February 28, 2016 NASDAQ: NFLX NETFLIX INC BUY A+ A A- HOLD B+ B Annual Dividend Rate NA B- C+ C Annual Dividend Yield NA SELL C- D+ D Beta 1.66 Sector: Consumer Goods & Svcs NFLX BUSINESS DESCRIPTION Netflix, Inc., an Internet television network, engages in the Internet delivery of television (TV) shows and movies on various Internet-connected screens. The Company operates in three segments: Domestic streaming, International streaming and Domestic DVD. D- Weekly Price: (US$) E+ E E- F Market Capitalization $40.5 Billion Sub-Industry: Internet Retail SMA (50) HOLD 52-Week Range $58.46-$133.27 RATING SINCE 10/16/2014 Price as of 2/25/2016 $94.53 Source: S&P SMA (100) 1 Year 2 Years 140 130 120 110 100 90 STOCK PERFORMANCE (%) 3 Mo. Price Change -23.87 80 1 Yr. 38.33 3 Yr (Ann) 54.53 12 Mo. 23.15 -54.04 -53.94 3 Yr CAGR 23.38 92.65 89.92 70 60 GROWTH (%) 50 Last Qtr 22.80 -48.21 -48.16 Revenues Net Income EPS RETURN ON EQUITY (%) NFLX Q4 2015 5.51 Q4 2014 14.36 Q4 2013 8.42 Ind Avg 11.62 11.84 12.82 S&P 500 12.28 14.59 13.97 332.50 303.03 NFLX Ind Avg HOLD Volume in Millions 200 100 2014 2015 0 2016 COMPUSTAT for Price and Volume, TheStreet Ratings, Inc. for Rating History S&P 500 2014 Q4 0.10 Q2 0.06 Q3 0.07 Q1 0.05 Q4 0.19 Q3 0.14 Q2 0.16 The gross profit margin for NETFLIX INC is currently very high, coming in at 86.11%. It has increased from the same quarter the previous year. Along with this, the net profit margin of 2.36% is above that of the industry average. Q1 0.12 Q4 0.11 Q3 0.07 Q1 0.01 BUY HIGHLIGHTS The revenue growth significantly trails the industry average of 53.9%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues rose by 22.8%. This growth in revenue does not appear to have trickled down to the company's bottom line, displayed by a decline in earnings per share. 21.53 EPS ANALYSIS¹ ($) Q2 0.07 BUY HOLD RECOMMENDATION We rate NETFLIX INC (NFLX) a HOLD. The primary factors that have impacted our rating are mixed - some indicating strength, some showing weaknesses, with little evidence to justify the expectation of either a positive or negative performance for this stock relative to most other stocks. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, expanding profit margins and solid stock price performance. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including feeble growth in the company's earnings per share, deteriorating net income and generally higher debt management risk. P/E COMPARISON 2013 40 Rating History 2015 NA = not available NM = not meaningful 1 Compustat fiscal year convention is used for all fundamental data items. Compared to its closing price of one year ago, NFLX's share price has jumped by 38.34%, exceeding the performance of the broader market during that same time frame. Setting our sights on the months ahead, however, we feel that the stock's sharp appreciation over the last year has driven it to a price level which is now relatively expensive compared to the rest of its industry. The implication is that its reduced upside potential is not good enough to warrant further investment at this time. Current return on equity is lower than its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a clear sign of weakness within the company. When compared to other companies in the Internet & Catalog Retail industry and the overall market, NETFLIX INC's return on equity is below that of both the industry average and the S&P 500. This report is for information purposes only and should not be considered a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Neither TheStreet Ratings nor any other party guarantees its accuracy or makes warranties regarding results from its usage. Redistribution is prohibited without the express written consent of TheStreet Ratings. Copyright(c) 2006-2015. All rights reserved. Report Date: February 28, 2016 PAGE 1 February 28, 2016 NASDAQ: NFLX NETFLIX INC Sector: Consumer Goods & Svcs Internet Retail Source: S&P Annual Dividend Rate NA Annual Dividend Yield NA PEER GROUP ANALYSIS Market Capitalization $40.5 Billion 52-Week Range $58.46-$133.27 Price as of 2/25/2016 $94.53 INDUSTRY ANALYSIS The internet and catalog retailing industry includes 16,000 companies with combined annual revenue of over $160 billion. Major companies include Lands’ End, LL Bean, Amazon.com (AMZN), Overstock.com (OSTK) and Hanover Direct. The top 50 companies account for approximately 60% of total industry revenue. The catalog retail sector consists of mail order, television and catalog channels while