Fifth Third Bancorp Acquires 847,808 Shares of Netflix, Inc. $NFLX

Key Points

• Fifth Third Bancorp increased its Netflix stake by 73.6% in Q1, adding 847,808 shares and bringing its total holdings to 1,999,633 shares worth about $192.3 million.
• Netflix continues to draw mixed sentiment ahead of its July 16 earnings report, with some investors and analysts seeing upside while others worry about slowing engagement and the need for new growth catalysts.
• The stock has been under pressure, trading near its 52-week low after slipping 2.8%, even though Netflix’s last earnings beat expectations and Wall Street still has a Moderate Buy consensus rating.

Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its holdings in Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX - Free Report) by 73.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,999,633 shares of the Internet television network's stock after acquiring an additional 847,808 shares during the quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp's holdings in Netflix were worth $192,265,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. First Financial Corp IN grew its stake in Netflix by 900.0% during the fourth 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 last quarter. DiNuzzo Private Wealth Inc. raised its holdings in shares of 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 buying an additional 239 shares during the last quarter. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. lifted its position in Netflix by 13,400.0% during the 4th quarter. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. now owns 270 shares of the Internet television network's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 268 shares in the last quarter. Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Netflix during the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Finally, Cornerstone Financial Management LLC acquired a new stake in Netflix in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Netflix

Here are the key news stories impacting Netflix this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Some investors see Netflix’s valuation and long-term operating momentum as attractive ahead of earnings, with articles arguing the stock may be a buy before the July 16 report as the company still has strong financial execution. Here Is the Main Reason to Buy Netflix Before July 16
• Positive Sentiment: Several analysts and market commentators remain constructive, saying the recent pullback may have gone too far and that Netflix could still surprise positively on earnings if subscriber trends and margins hold up. Netflix (NFLX) Bears Have Gone Too Far Ahead of Q2
• Neutral Sentiment: Netflix remains a heavily watched stock ahead of earnings, with option traders positioning for a larger move around the July 16 report. 3 Options Strategies for Netflix Earnings Next Week
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that Netflix is considering live TV channels and bundling third-party services suggest management is worried about slowing engagement, raising concerns that growth is becoming harder to sustain. Netflix Is Exploring Live TV and Bundles as It Struggles to Keep Viewers Hooked
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are reacting to signs that viewer retention may be weakening, and the strategic pivot toward live programming is being interpreted as a response to competitive and engagement pressures. Netflix Weighs Live TV Push
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary ahead of earnings says Netflix has been in a funk for nearly a year, with the stock still facing investor concern over slowing engagement and the need for a new growth catalyst. Should You Buy Netflix Stock Before July 16? Here's My Honest Answer

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on NFLX shares. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their target price on shares of Netflix from $128.00 to $110.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 10th. Morgan Stanley restated an "overweight" rating on shares of Netflix in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Citizens Jmp reiterated a "market perform" rating on shares of Netflix in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. HSBC boosted their price objective on Netflix from $106.00 to $114.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Netflix in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-four have issued a Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $113.65.

Netflix Stock Down 2.8%

Shares of NASDAQ:NFLX traded down $2.10 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $73.37. 46,556,598 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 45,985,956. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $81.78 and its 200-day simple moving average is $87.63. Netflix, Inc. has a one year low of $70.86 and a one year high of $127.75. The company has a market cap of $308.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.70, a P/E/G ratio of 0.93 and a beta of 1.52. The company has a quick ratio of 1.41, a current ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43.

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Netflix news, CFO Spencer Adam Neumann sold 9,253 shares of Netflix stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.95, for a total value of $823,054.35. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 73,787 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,563,353.65. The trade was a 11.14% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Reed Hastings sold 407,550 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $93.13, for a total transaction of $37,955,131.50. Following the transaction, the director owned 3,940 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $366,932.20. This represents a 99.04% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 899,839 shares of company stock valued at $80,141,661 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 1.24% of the company's stock.

Netflix 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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