Netflix (NFLX) Streams Makoto Shinkai's Suzume in 169 Countries

Group 1: Company Developments - Netflix's animated movie "Suzume," directed by Makoto Shinkai, is now available in 169 countries as of April 6, 2024, with plans to expand further in 2025 [1] - The film is part of Netflix's strategy to enhance its anime library, which includes works from Studio Ghibli and Studio Ponoc, aiming to make high-quality animated films more accessible [1] - Netflix's shares have returned 30.7% year-to-date, significantly outperforming the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector's growth of 1.4%, largely due to the success of its Japanese content [2] Group 2: Market Competition - The subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) market in Japan was valued at 505.4 billion yen in 2023, reflecting a 12.1% increase from the previous year, driven by rising demand for home entertainment [3] - Netflix remains the dominant player in Japan's SVOD market since 2019, although it has seen slight declines in market share over the past two years, with U-NEXT emerging as a strong competitor [4] - Disney is also increasing its focus on Japanese content, releasing its first anime series "The Fable" on Disney+ and planning additional titles [4] Group 3: Future Investments and Projections - Netflix is investing more in Japanese content, with upcoming releases including "City Hunter," "The Grimm Variations," and "My Oni Girl," which are expected to enhance its revenues in the Asia-Pacific region [5] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Netflix's 2024 APAC revenues is projected at $4.46 billion, indicating an 18.6% year-over-year growth, while the earnings consensus is $17.01 per share, reflecting a 41.4% year-over-year growth [5]