New York, January 31, 2026, 11:32 ET — The market has closed.
- Netflix shares ended Friday 0.4% higher, settling at $83.49.
- A filing revealed co-CEO Gregory K. Peters offloaded roughly $8.8 million worth of stock through a pre-established plan.
- Investors are tracking a Feb. 3 Senate antitrust hearing related to Netflix’s Warner acquisition.
Netflix co-CEO Gregory K. Peters offloaded 105,781 shares late Friday, pulling in roughly $8.8 million through a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, which lets insiders lock in sales ahead of time. Netflix stock wrapped up the day 0.4% higher at $83.49. (SEC)
The insider sale comes as the market weighs Netflix’s updated bid for Warner Bros. Discovery assets. Earlier this month, Netflix and Warner revised their deal to an all-cash offer, setting WBD’s value at $27.75 per share. Shareholders are expected to vote by April. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos called the change one that would “provide greater financial certainty.” Reuters reported the new offer prices the deal at roughly $82.7 billion. (Netflix)
Politics will weigh on the tape next week. On Feb. 3, a U.S. Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee plans to hold a hearing on the proposed merger. At the same time, Paramount Skydance, a rival bidder, pushed back the deadline for its hostile tender offer for WBD to Feb. 20, according to Reuters. (Reuters)
Friday’s gains were small but still outpaced the larger market. The S&P 500 dropped 0.43%, the Dow declined 0.36%, and Netflix slipped a bit in after-hours trading, according to Yahoo Finance. (MarketWatch)
Some investors expect the stock to remain flat until a significant catalyst emerges. “It could be dead money until we get a meaningful catalyst,” Melissa Otto at S&P Global told Fortune, highlighting the market’s attention on how a Warner deal might impact earnings growth and cash flow. (Fortune)
Netflix has been steering focus toward its guidance, sidestepping the buzz around the deal. In its Jan. 20 shareholder letter, the company projected 2026 revenue between $50.7 billion and $51.7 billion, expecting advertising revenue to nearly double compared to 2025. It also set a target operating margin of 31.5% for 2026, factoring in about $275 million in acquisition-related costs. (Netflix)
But there’s a catch. A lengthy antitrust review, rising borrowing costs for an all-cash deal, or a competing bid that pushes Netflix to up its offer could weigh on the shares and sharpen scrutiny on spending.
Traders will likely look first to any new deal headlines at Monday’s open, then turn their attention to Washington. The next key date is the Feb. 3 hearing, followed by the Feb. 20 tender deadline and the April vote target.