internet retail includes all services through online channels. Demand is driven by consumer spending, which ties the profitability of companies to their active customer base. 125% REVENUE GROWTH AND EBITDA MARGIN* QUNR V FA AB OR JD Beta 1.66 UN R VO FA 0% LE AB Revenue Growth (TTM) LE Over the past five years, the industry pattern has shifted from catalog to internet sales. Internet sales have been the driver for overall health of the internet & catalog industry as internet use has increased to over 70% of US households. The evolution of secure user interfaces and the increased convenience of online shopping are expected to drive growth in the coming quarters. In order to increase online sales, companies offer reduced prices, free shipping and more variety. Although the broader retail industry is expected to remain sluggish during the slow recovery from the US economic slowdown, the internet will help drive sales. TRIP -60% AMZN NFLX EXPE PCLN 60% EBITDA Margin (TTM) Companies with higher EBITDA margins and revenue growth rates are outperforming companies with lower EBITDA margins and revenue growth rates. Companies for this scatter plot have a market capitalization between $4.7 Billion and $261.4 Billion. Companies with NA or NM values do not appear. *EBITDA – Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization. US online retail has evolved from a fledgling industry to a mature, mainstream, and integrated industry with multiple offline channels. However, the next phase of e-commerce growth will require retailers to innovate and invest in technologies that optimize the connection between online and offline elements. Failure to address risks associated with payment methods, credit card fraud and other consumer fraud could hamper sales growth. Catalog retailing has witnessed a dynamic shift in its business model from call-centers to websites. Many catalog retailers have adapted their operations to the web as a result of a change in customer preferences. Companies such as L.L. Bean and Lands’ End have succeeded with this strategy while also maintaining their catalog operations. By doing so, they provide services to traditional catalog shoppers and enjoy a web operation that helps keep fixed-costs down while attracting new customers. Catalogs are currently driving more than half of internet sales. The catalog industry shows a trend of sustained growth in multi-channel retailing. The two main channels, namely direct-to-consumer (DTC) and store, will emerge from the convergence of catalog and internet sales. The industry is expected to experience higher sales growth in the direct-to-consumer segment. 125% REVENUE GROWTH AND EARNINGS YIELD QUNR V FA PEER GROUP: Internet & Catalog Retail AB OR JD LE CTRP UN R VO FA 0% LE AB Revenue Growth (TTM) VIPS -12% AMZN NFLXTRIP EXPE PCLN 6% Earnings Yield (TTM) Companies that exhibit both a high earnings yield and high revenue growth are generally more attractive than companies with low revenue growth and low earnings yield. Companies for this scatter plot have revenue growth rates between 9.3% and 123.3%. Companies with NA or NM values do not appear. Ticker NFLX TRIP PCLN VIPS LVNTA LVNTB QUNR JD AMZN CTRP EXPE Recent Company Name Price ($) NETFLIX INC 94.53 TRIPADVISOR INC 62.05 PRICELINE GROUP INC 1,263.41 VIPSHOP HOLDINGS LTD -ADR 11.33 LIBERTY VENTURES 36.05 LIBERTY VENTURES 35.55 QUNAR CAYMAN ISLANDS -ADR 37.12 JD.COM INC -ADR 24.93 AMAZON.COM INC 555.15 CTRIP.COM INTL LTD 41.22 EXPEDIA INC 105.13 Market Cap ($M) 40,467 8,219 62,687 5,655 5,111 5,111 4,714 27,787 261,388 18,560 14,485 Price/ Earnings 332.50 45.63 25.42 29.82 22.67 22.36 NM NM 447.70 45.55 18.28 Net Sales TTM ($M) 6,779.51 1,492.00 9,223.99 5,567.91 1,147.00 1,147.00 541.83 25,854.79 107,006.00 1,586.70 6,672.32 Net Income TTM ($M) 122.64 198.00 2,551.36 230.10 194.00 194.00 -468.22 -353.64 596.00 346.19 764.47 The peer group comparison is based on Major Internet Retail companies of comparable size. This report is for information purposes only and should not be considered a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Neither TheStreet Ratings nor any other party guarantees its accuracy or makes warranties regarding results from its usage. Redistribution is prohibited without the express written consent of TheStreet Ratings. Copyright(c) 2006-2015. All rights reserved. Report Date: February 28, 2016 PAGE 2 February 28, 2016 NASDAQ: NFLX NETFLIX INC Sector: Consumer Goods & Svcs Internet Retail Source: S&P Annual Dividend Rate