Core Insights - The streaming industry is experiencing a shift as Netflix and Roku transition to ad-supported models to enhance growth potential [1][10] - Netflix has seen significant stock performance in 2025, with a year-to-date increase of over 30%, while Roku has recovered nearly 60% from its 52-week lows [1][10] Netflix Overview - Netflix's ad-supported tier has reached 94 million monthly active users globally, and the company doubled its annual ad revenues last year, expecting to do so again this year [2][4] - The content pipeline for Netflix includes major series like Stranger Things S5, Wednesday S2, and Squid Game S3, contributing to a revenue increase of 16% year over year, reaching $11.08 billion in the second quarter [5][6] - Netflix raised its full-year revenue guidance to between $44.8 billion and $45.2 billion, indicating strong subscriber growth and pricing power [6] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Netflix's 2025 earnings is $26.06 per share, reflecting a 31.42% increase from the previous year [7] Roku Overview - Roku remains the leading streaming platform operator in North America, with significant hardware sales, although hardware sales declined by 6% year over year [8][12] - Roku's total net revenues for the second quarter were $1.11 billion, up 15% year over year, with platform revenues at $975 million [9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Roku's 2025 earnings is 12 cents per share, indicating growth from a loss of 89 cents per share in the previous year [13] Valuation and Performance Comparison - Netflix trades at a P/S ratio of approximately 10.53x, supported by consistent profitability, while Roku's P/S ratio is 2.61x, reflecting its lack of consistent profitability [14] - Netflix has delivered a year-to-date return of approximately 35.1%, significantly outperforming Roku and the broader market [17] Conclusion - Netflix is positioned as the superior investment opportunity due to its scale, content dominance, and rapidly growing advertising business [19] - The company's ability to raise prices while expanding its ad-supported tier demonstrates strong pricing power [19] - Investors are encouraged to consider Netflix stock for potential upside, while a cautious approach is suggested for Roku until sustainable profitability is evident [19]