Netflix has outstripped Wall Street predictions by adding 9.33 million subscribers in the first quarter of 2024, far exceeding the anticipated 4.9 million. This substantial increase has brought Netflix’s global paid subscriber count to a striking 269.60 million.
Although the previous quarter saw an even higher jump with over 13 million new subscribers, the latest figures represent a significant recovery from the less than 2 million added in the same quarter last year. This growth trajectory has positively impacted Netflix’s stock, which saw its shares soar from $331 a year ago to a current price of $611.15.
The streaming giant reported Q1 revenues of $9.370 billion and a profit of $2.332 billion, surpassing its own forecasts as well as analyst expectations. Initially, Netflix had projected revenues of $9.240 billion and a net income of $1.976 billion for the quarter, while analysts had estimated revenues closer to $8.73 billion.
Notably, Netflix’s financial strategy now prioritizes revenue over subscriber growth. Successful initiatives like a crackdown on password sharing, along with price hikes and the introduction of ad-supported plans, have bolstered its financials. Despite achieving considerable growth from its paid-sharing program, Wall Street views most of this potential as already realized. Additionally, Netflix faces the challenge of balancing its ad supply with demand.
Among the highlights of this quarter were series such as “Griselda,” “The Gentlemen,” and “3 Body Problem,” and Millie Bobby Brown’s film “Damsel” continued to draw audiences. Looking ahead, Netflix announced a significant leadership change in its film division on the first day of the current quarter, appointing Dan Lin, known for producing the “Lego” movies and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” to replace Scott Stuber.