El interés en corto de Netflix da a los inversores una idea del grado en que los inversores apuestan por la caída de las acciones de Netflix. Los datos de interés en corto se actualizan cada dos semanas.

Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) Bolsa, Informe de interés en corto

NETFLIX INC

Netflix

Netflix's relatively simple business model involves only one business, its streaming service. It has the biggest television entertainment subscriber base in both the United States and the collective international market, with more than 300 million subscribers globally. Netflix has exposure to nearly the entire global population outside of China. The firm has traditionally avoided a regular slate of live programming or sports content, instead focusing on on-demand access to episodic television, movies, and documentaries. The firm introduced ad-supported subscription plans in 2022, giving the firm exposure to the advertising market in addition to the subscription fees that have historically accounted for nearly all its revenue.

Pre-Market Outlook

IBKR

NFLX

American Express, Netflix, 3M y más compañías reportan resultados clave mientras suben los futuros de EE.UU. este viernes.

Acciones en foco este viernes: American Express, Netflix, 3M, Interactive Brokers y Schlumberger

Pepsi,Can,Black,Background,Isolated.,Toronto,,Canada,-,July,6,

PepsiCo, Netflix y GE destacan hoy en Wall Street tras publicar resultados trimestrales. Conoce los movimientos clave del mercado.

Acciones a seguir este jueves en Wall Street: PepsiCo, Netflix, GE y más

Time magazine

Long Ideas

Tech

Media

Trading Ideas

AMZN

ASML

BABA

BYDDF

BYDDY

CMCSA

COIN

COUR

CRSP

DASH

DUOL

ENGIY

EQNR

ESLOY

GILD

GOOG

GOOGL

HYMTF

LRLCY

MELI

MSFT

NTDOY

ONON

PLTR

PMRTY

SFTBF

SFTBY

UMGNF

UNVGY

TIME revela las 100 empresas más influyentes de 2025. Conoce las compañías en bolsa que lideran innovación y crecimiento este año.

Las empresas más influyentes de 2025 según TIME: ¿Cuáles están en bolsa?

Netflix Inc

Netflix (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 4.8% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 19.25%. Currently, Netflix has a market capitalization of $500.60 billion. 
Buying $100 In NFLX: If an investor had bought $100 of NFLX stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $237.68 today based on a price of $1178.09 for NFLX at the time of writing.
<h3>Netflix's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1753281916_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

News

Here's How Much $100 Invested In Netflix 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

A weakening U.S. dollar is discreetly helping <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs">some ETFs</a> to outperform their size during this earnings season, particularly those comprised of globally exposed American titans. 
But before investors get caught up in the greenback-driven glow, experts caution: all that moves isn&#8217;t necessarily real growth.
Also Read:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/25/07/46488992/us-dollar-can-lose-its-supremacy-premium-if-fed-interferes-with-bond-market-currencies-are-release-valve-for-unsustainable-fiscal-policy"> US Dollar Can Lose Its &#8216;Supremacy Premium&#8217; If Fed Interferes With Bond Market: Currencies Are &#8216;Release Valve For Unsustainable Fiscal Policy&#8217;</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Dollar&#8217;s Slump And The ETF Sweet Spot</h2>
The U.S. dollar has fallen about 10% this year, battered by trade policy whiplash, debt worries, and decelerating growth, per a Reuters report. That weakness has boosted foreign earnings for multinational U.S. companies, and by proxy, juiced the payouts of ETFs that own them.
Industry ETFs such as the Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VCR#NYSE">VCR</a>), SPDR Industrial Select Sector ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLI#NYSE">XLI</a>) and iShares U.S. Technology ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IYW#NYSE">IYW</a>) are in the sweet spot. These funds allocate heavily to firms generating substantial revenue overseas, which are now profiting from favorable currency translation.
For instance, VCR component PepsiCo (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) stated the dollar downturn assisted it in projecting a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46463845/pepsico-delivers-the-fizz-in-q2-sweetens-outlook-on-subdued-dollar-headwind">less-than-anticipated annual profit decline</a>, the Reuters report noted. XLI component 3M (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MMM#NYSE">MMM</a>) reported a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46491058/post-it-maker-3m-defies-tariff-headwinds-with-strong-q2-and-outlook-boost">profit beat in Q2 </a>with FX gains doing some heavy lifting.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why the Market Isn&#8217;t Celebrating (Yet)</h2>
Even though FX is benefiting the bottom line, investors do not trust it. Wall Street typically discounts foreign exchange-driven earnings surprises as optical, not fundamental.
This is particularly applicable to ETF investors who might believe they&#8217;re surfing a trend, only to realize it&#8217;s all flash, no substance. Constant-currency beats, those FX-adjusted, tend to get more rewarded than FX-led ones, says Goldman Sachs.
What does it mean? Don&#8217;t expect a lift in earnings to be followed by a lift in ETF prices unless it&#8217;s preceded by actual demand growth.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">When FX Becomes A Tailwind For ETFs</h2>
Still, the impact is real. Based on two decades of data, every 1% depreciation in the dollar improves S&amp;P 500 EPS growth by about 0.6 percentage points, according to LSEG data cited in the Reuters report. That's not nothing, especially for ETFs tracking international-facing sectors.
IYW has experienced indirect support from names like Apple (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), which generate over half of their revenues from international locations.
Even thematic ETFs such as the Invesco International BuyBack Achievers ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IPKW#NASDAQ">IPKW</a>), which is skewed toward U.S. companies with aggressive foreign strategies, might gain if the dollar is weak.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">ETFs To Watch If The Dollar Remains Soft</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>VCR (Consumer Discretionary): Large global brands such as Amazon (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Nike (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NKE#NYSE">NKE</a>), and Starbucks (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBUX#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>).</li>
<li>XLI (Industrials): High exposure to cyclical multinationals with international sales.</li>
<li>IYW (Technology): FX-bolstered cash flow machines such as Microsoft and Apple.</li>
<li>SPY / VOO (S&amp;P 500): Wide, but still ~38% international exposure.</li>
<li>IPKW/ iShares International Select Dividend ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IDV#BATS">IDV</a>): Dividend or buyback ETFs with heavy overseas tilts.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Bottom Line</h2>
ETF holders could be quietly profiting from the decline of the greenback, but such gains can disappear as suddenly as they began. Most of these gains are less about consumer enthusiasm and more about currency arithmetic, and that makes all the difference when macro is choppy.
Appreciate the tailwind, by all means. But don&#8217;t confuse a currency flutter with a structural break.
Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/25/07/46554173/trump-targets-chinas-backdoors-vietnam-and-mexico-etfs-could-pay-the-price"> </a>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/25/07/46554173/trump-targets-chinas-backdoors-vietnam-and-mexico-etfs-could-pay-the-price">Trump Targets China&#8217;s Backdoors—Vietnam And Mexico ETFs Could Pay The Price</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Currency ETFs

