Dish Network, the second-largest US satellite-TV provider, reported fourth-quarter profit that trailed estimates after the cost of acquiring customers rose.
Dish would consider partnering with Sprint Nextel, its rival in the company’s pursuit of Clearwire, Chairman Charlie Ergen said yesterday following Dish’s fourth-quarter results.
Net income fell to $209 million from $313 million a year earlier, the Englewood, Colo.-based company said in a statement.
That missed the average analyst estimate of $240.4 million, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Sales fell 1.1 percent to $3.59 billion, higher than the $3.56 billion average analyst estimate.
“There’s not a lot to get excited about on the operating side,” said Todd Mitchell, an analyst at Brean Capital, who rates the shares a buy.