Netflix Expands Ad Business: Is it the Next Revenue Pillar?

Core Insights - Netflix's advertising business is gaining traction with the launch of its in-house ad-tech platform, the Netflix Ads Suite, which offers personalized ads and a low ad load of four minutes per hour, outperforming competitors like Hulu [1][9] - The ad-supported plan has attracted 94 million users, particularly popular among the 18 to 34 age group, with expectations for ad revenues to double by fiscal 2025 and exceed $9 billion by fiscal 2030 [3][9] Advertising Strategy - Netflix has partnered with platforms like Google's DV360 and The Trade Desk to simplify the ad-buying process, and a new deal with Yahoo DSP will allow programmatic ad purchases across all 12 ad-supported countries [2][9] - The Netflix Ads Suite's availability in the U.S., Canada, EMEA, and other ad-supported regions is a significant growth driver [1] Competitive Landscape - Netflix faces strong competition in the advertising sector from Amazon and Disney, both of which have established ad businesses with substantial user bases [4][5][6] - Amazon's ad business grew 19% year-over-year to $13.9 billion, leveraging its large audience and advanced targeting tools [5] - Disney boasts 157 million active users globally, with significant engagement on its ad-supported platforms [6] Financial Performance - Netflix shares have increased by 43.6% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector's growth of 6.5% and the Zacks Broadcast Radio and Television industry's rise of 29.5% [7] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Netflix's 2025 revenues is $44.47 billion, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 14.01%, with earnings expected to increase by 27.69% from the previous year [13]