Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. Raises Holdings in Netflix, Inc. $NFLX

Key Points

• Ameritas Investment Partners boosted its Netflix stake by 930.7% in the fourth quarter, ending with 259,923 shares valued at about $24.4 million.
• Institutional interest remains high, with 80.93% of Netflix shares owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors, while several other firms also sharply increased their holdings.
• Analysts are mostly constructive on the stock: the consensus rating is “Moderate Buy” with an average target price of $114.39, even as some recent notes have mixed views on near-term catalysts.

Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. increased its position in Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX - Free Report) by 930.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 259,923 shares of the Internet television network's stock after buying an additional 234,704 shares during the quarter. Netflix comprises about 0.7% of Ameritas Investment Partners Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest position. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc.'s holdings in Netflix were worth $24,370,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in NFLX. First Financial Corp IN raised its position in shares of Netflix by 900.0% in the 4th quarter. First Financial Corp IN now owns 270 shares of the Internet television network's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 243 shares during the period. DiNuzzo Private Wealth Inc. raised its position in Netflix by 885.2% in the fourth quarter. DiNuzzo Private Wealth Inc. now owns 266 shares of the Internet television network's stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 239 shares during the period. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. raised its position in Netflix by 13,400.0% in the fourth quarter. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. now owns 270 shares of the Internet television network's stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 268 shares during the period. Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Netflix in the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Finally, MB Levis & Associates LLC raised its position in Netflix by 177.8% in the fourth quarter. MB Levis & Associates LLC now owns 300 shares of the Internet television network's stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 192 shares during the period. 80.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have commented on NFLX. China Renaissance raised their price objective on Netflix from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Raymond James Financial reissued a "market perform" rating on shares of Netflix in a research report on Thursday, May 14th. Needham & Company LLC reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Netflix in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Weiss Ratings raised Netflix from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Finally, Citigroup began coverage on Netflix in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. They issued a "market perform" rating on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-four have issued a Buy rating and sixteen have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $114.39.

Insider Activity at Netflix

In other news, insider David A. Hyman sold 5,722 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $88.08, for a total transaction of $503,993.76. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 316,100 shares in the company, valued at $27,842,088. This trade represents a 1.78% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, CEO Gregory K. Peters sold 27,312 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.69, for a total value of $2,422,301.28. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 120,931 shares of the company's stock, valued at $10,725,370.39. This represents a 18.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 1,313,029 shares of company stock valued at $120,315,776. 1.24% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Netflix News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Netflix this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Evercore ISI reiterated a Buy rating and kept its $115 price target, citing upside from Netflix’s ad-supported tier and continued international expansion. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Several bullish notes highlighted growing ad revenue, strong cash flow, and the view that the recent pullback may offer a long-term buying opportunity for investors. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Netflix expanded its revamped mobile app across Asia and is increasing its focus on kids’ gaming, reinforcing growth initiatives beyond core streaming. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Jefferies lowered its price target to $110 from $128 but kept a Buy rating, suggesting the stock still has upside but with fewer immediate catalysts. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Netflix is also facing public scrutiny after Paramount Skydance accused it of interfering in the Warner Bros. Discovery deal, adding some competitive and regulatory noise around the stock. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Another analyst cut the price target and said Netflix has limited near-term catalysts, reinforcing concerns that the stock may struggle to rebound quickly. Article Title

Netflix Stock Up 0.7%

Shares of Netflix stock opened at $82.00 on Thursday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $91.53 and a 200-day moving average of $91.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a current ratio of 1.41 and a quick ratio of 1.41. The company has a market capitalization of $345.29 billion, a PE ratio of 26.49, a P/E/G ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 1.50. Netflix, Inc. has a 1-year low of $75.01 and a 1-year high of $134.12.

Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 16th. The Internet television network reported $1.23 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.76 by $0.47. The company had revenue of $12.25 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.17 billion. Netflix had a return on equity of 40.92% and a net margin of 28.52%.The company's revenue was up 16.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $6.61 earnings per share. Netflix has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.780-0.780 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Netflix, Inc. will post 3.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Netflix Company Profile

Netflix, Inc NASDAQ: NFLX is a global entertainment company that provides subscription-based streaming of films, television series, documentaries and other video content. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph and headquartered in Los Gatos, California, the company began as a DVD-by-mail rental service and introduced streaming video in 2007. Netflix later expanded into producing and distributing original programming, beginning notable original hits in the 2010s, and now operates a content production and distribution ecosystem alongside its licensing activity.

The company's primary product is its on-demand streaming service, which can be accessed on a wide range of internet-connected devices and delivered through a suite of apps and web platforms.

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