Analyst EPS estimates for Verizon Communications continue to head south as the one-year anniversary of its becoming sole owner of Verizon Wireless nears and Google’s possible entry into wireless services causes more worry on Wall Street. Verizon (VZ) last February closed its deal to buy out Vodafone’s (VOD) 45% stake in their joint venture, for $130 billion. The deal’s merits, analysts said, depended on whether Verizon Wireless would continue to
Content may be king, but not all program providers will sit on the throne if “skinny” Internet video packages one day rule TV entertainment. That’s because some programmers may not be part of slimmed-down entertainment packages sold to consumers, as in the case of the new Dish Networks (DISH) Sling TV Web-only offering. “For content providers, it’s going to be a game of musical chairs,” Diffusion Group analyst Joel Espelien told IBD. Wall Street
Will Google create an Internet TV service to join its superfast fiber-optic broadband and video network? Quite possible, analysts say. If it does, Google (GOOGL) would become an over-the-top online video provider as well as a so-called “overbuilder,” a company that constructs physical networks in markets already served by cable TV and phone companies. As both an OTT and overbuilder, Google could be double trouble for pay-TV providers. The Federal