• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons

2

MacKenzie Scott's approach to her $26 billion giving spree was inspired by a book she read in college about writing

3

Social Security faces a 24% cut in 2032—that's a $345 billion hit to retirees nationwide, watchdog says

1

AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons

2

MacKenzie Scott's approach to her $26 billion giving spree was inspired by a book she read in college about writing

3

Social Security faces a 24% cut in 2032—that's a $345 billion hit to retirees nationwide, watchdog says

4 reasons to be bullish about Netflix

By
Sam Gustin
Sam Gustin
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Sam Gustin
Sam Gustin
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 21, 2014, 2:35 PM ET

This post is in partnership with Time. The article below was originally published at Time.com.

Few companies are better positioned to capitalize on the Internet video boom than Netflix, the erstwhile DVD rental business turned online streaming powerhouse.

That’s part of the reason why investors have pushed Netflix shares up more than 100% over the last year, although the stock is down about 20% over the last month amid broader weakness in the tech sector. A new study by Experian shows that Netflix is playing an important role in the still-nascent “cord-cutting” trend, in which users eschew cable TV service in favor of services like Netflix and Aereo.

On Monday, Netflix will report earnings results for the first three months of 2014, and Wall Street analysts are eager to see the extent to which the company’s original content—House of Cards, in particular—is helping to attract new subscribers.

“We believe the company should benefit from the launch and awareness around season two of House of Cards and continued improvements in content, as well as positive seasonality driven by more Internet-connected devices and colder weather,” Morgan Stanley technology analyst Doug Anmuth wrote in a note to clients.

Netflix’s (NFLX) stock price has historically been very volatile, and if the company fails to meet expectations Monday—analysts expect the company to announce that it has added 2.25 million new subscribers—its shares could take a tumble. But over the long term, there are several reasons to be optimistic about Netflix’s prospects, according to a recent study by investment bank RBC Capital Markets. Here are four of them:

1. For the first time, Netflix has surpassed YouTube to become the leading online video site, according to the RBC Capital Markets survey, which asked 1,033 Internet users about their entertainment habits. (This is the 10th such survey conducted by RBC technology analyst Mark S. Mahaney since May 2011). Some 44% of respondents said they use Netflix to watch movies or TV shows—up from up from 37% one year ago—edging out YouTube, which came in at 43%.2. Most Netflix customers are happy with the service, according to the survey. Overall Netflix satisfaction levels are now at record levels, with 66% of current subscribers responding that they are either “extremely satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their service, up from 62% one year ago.

3. Netflix subscribers are increasingly less likely to leave the service, the survey found, with 69% of current subscribers “not at all likely” to cancel their subscriptions in the next three months, up from 66% one year ago. “We note that this is the highest level we have tracked in more than two years,” Mahaney wrote.

4. There is increasing evidence that Netflix’s original content is keeping customers subscribed to the service by acting as “an anticipatory anti-churn factor,” as Mahaney describes it. Some 47% of Netflix subscribers said that original content was “extremely important,” “quite important,” or “moderately important,” when deciding about whether to remain a subscriber, up from 42% in November 2013.

Taken together, these trends provide a reason to be optimistic about Netflix’s prospects. And despite the dramatic increase in the Netflix’s stock price over the last year, Mahaney argues that the company remains undervalued. “We continue to believe that Netflix has achieved a level of sustainable scale, growth, and profitability that isn’t currently factored into its stock price,” he wrote in a recent note to clients.

Wall Street analysts will also be eager to hear more details from Netflix executives about the company’s controversial agreement to pay Comcast (CMCSA) for a direct connection to the nation’s largest broadband provider. Although Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has expressed his displeasure about the deal, there is clear evidence that the interconnection pact is substantially boosting Netflix performance for Comcast subscribers, which should improve customer satisfaction even further.

“We believe it is likely that Netflix is having similar conversations concerning interconnection agreements with other broadband providers,” Mahaney wrote, “and we view the Comcast deal as incrementally positive for Netflix in the long term, as it should provide a better user experience for the company’s streaming subs.”

About the Author
By Sam Gustin
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Upset frustrated and confused female worker folding hands on chin
Future of Workcompensation
A CEO denied raises to spend money on AI instead. Companies have ‘no idea what they’re going to need in a workforce’ when the AI race is over
By Jacqueline MunisJune 6, 2026
3 hours ago
SpaceX needs to grow 60x in a decade to justify a $1.75 trillion valuation. No company has ever come close
InvestingFinance
SpaceX needs to grow 60x in a decade to justify a $1.75 trillion valuation. No company has ever come close
By Shawn TullyJune 6, 2026
4 hours ago
denton
CommentaryIran
ICC Secretary General: The Hormuz clock that matters isn’t diplomatic — it’s agricultural
By John W.H. Denton AOJune 6, 2026
4 hours ago
trump
PoliticsWhite House
MAGA hates AI, but Trump agrees with Bernie it might be time for partial government ownership
By Nick LichtenbergJune 5, 2026
9 hours ago
broker
InvestingMarkets
Markets have worst day since October as tech stocks lead the way down, traders lose hope of rate cut
By Damian J. Troise, Alex Veiga and The Associated PressJune 5, 2026
11 hours ago
Tech stocks lead market bloodbath as fears of Fed rate hikes add to worries about the AI-fueled chip boom petering out
Investingtech stocks
Tech stocks lead market bloodbath as fears of Fed rate hikes add to worries about the AI-fueled chip boom petering out
By Jason MaJune 5, 2026
12 hours ago

Most Popular

AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons
AI
AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 5, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott's approach to her $26 billion giving spree was inspired by a book she read in college about writing
Success
MacKenzie Scott's approach to her $26 billion giving spree was inspired by a book she read in college about writing
By Sydney LakeJune 5, 2026
1 day ago
Social Security faces a 24% cut in 2032—that's a $345 billion hit to retirees nationwide, watchdog says
Economy
Social Security faces a 24% cut in 2032—that's a $345 billion hit to retirees nationwide, watchdog says
By Nick LichtenbergJune 5, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 5, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 5, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 5, 2026
22 hours ago
Ohio city workers are covering automated license plate readers with trash bags as officials sound the alarm on 'egregious violations' of privacy
Cybersecurity
Ohio city workers are covering automated license plate readers with trash bags as officials sound the alarm on 'egregious violations' of privacy
By Sasha RogelbergJune 3, 2026
3 days ago
'Big Tech is desperate': Amazon engineers are calling out the tech giant for its $200 billion in data center spending after slashing 30,000 workers
Environment
'Big Tech is desperate': Amazon engineers are calling out the tech giant for its $200 billion in data center spending after slashing 30,000 workers
By Sasha RogelbergJune 5, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.