On Friday, Citi maintained a Neutral rating on Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) shares, with a consistent price target of $660. The streaming giant reported first-quarter revenue slightly above Wall Street expectations, by 1%, and operating income that exceeded consensus forecasts by 9%. Netflix also saw a significant increase in subscribers, with 9.3 million new users during the quarter, surpassing both Visible Alpha consensus estimates of 4.8 million and investor projections of 8 million.
The company's outlook for the second quarter of 2024 is also looking positive, with operating income, net income, and earnings per share (EPS) all expected to be above consensus. Additionally, Netflix has raised its operating income margin forecast for 2024 by 100 basis points to 25%, compared to the consensus of 24%.
Despite these robust financial indicators, Netflix's revenue growth outlook for 2024 falls short of Wall Street's expectations at the midpoint. Moreover, management has announced that starting from the first quarter of 2025, the company will no longer reveal figures for net subscriber additions or average revenue per user (ARPU), a move which might not be well received by the investment community.
InvestingPro Insights
As Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) continues to navigate the competitive streaming landscape, real-time data from InvestingPro provides a nuanced perspective on the company's financial health. With a market capitalization of $263.09 billion and a P/E ratio of 49.63, Netflix is valued highly by the market, particularly in light of its recent subscriber growth. The company's revenue for the last twelve months as of Q4 2023 stands at $33.72 billion, with a solid gross profit margin of 41.54%, underscoring its ability to monetize its content effectively.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that Netflix is trading at a high earnings multiple and possesses a high P/E ratio relative to near-term earnings growth, suggesting that investors are pricing in optimistic future performance. Additionally, the company's strong return over the last three months, with a price total return of 26.42%, and over the last year, at 88.96%, reflects investor confidence. It's worth noting that Netflix operates with a moderate level of debt and its liquid assets exceed short-term obligations, indicating a healthy balance sheet.
For readers seeking deeper analysis, there are 13 more InvestingPro Tips available for Netflix at https://www.investing.com/pro/NFLX. These tips can provide further insights into the company's valuation multiples and industry position. To access these insights, use coupon code PRONEWS24 to get an additional 10% off a yearly or biyearly Pro and Pro+ subscription.
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