Forex

ETFs

AAPL

iShares Dow Jones International Select Dividend Income Fund

IPKW

iShares Dow Jones US Technology Sector Index Fund

SBUX

Dollar Down, Multinationals Up: ETFs Riding The FX Wave

Formula 1 is quietly becoming one of the most powerful profit engines in sports media and Goldman Sachs <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/expert-ideas">is going full throttle.</a>
On Monday, Goldman Sachs analyst Stephen Laszczyk reinstated coverage of Liberty Formula One Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FWONK#NASDAQ">FWONK</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FWONA#NASDAQ">FWONA</a>) – owner of the Formula 1 and newly acquired MotoGP racing series – with a Buy rating and a 12-month price target of $120, suggesting a 17% total return potential.
In the report, Laszczyk calls Liberty Formula One Group a "high quality, execution-based growth story with potential for outsized capital returns", making it one of the firm&#8217;s top picks in the global sports media space.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Four Reasons Why FWONK Stock Is In Pole Position</h2>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">1. F1 Is Firing On All Cylinders</h3>
Goldman expects Formula 1 revenue to grow at 8% annually through 2028, driven by gains in race promotion, media rights, and sponsorships. Adjusted operating income is projected to expand at 15% per year, with margins getting a boost from a new Concorde Agreement kicking off in 2026.
This will be driven by gains across its three core verticals: Race Promotion, Media Rights, and Sponsorship. 
Laszczyk highlights that Formula 1 is capitalizing on the increasingly favorable supply-demand dynamic for hosting Grand Prix events, particularly in legacy European venues and emerging growth markets like the U.S.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix, in particular, is expected to rebound from a weak second year. 
On the media rights side, Goldman sees upside from step-ups in upcoming renewals in the U.S., Australia, and Latin America, and notes that around 40% of F1's media rights revenue is up for renegotiation by the end of 2026. 
Goldman analysts expect U.S. rights alone to jump from $85 million/year to $130 million/year, helped by rising engagement and reported interest from streamers like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>).
Sponsorship revenue is projected to rise at a 10% CAGR, aided by high-profile additions like LVMH&#8211;Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (OTCPK: LVMHF), PepsiCo Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>), and Nestlé S.A. (OTCPK: NSRGY), plus new advertising partners in untapped verticals.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. MotoGP: A High-Potential Growth Engine</h3>
Liberty Media's acquisition of MotoGP is seen as a long-term win. With a business model echoing F1's, MotoGP is gearing up for global expansion and expects to grow profits by 13% CAGR through 2028—even with short-term repositioning.
&#8220;MotoGP has the opportunity to globalize its calendar,&#8221; Laszczyk notes, with 64% of races currently concentrated in Europe and roughly one-third of contracts up for renewal over the next two years. 
The firm also sees a pathway to expanding from 22 races per year to 24 over time.
"We see meaningful opportunity for MotoGP… to benefit under the stewardship of Liberty Media as it navigates further expansion into the global marketplace for sports media, sponsorship and event promotion," Laszczyk wrote.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. Massive Buyback Potential As Leverage Falls</h3>
Liberty Formula One's capital-light model and rising profitability should unlock massive free cash flow. 
"This deleveraging will afford Liberty Formula One the option to return significant capital to shareholders in the coming years," he said.
"At 2.5x net leverage, we estimate that Liberty Formula One could return over $6B of capital to shareholders by 2030, or about 25% of current market capitalization."
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">4. Premium Valuation Backed By Premium Assets</h3>
At 23.5x EBITDA and nearly 29x free cash flow, Liberty Formula One doesn't look like a bargain. 
But Goldman says the price is right for a unique asset.
"We believe the stock's premium multiple is justified," Laszczyk wrote, highlighting the company's exposure to global sports rights, execution capabilities, and strong free cash flow conversion.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bottom Line</h2>
Formula 1 is no longer just racing—it&#8217;s an expanding media juggernaut with real pricing power and global brand momentum. With MotoGP now under its wing, Liberty Formula One is assembling a high-margin, capital-light sports empire poised for explosive cash returns. 
Goldman Sachs sees FWONK as one of the clearest plays on the future of live entertainment—and it's still early in the race.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46533114/china-stocks-outperform-sp500-trump-tariffs-economy-xiaomi">Trump Wanted To Break China—Now It&#8217;s Crushing The US At Its Own Game</a><span class="author" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-pan-x: ; --tw-pan-y: ; --tw-pinch-zoom: ; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-gradient-from-position: ; --tw-gradient-via-position: ; --tw-gradient-to-position: ; --tw-ordinal: ; --tw-slashed-zero: ; --tw-numeric-figure: ; --tw-numeric-spacing: ; --tw-numeric-fraction: ; --tw-ring-inset: ; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246/0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-blur: ; --tw-brightness: ; --tw-contrast: ; --tw-grayscale: ; --tw-hue-rotate: ; --tw-invert: ; --tw-saturate: ; --tw-sepia: ; --tw-drop-shadow: ; --tw-backdrop-blur: ; --tw-backdrop-brightness: ; --tw-backdrop-contrast: ; --tw-backdrop-grayscale: ; --tw-backdrop-hue-rotate: ; --tw-backdrop-invert: ; --tw-backdrop-opacity: ; --tw-backdrop-saturate: ; --tw-backdrop-sepia: ; --tw-contain-size: ; --tw-contain-layout: ; --tw-contain-paint: ; --tw-contain-style: ;"></li>
</ul>
 Photo: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Equities

Global

Econ #s

Analyst Ratings

FWONA

FWONK

LVMHF

Nestle Sponsored representing Registered Shares Series B

NSRGY

Formula 1 Is Wall Street's New Money Machine—With Horsepower

On CNBC's &#8220;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2025/07/21/final-trades-morgan-stanley-netflix-cognex-and-eqt-corp.html">Halftime Report Final Trades</a>,&#8221; Sarat Sethi, Managing Partner at DCLA, said Morgan Stanley (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MS#NYSE">MS</a>) reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MS/earnings">great earnings.</a>
Morgan Stanley reported second-quarter 2025 earnings of $2.13 on July 16, up from $1.82 a year ago and exceeding the consensus estimate of $2.02. Net earnings increased to $3.54 billion from $3.08 billion. The U.S. bank reported revenue of $16.79 billion, up 12% year-over-year, beating the consensus estimate of $16.11 billion.
Stephen Weiss, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner of Short Hills Capital Partners, said Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) was unfairly penalized for the quarter. He still thinks it's a good opportunity.
Netflix, on July 17. reported second-quarter revenue of $11.08 billion, up 16% year-over-year. The revenue total beat a Street consensus estimate of $11.04 billion, according to data from Benzinga Pro. The company reported second-quarter earnings per share of $7.19, beating a Street consensus estimate of $7.06.
Don't forget to check out our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket/">premarket coverage here</a>
Amy Raskin, CIO at Chevy Chase Trust, named Cognex Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CGNX#NASDAQ">CGNX</a>) as her final trade.
Lending support to her choice, Citigroup analyst Piyush Avasthy, on July 14, raised the price target on the stock from $30 to $37.
Joseph M. Terranova, Senior Managing Director for Virtus Investment Partners, picked EQT Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EQT#NYSE">EQT</a>), which saw a sharp decline on Monday.
EQT will issue its second quarter financial and operating results news release after the closing bell on Tuesday, July 22.
Price Action:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Morgan Stanley shares fell 0.3% to close at $140.47 on Monday.</li>
<li>Netflix shares dipped 5.1% to settle at $1,209.24 during the session.</li>
<li>Cognex shares fell 1% to close at $33.73 during the session.</li>
<li>EQT shares tumbled 9.6% to settle at $53.54 on Monday.</li>
</ul>
Check This Out: 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/short-ideas/25/07/46517205/top-2-financial-stocks-that-may-plunge-this-month">Top 2 Financial Stocks That May Plunge This Month</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Markets

CGNX

Morgan Stanley, Netflix, Cognex And An Energy Stock: CNBC's 'Final Trades'

<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-21/netflix-is-using-startup-runway-ai-s-video-tools-for-production?embedded-checkout=true">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-21/netflix-is-using-startup-runway-ai-s-video-tools-for-production?embedded-checkout=true</a>

General

'Netflix Using Startup Runway AI's Video Tools for Production'- Bloomberg

CNBC Halftime Report Final Trades: Morgan Stanley, Netflix, Cognex, EQT Corporation

