Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) Stock Price Up 1.6% – Here’s Why

Shares of Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) shot up 1.6% on Friday . The company traded as high as $82.49 and last traded at $82.20. 45,704,331 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 11% from the average session volume of 51,258,418 shares. The stock had previously closed at $80.87.

Netflix News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Netflix this week:

• Positive Sentiment: President Trump said he would stay out of the Netflix vs. Paramount Skydance fight for Warner Bros., reducing the chance of political intervention into the takeover contest and easing a headline risk that had pressured the stock. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Bullish investment write‑ups argue Netflix still has large growth opportunities and a multi‑year monetization runway that could justify current valuation levels if execution continues. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators have published bullish “shares attractive” and buy‑case pieces as the stock trades near 52‑week lows, which can support investor interest and buying demand. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Market analysts and outlets note Netflix’s strong operating performance but flag a high valuation; some see the stock as fairly priced given both strengths and risks. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Increased retail attention and searches on Netflix are driving volume and volatility, reflecting heightened investor focus but not a clear directional signal. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: The U.S. Justice Department is reportedly investigating whether Netflix engaged in anticompetitive practices as part of its probe into the proposed Warner/Discovery acquisition — a material regulatory risk that could complicate deal approval and increase legal exposure. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling was reported for a Netflix director, a near‑term negative signal that can spook investors even if driven by non‑company reasons. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Content controversies persist: an Indonesian comedian who released a Netflix special was summoned by police amid public complaints, highlighting ongoing regulatory and reputational risks in key markets. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage about large AI competitors positioning against streaming platforms raises strategic risk that technology‑driven shifts could pressure Netflix’s content reach and margins over time. Article Title

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on NFLX shares. Robert W. Baird cut their target price on Netflix from $150.00 to $120.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Arete Research increased their price objective on shares of Netflix from $83.30 to $108.40 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 28th. Piper Sandler restated a “positive” rating and set a $103.00 price objective (down from $140.00) on shares of Netflix in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $98.00 target price (up previously from $95.00) on shares of Netflix in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Cfra cut shares of Netflix from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $100.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Monday, January 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-three have issued a Buy rating and seventeen have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Netflix presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $116.08.

Netflix Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 1.19. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $91.26 and its 200 day moving average price is $108.44. The stock has a market capitalization of $347.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 1.71.

Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The Internet television network reported $0.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.55 by $0.01. Netflix had a net margin of 24.30% and a return on equity of 43.26%. The company had revenue of $12.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $11.97 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.43 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 17.6% on a year-over-year basis. Netflix has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.760-0.760 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Netflix, Inc. will post 24.58 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Netflix

In related news, Director Reed Hastings sold 426,290 shares of Netflix stock in a transaction on Friday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.67, for a total value of $39,078,004.30. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 3,940 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $361,179.80. The trade was a 99.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Gregory K. Peters sold 105,781 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $82.94, for a total value of $8,773,476.14. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 122,140 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,130,291.60. This represents a 46.41% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 1,353,740 shares of company stock valued at $126,150,583. Corporate insiders own 1.37% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Netflix

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC increased its holdings in Netflix by 195.1% during the fourth quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 10,350 shares of the Internet television network’s stock valued at $970,000 after buying an additional 6,843 shares during the last quarter. Planning Alternatives Ltd. ADV grew its position in shares of Netflix by 1,023.6% during the 4th quarter. Planning Alternatives Ltd. ADV now owns 4,528 shares of the Internet television network’s stock valued at $425,000 after acquiring an additional 4,125 shares during the period. Associated Banc Corp increased its stake in shares of Netflix by 1,261.5% in the 4th quarter. Associated Banc Corp now owns 101,542 shares of the Internet television network’s stock worth $9,521,000 after purchasing an additional 94,084 shares in the last quarter. CFO4Life Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Netflix by 900.4% in the 4th quarter. CFO4Life Group LLC now owns 4,542 shares of the Internet television network’s stock worth $426,000 after purchasing an additional 4,088 shares in the last quarter. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Netflix by 905.4% in the 4th quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 62,036 shares of the Internet television network’s stock worth $5,816,000 after purchasing an additional 55,866 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Netflix Company Profile

Netflix, Inc (NASDAQ: NFLX) is a global entertainment company that provides subscription-based streaming of films, television series, documentaries and other video content. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph and headquartered in Los Gatos, California, the company began as a DVD-by-mail rental service and introduced streaming video in 2007. Netflix later expanded into producing and distributing original programming, beginning notable original hits in the 2010s, and now operates a content production and distribution ecosystem alongside its licensing activity.

The company’s primary product is its on-demand streaming service, which can be accessed on a wide range of internet-connected devices and delivered through a suite of apps and web platforms.