Netflix Deal with Warner Bros. a Bad Sign?

Photo of Paul Ausick
By Paul Ausick Updated Published
This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

Netflix logo
courtesy of Netflix
Using words like “unprecedented” and “addictive” and “compelling,” Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) this morning announced that it has struck a deal with Warner Brothers Television Group (WBTV), which is ultimately owned by Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX), to license previous seasons of eight of WBTV’s serialized dramas for streaming to Netflix customers. Two of the key words in the agreement are “next year.”

Netflix’s chief content officer said:

This unprecedented agreement brings to Netflix members earlier and more exclusively than ever before complete previous seasons of some of the most prominent and successful shows on network and cable television. Through deals like this, Netflix is making the production economics right for the continued creation of the kind of compelling serialized dramas and thrillers that our members love.

Netflix got its start by renting DVDs by mail of old movies. When upstarts like Hulu and Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) jumped into the streaming video fray, production companies like Warner had struck gold. Netflix and the others had to bid enormous sums to get the licensing rights to movies and TV shows, especially for current movies and shows.

Going back to buying old stuff and not having it available until 2014, and putting out a press release in January of 2013 to shout out the fact, seems like a big step sideways, if not backward for Netflix. This is just filler, not a game-changing deal, which is what Netflix really needs.

Netflix shares closed at $95.98 on Friday and are inactive this morning. The stock’s 52-week range is $52.81 to $133.43.

Photo of Paul Ausick
About the Author Paul Ausick →

Paul Ausick has been writing for a673b.bigscoots-temp.com for more than a decade. He has written extensively on investing in the energy, defense, and technology sectors. In a previous life, he wrote technical documentation and managed a marketing communications group in Silicon Valley.

He has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago and now lives in Montana, where he fishes for trout in the summer and stays inside during the winter.

Continue Reading

Top Gaining Stocks

CBOE Vol: 1,568,143
PSKY Vol: 12,285,993
STX Vol: 7,378,346
ORCL Vol: 26,317,675
DDOG Vol: 6,247,779

Top Losing Stocks

LKQ
LKQ Vol: 4,367,433
CLX Vol: 13,260,523
SYK Vol: 4,519,455
MHK Vol: 1,859,865
AMGN Vol: 3,818,618