Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) Stock Price Up 1.6% – Time to Buy?

Shares of Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) rose 1.6% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $82.49 and last traded at $82.20. Approximately 45,704,331 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 11% from the average daily 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

Analyst Ratings Changes

NFLX has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on Netflix from $156.00 to $151.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Robert W. Baird reduced their price objective on shares of Netflix from $150.00 to $120.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. TD Cowen dropped their target price on shares of Netflix from $115.00 to $112.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Morgan Stanley set a $110.00 target price on shares of Netflix and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, HSBC decreased their price target on shares of Netflix from $107.00 to $106.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. 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’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $116.08.

Netflix Trading Up 1.6%

The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $91.77 and a 200 day moving average price of $108.62. The firm has a market cap of $347.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.53, a PEG ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 1.71.

Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The Internet television network reported $0.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.55 by $0.01. Netflix had a net margin of 24.30% and a return on equity of 43.26%. The business had revenue of $12.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.97 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.43 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 17.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Netflix has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.760-0.760 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Netflix, Inc. will post 24.58 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Netflix

In other Netflix news, Director Bradford L. Smith sold 31,790 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $88.86, for a total value of $2,824,859.40. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 79,690 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,081,253.40. This represents a 28.52% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider David A. Hyman sold 23,439 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.11, for a total value of $2,065,210.29. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 316,100 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $27,851,571. The trade was a 6.90% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 1,353,740 shares of company stock worth $126,150,583. 1.37% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Netflix by 912.5% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 390,014,981 shares of the Internet television network’s stock worth $36,567,805,000 after acquiring an additional 351,493,659 shares during the period. Baillie Gifford & Co. grew its position in Netflix by 912.3% in the 4th quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. now owns 36,940,035 shares of the Internet television network’s stock worth $3,463,498,000 after purchasing an additional 33,290,988 shares during the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC increased its holdings in shares of Netflix by 639.9% during the 4th quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 34,871,951 shares of the Internet television network’s stock worth $3,269,594,000 after purchasing an additional 30,158,900 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of Netflix by 2.1% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 17,444,013 shares of the Internet television network’s stock valued at $23,359,801,000 after buying an additional 360,604 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Netflix by 891.3% in the fourth quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 12,099,908 shares of the Internet television network’s stock valued at $1,134,487,000 after buying an additional 10,879,276 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

About Netflix

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.