Content streaming juggernaut Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) continues to set expectations ablaze, thereby seemingly justifying its market performance this year. Last week, the media giant posted<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46481193/netflix-q2-fueled-by-price-ads-squid-game-q3-set-to-repeat"> second-quarter financial results</a> that exceeded analysts' expectations. In fact, the company's net profit of $3.1 billion represented a fresh<a href="https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/news/netflix-revenue-profits-record-critics-b2791797.html#:~:text=Netflix%20has%20announced%20revenue%20of,%243.1%20billion%20in%20net%20profit."> record</a>. However, the volatility of NFLX stock following the results has led to probing questions.
On the positive front, it's difficult to deny the underlying narrative of consistently robust financial performances. In the second quarter, Netflix generated revenue of $11.08 billion, up 16% against the year-ago period. Furthermore, this tally exceeded Wall Street's estimate of $11.04 billion. On the bottom line, the company reported earnings per share of $7.19, beating the consensus view of $7.06.
In addition, Netflix's extensive content library continues to churn out winners, resonating with audiences amid an intensely competitive environment. Management highlighted multiple series and movies that saw strong performances, in particular the release of the third season of "Squid Game" in June. Despite its recent launch, the season has already amassed 122 million views, making it the sixth highest in Netflix history.
Finally,<a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/new-netflix-data-reveals-just-how-many-people-are-signing-up-for-the-ad-supported-plan/ar-AA1ICb7T?apiversion=v2&amp;noservercache=1&amp;domshim=1&amp;renderwebcomponents=1&amp;wcseo=1&amp;batchservertelemetry=1&amp;noservertelemetry=1"> advertising</a> has become a major sales booster. New research shows that roughly half of new Netflix subscribers in 2025 have signed up for the ad-supported tier. In 2024, this metric was about 40% and in the year prior, only about 20%. Investors may view the consistent growth as a motivating factor to consider NFLX stock.
Still, every publicly traded enterprise carries counterarguments to the bullish narrative. For Netflix, there are<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/reiteration/25/07/46498606/netflixs-blockbuster-profits-overshadowed-by-anemic-engagement"> concerns about anemic engagement</a>. Specifically, while Needham's Laura Martin reiterated a Buy rating on NFLX stock with a $1,500 price target, she cautioned that total viewing time per user appeared to be flat to declining. This dynamic must improve for Netflix to sustain its pricing power.
Furthermore, investors should consider the possibility that most of the good news has been baked into NFLX stock. For example, Netflix earlier<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/earnings-misses/24/01/36751622/netflixs-co-ceo-says-thrilled-with-password-sharing-crackdown-sees-positive-impact-"> cracked down on the practice of password sharing</a>, which has led to increased revenue. However, now that the company has largely monetized a significant portion of free users, the well may have effectively run dry.
To be sure, the performance of NFLX stock stands out. Since the beginning of the year, it gained almost 36%. However, in the trailing five sessions, NFLX slipped 4%. And in the past month, the security is down nearly 2%, which may raise concerns about fading momentum.
The Direxion ETFs: With opposing sides of the sentiment debate presenting strong arguments, traders may have ample opportunity to speculate, thereby shining a spotlight on Direxion's exchange-traded funds. For optimistic speculators, the <a href="https://www.direxion.com/product/daily-nflx-bull-and-bear-leveraged-single-stock-etfs?utm_source=Referral&amp;utm_medium=Text&amp;utm_source_platform=Benzinga&amp;utm_campaign=LandI_Product_NFXL-NFXS">Direxion Daily NFLX Bull 2X Shares</a> (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFXL#NASDAQ">NFXL</a>) seeks the daily investment results of 200% of the performance of NFLX stock. For the skeptical, the<a href="https://www.direxion.com/product/daily-nflx-bull-and-bear-leveraged-single-stock-etfs?utm_source=Referral&amp;utm_medium=Text&amp;utm_source_platform=Benzinga&amp;utm_campaign=LandI_Product_NFXL-NFXS"> Direxion Daily NFLX Bear 1X Shares</a> (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFXS#NASDAQ">NFXS</a>) seeks 100% of the inverse performance of the namesake security.
A key motivating factor for consideration of Direxion ETFs is convenience. Typically, market participants interested in leveraged or short positions must engage the options market. However, derivative financial products carry complexities that may not be appropriate for all investors. In contrast, Direxion ETFs can be bought and sold much like any other publicly traded security, thus greatly reducing the learning curve.
Still, prospective participants must be cognizant of these funds' unique risk profile. First, leveraged and inverse ETFs tend to be more volatile than funds tracking benchmark indices, such as the Nasdaq Composite. Second, Direxion ETFs are designed for exposure lasting no longer than one day. Holding these ETFs longer than recommended may expose investors to value decay due to the daily compounding phenomenon.
The NFXL ETF: Unsurprisingly, the NFXL ETF has gained nearly 60% since the start of the year, buoyed by Netflix's consistent financial results.
The performance of the NFLX bull fund has been highly accelerative since April, initially driving the price action above key technical benchmarks.
However, the previously mentioned volatility has caused the NFXL ETF to drop below its 20-day exponential moving average and the 50 DMA.
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcQ-NinCgd1DVuu5Kf999uPF1rYZR74oz2c9gjiM6mIuPK96hPTvPRVgjBsUsL9mZ-96dUpGT0AsM_ccpQ2cM5VX-zK70Y9OoWlG3PeAj8JrcFlg7ks1joc1cRY9oJOwPkIDQlZ?key=tQSSgu_66jvs5F4CNN0lJQ" alt="" /></figure>
The NFXS ETF: On the other end of the scale, the NFXS ETF has struggled this year, losing roughly 30% as Netflix continued to beat analysts' expectations.
Between April and early July, the price action of the NFLX bear fund has consistently traded below its 20-day EMA and 50 DMA.
However, the latest surge in the NFXS ETF has seen the price action pop above these key technical benchmarks on high volume, warranting further investigation.
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXd8pFsnYyfGnQl-mn_tx83nTI6yzFX37kNSNVFZ27l0ta7LFEzj5tn0-4_YKBkfzkLQMZhcCRMWFAiELVtXzuLGGlxSekzL5XQFdVeKQO1qgHEODz8Y53j4n5FjmzE9j8QKXQb0fw?key=tQSSgu_66jvs5F4CNN0lJQ" alt="" /></figure>
Featured image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/rswebsols-2689935/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=5945225">Souvik Banerjee</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=5945225">Pixabay</a>.
This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice.

Short Ideas

Technicals

NFXL

NFXS

Netflix's Profits Clash With Peaking Business Concerns, Driving Interest In Direxion's NFLX Bull And Bear Funds

Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) stock gained on Monday after the company reported better-than-expected <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/07/g46514654/verizon-raises-financial-guidance-for-adjusted-ebitda-adjusted-eps-and-free-cash-flow-after-strong" rel="noreferrer noopener">second-quarter financial results</a> and raised guidance.
The company reported&nbsp;quarterly revenue growth was 5.2% year-over-year (Y/Y), reaching $34.50 billion, topping the&nbsp;analyst <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate</a> of $33.57 billion, driven by its broad wireless and broadband offerings across market segments. Adjusted EPS of $1.22 topped the&nbsp;analyst&nbsp;consensus estimate of $1.19.
The company boosted retention and acquisition through a three-year price lock, a free phone guarantee, and the rollout of AI-powered tools for personalized support and better customer experience.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/46090025/verizon-teams-up-with-nokia-to-bring-high-tech-5g-boost-to-busy-british-ports" rel="noreferrer noopener">Verizon Teams Up With Nokia To Bring High-Tech 5G Boost To Busy British Ports</a>
Verizon reported a net loss of 9,000 postpaid phone connections in the latest quarter, falling short of analysts&#8217; forecast for a gain of 13,000, per the Wall Street Journal <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/business/earnings/verizon-earnings-q2-2025-vz-stock-dcc1b3d6" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a> on Monday. The company added 148,000 postpaid phone connections during the same quarter last year.
Total wireless service revenue was $20.9 billion, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.verizon.com/about/investors/quarterly-reports/2q-2025-earnings-conference-call-webcast" rel="noreferrer noopener">up 2.2% Y/Y</a> backed by add-ons such as access to streaming services like Netflix (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>), as per Reuters.
Verizon Business&#8217; retail postpaid net additions were 65,000. The quarter saw 293,000 total broadband net additions versus 391,000 Y/Y. The company ended the quarter with over 12.9 million broadband subscribers, up 12.2% Y/Y.
At the end of the quarter, the company had over 5.1 million fixed wireless subscribers. Total fixed wireless access net additions reached 278,000 in the quarter, compared with 378,000&nbsp;Y/Y.
Total Verizon Business revenues were $7.3 billion, down 0.3% Y/Y. Total Verizon Consumer revenue rose by 6.9% Y/Y to $26.6 billion.&nbsp;Consumer wireless retail postpaid churn was 1.12%, and wireless retail postpaid phone churn was 0.90%.&nbsp;
Verizon Consumer clocked wireless retail postpaid phone net losses of 51,000, versus 109,000 net losses Y/Y. Consumer reported 50,000 wireless retail core prepaid net additions compared to 12,000 net losses Y/Y.
Verizon&#8217;s net income stood at $5.1 billion versus $4.7 billion a year ago. The consumer segment EBITDA margin declined by 200 bps to 42.1%, while the business segment EBITDA margin grew by 130 bps to 22.9%.&nbsp;Company-level adjusted EBITDA of $12.8 billion, up from $12.3 billion Y/Y.
Verizon&#8217;s quarterly free cash flow&nbsp;was $5.2 billion, down from $5.8 billion Y/Y.
Heading into the year&#8217;s second half, Verizon plans to maintain momentum by growing wireless service revenue, expanding adjusted EBITDA, and generating solid free cash flow.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FY25 Outlook</h2>
Verizon&nbsp;reiterated a 2.0%-2.8%&nbsp;growth in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44920917/verizon-struggles-with-subscriber-losses-from-price-increases-competition-and-lower-government-support" rel="noreferrer noopener">wireless service&nbsp;revenue</a>. It narrowed its adjusted EPS outlook from $4.59-$4.73 to $4.64-$4.73 versus&nbsp;the consensus of $4.68, driven by demand for its higher-tier plans as per the Reuters report.
Verizon expects $19.5 billion-$20.5 billion (prior $17.5 billion-$18.5 billion) in 2025 free cash flow, $37.0 billion-$39.0 billion (prior $35 billion-$37 billion) in operating cash flow, and reiterated $17.5 billion-$18.5 billion in capital expenditure. Verizon&#8217;s guidance does not reflect any assumptions regarding the pending acquisition of Frontier Communications Parent (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FYBR#NASDAQ">FYBR</a>).
According to the Wall Street Journal, Verizon reiterated that it is well-positioned to achieve the next milestone of 8 to 9 million fixed wireless access subscribers.
Price action:&nbsp;VZ stock is trading higher by 4.06% to $42.50 premarket at last check Monday.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/reiteration/25/07/46281768/telecom-stocks-are-no-longer-one-size-fits-all-analyst-says-heres-which-company-stands-out" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Telecom Stocks Are No Longer One-Size-Fits-All, Analyst Says — Here&#8217;s Which Company Stands Out</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by Karolis Kavolelis via Shutterstock

