Netflix ($NFLX) is the only streaming company included in the vaunted "FAANG" list of tech superpowers. That's because the company, by most measures, created the streaming space as we know it. That fact has made it not just incredibly valuable, but also popular.
The company will report earnings for Q1 2020 today, and analysts expect positive news after the service's popularity surged as millions of people were stuck at home looking for entertainment options (you've likely heard of Tiger King by now, easily the biggest lockdown-era TV sensation).
But will the self-quarantine boost translate to long-term gains for Netflix? Alternative numbers included here show a potential plateau for the service, as the number of streaming alternatives continues to multiply (HBO just announced its launch plans for HBO Max today, and Disney Plus continues to shore up an impressive catalog of programming).
The clip at which Netflix continues to release original programming is not just staggering — an average more than 1.5 news shows per day — but it also reflects the service's long-term strategy: attract new subscribers and keep the old ones. So far, it's worked, and even the likes of Disney and Apple have yet to dent Netflix's lead in the space with their respective programming libraries.
Facebook's 2.6-billion worldwide users continue to follow Netflix's presence on the social network, with a total of 65.3 million likes. Meanwhile, on any given day, Netflix is mentioned more than 600,000 times by users.
If anything represents Netflix's boost during the Coronavirus lockdown, it's the number of people following the brand on Twitter. After the release of Tiger King, Netflix's Twitter following went on a run, growing from 7.37 million to 7.64 million.
The only potential metric of concern here is a clear downturn in hiring activity for the company. As of April 20, Netflix listed 323 openings on its careers website. At the beginning of the year, that number was 441, and as you can see above, we're seeing the first sustained hiring contraction for the company. That said, reports are that company culture is highly collaborative and in-person, so it's likely that Netflix HR is simply waiting for a future in which employees are heading back into offices.
About the Data:
Thinknum tracks companies using the information they post online - jobs, social and web traffic, product sales and app ratings - and creates data sets that measure factors like hiring, revenue and foot traffic. Data sets may not be fully comprehensive (they only account for what is available on the web), but they can be used to gauge performance factors like staffing and sales.
Further Reading:
- Netflix and Quarantine: the streaming network added 50 more shows in past month
- Netflix is releasing an average of one show per day, and data shows this will accelerate in 2019
- Why did Netflix beat subscriber growth expectations? Original content. Full stop.