Netflix's Crackdown on Password Sharing Emboldens Stock Bulls

tech.hindustantimes.com:

In 2017, Netflix Inc. tweeted that “love is sharing a password.” In 2023, Wall Street loves that the company has changed its tune.

The video-streaming giant is cracking down on the ability of its users to share subscriptions across locations, a move that analysts say could push millions of borrowers to spring for their own plans. This strategy, along with the debut of a lower-cost tier with advertising, could keep user growth robust, supporting an extended rebound in the stock.

“There are millions of people on shared accounts, and if you get a few bucks per month out of even a small percentage of them, that creates a huge recurring revenue base that can supplement current growth,” said Jamie Lumley, senior analyst at Third Bridge, who sees the crackdown as a “huge opportunity” for the company.

Netflix shares already have more than doubled off a 2022 low and are up 18% off a low hit last month. Despite these gains, the stock remains about 50% below a peak from late 2021. The stock fell 1% on Wednesday.

Analysts have been warming to the stock. The average estimate for Netflix's 2023 earnings per shares has risen by 8.4% over the past three months, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Revenue is expected to increase 8.6% this fiscal year before accelerating to almost 12% growth in fiscal 2024. It rose 6.5% last year.

Wells Fargo Securities sees the crackdown as a primary driver of this optimism, as the efforts “appear to be creating significant upside to estimates.” Despite the attention paid to the ad tier, analyst Steven Cahall wrote, “paid sharing is arguably the bigger near-term earnings opportunity.”

Bank of America Corp. expects subscriber results for the US and Canada “will be significantly stronger than current