 Logo used since 2014 | |
 Headquarters in Los Gatos, California, 2019 | |
| Netflix | |
| Type | Public company |
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| Industry | |
| Founded | August 29, 1997 |
| Founders | |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Key people |
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| Products |
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| Services |
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| Revenue |  US$31.6 billion (2022) |
 US$5.6 billion (2022) | |
| US$4.5 billion (2022) | |
| Total assets | US$48.6 billion (2022) |
| Total equity | US$20.8 billion (2022) |
Number of employees | 12,800 (2022) |
| Divisions |
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| Subsidiaries |
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| Footnotes / references [1] | |
Netflix, Inc. provides entertainment services. It offers TV series, documentaries, feature films, and mobile games across various genres and languages. The company provides members the ability to receive streaming content through a host of internet-connected devices, including TVs, digital video players, television set-top boxes, and mobile devices. It also provides DVDs-by-mail membership services in the United States. The company has approximately 222 million paid members in 190 countries. Netflix, Inc. was incorporated in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California.
Competition
Streaming
There is fierce rivalry for Netflix's market share and subscriber growth in the streaming and entertainment sectors from a wide range of businesses, both established and up-and-coming.
Traditional Media Companies
To actively compete with Netflix, well-known media conglomerates and studios including Disney, WarnerMedia, and NBCUniversal have introduced their own streaming services (Disney+, HBO Max, Peacock). These businesses have enormous collections of popular content, including franchises, that can draw Netflix users away.
Tech Giants
Companies like Amazon (Prime Video) and Apple (Apple TV+), who have significant financial resources and a large worldwide user base, have entered the streaming business. Their capacity to leverage of their current platforms and provide packaged services could pose a challenge to Netflix's position in the market.
Regional Players
Numerous regional and specialised streaming services target particular demographics or geographical areas. These websites, like Hulu in the US, BBC iPlayer in the UK, and Hotstar in India, offer localised material and can draw viewers who value regional programming.
Emerging Competitors
Numerous regional and specialised streaming services target particular demographics or geographical areas. These websites, like Hulu in the US, BBC iPlayer in the UK, and Hotstar in India, offer localised material and can draw viewers who value regional programming.
Original Content Production
HBO, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+
These platforms make significant investments in the creation of original content with the goal of producing appealing and limited-edition series and films to draw in members. They can produce high-quality material that can compete with Netflix's original programming thanks to their solid financial foundation.
User-Generated Content Platforms
YouTube and other platforms for user-generated video may draw viewers away from professionally created content, which could have an effect on viewership and subscription growth.
Technological Shifts
Emerging technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) could alter the way audiences consume entertainment. Companies that successfully leverage these technologies to create immersive experiences could challenge Netflix's dominance.
Team [2]
Leadership
Co-Founder & Executive Chairman
Reed Hastings co-founded Netflix in 1997. Reed received an MSCS in AI from Stanford University in 1988 after briefly working as a maths teacher. In 1991, Reed founded Pure Software, which made tools for software developers before co-founding Netflix.
Reed is an active educational philanthropist and served on the California State Board of Education from 2000 to 2004. He is currently on the board of several educational organizations including KIPP and Pahara. Reed is also a board member of The City Fund.
Co-CEO
Greg Peters is Co-CEO of Netflix. Previously Greg served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Product Officer. Earlier, Greg was International Development Officer for Netflix, responsible for the global partnerships with consumer electronics companies, Internet service providers and multi-channel video programming distributors that enable Netflix to deliver movies and TV shows across a full range of devices and platforms.
Co-CEO
Ted Sarandos is co-CEO of Netflix. Ted has significant executive management and leadership experience and is integral to developing corporate strategy. He has been responsible for all content operations since 2000, and led the company's transition into original content production that began in 2013 with the launch of the series ‘House of Cards,’ ‘Arrested Development’ and ‘Orange Is the New Black,’ among numerous others.
Ted is recognized in the industry as an innovator in film and television acquisition, distribution, and production, and was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2013.
Chief Financial Officer
Spencer Neumann was named CFO of Netflix in January of 2019. Previously, he served as Activision Blizzard’s CFO from May 2017. Prior to that, Spencer held a number of positions of increasing responsibility at The Walt Disney Company, most recently serving as the CFO and executive vice president of Global Guest Experience of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, from 2012 until May 2017. From 2005 to 2012, Spencer worked at the private equity firms of Providence Equity Partners and Summit Partners.