Earnings

Guidance

Movers

FYBR

Verizon's Premium Plans Drive Higher Profit Projections After Solid Quarter

On CNBC's &#8220;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2025/07/18/final-trades-rtx-netflix-and-freeport-mcmoran.html">Halftime Report Final Trades</a>,&#8221; Stephen Weiss, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner of Short Hills Capital Partners, picked Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) as his final trade.
On July 17, Netflix reported second-quarter revenue of $11.08 billion, up 16% year-over-year. The revenue total beat a Street consensus estimate of $11.04 billion, according to data from Benzinga Pro. The company reported second-quarter earnings per share of $7.19, beating a Street consensus estimate of $7.06.
Don't forget to check out our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket/">premarket coverage here</a>
Kevin Simpson, Capital Wealth Planning founder and CIO, named RTX Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RTX#NYSE">RTX</a>) amid incredible demand for aerospace repair.
RTX will release earnings results for the second quarter before the opening bell on Tuesday, July 22. Analysts expect the company to report quarterly earnings at $1.43 per share on revenue of $20.67 billion.
Supporting his view, Morgan Stanley analyst Kristine Liwag maintained RTX with an Equal-Weight rating on July 17 and raised the price target from $135 to $165.
Jenny Van Leeuwen Harrington, Chief Executive Officer of Gilman Hill Asset Management, LLC, named Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FCX#NYSE">FCX</a>) as her final trade.
Lending support to his choice, Freeport-McMoRan, on April 24, reported better-than-expected first-quarter sales results. Revenue stood at $5.73 billion, beating the consensus of $5.44 billion. Copper sales volumes totaled 872 million pounds, which exceeded the January 2025 estimate.
Price Action:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>RTX shares closed at $151.50 on Friday.</li>
<li>Netflix shares dipped 5.1% to settle at $1,209.24 during the session.</li>
<li>Freeport-McMoRan shares rose 0.8% to close at $44.80 during the session.</li>
</ul>
Check This Out:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/short-ideas/25/07/46491269/top-2-energy-stocks-that-may-fall-off-a-cliff-this-quarter-2"> </a>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/short-ideas/25/07/46491269/top-2-energy-stocks-that-may-fall-off-a-cliff-this-quarter-2">Top 2 Energy Stocks That May Fall Off A Cliff This Quarter</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Netflix, RTX And A Basic Materials Stock On CNBC's 'Final Trades'

Baird analyst Vikram Kesavabhotla maintains Netflix (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) with a Outperform and raises the price target from $1300 to $1500.

Price Target

Baird Maintains Outperform on Netflix, Raises Price Target to $1500

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed some decline in the overall market sentiment, but the index remained in the &#8220;Extreme Greed&#8221; zone on Friday.
U.S. stocks settled mostly lower on Friday, with the Dow Jones index falling more than 100 points during the session as continued trade tensions kept investors on the sidelines.
According to the Financial Times, President Donald Trump is pushing for a sweeping 15% to 20% minimum tariff on all European Union goods. He is also rejecting any cut to the current 25% duties on EU car imports. Trump has signaled that if no deal is reached by Aug. 1, a 30% blanket tariff on EU imports could be imposed.
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) shares fell more than 5% on Friday following second-quarter financial results. 3M Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MMM#NYSE">MMM</a>) reported better-than-expected second-quarter 2025 results and raised its full-year guidance. American Express Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>) reported fiscal second-quarter 2025 results on Friday, surpassing analyst estimates for both revenue and adjusted earnings per share.
On the economic data front, the University of Michigan&#8217;s consumer sentiment index came in at a five-month high for June. One-year inflation expectations fell to 4.4%, down from 5% in the prior month, easing concerns that tariffs are stoking broader price pressures.
Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a negative note, with energy, health care and consumer staples stocks recording the biggest losses on Friday. However, utilities and consumer discretionary stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.
The Dow Jones closed lower by 142 points to 44,342.19 on Friday. The S&amp;P 500 slipped 0.01% to 6,296.79, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.05% at 20,895.66 during Friday's session.
Investors are awaiting earnings results Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>), Domino&#8217;s Pizza, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DPZ#NASDAQ">DPZ</a>) and Steel Dynamics, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STLD#NASDAQ">STLD</a>) today.
At a current reading of 75, the index remained in the &#8220;Extreme Greed&#8221; zone on Friday, versus a prior reading of 75.4.
What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?
The Fear &amp; Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.
Read Next: 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/short-ideas/25/07/46491269/top-2-energy-stocks-that-may-fall-off-a-cliff-this-quarter-2">Top 2 Energy Stocks That May Fall Off A Cliff This Quarter</a> </li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

STLD

Dow Sinks Over 100 Points As Sentiment Slips, Yet Fear & Greed Index Still Flashes 'Extreme Greed'

