Netflix just released its earnings report for Q4, exceeding Wall Street expectations on earnings per share at 10 cents. Revenue was $1.82 billion, up from $1.48 billion in Q4 2014.
Netflix says that on January 1, just after the quarter closed, it crossed the 75 million member mark. For 2015, it had 17 million net additions for the year. The company says it expects to grow by over 6 million members in Q1 given its recent expansion.
Here’s a look at the numbers:
In a letter to shareholders, CEO Reed Hastings and CFO David Wells wrote:
In Q4 ‘15, we launched an unprecedented number of original series and films, while maintaining a high bar on quality. We unveiled five new original series in Q4, including Marvel’s Jessica Jones and Master of None, starring Aziz Ansari. Both combined with Narcos, Sense8, Marvel’s Daredevil and Bloodline to claim six of the Top 10 new TV shows of 2015 according to IMDB. In late December, we debuted a ten‐part documentary series Making a Murderer, which has enthralled audiences and critics alike and triggered a national conversation on fairness of the American criminal justice system.
Our first original feature films also premiered in Q4. Beasts of No Nation, a gripping journey into the world of African child soldiers from writer and director Cary Fukunaga and starring Idris Elba, was a favorite of critics and has picked up several major awards nominations. Adam Sandler’s first Netflix original film The Ridiculous Six, which debuted globally on December 11, was the most viewed movie on Netflix in every territory the week of its debut and the most‐viewed movie ever on Netflix in the first 30 days on service. Two of our original documentaries, What Happened, Miss Simone? and Winter on Fire, are both nominated for Academy Awards, our third and fourth nominations in three years for best documentary feature.
The company’s DVD business still has over 4.9 million members, and generated $80 million in contribution profit in Q4. The executives say they are pleased with how the DVD business is managing its decline in the face of increasing postal costs.
Images via Netflix