Even with extremely strong competition and a battle with TiVo (TIVO) over DVR patents, EchoStar (DISH) managed to have a strong quarter, finishing with $153 million net income for the quarter ending December 31, 2006. During the same quarter in 2005, the company took in $133 million net income.
Shareholders and analysts hadn't expected these types of earnings per share which ended up being 35 cents for the quarter, in contrast to the expected 32 cents most thought the company would produce.
Overall the company added approximately 350,000 new subscribers for the quarter ending in December, bringing their total to 13.105 million. That is an big increase from their 1.065 million they had over the same quarter of 2005.
The company was probably also happy over their victory in new subscribers as it related to their chief rival DirecTV Group (DTV), which grew by 257,000 new 
subscribers in the same period.
EchoStar has ratcheted up their marketing in the last several months and have reaped the rewards. The revenue for the company grew by 17 percent for year over year to finish at $2.58 billion for the quarter ending in December.
As good as all of this is, the satellite TV networks face increasing challenges from the "triple-plays" that the cable companies are offering where they bundle video, Internet and phone services together.Now if EchoStar can continue growing like it is with those challenges, plus the courts ruling that they can't offer "distant" networks, I would really be impressed with their management and the future of the company. I'm not too sure that they really can flourish over the long haul. Something else will have to happen or be made to happen to see any long-term growth.
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