A whirlwind week in consumer tech saw blockbuster earnings, bold AI moves, legal battles, and fresh economic signals reshaping the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets" rel="noreferrer noopener"> industry's outlook.</a>
The second-quarter earnings season opened with strong results from major U.S. banks, but investors remained cautious, focusing on forward guidance and narrowing margins, which<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst-color/25/07/46420414/bank-earnings-performance-q2-citigroup-jpmorgan-blackrock-wells-fargo" rel="noreferrer noopener"> dragged bank stocks lower</a>. Meanwhile, U.S. retail sales surged 0.6% in June after two months of decline, signaling resilient consumer spending despite high <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46467952/us-retail-sales-june-2025-fed-trump-inflation-consumer" rel="noreferrer noopener">borrowing costs and tariff uncertainties.</a>
Amid this economic backdrop, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller made a strong case for a July rate cut and hinted at his willingness to succeed Jerome Powell if asked <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46491573/waller-fed-chair-trump-rate-cut-july" rel="noreferrer noopener">by President</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46491573/waller-fed-chair-trump-rate-cut-july" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Donald Trump</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46491573/waller-fed-chair-trump-rate-cut-july" rel="noreferrer noopener">.</a>
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46503030/bitcoin-stuck-below-118000-as-ethereum-xrp-dogecoin-extend-gains" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin Stuck Below $118,000 As Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Extend Gains</a>
In a notable geopolitical shift, China continued reducing its U.S. Treasury holdings for a third consecutive month, bringing its stockpile<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/25/07/46501603/us-treasury-holdings-foreign-china-japan-trump" rel="noreferrer noopener"> to a 16-year low of $756.3 billion in May.</a>
These economic and geopolitical shifts—ranging from tighter bank margins to China's retreat from U.S. debt—could ripple through the consumer tech world, potentially tightening capital flows, pressuring valuations, and reshaping global <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news" rel="noreferrer noopener">supply chain dynamics.</a>
Earnings
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) eported second-quarter revenue of $11.08 billion, up 16% year-over-year. The revenue total beat a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46481193/netflix-q2-fueled-by-price-ads-squid-game-q3-set-to-repeat" rel="noreferrer noopener">Street consensus estimate of $11.04 billion</a>.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>) reported second-quarter net sales of $30.07 billion, up 38.6% year-over-year, topping the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46462634/nvidia-supplier-taiwan-semiconductor-on-a-roll-profit-explodes-with-strong-margin-growth" rel="noreferrer noopener">analyst consensus estimate of $30.04 billion.</a>
3M Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MMM#NYSE">MMM</a>) posted second-quarter adjusted&nbsp;sales of $6.2 billion, reflecting 1.5% organic growth and beating the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46491058/post-it-maker-3m-defies-tariff-headwinds-with-strong-q2-and-outlook-boost" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate&nbsp;of $6.09 billion.</a>
Technology
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>)&nbsp;CEO Jensen Huang,&nbsp;on his third visit&nbsp;to China this year, praised the country's open-source AI innovation during a fireside chat with&nbsp;Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) Cloud founder&nbsp;Wang Jian&nbsp;at the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46462378/why-nvidias-jensen-huang-says-china-leads-in-open-source-ai" rel="noreferrer noopener">China International Supply Chain Expo on Thursday.</a>
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>)&nbsp;has reportedly laid off several employees within its&nbsp;Amazon Web Services&nbsp;(AWS) cloud division, as the company continues to restructure amid the growing impact of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46485457/amazon-slashes-roles-in-aws-cloud-unit-as-ceo-andy-jassy-says-ai-will-reduce-the-need-for-certain-roles-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">generative artificial intelligence.</a>
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Amazon Web Services&nbsp;are launching a $6 million initiative to attract 30 U.S. startups to build AI applications using Meta&#8217;s open-source Llama model, positioning the partnership as a strategic counter to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46460828/meta-aws-roll-out-6-million-startup-program-to-counter-openai-make-llama-the-go-to-ai-model-for-builders" rel="noreferrer noopener">OpenAI&#8217;s</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46460828/meta-aws-roll-out-6-million-startup-program-to-counter-openai-make-llama-the-go-to-ai-model-for-builders" rel="noreferrer noopener"> closed-source dominance</a>.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>)&nbsp;has signed a $500 million deal with&nbsp;MP Materials Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MP#NYSE">MP</a>), a Pentagon-backed company, to secure a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46435562/apple-strikes-500-million-deal-with-mp-materials-to-reduce-china-reliance-on-critical-magnets" rel="noreferrer noopener">supply of rare earth magnets.</a>
Apple has filed a lawsuit against YouTuber&nbsp;Jon Prosser&nbsp;and collaborator&nbsp;Michael Ramacciotti, alleging they misappropriated trade secrets tied&nbsp;to the unreleased&nbsp;iOS 26&nbsp;by secretly accessing a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/07/46487617/apple-sues-youtuber-jon-prosser-over-alleged-ios-26-leak-involving-secret-iphone-access-facetime-footage-and-trade-secrets-theft" rel="noreferrer noopener">confidential development&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/07/46487617/apple-sues-youtuber-jon-prosser-over-alleged-ios-26-leak-involving-secret-iphone-access-facetime-footage-and-trade-secrets-theft" rel="noreferrer noopener">iPhone</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/07/46487617/apple-sues-youtuber-jon-prosser-over-alleged-ios-26-leak-involving-secret-iphone-access-facetime-footage-and-trade-secrets-theft" rel="noreferrer noopener">.</a>
Marvell Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRVL#NASDAQ">MRVL</a>)&nbsp;announced two key leadership <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46492462/marvell-reshuffles-leadership-as-it-looks-to-reignite-momentum-rebuild-investor-confidence" rel="noreferrer noopener">promotions effective July 15, 2025</a>.&nbsp;
Chris Koopmans&nbsp;has been elevated to president, while&nbsp;Sandeep Bharathi&nbsp;has been named president of the company&#8217;s Data Center Group. Both executives will report directly to&nbsp;Matt Murphy, Marvell&#8217;s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://app.quotemedia.com/data/downloadFiling?webmasterId=101533&amp;ref=319307113&amp;type=HTML&amp;symbol=MRVL&amp;cdn=a9d5cd7e414d4a656d39e5ac0131183d&amp;companyName=Marvell+Technology+Inc.&amp;formType=8-K&amp;dateFiled=2025-07-17&amp;tblci=GiAIRlI0k8093O7NDun8A3VPr6xAR70_aoZJ6XnLiAtCAyCN1Vcoz7Dpifi1v-7FATDviEo" rel="noreferrer noopener">chair and CEO</a>.
Rumble Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RUM#NASDAQ">RUM</a>) announced it is actively assembling a specialized machine learning and artificial intelligence team that will oversee development in areas such as search functions, content recommendations, creator tools and the platform&#8217;s short-form <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46480518/whats-going-on-with-rumble-shares-today" rel="noreferrer noopener">video segment, Rumble Shorts.&nbsp;</a>
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;administration is reportedly preparing a sweeping executive order aimed at curbing&nbsp;perceived liberal bias&nbsp;in artificial intelligence models used<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46487059/trump-white-house-to-crack-down-on-woke-ai-with-executive-order-targeting-political-bias-in-government-contracted-chatbots-and-models-report" rel="noreferrer noopener"> by government contractors.</a>
Hadrian, a defense manufacturing startup, has successfully concluded a $260 million Series C funding round, led by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46487918/peter-thiel-backed-hadrian-raises-260-million-to-build-ai-powered-mega-factory-in-arizona" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peter Thiel's Founders Fund</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46487918/peter-thiel-backed-hadrian-raises-260-million-to-build-ai-powered-mega-factory-in-arizona" rel="noreferrer noopener"> and&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46487918/peter-thiel-backed-hadrian-raises-260-million-to-build-ai-powered-mega-factory-in-arizona" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lux Capital</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46487918/peter-thiel-backed-hadrian-raises-260-million-to-build-ai-powered-mega-factory-in-arizona" rel="noreferrer noopener">.</a>
OpenAI&nbsp;has finally completed its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/05/45640879/openais-sam-altman-says-6-5b-deal-with-jony-ive-to-build-ai-companions-could-add-1-trillion-in-company-value-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">$6.5 billion acquisition</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;Jony Ive&#8217;s&nbsp;AI hardware startup&nbsp;io Products, officially bringing the former&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;design chief and his team into the fold to build a new generation of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46335969/openai-finalizes-6-5-billion-deal-to-acquire-jony-ives-ai-hardware-startup-heres-what-we-know-about-their-first-device" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI-native devices.</a>
Elon Musk-led artificial intelligence company,&nbsp;xAI, unveiled new technology that will help the company &#8220;sustainably&#8221; cool <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46487316/elon-musks-xai-unveils-sustainable-way-to-cool-memphis-data-center-amid-criticism-from-environmental-rights-groups" rel="noreferrer noopener">its Memphis data center.</a>
Automobiles
Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) is reportedly preparing to introduce a longer, six-seat version of its Model Y sport<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46452257/whats-going-on-with-tesla-stock-on-wednesday" rel="noreferrer noopener"> utility vehicle in China.</a>
WeRide Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WRD#NASDAQ">WRD</a>)&nbsp;announced on Thursday the launch of fully driverless Robobus operations at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore (RWS), the first autonomous vehicle in Southeast Asia to<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46462955/werides-driverless-robobus-approved-in-singapore" rel="noreferrer noopener"> operate without a safety officer on board.</a>
Rivian Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIVN#NASDAQ">RIVN</a>) replaced Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LCID#NASDAQ">LCID</a>) and DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DKNG#NASDAQ">DKNG</a>)
ousted Plug Power, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLUG#NASDAQ">PLUG</a>) in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/07/46449975/rivian-unseats-lucid-draftkings-ousts-plug-power-in-russell-1000-shake-up" rel="noreferrer noopener">latest Russell 1000 index reshuffle.</a>
Lucid Group is making two major moves this week-one to restructure its stock and another to deepen its footprint<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46497381/whats-going-on-with-lucid-group-stock-today-7" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;in autonomous mobility</a>.
Meanwhile, TD Cowen maintained a Hold rating on Lucid Group, with a price target of&nbsp;$2.30.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46497814/3-dividend-bargains-for-the-rest-of-2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">3 Dividend Bargains For The Rest Of 2025</a></li>
</ul>

