Core Insights - Netflix faced an unexpected $619 million tax expense from Brazil, significantly impacting its operating margin for the September quarter, leading to a stock decline of over 6% [1] Financial Performance - The operating margin reported for Q3 was 28%, which would have exceeded the company's guidance of 31.5% without the Brazilian tax issue [2] - The tax expense was attributed to a national tax on outbound payments known as the Contribution for Intervention in the Economic Domain (CIDE) [2][3] Tax Implications - The tax involves a 10% levy on certain payments made by Brazilian entities to companies outside Brazil, affecting not only Netflix but potentially other companies as well [3] - Netflix Brazil pays Netflix U.S. for services that enable subscription offerings in Brazil, and a favorable ruling from a lower court in 2022 had previously led the company to believe it was not subject to this tax [4] Legal Context - A recent ruling by the Brazil Supreme Court indicated that the tax applies to a broader range of transactions than previously thought, prompting Netflix to reevaluate its legal standing and record the tax expense in Q3 [5] - Approximately 20% of the recorded tax expense is related to 2025 [5]