Time Warner mum on merger

For Time Warner Cable, old school is new again.

The cable giant released its first-quarter profit Thursday, just one week after its $45 billion takeover bid by Comcast Corp. collapsed under pressure in Washington from federal regulators.

Wall Street analysts who were wondering whether Time Warner Cable was poised to quickly strike another deal, perhaps this time with Charter Communications, didn’t get clarification during an early morning conference call.

Time Warner Cable chief executive Robert D. Marcus reportedly is meeting with his counterpart at Charter next week to discuss options. But on Thursday, Marcus said the company would not comment on such talks.

He also indicated his company was fine flying solo right now.

“We are about as well positioned for the future as it gets,” Marcus said. “We are a far stronger company than we were just five short quarters ago.”

Five quarters ago the company was on the ropes. Charter was circling and Time Warner Cable reached out to Comcast as a preferred suitor.

“Today’s report will likely leave investors guessing,” Craig Moffett of MoffettNathanson wrote in a report. “With no counter-bidder in Comcast to help them negotiate a better deal this time, TWC’s best leverage is a legitimate willingness to say ‘no.’ ”