NEW YORK, July 4, 2026, 16:04 (EDT)
- U.S. stock markets were closed Friday for the Independence Day holiday. Netflix’s last regular-session close was Thursday, ahead of markets reopening Monday.
- Netflix, Inc. NASDAQ:NFLX gained 4.66% to close at $77.65 on Thursday. Volume was 134% of the stock’s 65-day average.
- The stock ended higher for the week but is still way under its long-term marks. The next big event is results due July 16.
U.S. markets stayed shut Friday because of the Independence Day holiday, and headed into the regular weekend after that. Netflix, Inc. NASDAQ:NFLX picks up Monday still working off the Thursday close, with no new Friday action. Nasdaq marked July 3 as a U.S. market holiday for Independence Day.
Netflix shares finished up 4.66% at $77.65 on Thursday, adding a couple of cents to $77.67 in after-hours trading. Volume came in at 55.54 million shares, about 134% of the 65-day average, with the stock moving between $74.91 and $78.44. That’s five straight gains, though the stock is still off 21.3% for the past three months and down 40.1% over the last year.
| Last tape before holiday | Close/last price | Day move | Volume | Read-through |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix NASDAQ:NFLX | $77.65 | up 4.66% | 55.54 mln | Strong rebound |
| Invesco QQQ Trust NASDAQ:QQQ | $712.60 | down 1.70% | 51.09 mln | Pressure in tech names |
| SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) | $744.78 | off 0.11% | 57.51 mln | Near flat session |
Source: MarketWatch for Netflix; data from the market feed used for QQQ and SPY.
The key for investors here is the spread, not just the move higher. Netflix outperformed QQQ by about 6.4 percentage points in the last session before the break. That’s a big gap for a stock with more than $300 billion in market cap, and volume was well above average. Benzinga pointed out Thursday that Netflix was up while the Nasdaq-100 dropped over 2%.
| Netflix marker | Latest figure | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 52-week low | $70.86 | Closed around 9.6% above that |
| 52-week high | $129.50 | Finished about 40% off that level |
| 5-day performance | +5.20% | Stock rebounded into the holiday week |
| 3-month performance | -21.30% | Still showing the drop |
| YTD performance | -17.18% | Still trailing |
| Short interest | 101.03 mln shares | At 2.41% of float, shorts stayed low |
Source: MarketWatch. Percentage moves from 52-week highs and lows use Reuters formulas and numbers shown.
This matters since the rally wasn’t just a big short squeeze. Short interest was low versus the float and trading volumes were strong. The stock saw gains ahead of earnings but traded nearer its 12-month low than its high.
M&A also played into markets this week. Comcast NASDAQ:CMCSA announced plans to split off NBCUniversal and Sky into a new public company, sparking fresh M&A chatter about studios and streaming assets. Ross Benes, senior analyst at eMarketer, told Reuters, “NBCU will become M&A target eventually. Netflix would likely have interest in the studio.” Comcast CEO Brian Roberts shot down the talk, saying, “Absolutely not.” Reuters
Reuters reported that Netflix could be a possible buyer, citing a person familiar, but any deal with NBCUniversal would run into big regulatory and structural issues. Craig Moffett at MoffettNathanson said in a note, “We don’t see a Netflix-for-NBCU deal.” For Netflix shareholders, a split like this is key—when management turned down big media deals in the past, the stock was often rewarded, with management choosing to keep cash for buybacks and growth. Reuters
Netflix kept its July forecast tight. In April, the company said 2026 revenue is still seen between $50.7 billion and $51.7 billion. The operating margin target stays at 31.5%. Netflix also said it expects ad revenue to hit $3 billion in 2026, roughly double from the prior year.
| Company guidepost | Q1 2026 / 2026 figure | Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 revenue | $12.25 bln | Rose 16.2% from a year ago |
| Q2 revenue forecast | $12.57 bln | Expected up 13.5% year over year |
| Q2 diluted EPS forecast | $0.78 | Under Q1’s $1.23 |
| FY 2026 revenue guide | $50.7 bln-$51.7 bln | Growth of 12%-14% |
| FY 2026 operating margin target | 31.5% | Was 29.5% in 2025 |
| 2026 ad revenue target | About $3 bln | Roughly double year over year |
Source: Netflix shareholder letter. Per-share numbers reflect the 10-for-1 stock split Netflix completed Nov. 14, 2025.
The next set date on the calendar isn’t next week but the week after. Netflix plans to release its Q2 numbers and guidance on July 16 at about 1:01 p.m. Pacific. After that, co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters, CFO Spence Neumann, and Spencer Wang, head of finance, investor relations and corporate development, will hold a live video interview.
Live sports will be the marker for ad revenue after earnings. Netflix said it will show a 2026 NFL Week 1 game in Australia, Thanksgiving Eve, two games on Christmas Day, a Week 18 matchup, plus NFL Honors. The NFL games will stream in over 200 countries. Netflix didn’t say ad goals are met, but the rights mean more fixed-date ad slots versus earlier streaming years.
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