New York, January 30, 2026, 17:40 ET — After-hours
- After-hours Friday, NFLX edged up roughly 0.4% to $83.49.
- An insider sale alert under Rule 144 flagged notable executive stock activity.
- Traders have set their sights on Feb. 3, the date scheduled for an antitrust hearing tied to the proposed merger.
Netflix (NFLX.O) shares ticked up 33 cents, or roughly 0.4%, to $83.49 in after-hours trading Friday. The move followed a filing revealing co-CEO Gregory K Peters intends to sell stock. The Jan. 29 Form 144 showed Peters plans to offload as many as 105,781 shares, valued near $8.77 million, via Merrill Lynch on Nasdaq. Form 144 serves as insider notification for planned sales, often linked to pre-set Rule 10b5-1 trading plans.
The stock move came as Wall Street shifted to a risk-off stance: the Nasdaq dropped 0.94%, while the S&P 500 fell 0.43%. This followed Donald Trump’s nomination of former Fed governor Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve, alongside inflation data that came in hotter than expected. “Markets are calibrating to Trump’s pick … and the outlook for monetary policy,” said Michael Hans, chief investment officer at Citizens Wealth. Reuters
In Washington, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee announced its antitrust subcommittee will hold a hearing on Feb. 3 to review Netflix’s planned merger with Warner Bros Discovery. Meanwhile, Paramount Skydance, another bidder for Warner, pushed back the deadline on its hostile tender offer to Feb. 20, the committee added.
In the UK, over a dozen current and former politicians have pressed the Competition and Markets Authority to launch a full investigation, according to a letter sent to CEO Sarah Cardell. They warned the deal “will cement an already dominant player” in streaming. The CMA said it couldn’t comment outside an official probe, while the companies involved have yet to respond, Reuters reported. Reuters
Earlier this month, Netflix shifted to an all-cash offer for Warner’s studio and streaming assets, valuing the deal at roughly $82.7 billion. This came after an initial proposal that combined cash and Netflix stock. Warner’s board has since endorsed the updated bid. Netflix plans a special investor meeting to vote on the deal by April. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the move provides shareholders “greater financial certainty.” Reuters
Peters’ notice revealed the shares set to be sold came from performance stock units that vested on Jan. 7. The Rule 10b5-1 plan was adopted on Oct. 30, 2025.
Traders are now zeroing in on the deal timeline—and any signs of delays or fixes—almost as closely as they watch Netflix’s usual metrics like content spending.
Netflix’s next move likely depends on how lawmakers and regulators view the deal’s impact on competition. If risk appetite drops—whether due to interest rates or political shifts—it could easily overshadow any company-specific developments.
The week ahead sees a flood of corporate earnings alongside the January U.S. jobs report. Roughly 25% of S&P 500 firms will release results, including Walt Disney and Amazon. Economists predict payrolls will climb by around 64,000, according to Reuters.
Netflix faces a key moment on Feb. 3 with the antitrust hearing, then Feb. 20 marks the final cut-off for the Paramount Skydance tender offer. Investors will also watch for news on Warner’s shareholder vote, anticipated by April.