DKNG

LCID

MRVL

NVDA

PLUG

RIVN

TSLA

Tech News (July 14–July 18): China Cuts US Debt, Fed Signals Rate Shift, Netflix And TSMC Lead Earnings Beat; Meta-AWS Push AI

Benzinga examined the prospects for <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">many investors' favorite stocks</a> over the last week — here's a look at some of our top stories.
The Magnificent Seven led Wall Street higher this week, pushing the S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq 100 to new all-time highs. Strong retail sales, low jobless claims, and standout bank earnings drove momentum, while tech giants' rally — including gains by Nvidia (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) — supported investor enthusiasm.
Nvidia remains central, its AI-fueled valuation anchoring broader tech optimism. Microsoft posted a 22% YTD gain — second only to Nvidia — while Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) also kicked off upbeat forecasts.
The S&amp;P 500 closed above 6,297 — the highest ever — reflecting a broad-based bullish sentiment. Yet focus is shifting to potential Fed commentary and looming trade risks, which could test tech's capacity to carry markets much further
Benzinga provides daily reports on the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week's most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look.

The Bulls
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46453684/defense-stocks-earnings-q2-2025-preview">"Defense stocks head into earnings at record highs — is the boom just beginning?"</a>, by Piero Cingari, reports that, buoyed by the $156 billion "One Big Beautiful Bill" defense package, aerospace and defense stocks — including the iShares U.S. Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (BATS: ITA) — have rallied into record‑high territory ahead of Q2 earnings season, though analysts caution upcoming results must justify the bullish run.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46473075/exclusive-this-stocks-up-1300-but-ceo-says-the-real-payoffs-4-years-away">"Exclusive: This stock's up 1,300% — but CEO says the real payoff's 4 years away"</a>, by Surbhi Jain, reports that Rigetti Computing Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGTI#NASDAQ">RGTI</a>) stock has surged over 1,300% on quantum hype, but CEO Subodh Kulkarni cautions that true commercial quantum advantage — and meaningful returns — are still about four years away.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46481193/netflix-q2-fueled-by-price-ads-squid-game-q3-set-to-repeat">"Netflix Q2 fueled by price, ads, Squid Game; Q3 set to repeat"</a>, by Adam Eckert, reports that Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) delivered a strong Q2 thanks to subscription price hikes, increased ad revenue, and the return of Squid Game, and analysts anticipate similar momentum in Q3.
For additional bullish calls of the past week, check out the following:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46444470/gamesquare-holdings-stock-is-surging-wednesday-whats-going-on">GameSquare Holdings Stock Is Surging Wednesday: What's Going On?</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46471676/meta-palantir-amazon-ai-datacenter-growth">Meta, Palantir, Amazon Are All-In On AI—Can Datacenters Keep Up?</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46424062/rocket-lab-stock-launches-to-new-all-time-highs-whats-going-on">Rocket Lab Stock Launches To New All-Time Highs: What's Going On?</a>

The Bears
"GameStop CEO is not scared of the short sellers, calls it ‘un‑American' to bet against business — but it's a free market", by Adam Eckert, reports that GameStop Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>) CEO Ryan Cohen pushed back on skeptics—calling short-selling "un‑American" — while reaffirming confidence in the company's turnaround and the strength of its free-market model.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46398722/plug-powers-hot-streak-stalls-as-wall-street-frets-over-warrant-surprise">"Plug Power's hot streak stalls as Wall Street frets over warrant surprise"</a>, by Akanksha Bakshi, reports that Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG) shares dropped over 7% after the company filed to register 31.5 million shares for resale—raising investor concerns about dilution despite the stock being up 8% over the prior week thanks to a hydrogen supply deal and supportive federal policy developments.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/space/25/07/46481437/blacksky-stock-drops-after-hours-what-happened">"BlackSky stock drops after hours — what happened?"</a>, by Erica Kollmann, reports that BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BKSY#NYSE">BKSY</a>) saw its shares fall after hours following weaker-than-expected Q2 bookings, prompting investor concerns about near-term revenue visibility despite the company reaffirming its full-year guidance.
For more bearish takes, be sure to see these posts:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46393365/salesforce-underperforms-market-as-growth-concerns-plague-crm-giant">Salesforce Underperforms Market As Growth Concerns Plague CRM Giant</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/technicals/25/07/46504921/stock-of-the-day-pepsicos-former-floor-becomes-ceiling-sellers-lining-up">Stock Of The Day: PepsiCo's Former Floor Becomes Ceiling — Sellers Lining Up</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46499876/wall-street-friday-stocks-today-trump-netflix-earnings">Stocks Slip As Netflix Fails To Impress, Bitcoin Eyes Negative Week: What's Moving Markets Friday?</a>

Keep up with all the latest breaking news and trading ideas by following <a href="https://twitter.com/Benzinga" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga</a><a href="http://twitter.com/Benzinga" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> on X</a>.
Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

BlackSky Technology Inc. Class A Common Stock

BKSY

GAME

RGTI

RKLB

Benzinga Bulls And Bears: Netflix, GameStop, Plug Power — And Defense Stocks Soar

Wells Fargo analyst Steven Cahall maintains Netflix (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) with a Overweight and raises the price target from $1500 to $1560.

Wells Fargo Maintains Overweight on Netflix, Raises Price Target to $1560

Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) stock is down Friday after the company beat analyst estimates for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46481193/netflix-q2-fueled-by-price-ads-squid-game-q3-set-to-repeat">the second quarter.</a> Investors see the beat as lower than expected, and higher costs in the second half could be scaring some away.
The streamer is trading near all-time highs. Patient investors earned strong returns over the years — 146% over the last five years. One investor who may not have been patient enough was Bill Ackman.
Ackman Buys Netflix: Pershing Square Capital, Ackman&#8217;s hedge fund, acquired 3.1 million shares in Netflix for more than $1 billion in January 2022.
In a <a href="https://assets.pershingsquareholdings.com/2022/01/26170421/Pershing-Square-Capital-Management-L.P.-Releases-Letter-to-Investors-01-26-2022.pdf">letter </a>to shareholders at the time, Ackman said Netflix was a winner in the growth of streaming over linear TV.
"It&#8217;s subscription-based, highly recurring revenues, which have enormous future growth potential," Ackman said. Netflix has "industry-leading content," which gives it a competitive moat and pricing power over rival streaming services, he added.
The Pershing Squre CEO also highlighted a growing global subscriber base and room for expansion.
Several months later, a poor earnings report from Netflix and uncertainty around the streamer's push into future ad-supported subscription plans spooked Ackman.
The investor <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/22/04/26729702/bill-ackman-exits-netflix-stock-after-400m-loss">cashed out of part </a>of the position and later fully exited from the investment by April 2022, taking a loss of around $400 million.
"Changes in the company's future subscriber growth can have an outsized impact on our estimate of intrinsic value."
Ackman said a hybrid approach of paid and ad-supported plans could be "sensible," but would make it tough to predict subscriber growth, future revenues and operating margins.
"We require a high degree of predictability in the businesses in which we invest due to the highly concentrated nature of our portfolio," Ackman said as the time.
Ackman said the hedge fund had lost confidence in predicting Netflix's future with certainty.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/sports/25/07/46375547/bill-ackman-jeered-for-tennis-match-by-former-champions-the-biggest-joke-ive-ever-watched">Bill Ackman Jeered For Tennis Match By Former Champions: &#8216;The Biggest Joke I&#8217;ve Ever Watched&#8217;</a>
Missed Profits: At the time of Ackman's sell, Netflix stock traded at around $225. While this was down from purchase prices in the $350 to $410 range, the stock continued to go lower after Ackman's sale.
With Netflix stock trading down to $175 later in 2022, Ackman's exit looked like the right decision.
Over a year later, Netflix stock climbed back up to Ackman's cost basis and continued to rise.
Today, Netflix trades at $1,208.97, down from its 52-week high of $1,341.15 set just weeks ago.
Ackman's original 3.1 million share purchase would be worth $3,745,327,000 today.
Ackman announced the Netflix stake on Jan. 26, 2022 saying the hedge fund had been acquiring shares since Jan. 21, 2022. Netflix stock traded between $351.46 to $409.15 over that six day period.
Based on the highest price, Ackman paid up to $1,268,365,000 for 3.1 million shares.
That means Ackman missed out on potential profits of $2,476,962,000 by selling Netflix stock early.
To put this another way, an investor who bought $1,000 in Netflix stock on the day it was revealed Ackman sold could have bought 4.02 shares based on a price of $248.70. That investment would be worth $4,860.06 today, representing a 380.6% increase.
What's Next: Netflix beat second-quarter estimates thanks to several successful shows and movies, including the premiere of the third and final season of "Squid Game." The company also cited having higher subscriber revenue from user growth and higher priced plans. Advertising revenue also rose in the quarter.
Going forward, Netflix has key releases in the second half including new seasons of "Wednesday" and "Stranger Things".
Netflix is also expanding its live events with a key boxing fight and two NFL games on Christmas day.
While Ackman may not have been sure on how Netflix would play out with the launch of ad-supported plans, they are a key to the business today, and with live events seeing a boost from overall revenue thanks to advertisements.
Netflix said it expects its advertising revenue to double this year compared to last year.
Read Next: 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/25/05/45456642/bill-ackman-loads-up-on-uber-dumps-nike-in-major-q1-portfolio-rebalance">Bill Ackman Loads Up On Uber In Major Q1 Portfolio Rebalance</a></li>
</ul>
Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Entertainment

