised land of profitability.
Key Details:
- Finally: Peacock had an EBITDA of $189 million in the second quarter of 2026.
- More good news: The streamer also added 2 million subscribers during Q2.
- Changes coming: Comcast is preparing to spin off NBCU and its attendant assets, including Peacock.
The earnings data from Comcast’s second quarter shows that Peacock ended the three-month period with an EBITDA of $189 million, an increase of $290 million year-over-year. It’s the first time in the streamer’s history it has been able to end a quarter with a profit. The company first revealed that Peacock would show a profit in Q2 at the beginning of June.
Executives cautioned that profitability will vary from quarter to quarter, and that analysts shouldn’t necessarily expect the streamer to show linear progress. They encouraged observers to compare the streamer’s performance year-over-year rather than quarter over quarter.
Peacock was also able to add customers during the second quarter, rising from 46 million at the end of Q1 to 48 million. The third quarter could be another quarter of subscriber growth for Peacock, which hosted Spanish-language streams of every 2026 FIFA World Cup match in June and July.
Comcast surprised many in the entertainment industry when it announced in late June that it would be spinning off NBCU into a new company. The new independent NBCU could rely heavily on Peacock as it tries to make its way forward, so reaching profitability is a clear win for the streamer.
Comcast co-CEOs Brian Roberts and Mike Cavanaugh were upbeat about the impending split in their conference call with analysts to discuss the earnings report. Roberts said that he felt “positive” and “energized” about the split, and that both companies would emerge in a better position once it was completed.
“This structure gives both companies the freedom to pursue the priorities that matter most to their futures,” said Roberts. “There’s a lot of work ahead, and we’re moving with real urgency.”
“This is an extremely valuable collection of assets at NBC, and we think that separating the business, setting it up on its own is going to give it the focus and opportunity and platform to invest behind the growth opportunities that it has in its own businesses and the spaces around these businesses that offer growth and where the business has the right to play,” added Cavanagh, who will head up the spun-off NBCU.
It’s still hard to predict the future of Peacock. But the streamer continues to deliberately grow its subscriber pool, and it can now proudly join the ranks of profitable streaming services for the first time. That fact should give NBCU execs confidence as they prepare for a future without Comcast.
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports and NBC programming, including the NFL, MLB, WWE, the Olympics, the Premier League, NASCAR, the French Open, college football and basketball, and the PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.