Netflix's Hastings: One 'single thing' boosted company's Q2 performance

Ethan Miller/Getty Images News

Subscriber numbers. Plans for launching an advertising-supported membership option. Efforts to monetize the sharing of its members passwords.

It goes without saying there was a lot on the table for Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) executives to talk about Tuesday on a conference call to discuss the streaming TV kingpin's second-quarter business results and outlook.

But, for Co-Chief Executive Reed Hastings, it was easy to summarize what was the main source responsible for Netflix's (NFLX) better-than-expected quarterly performance.

"If there was a single thing, we might say Stranger Things," said Hastings in reference to the recent rollout of the fourth season of Netflix's (NFLX) biggest hit series. "We're executing really well on the content side."

Still, for Hastings, any "victory" Netflix (NFLX) might have claimed with its quarterly results was still clouded by the fact that the company lost net subscribers for the second-straight business period. Netflix (NFLX) said it lost 970,000 subscribers during the quarter that ended in June--or less than half the 2M subscriber drop the company had earlier forecast.

"Again, we're talking about losing 1 million [subscribers] instead of 2 million," Hastings said. "Our excitement is tempered by less bad results."

However, even with competition and content costs rising, Hastings remained upbeat about the opportunities for Netflix (NFLX) in the streaming TV market.

"Looking forward, streaming is working everywhere," Hasting said. "Everyone is pouring in. [It's] definitely the end of linear TV over the next five, 10 years. So, we're very bullish on streaming."

One thing that has separated Netflix (NFLX) from nearly every other major streaming TV company has been its lack of advertising. Netflix (NFLX) has always relied on building its customer base, and bringing in those millions of customers monthly subscription fees as revenue to support paying for content that is both original, and from other providers.

But, Netflix (NFLX) is in the process of offering up a new subscriber option that will be supported by commercial ads as well as subscriber fees--something akin to what Hulu (DIS) offers. Last week, Netflix (NFLX) signed up Microsoft (MSFT) to be its exclusive advertising technology partner for its ad-supported service that is scheduled to launch in early 2023.

"We're looking at this as an extension of two things we think we have historically done which is one, be very consumer-centric and think about the consumer experience," said Greg Peters, Netflix's (NFLX) chief operating officer and chief product officer. "And also take an innovation-oriented view ... We think we have a real opportunity here."

Peters added that over the next couple of years, "we can deliver an experience which is fundamentally different from the [ad] experience on linear [TV]."

The company also gave a few more details about its attempts to make at least some money off of subscribers who share their account passwords and access with friends and family members outside their homes. On Monday, Netflix (NFLX) rolled out plans to start charging subscribers in four Latin American countries for adding additional homes to their membership plans.

"We're not asking customers to not share [their accounts], but to pay a little more to add a member or additional home," Peters said. "We've been working behind the scenes on this for almost two years. And now this is where the rubber hits the road."

Netflix (NFLX) shares rose more than 7% in after-hours trading, Tuesday, and investors threw their support behind the company's results and outlook.

Comments

[nerd_rage]

Well that's the problem isn't it. Where's their next Stranger Things coming from? Even they don't know.

Competitors have these on the way in 2022: the Lord of the Rings seires (AMZN), Game of Thrones spinoff (WBD), new Star Wars and Marvel forever and ever amen (DIS)

[yellowpage]

@nerd_rage Netflix has created Squid game, the Witcher, the Crown, Bridgerton, Stranger Things in recent years. No one else is remotely close in creating new IPs. And Disney+'s Marvel and Star wars shows are not performing at the same level.

You should ask what can the legacy studios do to compete, not Netflix.

[jamiemcdaniel]

“We're not asking customers to not share [their accounts], but to pay a little more to add a member or additional home.”

I wish Netflix would stop saying this. It devalues their product. Introduce an “extended family” plan if they want that saves like 10-15% off two home plans, but stop with the just a “little more” money talk.

Internet service providers, cell service providers, utilities, Costco memberships, none allow to add more and more folks to your account for just a “little more.” Even Apple Family Sharing has a limit of six people and individual apps can still opt out and incur a per Apple ID cost.

FYI, I’m not a current NFLX investor, in WBD instead.

[adaret]

It seems to be wilting pre market , and well off the after market hours high from yesterday.

[Dyufamily]

The entire company’s success based on one show!? Goes to show why NFLX is desperately trying to survive. No confidence on my part. Sold my shares. Better prospects for my capital elsewhere.

[Seeking more alpha than you]

@Dyufamily okay that's fine - no biggie.

[yellowpage]

@Dyufamily Netflix is dominating Nielsen top 10. Of course it's not one show.

[CS15]

Stranger Things 4 was the worse season yet. I'm guessing 5 isn't going to be any better.

[MoneyPig]

Eh, not rushing in to buy anything. NFLX is certainly a good stock to own, but where's the recession? I see the inflation. And housing seems rolling over. No one employed in housing is losing their jobs?

How is Crypto even still around with crypto trading companies filing bankruptcy. You buy fake money with real money and they loan out the real money, then file bankruptcy on the fake money. How stupid are people. Talk about staring into the Sun and going blind.

Oil is still about 110 per barrel but gas prices have gone down to $4.00?

There is big dishonesty in this being an election cycle and the Democrats juicing the economy for a few months to buy votes despite what has been an awful Biden Presidency. It's the trends that looks bad, not today.