NA Annual Dividend Yield NA COMPANY DESCRIPTION Netflix, Inc., an Internet television network, engages in the Internet delivery of television (TV) shows and movies on various Internet-connected screens. The Company operates in three segments: Domestic streaming, International streaming and Domestic DVD. It offer members with the ability to receive TV shows and movies streaming content, including original series, documentaries, and feature films through a host of Internet-connected screens, such as TVs, digital video players, TV set-top boxes, and mobile devices. The company also provides DVDs-by-mail membership services. It serves approximately 75 million members in 190 countries. Netflix, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California. NETFLIX INC 100 Winchester Circle Los Gatos, CA 95032 USA Phone: 408-540-3700 http://www.netflix.com Beta 1.66 Market Capitalization $40.5 Billion 52-Week Range $58.46-$133.27 Price as of 2/25/2016 $94.53 STOCK-AT-A-GLANCE Below is a summary of the major fundamental and technical factors we consider when determining our overall recommendation of NFLX shares. It is provided in order to give you a deeper understanding of our rating methodology as well as to paint a more complete picture of a stock's strengths and weaknesses. It is important to note, however, that these factors only tell part of the story. To gain an even more comprehensive understanding of our stance on the stock, these factors must be assessed in combination with the stock’s valuation. Please refer to our Valuation section on page 5 for further information. FACTOR SCORE 2.0 Growth out of 5 stars weak Measures the growth of both the company's income statement and cash flow. On this factor, NFLX has a growth score better than 30% of the stocks we rate. strong 4.0 Total Return out of 5 stars weak Measures the historical price movement of the stock. The stock performance of this company has beaten 70% of the companies we cover. strong 3.0 Efficiency out of 5 stars weak Measures the strength and historic growth of a company's return on invested capital. The company has generated more income per dollar of capital than 50% of the companies we review. strong 4.0 Price volatility out of 5 stars weak Measures the volatility of the company's stock price historically. The stock is less volatile than 70% of the stocks we monitor. strong 5.0 Solvency out of 5 stars weak Measures the solvency of the company based on several ratios. The company is more solvent than 90% of the companies we analyze. strong 0.5 Income out of 5 stars weak Measures dividend yield and payouts to shareholders. This company pays no dividends. strong THESTREET RATINGS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY TheStreet Ratings' stock model projects a stock's total return potential over a 12-month period including both price appreciation and dividends. Our Buy, Hold or Sell ratings designate how we expect these stocks to perform against a general benchmark of the equities market and interest rates. While our model is quantitative, it utilizes both subjective and objective elements. For instance, subjective elements include expected equities market returns, future interest rates, implied industry outlook and forecasted company earnings. Objective elements include volatility of past operating revenues, financial strength, and company cash flows. Our model gauges the relationship between risk and reward in several ways, including: the pricing drawdown as compared to potential profit volatility, i.e.how much one is willing to risk in order to earn profits; the level of acceptable volatility for highly performing stocks; the current valuation as compared to projected earnings growth; and the financial strength of the underlying company as compared to its stock's valuation as compared to projected earnings growth; and the financial strength of the underlying company as compared to its stock's performance. These and many more derived observations are then combined, ranked, weighted, and scenario-tested to create a more complete analysis. The result is a systematic and disciplined method of selecting stocks. This report is for information purposes only and should not be considered a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Neither TheStreet Ratings nor any other party guarantees its accuracy or makes warranties regarding results from its usage. Redistribution is prohibited without the express written consent of TheStreet Ratings. Copyright(c) 2006-2015. All rights