Bill Ackman Nixes Netflix In 2022: Here's How Much He Could Have Made

UBS analyst John Hodulik maintains Netflix (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $1450 to $1495.

UBS Maintains Buy on Netflix, Raises Price Target to $1495

It&#8217;s a cautious end to the week on Wall Street, as earnings from Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/reiteration/25/07/46498606/netflixs-blockbuster-profits-overshadowed-by-anemic-engagement">failed to impress investors</a>. 
Meanwhile, continued trade tensions kept investors on the sidelines, preventing further gains in tech-heavy indexes already <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets">sitting near record levels.</a>
The S&amp;P 500 remained pinned near the 6,300 mark, a key level it has failed to decisively break for the past two weeks. 
The Nasdaq 100 edged down to 23,040, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 250 points, or 0.5%, by midday trading in New York.
According to the Financial Times, President Donald Trump is pushing for a sweeping 15% to 20% minimum tariff on all European Union goods. He is also rejecting any cut to the current 25% duties on EU car imports. Trump has signaled that if no deal is reached by Aug. 1, a 30% blanket tariff on EU imports could be imposed.
Despite the downbeat tone on Wall Street, fresh data on Main Street offered some positive signals. 
The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index came in at a five-month high for June. One-year inflation expectations fell to 4.4%, down from 5% in the prior month, easing concerns that tariffs are stoking broader price pressures.
In Fed talks, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller affirmed his support for a July rate cut. He said he may dissent if the Federal Open Market Committee chooses to keep rates unchanged, adding to signs of internal division within the Fed ahead of the July 30 meeting.
In commodities, gold rose 0.4% to $3,360 per ounce as the U.S. dollar weakened
In crypto, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) fell 1.7% to $117,000 levels. The cryptocurrency is on track for a weekly decline after hitting record highs above $123,000 earlier in the week.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Friday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h2>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Major Indices</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>% Chg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>6,294.04</td>
<td>0.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>23,047.36</td>
<td>-0.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>44,283.74</td>
<td>-0.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>2,244.44</td>
<td>-0.5%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated by 12:43 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>
According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/?utm_source=BZprocontent&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The&nbsp;Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VOO#NYSE">VOO</a>) eased 0.1% to $576.48.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) dipped 0.6% to $442.64.</li>
<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust Series&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>)&nbsp;eased 0.2% to $560.92.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) fell 0.6% to $222.57.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLU#NYSE">XLU</a>) outperformed, up 1.7%; the&nbsp;Energy&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>) lagged, down 0.8%.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Friday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Netflix fell 5%, heading for its worst session in over three months, as upbeat earnings were overshadowed by a disappointing outlook despite beating Wall Street's revenue and profit forecasts.</li>
<li>Other earnings-driven movers included American Express Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>), down 2.8%, Charles Schwab Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SCHW#NYSE">SCHW</a>), up 2.5%, Interactive Brokers Group Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBKR#NASDAQ">IBKR</a>), up 6.3%, Truist Financial Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TFC#NYSE">TFC</a>), down 1%, 3M Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MMM#NYSE">MMM</a>), down 4.5%, Schlumberger NV (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLB#NYSE">SLB</a>), down 3.8%, Huntington Bancshares Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HBAN#NASDAQ">HBAN</a>), down 1.8%, and Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALLY#NYSE">ALLY</a>), down 1.9%.</li>
<li>Invesco Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IVZ#NYSE">IVZ</a>) jumped 14% Friday after filing to convert its flagship QQQ Trust Series 1 into an open-end fund, a move that would finally allow the firm to earn revenue from the $250 billion ETF. The regulatory shift marks a potential turning point for Invesco, which currently makes no profit from managing the popular tech-focused fund.</li>
<li>Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SRPT#NASDAQ">SRPT</a>) plunged 26% after reports that another patient died following treatment with its experimental gene therapy.</li>
<li>Talen Energy Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TLN#NASDAQ">TLN</a>) rallied 25% after reaching agreements to acquire two Caithness Energy gas-fired power plants for $3.5 billion.</li>
</ul>
Now Read:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46491573/waller-fed-chair-trump-rate-cut-july">Trump&#8217;s Fed Pick? He&#8217;s Cutting First, And Cutting Powell Out </a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Government

Large Cap

Macro Economic Events

Regulations

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Economics

Federal Reserve

$BTC

ALLY

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust

HBAN

SCHW

SRPT

TLNE

Stocks Slip As Netflix Fails To Impress, Bitcoin Eyes Negative Week:  What's Moving Markets Friday?

