Comcast's NBCUniversal spinoff raises hope for more deals. There may not be good options

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, ORLANDO, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES - 2019/07/18: Comcast sign logo in the wall of a building at Universal Studios. (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images) Roberto Machado Noa | Lightrocket | Getty Images Analysts think Comcast is priming for deals. Comcast leadership says they're wrong. The company announced Monday it plans to separate its two primary businesses — cable broadband and the media units of NBCUniversal and Sky. It's the second major structural change for the decades-old company in recent months, and it's raising questions of potential future deals for either half of the company. But on a call with investors to discuss the split, Comcast executives came ready with cold water: "Absolutely not," Comcast co-CEO Brian Roberts said Monday, when asked if investors should view the separation as a potential setup for future deals. Roberts, son of founder Ralph Roberts and Comcast's controlling shareholder, won't be CEO of either company after the separation but will continue to be "actively involved" in the leadership of both companies, Comcast said. "This is the right move to put each company in the strongest position to create value, fully monetize its assets, and aggressively pursue its own organic growth strategies," Roberts said. Co-CEO Mike Cavanagh echoed that denial: "On the NBCUniversal side and [with] Sky, definitely not." A reason Comcast is squashing deal speculation? There may not be many good ones left. …