Comcast shares dive on reports that cable TV operator is taking a stake in NBC Universal

Comcast shares dive on reports of NBC acquisition

PHILADELPHIA — Shares of Comcast Corp. are diving after reports surfaced that the nation’s largest cable TV provider is in talks to purchase a stake in NBC Universal.

Comcast has called some of the reports inaccurate but stopped short of denying that talks were held.

General Electric Co. owns 80 percent of NBC Universal, which includes several cable channels plus the NBC and Telemundo networks, the Universal Pictures movie studio and a chain of theme parks. The other 20 percent is owned by the French media conglomerate Vivendi SA.

Shares of Philadelphia-based Comcast were down $1.17, or 7 percent, to $15.71 in morning trading Thursday. GE fell 26 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $16.16.