Chief Content Officer
Bela Bajaria was named Chief Content Officer in 2023. Bela was named Head of Global TV in 2020, overseeing English language and local language scripted and unscripted series around the world. Previously, she oversaw local language originals, original series across Europe, the Middle East, Türkiye, Africa, India, Asia, and Latin America. In this role, she managed the teams behind shows such as 'La Casa de Papel' (Spain), 'The Witcher' (Poland), 'Sacred Games' (India), 'Squid Game' (Korea), 'Blood & Water' (South Africa), and 'Sintonia' (Brazil). Bela joined Netflix in 2016 to lead Netflix's push into unscripted programming including the critically acclaimed 'Queer Eye,' 'Nailed It!' and 'Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.' She was previously President of Universal Television.
Chairman of Netflix Film
Scott Stuber is the Chairman of Netflix Films where he oversees the development, production and acquisition of the Netflix film slate. Recent hits under Scott’s supervision include: 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,' 'All Quiet on the Western Front,' 'The Adam Project,' 'The Gray Man,' Academy Award and BAFTA-winning 'The Power of the Dog,' Academy Award nominee 'Don’t Look Up,' Martin Scorsese’s 'The Irishman,' Academy Award winner 'Marriage Story,' 'Red Notice,' and three-time Academy Award winner 'ROMA.' Prior to Netflix, he founded and ran Bluegrass Films, which produced such hits as 'Ted,' 'Central Intelligence,' and 'Safe House.'
Ownership structure
The breakdown of the major holders of Netflix is as follows: 83.88% of shares are held by institutions, whilst 1.35% of shares are held by all insiders.
| Institutional holder | Share stake |
|---|---|
| Vanguard Group Inc | 8.10% |
| Blackrock Inc. | 6.47% |
| FMR, LLC | 5.32% |
| Capital Research Global Investors | 4.26% |
| State Street Corporation | 3.65% |
| Capital International Investors | 2.80% |
| Price Associates Inc | 2.53% |
| Capital World Investors | 2.52% |
| Geode Capital Management, LLC | 1.85% |
| JP Morgan Chase & Company | 1.64% |
Risks
As with any investment, investing in Netflix carries a level of risk. Overall, based on the key risks highlighted below, the degree of risk associated with an investment in Netflix is high.
Intense Competition
Netflix operates in a highly competitive environment within the entertainment and streaming industry. The company is up against competition from numerous competitors operating in diverse regions, including established cable and satellite TV providers, rival streaming services, and new digital platforms. As more players enter the streaming industry, there may be price wars, difficulties in acquiring content, and a continuing need to spend in original programmes in order to maintain subscriber growth.
Global Market Expansion
While Netflix's international growth offers chances for expansion, it also exposes the company to a number of risks. The company's capacity to enter and thrive in new areas may be impacted by cultural preferences, legal obstacles, local content laws, and economic situations. Additionally, changes to trade policies, and variations in currency exchange rates could impair business operations and income streams.
Content Acquisition and Production Costs
Netflix devotes a sizable percentage of its budget to acquiring and creating unique content. The company's ability to land attractive licencing deals and produce engaging original programming is crucial to its success. Fluctuations in content prices, unanticipated production delays, or the inability to have a wide and appealing content library could have a detrimental effect on subscriber retention and growth.
Technological Risks
Netflix runs the risk of data breaches, privacy violations, and service outages because it is a digital platform that gathers and processes user data. Legal liabilities, reputational harm, loss of client trust, and regulatory fines could all occur from a company's inability to safeguard user data or maintain the security of its systems. Additionally, service interruptions brought on by technical problems or hacks may cause subscriber dissatisfaction.
Changing Demand
The entertainment industry is changing quickly due to shifting customer preferences and technological improvements. Netflix's capacity to efficiently offer content and maintain its audience's relevance could be impacted by changes in viewing habits, the adoption of new devices, and developing technologies. Failure to adjust to these changes or foresee emerging trends could result in a loss of subscribers and a drop in revenue.
Net Neutrality and Internet Infrastructure
The quality and speed of internet connections used to provide Netflix's streaming material to users directly affect Netflix's success. The quality of streaming experiences could potentially alter as a result of any changes to net neutrality laws or internet service provider policies. Data caps, throttling, or the prioritisation of some traffic may leave users unhappy and have an impact on subscriber retention.
ESG Factors:
Environmental Factors:
- Has no products and is predominantly online operated hence has a comparatively minimal carbon footprint.
- In order to lessen its carbon footprint, Netflix invested in wind energy to balance off the energy used for cloud storage. This is due to the fact that every streaming company, according to a study, increases global emissions by 1%. The company makes every effort to be sustainable.
- They also work to reduce the amount of paper used in the workplace as another environmental protection measure.
- The only significant aspect that Netflix must ensure is the utilisation of heavy electrical consumption.
