Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) stock has climbed 3.8% in 2019 as of late afternoon trading on January 7. There are several positives and some negatives to glean from the streaming giant in the New Year.
The good news is Netflix stock has been on a roll since the final quarter of 2019. Shares have climbed over 20% in the past three months at the time of this writing. Netflix cleaned up in the awards season, establishing itself as a premiere producer of popular and prestige content. It will be gunning for the Best Picture category at the upcoming Academy Awards with submissions like The Irishman and A Marriage Story.
On the other hand, Netflix is now operating in an increasingly competitive environment. Disney hit the ground running with the launch of Disney Plus. Apple also launched its own service. Both Disney Plus and Apple TV Plus had pricing designed to compete with Netflix. AT&T will launch its own service later this year, which will include content from the prestige network HBO.
Netflix subscription growth has slowed in the United States, which has it turning to international opportunities. The Asia-Pacific region was its fastest growing region in its most recent reporting period. With growth largely capped on the domestic front, this could make price wars even more fierce at home. This decade will be an interesting one for Netflix and its growing competition.