So, I am on the fence. I could be wrong about individual companies. Monster Beverage rebounded and seems holding price. Could be NFLX is in the candy bar category of pleasure.

But price wise, I haven't seen much more than the stimulus bubble deflating, there is no evidence of recession in market pricing. Not a single stock I own has gone down in value. I am not cheering this, I am asking myself, where's the recession?

[marcoyolo]

lol. we have 1 show that saved this quarter. this is good. - netflix ceo

[goadamgo]

I really enjoy Netflix. Clearly, the hate is having missed the bubble and wanting it to go to zero or angry they last money. It’s not going out of business and it’s not going to sell at 9x earnings

[Alfredo Martinez]

Seems like the absolute worst thing he could have possibly said.

Stranger Things is a one off phenomenon that probably won't return for a few more years and maybe has 1 season left.

netFlix is in deep trouble, especially if they start having ads. People will "get around" to canclling that subscription.

[bazooooka]

@Alfredo Martinez depends if they can keep coming up with must see content.

[coroscant72]

@Alfredo Martinez - This was my take as well. I was also hoping for more color on the advertising tier.

I'm left wondering if Stranger Things brought some subscriptions forward and should lower the model for the remainder of the year.

[det.sci]

@Alfredo Martinez wrong on the ads. They leave current subs alone, and add a new $5 tier with ads. Lots of new subs at the lower their, plus ad income. If you don't want ads, don't move down.

[Batman163]

Love my Netflix, iPhone, Google/UTUBE, Facebook, Microsoft.

Not going to change if they put in a few ads or raise the price.

Netflix is better than all the cable channels together-

Oh- it seems that hundreds of millions of others feel the same way. Yippee 🥳

[hound1965]

It seems that I'm the only one that enjoyed The Umbrella Academy this year.

[Tdog88]

Cue the Netflix haters below that are mad about earnings being better than expected.

[Awatt127]

@Tdog88 no fight in the game but Netflix is losing subscribers and it’s saving grace was one hit show that can’t be replicated, it’s like asking hbo to come up with another game of thrones. They were so far ahead but have fucked it up with no sports, bad original content and a terrible UI

[Seeking more alpha than you]

@Awatt127 “netflix is losing subscribers”. Thus far they have lost less than 1 percent of their subscribers. Even if you round it up to a full one percent that means 99 out of 100 people stayed. Netflix doesn’t need to make any content or UI changes because 99 out of 100 people are fine with both of those areas. What they need to do is raise prices, start ads and crack down on password sharing.

[tjcons]

@Awatt127 nflx benefited from covid where many sit ins added streaming. It only makes sense that as economy reopens they lose a few subscribers. Not sure you can be highly critical for a loss of less than 1% over a 2 quarter period.

What i see is a well run company down 70% To me it looks like an opportunity.

[ding dong]

With all these streaming outfits churning out series after series, the movies coming out have also become pretty lackluster. Maybe not enough talent to go around.

The industry is moving towards mediocrity.

[Jim Kimmelman]

@ding dong I still think it's better than paying $130 a month for cable and watching 8 minutes of commercials every 30 minute show.

[eurdone88]

@ding dong
Don't blame streaming for mediocre movies. Plenty of great movies have been made since streaming came out.

Also, every year since movies were first created, there have been mostly mediocre movies, and few great movies each year.

Nothing has changed except now more films and TV shows are being made, more bad, more mediocre, and more potentially great - a trend that has lasted for many decades and will continue until the streaming wars have claimed some victims.

[nerd_rage]

@ding dong I don't know that it's talent so much as management. NFLX has a famously hands-off policy towards its precious auteurs but that's just resulted in the phenomenon of "film the first draft of the script" which is why NFLX movies in particular seem so quarter baked. They needed to go back in the oven, for several rounds of revisions, until the script was worth filming.

HBO and Apple seem to have found a way to generate quality on a more consistent scale.

[sork]

Yeah there’s nothing on Netflix that I want to watch. Compared to Disney's or hbos catalog Netflix looks awful. I think the market is a bit drugged up today given several large names are cutting their forecasts.

Netflix pops on less bad numbers while the CEO admits the only reason it wasn’t as bad was because of a series they release once every two years. Except blood next quarter.

[Sixers03]

@sork HBO, sure, they have tons of content. But Disney? Come on, they've got nothing, all of their content is literally the same genre.

[sork]

@Sixers03 You have no idea how amazing Disney plus is for parents. It’s an absolute steal for $80 a year. Different audience. Disney plus is great for kids/families. HBO max is for then the kids go to bed.

[jimi james]

@sork I would be extremely concerned with disney's involvement in "woke" , transgender, gender, and LBG.. issues. the videos of disney's content management women, bragging about how much disney allows her to "queer it up" for childern. check Project Veritas website or Youtube channel.

[The Dividend Dude]

I wouldn’t brag about how a single show on a streaming platform dedicated to content is the main reason for “less bad” results. If anything, that speaks to the lack of quality content if one show is propping up the company.

[User 51493205]

@The Dividend Dude True. But it also means that producing good one or more contents consistently can easily retain or add new subscribers. Questionable if they would be able to do that every quarter though. No position.

[Seeking more alpha than you]

@The Dividend Dude it is more than okay for him to brag. More than.

[Florida_Dreaming]

@Seeking more alpha than you He can brag alright but the guy makes a good point. There is no Stranger Things every quarter. And at 20 million cost an episode that's probably a good thing for the stock.