Can Netflix Keep Its Rally Alive With Earnings?

The stock continues to be a top media play on Wall Street. The consensus on Wall Street is that Netflix likely will continue to benefit from a materially stronger original content launch, which would bolster the already strong franchises like the hit political show “House of Cards.” With many consumers tired of rising cable and carrier content prices, the streaming leader may have a big 2015 in front of it.

Back in January, Netflix announced that its global expansion to 200 countries should be complete by the end of 2016. The company cited the general growth of the Internet, including smartphones, tablets and smart TVs, as the main driver of global expansion. Currently, Netflix is available in 61 countries, and it has announced plans to expand into an additional four, for a total of 65 countries by the end of 2015.

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In late June, the company announced that its board of directors had approved a seven-for-one stock split. This split would be effected in the form of a stock dividend of six additional shares of common stock for each outstanding share.

The stock dividend was be payable on July 14, for shareholders of record at the close of July 2. Shares began trading at a post-split price on Wednesday, July 15.

Recently, Oppenheimer reiterated an Outperform rating and increased its price target to $775 from $610. The firm bases this on its estimate that Netflix’s five oldest markets — the United States, Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom and Ireland — will end 2015 at an average broadband penetration rate of 30%. Oppenheimer’s revised model now estimates 2020 global subscribers at 239 million, or 32% penetration of broadband homes, consistent with 2015 rates in older markets.

A few other analysts weighed in on Netflix in the week before it released earnings:

• Topeka Capital Markets has a Buy rating and raised its price target to $114 from $107 (split-adjusted basis).
• Cowen reiterated an Outperform rating with a $760 price target (pre-split-adjusted basis).
• Morgan Stanley reiterated a Buy rating.
• Stifel reiterated a Buy rating.

So far in 2015, this company has absolutely dominated, with shares up over 100% year to date, and Netflix is looking to keep expanding internationally.

Shares of Netflix were down 0.4% at $99.95 Wednesday morning. The stock has a split-adjusted 52-week trading range of $45.08 to $101.64.

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