Comcast set to post 32K video sub additions in Q1 on aggressive X1 promotion, analyst says

Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is set to keep the good times rolling when it delivers its first-quarter earnings report on April 27.

Macquarie Research analyst Amy Yong projects that the MSO will add around 32,000 pay-TV subscribers in the first quarter, an uptick over a loss of 8,000 in the first quarter of 2015. 

This strong first quarter, already alluded to by Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, comes after cable company added 89,000 video customers in the fourth quarter, its best end-of-year period in a decade.

Yong attributes the growth to Comcast's aggressive promotion of its X1 platform.

"We are increasing our Q1 video net add assumptions to 32,000 from (minus) 1,000 on the back of recent commentary," Yong said to investors in a note intercepted by Investors Business Daily. "Management continues to reinvigorate the product set by rolling out X1 double/triple play starting at $80 per month and $90 per month, respectively. Other current initiatives include Xfinity Internet+ Premium Streaming for $45 per month."

Comcast recently said it's deploying 50,000 X1 set-top boxes a day and expects to have half its footprint of 22 million subscribing homes outfitted with the cloud-based platform by the end of the year. 

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