Netflix Strikes NFL TV Deal

And, Interactive Brokers earnings miss.

Today is Wednesday, January 17, 2024.

The Early Bird Index today is 63.49.

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Netflix Strikes NFL TV Deal

Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) is pushing more into sports entertainment by securing the streaming rights to important NFL content.

Details: The streaming giant announced late Tuesday afternoon that the long-running TV show Inside the NFL is coming to its platform. The final 5 episodes of the season will stream on Netflix the day after it airs on The CW. The stock ticked up 0.11% in after-hours trading.

Background: Netflix is starting to lean into sports programming. In addition to several on-demand sports shows, Netflix also hosted its first live sports show last year with The Netflix Cup. And now Netflix is dipping its toes into the NFL pool.

Zooming Out: The NFL is the golden ticket to sports content, with NFL games dominating the U.S. live sports market. A streaming-only NFL Playoff game over the weekend on the platform Peacock reached 27.6 million total viewers, making it the most-streamed live event in U.S. history. Netflix would like to achieve that status someday.

Stock Price: Netflix is up 47% in the last 12 months, but down about 1% in the last 30 days.

Final Thoughts: It’s great that Netflix is expanding its sports content. The company reports earnings on January 23.

Notables

Notable Earnings Today: Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI), Charles Schwab (NYSE: SCHW), Alcoa (NYSE: AA), Prologis (NYSE: PLD), Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS), U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), Wintrust Financial (Nasdaq: WTFC), Citizens Financial Group (NYSE: CFG), H.B. Fuller (NYSE: FUL), Synovus (NYSE: SNV).

Notable IPOs Today: N/A.

Notable Equity Crowdfunding Campaigns Ending Today: Soteria Battery Innovation Group (StartEngine), Savvy Finance Channel Drop (GigaStar), Enviro Water Minerals Company (Netcapital).

Notable Economic Events Today: Retail Sales / Core Retail Sales (8:30 a.m. ET), Export Price Index / Import Price Index (8:30 a.m. ET), Industrial Production (9:15 a.m. ET), Business Inventories (10:00 a.m. ET), Atlanta Fed GDPNow (1:00 p.m. ET), Fed Beige Book (2:00 p.m. ET), API Weekly Crude Oil Stock (4:30 p.m. ET).

Interactive Brokers Earnings Miss

Shares of Interactive Brokers (Nasdaq: IBKR) fell 2.90% in after-hours trading on Tuesday after the brokerage firm posted mixed financial results.

Financials: Interactive Brokers reported earnings of $1.52 per share in the past quarter, which was below estimates. Revenue reached $1.14 billion, which was in line.

Details: Commission revenue jumped 5% during the quarter and net interest income grew 29%.

Yes, But: Other income fell due to currency diversification and investments.

Final Thoughts: Interactive Brokers, up 12% in the last 12 months, did not provide future guidance. As a brokerage firm, the company’s growth is tied to investor demand. Let’s face it - investors were expecting more from these results.

Solana Jumps on Smartphone Launch

The cryptocurrency Solana went up 4% on Tuesday thanks to the announcement of a new mobile smartphone.

Details: Solana Mobile introduced a new device on Tuesday called the Saga Chapter 2, which is said to be less than half the price of its predecessor. Users can preorder the device now.

Final Thoughts: Solana is up 36% in the last 30 days. This smartphone launch is good news, although be warned - Solana’s price does have a history of volatility.

No Fly Zone: Judge Blocks JetBlue From Acquiring Spirit Airlines (The New York Times)

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