reserved. Report Date: February 28, 2016 PAGE 3 February 28, 2016 NASDAQ: NFLX NETFLIX INC Sector: Consumer Goods & Svcs Internet Retail Source: S&P Annual Dividend Rate NA Annual Dividend Yield NA Consensus EPS Estimates² ($) IBES consensus estimates are provided by Thomson Financial 0.03 0.25 E 1.10 E Q1 FY16 2016(E) 2017(E) Beta 1.66 Market Capitalization $40.5 Billion 52-Week Range $58.46-$133.27 Price as of 2/25/2016 $94.53 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS NETFLIX INC's gross profit margin for the fourth quarter of its fiscal year 2015 is essentially unchanged when compared to the same period a year ago. Even though sales increased, the net income has decreased, representing a decrease to the bottom line. NETFLIX INC has weak liquidity. Currently, the Quick Ratio is 0.65 which shows a lack of ability to cover short-term cash needs. The company's liquidity has increased from the same period last year. During the same period, stockholders' equity ("net worth") has increased by 19.68% from the same quarter last year. Overall, the key liquidity measurements indicate that the company is in a position in which financial difficulties could develop in the future. STOCKS TO BUY: TheStreet Quant Ratings has identified a handful of stocks that can potentially TRIPLE in the next 12-months. To learn more visit www.TheStreetRatings.com. INCOME STATEMENT Net Sales ($mil) EBITDA ($mil) EBIT ($mil) Net Income ($mil) Q4 FY15 1,823.33 1,056.04 59.89 43.18 Q4 FY14 1,484.73 829.89 65.05 83.37 Q4 FY15 2,310.72 10,202.87 2,400.36 2,223.43 Q4 FY14 1,608.50 7,056.65 929.60 1,857.71 Q4 FY15 86.11% 57.91% 3.28% 0.66 1.20% 5.51% Q4 FY14 83.20% 55.89% 4.38% 0.78 3.78% 14.36% Q4 FY15 1.54 0.52 35.43 1.69 Q4 FY14 1.48 0.33 13.35 4.87 Q4 FY15 428 0.00 0.10 5.20 NA 19,421,988 Q4 FY14 423 0.00 0.19 4.39 NA 20,027,062 BALANCE SHEET Cash & Equiv. ($mil) Total Assets ($mil) Total Debt ($mil) Equity ($mil) PROFITABILITY Gross Profit Margin EBITDA Margin Operating Margin Sales Turnover Return on Assets Return on Equity DEBT Current Ratio Debt/Capital Interest Expense Interest Coverage SHARE DATA Shares outstanding (mil) Div / share EPS Book value / share Institutional Own % Avg Daily Volume 2 Sum of quarterly figures may not match annual estimates due to use of median consensus estimates. This report is for information purposes only and should not be considered a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Neither TheStreet Ratings nor any other party guarantees its accuracy or makes warranties regarding results from its usage. Redistribution is prohibited without the express written consent of TheStreet Ratings. Copyright(c) 2006-2015. All rights reserved. Report Date: February 28, 2016 PAGE 4 February 28, 2016 NASDAQ: NFLX NETFLIX INC Sector: Consumer Goods & Svcs Internet Retail Source: S&P Annual Dividend Rate NA Annual Dividend Yield NA RATINGS HISTORY Our rating for NETFLIX INC has not changed since 10/16/2014. As of 2/25/2016, the stock was trading at a price of $94.53 which is 29.1% below its 52-week high of $133.27 and 61.7% above its 52-week low of $58.46. $150 HOLD: $51.67 BUY: $61.58 HOLD: $49.84 2 Year Chart $100 $50 2014 2015 MOST RECENT RATINGS CHANGES Date Price Action 10/16/14 $51.67 Downgrade 7/22/14 $61.58 Upgrade 4/8/14 $49.84 Downgrade 2/25/14 $64.72 No Change From Buy Hold Buy Buy To Hold Buy Hold Buy Price reflects the closing price as of the date listed, if available RATINGS DEFINITIONS & DISTRIBUTION OF THESTREET RATINGS (as of 2/25/2016) 32.19% Buy - We believe that this stock has the opportunity to appreciate and produce a total return of more than 10% over the next 12 months. 35.29% Hold - We do not believe this stock offers conclusive evidence to warrant the purchase or sale of shares at this time and that its likelihood of positive total return is roughly in balance with the risk of loss. 32.52% Sell - We believe that this stock is likely to decline by more than 10% over the next 12 months, with the risk involved too great to compensate for any possible returns. TheStreet Ratings 14 Wall Street, 15th Floor New York, NY 10005 www.thestreet.com Research Contact: 212-321-5381 Sales Contact: 866-321-8726 Beta 1.66 Market Capitalization $40.5 Billion 52-Week Range $58.46-$133.27 Price as of 2/25/2016 $94.53 VALUATION HOLD. NETFLIX INC's P/E ratio indicates a significant premium compared to an average of 303.03 for the Internet & Catalog Retail industry and a significant premium compared to the S&P 500 average of 21.53. For