From shipping DVDs by mail to becoming a worldwide entertainment juggernaut, the rise of Netflix (NFLX -2.98%) is worth studying. The business is a disruptive and innovative category creator. It has taken care of investors, with shares soaring 54,700% in the past two decades. This means that had you invested just $1,900 in this streaming stock in July 2005, you'd have $1 million today. But is Netflix your ticket to becoming a millionaire one day in the future? Netflix has become a global entertainment icon ...

Starting a wireless carrier is easier than you might think. So is building a half-decent Android phone! But doing all the things Trump Mobile promises, at the price and on the schedule it says, seems awfully close to impossible. While Nilay's out, David and Jake chat with The Verge's Dominic Preston about what we know about Trump Mobile and the T1 Phone, why everyone wants to be a wireless carrier, and what it would actually take for this to work out. After that, David and Jake talk through some big news in ...

Core Viewpoint - Walt Disney has completed its acquisition of Hulu, paying NBCUniversal an additional $438.7 million for its stake, resulting in full ownership of the streaming service [1][3]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The transaction allows for deeper integration of Hulu with Disney+ and ESPN's upcoming direct-to-consumer offering, as stated by CEO Bob Iger [1][3]. - Comcast previously agreed to sell its 33% stake in Hulu to Disney in 2019, following Disney's majority acquisition of Hulu during its $71 billion takeover of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets [3][6]. Group 2: Valuation and Market Position - The agreement established a floor valuation of $27.5 billion for Hulu, with a process for determining fair-market value involving a third-party appraisal [4][6]. - Hulu had 54.7 million subscribers at the end of Disney's second quarter, showcasing its significant market presence [5].

Core Viewpoint - Disney has agreed to pay Comcast $438.7 million for its stake in Hulu, concluding a lengthy appraisal process that began in 2023 [1][3]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - In 2023, Disney announced its intention to buy Comcast's 33% stake in Hulu for $8.6 billion, reflecting Hulu's guaranteed minimum value of $27.5 billion, a floor agreed upon in 2019 [2][3]. - The appraisal process was initially expected to conclude in 2024, with Disney's appraiser valuing Hulu below the guaranteed floor, while Comcast's appraiser valued it substantially above [3]. Group 2: Financial Impact - The final transaction is expected to close on or before July 24, with Disney recording the payment in its "net income attributable to noncontrolling interests," which will reduce "net income attributable to Disney" in its fiscal third quarter income statement [4]. - This acquisition is not expected to impact Disney's prior guidance for fiscal 2025 adjusted earnings [4]. Group 3: Strategic Implications - Disney CEO Bob Iger stated that the acquisition allows for a deeper integration of Hulu and Disney+ content, as well as the upcoming ESPN direct-to-consumer streaming app [5]. - Disney has already begun integrating Hulu with its other services, which are offered in a bundle with ESPN+ [6]. Group 4: Subscriber Metrics - Hulu had over 50 million subscribers as of March 29, according to Disney's latest earnings report, while Disney's total streaming subscribers reached 180.7 million, primarily from Disney+ [7]. - Comcast's Peacock streaming service reported 41 million subscribers as of April [7].

FuboTV (FUBO 2.23%) made headlines in early 2025 when it agreed to merge with Disney's (DIS 1.27%) Hulu streaming service. This is a very big deal for FuboTV, and the stock has risen dramatically since the agreement was announced. Should interested investors buy now before the deal is done, or does it make more sense to wait and see what happens?What does FuboTV do?FuboTV says it has "a global mission to aggregate the best in TV, including premium sports, news and entertainment content, through a single app ...

Core Points - United Airlines will offer curated Spotify playlists, audiobooks, and video podcasts on seatback screens, marking a first for Spotify in the airline industry [1] - The collaboration aims to enhance the inflight experience for millions of passengers by providing access to premium content from popular artists, authors, and podcasters [2] - In the following year, passengers will have the ability to log into the Spotify app using their personal devices on the inflight entertainment screen [2]

Core Viewpoint - Netflix has significantly outperformed its competitors in 2025, with a year-to-date share price increase of 33%, while rivals like Apple, Amazon, and Disney have seen declines [1][2][4]. Financial Performance - Netflix reported earnings per share (EPS) of $6.61, exceeding analyst expectations of $5.68 by 16.37%, marking a consistent pattern of outperformance over four consecutive quarters [5]. - Revenue for the quarter was $10.54 billion, slightly above the consensus estimate of $10.50 billion, with a projected operating margin of 29% and $8 billion in free cash flow for 2025 [6]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Netflix's 2025 revenues is $44.46 billion, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 13.99%, while the earnings estimate is $25.32 per share, indicating a 27.69% increase from the previous year [7]. Subscriber Trends - Netflix's member retention and acquisition trends are strong, with new subscribers from major live events showing retention characteristics similar to those joining for premium content, indicating sustainable growth [11]. Advertising Growth Potential - The advertising business is expected to be a significant growth driver, with management anticipating advertising revenues to double in 2025 due to the rollout of a proprietary ad technology platform [12]. - Netflix's advertising currently represents only about 6% of consumer spending and ad revenues in its markets, suggesting substantial room for expansion as the ad platform matures [14]. Content Strategy - Netflix's content strategy is focused on premium storytelling, with significant investments in localized content, including $1 billion in Mexican production and $2.5 billion in Korean content [16]. - The company is also expanding its live programming strategy, which has shown success in generating conversation and retention benefits, alongside premium advertising rates [17][18]. Investment Outlook - Netflix's strong financial performance, innovative advertising capabilities, and expanding content strategy position it for continued success, despite trading at a premium valuation with a forward P/S ratio of 10.84 [19]. - The company's unique position at the intersection of technology and entertainment justifies its premium valuation, as it continues to outperform both traditional media and tech competitors [19][22].

Warner Bros Discovery is hitting rewind on Max’s branding, bringing back the HBO name it dropped from the streaming service two years ago.The company will rebrand its streaming platform as HBO Max this summer, betting that the iconic brand’s global reputation will drive subscriber growth as it expands internationally.The return to HBO Max also marks an “implicit promise” by the company to deliver unique and premium content, Warner Bros Discovery said on Wednesday. Known for its high-end programs, HBO is hom ...

Investors seemed to be tuning out Roku (ROKU -8.15%) stock in recent trading days. According to data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence, they pushed the specialty consumer electronics company's shares down by just under 18% week to date as of Friday morning. An analyst's deep price target cut played quite a role in this.Tariff and macroeconomic woesOn Wednesday, Jason Bazinet of influential bank Citigroup made quite a significant change to his fair value assessment of Roku.Bazinet now believes the s ...