CNBC Halftime Report Final Trades: RTX Corporation, Netflix, Freeport-McMoran

Live On CNBC, Kevin Simpson Announces Sold A Netflix Covered Call

Despite delivering a robust <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46481193/netflix-q2-fueled-by-price-ads-squid-game-q3-set-to-repeat">second-quarter earnings report</a> that surpassed analyst expectations and raised full-year guidance, Netflix (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) stock dipped over 5% on Friday, leaving investors to weigh strong financials against underlying concerns.
The company reported second-quarter revenue of $11.08 billion, up 16% year-over-year (Y/Y). The revenue total beat a Street consensus estimate of $11.04 billion.
The company reported second-quarter earnings per share of $7.19, beating a Street consensus estimate of $7.06. The quarter&#8217;s operating margins were 34%, beating the company&#8217;s estimate.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/07/46252229/netflix-is-worth-half-trillion-and-one-analyst-forecasts-trillion-dollar-valuation" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix Is Worth Half Trillion And One Analyst Forecasts Trillion Dollar Valuation</a>
Netflix attributed more members, higher pricing, and increased advertising revenue to helping boost revenue and operating margins.
Netflix expects third-quarter revenue of $11.526 billion, up 17% Y/Y, &nbsp;and earnings per share of $6.87. Both figures are above Street estimates.
The company also raised full-year revenue guidance to $44.8 billion-$45.2 billion, up from a previous range of $43.5 billion-$44.5 billion. Netflix is guiding for operating margins of 29.5% for the whole year.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Wall Street Analysts Weigh In</h2>
In the wake of Netflix&#8217;s recent financial disclosures, several prominent Wall Street analysts have issued updated ratings and price forecasts for the streaming company. 
Rosenblatt&#8217;s Barton Crockett maintained a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/NFLX/analyst-ratings">Buy rating</a>, nudging his price forecast up a dollar from $1,514 to $1,515. Similarly, Needham&#8217;s Laura Martin reiterated a Buy rating with a $1,500 price forecast. 
On the other hand, JP Morgan&#8217;s Doug Anmuth kept a Neutral rating but increased his price forecast from $1,230 to $1,300. Finally, Bank of America Securities analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich reiterated her Buy rating, setting a price forecast of $1,490.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rosenblatt&#8217;s Bullish Stance</h2>
Crockett responded positively to Netflix&#8217;s second-quarter 2025 results and raised guidance, highlighting steady financial performance and optimism for the year&#8217;s second half despite mixed engagement trends. 
The analyst noted that Netflix&#8217;s quarterly revenue exceeded guidance by $44 million due to currency tailwinds. He said the constant currency growth of 17% aligned with forecasts, with subscriber growth, ads, and pricing driving revenue. Crockett noted that operating income rose 45% Y/Y, beating guidance by $100 million on substantial margin expansion.
While Netflix no longer reports subscriber numbers, the analyst flagged mixed engagement data. Total hours streamed rose just 1% Y/Y in the first half of 2025, down from 4.5% in the second half of 2024, raising questions about Netflix&#8217;s claim to chase the remaining 80% of global TV viewing time, he noted.
However, Crockett expects engagement to improve in the second half of 2025, with June finishing strong due to Squid Game 3. Anticipated releases like Stranger Things, Wednesday, Knives Out 3, Happy Gilmore 2, and Christmas NFL games are likely to boost viewership, as per the analyst.
Netflix raised its fiscal 2025 revenue forecast, reflecting that optimism, Crockett noted. It also lifted operating margin expectations to 30% (from 29%) and raised free cash flow guidance. The analyst highlighted ad revenue doubling Y/Y as another key driver.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Needham&#8217;s Cautious Praise</h2>
Martin largely praised Netflix&#8217;s strong quarterly results and upbeat guidance but flagged concerns around engagement trends, sports strategy, and content bets that led to a muted stock reaction after hours. The analyst flagged weak engagement growth in the quarter, with total viewing time appearing flat or declining per user. 
She characterized engagement growth in the second quarter of 2025 as anemic, implying a year-over-year decline on a per-person basis. She emphasized that improving engagement is critical for pricing power, especially as Netflix no longer reports subscriber numbers or ARPU.
Netflix&#8217;s push to partner with YouTube creators and video podcasters impressed Martin, who noted it as a strategic shift to stay competitive with YouTube&#8217;s content ecosystem. The analyst cited the TF1 deal in France as a smart test case for acquiring local content at scale and low cost. She noted Netflix&#8217;s optimism about GenAI tools, which will improve content quality, discovery, and ad targeting.
The company&#8217;s dismissive stance on live sports raised eyebrows, and Martin questioned the decision given sports&#8217; proven impact on engagement and subscriber retention in the broader streaming space.
On user experience, the analyst welcomed the long-overdue UI/UX overhaul, noting Netflix&#8217;s efforts to modernize navigation to reflect its expanded offerings, such as video games and live shows.
Despite its financial strength, Netflix reiterated it has no plans to acquire legacy media networks, preferring to return cash to shareholders, a move Martin noted as a sign of financial discipline.
While Netflix plans to ramp up video game investment based on subscriber retention metrics, the analyst noted early adoption has fallen short of expectations.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">J.P. Morgan&#8217;s Neutral View</h2>
Anmuth viewed Netflix&#8217;s quarterly results and full-year guidance as solid, reflecting strong execution across content, advertising, and monetization. However, the stock traded lower after hours as expectations were already high.
While engagement rose just 1% in the first half of 2025, the analyst expects a meaningful ramp in the second half with the return of major titles like Squid Game S3, Stranger Things S5, and Wednesday S2. He noted that this slate could unlock stronger per-user engagement and pricing power.
Anmuth emphasized that Netflix is well-positioned to become a &#8220;global TV&#8221; leader by expanding into verticals like live, broadcast, and animation, while boosting scripted and unscripted formats.
The analyst also spotlighted Netflix&#8217;s growing advertising business. Ad revenue will likely double in 2025 to $2.9 billion, driven by expanding third-party DSP partnerships (e.g., Google, Yahoo, Xandr) and the rollout of the Netflix Ads Suite and interactive formats.
While advertising is still catching up to Netflix&#8217;s user base, Anmuth noted that ad-tier monetization is improving. He said they project ad-tier subscribers could reach 60 million by year-end, representing over 130 million monthly active users.
Despite the strong guide and bullish tone, he remained cautious in the near term, as buy-side expectations are already priced in.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bank of America Securities&#8217; Continued Optimism</h2>
Ehrlich reacted positively to Netflix&#8217;s quarterly 2025 results and raised guidance, reinforcing her bullish stance on the stock while acknowledging that high investor expectations may have muted the immediate market response.
The analyst praised Netflix for delivering another strong quarter driven by rising membership, price hikes, and ad revenue. She noted broad-based regional strength, with all markets delivering double-digit FX-neutral revenue gains. Netflix raised full-year 2025 revenue guidance, citing favorable currency trends, subscriber gains, and ad momentum.
While Netflix shares have surged over 40% year-to-date and now trade near 40x forward earnings, Ehrlich noted the company remains well-positioned for continued outperformance, supported by a strong brand, global scale, and growing ad and live content opportunities.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why the Stock Dipped: Investor Expectations and Engagement Concerns</h2>
The paradoxical dip in Netflix&#8217;s stock despite strong financials is largely attributed to elevated investor expectations. While the company&#8217;s performance was excellent, some analysts and investors might have hoped for an even more bullish outlook, especially given the stock&#8217;s significant appreciation year-to-date (over 40%). 
Concerns over engagement trends, specifically the modest 1% Y/Y increase in total hours streamed in the first half of 2025, also played a role. Additionally, the company&#8217;s warning of lower operating margins in the second half of 2025 due to increased content amortization and sales and marketing costs for a larger content slate may have contributed to investor caution.
Price Action:&nbsp;NFLX stock is trading lower by 4.64% to $1,215.18 at last check Friday.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/07/46488931/comcast-hikes-peacock-prices-again-will-you-pay-11-a-month-for-ads" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Comcast Hikes Peacock Prices Again: Will You Pay $11 A Month For Ads?</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock

Reiteration

Netflix's Blockbuster Profits Overshadowed By 'Anemic' Engagement

Options

Netflix Option Alert: Oct 17 $1500 Calls at the Ask: 67 @ $6.2 vs 302 OI; Ref=$1176.075

Netflix Option Alert: Fri $1000 Calls at the Bid: 5 @ $176.0 vs 42 OI; Ref=$1175.81

Netflix Option Alert: Aug 1 $1250 Calls at the Bid: 100 @ $2.56 vs 1076 OI; Ref=$1176.025

Advertising Pivot Renews Upside Hopes for Netflix Stock (NFLX)

Netflix Stock (NASDAQ:NFLX) Slips as it Embraces AI in Production

Paramount Steps Up Its Game with a Massive $1.5B 'South Park' Deal

Dan Ives Picks 5 Stocks For 2nd Half Of 2025: Nvidia, Palantir, Microsoft And More: 'Golden Age Of Tech Is Here With AI Revolution'

PARA

AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. Class A Common Stock

AMC Entertainment Hldgs

Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. - Series A Common Stock

Atlanta Braves Holdings

Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. - Series C Common Stock

Cinemark Holdings Inc Cinemark Holdings, Inc. Common Stock

Cinemark Holdings

CuriosityStream Inc. - Class A Common Stock

CuriosityStream

Walt Disney

Liberty Media Corporation - Series A Liberty Formula One Common Stock

Liberty Media

Ordinary Shares (New Liberty Formula One) Series A

Liberty Media Corporation - Series C Liberty Formula One Common Stock

Ordinary Shares (New Liberty Formula One) Series C

iQIYI

K Wave Media

Lionsgate Studios

Liberty Media Corporation - Series A Liberty Live Common Stock

Liberty Live

Ordinary Shares (New Liberty Live) Series A

Liberty Media Corporation - Series C Liberty Live Common Stock

Ordinary Shares (New Liberty Live) Series C

Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. Common Stock

Live Nation Entertainment

Manchester United Ltd. Class A Ordinary Shares

Manchester United

Marcus

Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. Class A Common Stock

Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. Class A Common Stock (New)

Roku

Reservoir Media

Sphere Entertainment Co. Class A Common Stock

Sphere Entertainment

TKO Group Holdings, Inc. Class A Common Stock

TKO Group Holdings

Tencent Music Entertainment Group American Depositary Shares, each representing two Class A Ordinary Shares

Comments

Netflix

Interés en corto

Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) Bolsa, Informe de interés en corto

Noticias

SOCIO/CONTRIBUIDOR

BENZINGA GLOBAL