additional comparison, its price-to-book ratio of 18.19 indicates a significant premium versus the S&P 500 average of 2.56 and a significant premium versus the industry average of 14.18. The price-to-sales ratio is well above both the S&P 500 average and the industry average, indicating a premium. Upon assessment of these and other key valuation criteria, NETFLIX INC proves to trade at a premium to investment alternatives within the industry. Price/Earnings 1 2 3 premium 4 5 NFLX 332.50 Peers 303.03 • Average. An average P/E ratio can signify an industry neutral price for a stock and an average growth expectation. • NFLX is trading at a valuation on par with its peers. Price/Projected Earnings 1 2 3 premium 4 5 1 2 3 premium 4 5 Price/Sales 1 2 premium 3 4 5 Price to Earnings/Growth 4 5 discount 1 2 3 premium 4 5 discount NFLX NM Peers 1.32 • Neutral. The PEG ratio is the stock’s P/E divided by the consensus estimate of long-term earnings growth. Faster growth can justify higher price multiples. • NFLX's negative PEG ratio makes this valuation measure meaningless. Earnings Growth 1 2 3 4 lower 5 higher NFLX -53.94 Peers 198.29 • Lower. Elevated earnings growth rates can lead to capital appreciation and justify higher price-to-earnings ratios. • However, NFLX is expected to significantly trail its peers on the basis of its earnings growth rate. Sales Growth discount NFLX 5.97 Peers 3.43 • Premium. In the absence of P/E and P/B multiples, the price-to-sales ratio can display the value investors are placing on each dollar of sales. • NFLX is trading at a significant premium to its industry. 3 NFLX NM Peers 20.41 • Neutral. The P/CF ratio, a stock’s price divided by the company's cash flow from operations, is useful for comparing companies with different capital requirements or financing structures. • NFLX's P/CF is negative making the measure meaningless. discount NFLX 18.19 Peers 14.18 • Premium. A higher price-to-book ratio makes a stock less attractive to investors seeking stocks with lower market values per dollar of equity on the balance sheet. • NFLX is trading at a significant premium to its peers. 2 premium discount NFLX 86.33 Peers 108.49 • Premium. A higher price-to-projected earnings ratio than its peers can signify a more expensive stock or higher future growth expectations. • NFLX is trading at a significant premium to its peers. Price/Book 1 Price/CashFlow discount 1 2 3 lower 4 5 higher NFLX 23.15 Peers 24.75 • Average. Comparing a company's sales growth to its industry helps to determine if the company is adding or losing market share. • NFLX is keeping pace with its peers on the basis of sales growth. DISCLAIMER: The opinions and information contained herein have been obtained or derived from sources believed to be reliable, but TheStreet Ratings cannot guarantee its accuracy and completeness, and that of the opinions based thereon. Data is provided via the COMPUSTAT® Xpressfeed product from Standard &Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., as well as other third-party data providers. TheStreet Ratings is a division of TheStreet, Inc., which is a publisher. This research report contains opinions and is provided for informational purposes only. You should not rely solely upon the research herein for purposes of transacting securities or other investments, and you are encouraged to conduct your own research and due diligence, and to seek the advice of a qualified securities professional, before you make any investment. None of the information contained in this report constitutes, or is intended to constitute a recommendation by TheStreet Ratings of any particular security or trading strategy or a determination by TheStreet Ratings that any security or trading strategy is suitable for any specific person. To the extent any of the information contained herein may be deemed to be investment advice, such information is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person. Your use of this report is governed by TheStreet, Inc.'s Terms of Use found at http://www.thestreet.com/static/about/terms-of-use.html. This report is for information purposes only and should not be considered a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Neither TheStreet Ratings nor any other party guarantees its accuracy or makes warranties regarding results from its usage. Redistribution is prohibited without the express written consent of TheStreet Ratings. Copyright(c) 2006-2015. All rights reserved. Report Date: February 28, 2016 PAGE 5