- Netflix’s last report on environmental impact was in 2017. They released their goals around sustainability and clean energy were as follows: “use as little electricity as possible, use renewables for the electricity we directly consumer in our owned facilities, and encourage renewables or offset non-renewable energy in facilities we do not control” (“Renewable Energy at Netflix: An Update”)
Social Factors:
- Social factors encompass demographic characteristics that affect social factors are age, gender, socioeconomic status, etc. Values can be represented by culture and/or religion.
- They play a huge role for Netflix and its global presence in over 190 countries, especially culture, language and religion
- The genres and preferences for films and television shows vary by audience and geographical location. Even though every customer is different, society and culture frequently have a big impact on what most customers desire to see. To preserve their popularity and social platform, Netflix must be mindful of cultural and religious factors.
- For example, within language, Netflix provides content in 62 different languages to best suit the majority of their customers (Moore).
- Demographic factors such as age and gender are equally important to represent and diversify their listings to appeal to a much wider subsection of society.
Political/Government:
- Two of the most important political issues for a corporation are taxes and laws. For Netflix, political issues have changed during the previous ten years. There are several nations that Netflix services, and each one has its own political viewpoint. Every nation has its own rules and regulations, which Netflix must abide with. Additionally, laws and regulations are always evolving.
- For example, in the European Union the government is considering new tax laws for international tech companies, which could heavily increase Netflix’s tax liability in Europe (Amaro).
- Due to varied laws and stricter government regulations in some countries, it could be preferable for Netflix to stop providing its services there. The fact that some content cannot be viewed in other nations is another political consideration. As a result, Netflix must be aware of the content that is prohibited in particular nations and take steps to ensure that it is not accessible to users in that location. For example, China the biggest economy we know doesn’t allow Netflix to operate because of US policies. So, because of these restrictions in various countries by USA Netflix has many untapped market.
- Copyright regulations are one of Netflix's main legal challenges (Mora). In the past, Netflix has experienced issues with foreign users hacking streaming content that is made available in other nations. Hackers are a problem for Netflix because they violate copyright agreements, which may result in legal action being taken by the content owners. In order to assure that copyright laws are not broken, Netflix had to develop new technology.
- References
Revenue Breakdown by Sector
Netflix has established itself as a dominant player in the entertainment industry, driven by a diverse range of revenue sources. The company's revenue breakdown showcases its strong subscription-based model, strategic partnerships, and growing involvement in the advertising space.
1. Subscription-Based Revenue: 90%
The cornerstone of Netflix's revenue comes from its subscription-based business model. Subscribers gain access to a vast library of movies, TV shows, and original content across three subscription plans: basic, standard, and premium. As of December 2022, Netflix had amassed an impressive user base of over 230 million members in more than 190 countries. This subscriber-centric approach accounts for approximately 90% of the company's revenue. In 2022, Netflix generated $31.6 billion in annual revenue from both the United States and international regions.
2. Advertising Revenue: 10%
While the majority of Netflix's revenue stems from subscriptions and partnerships, the company has ventured into the advertising arena, although it still accounts for a smaller portion of its overall earnings. Approximately 10% of Netflix's revenue is generated from advertising efforts. While this is a relatively minor segment compared to subscriptions, it reflects Netflix's evolving strategy to diversify its income streams.
3. Important Partnerships: Significant Contribution
Netflix's success is also attributed to its ability to establish vital partnerships with various content creators, including movie producers, filmmakers, writers, and animators. Through these alliances, Netflix secures the necessary licenses to legally broadcast content on its platform. This strategic collaboration extends to internet service providers (ISPs) as well, ensuring smooth streaming capabilities for its users. These partnerships contribute substantially to Netflix's revenue stream, aligning with its commitment to delivering diverse and captivating content.
Historical Growth and Profitability
Over the years, Netflix has undergone major transformations. What began as a mail-in delivery service for movies and TV shows eventually transitioned into a groundbreaking streaming platform in 2007. This strategic shift marked a turning point in the company's revenue trajectory. Prior to this change, Netflix's annual revenue averaged around $997 million.
The growth and profitability of the company have not waned significantly. In 2022, the company reported a revenue of $31.616 billion, marking a 6.46% increase from the previous year. This impressive growth trend has been consistent, as evidenced by the 18.81% revenue increase from 2020 to 2021, reaching $29.698 billion.
Furthermore, Netflix's profitability is evident from its financial performance. The company generated substantial profits of $4.5 billion in 2022 alone, highlighting its ability to capitalize on its extensive subscriber base and compelling content offerings. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns played a role in boosting viewership and subsequently contributing to Netflix's profitability in recent years.
Netflix's revenue breakdown showcases a robust subscription-based model as the primary driver of its earnings, supplemented by strategic partnerships and a nascent foray into advertising. The company's evolution from a mail-in delivery system to a global streaming platform underscores its adaptability and innovative approach to the entertainment landscape.