Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · Jul 16
Netflix Shares Drop 21% to $73.68 as Investors Question Growth After Warner Deal Pass
Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · Jul 16

Netflix Shares Drop 21% to $73.68 as Investors Question Growth After Warner Deal Pass

3 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · Jul 16

Summary

  • Netflix closed Tuesday at $73.68, down 21% this year and 42% from a year ago, as investors pressed for a new growth path after the company walked away from a Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition in February.
  • 7.8% of U.S. TV viewing in April went to Netflix, Nielsen said, while YouTube climbed to 13.4%, feeding concerns that weaker engagement could hurt subscriber retention, ad growth and Netflix’s ability to raise prices.
  • FactSet analysts still expect a solid second quarter, with revenue up 14% to $12.58 billion and net income rising 8% to about $3.38 billion ahead of Thursday’s earnings report.
  • Netflix is leaning on ads, live programming, games, video podcasts and short-form content partnerships, while internal discussions have also included live channels and bundling with other streaming services.
  • The pressure echoes 2022, when subscriber declines pushed Netflix into ads and password-sharing crackdowns, and some analysts now argue it may need another acquisition or more sports rights to sustain growth.

Insights

Can Netflix's expensive pivot to live sports successfully reverse its declining viewership against YouTube and TikTok?
After abandoning a $72B deal, is Netflix's real problem a lack of new content or a flawed engagement strategy?
With its hit shows losing audiences, is Netflix's famous binge-watching model now becoming its biggest liability?