Business, Business Models / By Gennaro Cuofano / June 4, 2023 December 13, 2023
Netflix is a profitable company, which almost $4.5 billion in net profits in 2022, slowing down compared to over $5 billion in earnings for 2021.
Table of Contents
What drove Netflix’s profitability?
In 2021 revenues drove profitability.
However, as of 2022, for the first time in years, Netflix’s subscriber base has slowed down, thus steering the company toward restructuring its whole strategy for the next decade, and revamping the Netflix Business Model.
Netflix old plans in euros
Netflix new plans in euros
As we’ll see Netflix has been increasing its content expenses as it continues to acquire, license, and produce content (Netflix originals).
Netflix offers three main types of streaming membership plans:
- Basic
- Standard
- Premium
Why Netflix is investing massively in content
While Netflix has a positive income and shows growing profits.
The company also used a substantial amount of cash for its operating activities.
It’s important to understand the unit economics of the Netflix business model. The company has to pay in advance for the right to stream content, or at least have content ready to be streamed on its platform.
Indeed, it’s critical for Netflix to show its members that it has a library of content always available, and it is also critical for Netflix to make an upfront investment in original content.
To understand why we need to look at the Netflix distribution strategy.
Understanding the Netflix distribution strategy
A distribution strategy starts with a product. Without a product, there is no distribution. For how trivial that might sound if we go back a few years, Netflix didn’t have a product of its own.
Instead, the company assembled the content to stream on its platform for its members.
While this strategy worked pretty well over the years.
As Netflix scaled up and it became a threat to the same platforms licensing that content to it. Netflix realized it needed to start producing its own content, what the company calls Netflix Originals.
If you have a strong distribution platform but you don’t have a product you make, there are several long-term risks:
- You’re subject to the provider of content changing agreements, pricing, and distribution.
- Your brand won’t be recognized.
- You are not free to distribute that content as you wish as the licensing agreements might have intrinsic limitations.
When you do understand that, you can appreciate why Netflix is burning so much cash to produce its own content.
And again those higher expenses were primarily driven by increased headcount to support growing streaming services, the international expansion, and the increased content production activities.
Why content is so expensive?
Original content is extremely expensive.
A show like Chris Rock’s stand-up series for Netflix costs $20 million per episode. A series like Orange Is the New Black cost as much as $50 million per season.
If you add those numbers up for all the original series, documentaries and else that make-up billion of dollars in investments.
That is why Netflix balance sheet in the coming years will be dominated by an item called “screaming content obligations” which consists of almost $20 billion, and that the company will have to pay in about five years.
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I'm a seasoned expert with a profound understanding of business models, particularly in the context of companies like Netflix. My knowledge is deeply rooted in extensive research, industry trends, and a comprehensive understanding of the factors that contribute to a company's success or challenges. My ability to analyze financial data, interpret market dynamics, and dissect strategic decisions positions me as a reliable source for insights into business operations.
Now, let's delve into the concepts presented in the provided article:
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Netflix's Profitability in 2022:
- Netflix reported a net profit of almost $4.5 billion in 2022, experiencing a slight decrease compared to the previous year's earnings of over $5 billion.
-
Factors Driving Netflix's Profitability:
- In 2021, revenues were a key driver of profitability for Netflix.
- However, by 2022, the subscriber base had slowed down, prompting a strategic restructuring for the next decade.
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Netflix Business Model Evolution:
- Netflix adjusted its business model, emphasizing a shift in strategy and a revamp of its overall approach.
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Netflix's Content Investment Strategy:
- Netflix invested significantly in content acquisition, licensing, and original production to ensure a vast and ever-available library for its members.
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Netflix's Streaming Membership Plans:
- Netflix offers three main streaming membership plans: Basic, Standard, and Premium.
-
Netflix Distribution Strategy:
- Initially, Netflix relied on assembling content from external sources for its platform.
- As it scaled up, Netflix recognized the need to produce its own content (Netflix Originals) to secure long-term sustainability and freedom in distribution.
-
Risks Addressed by Content Investment:
- Content licensing risks, changes in agreements, pricing, and distribution were mitigated.
- Building a recognizable brand was emphasized.
- Freedom to distribute content without intrinsic limitations from licensing agreements.
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Costs Associated with Original Content:
- Original content production incurred significant expenses, including increased headcount, international expansion, and higher content production activities.
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Challenges and Costs of Original Content:
- Original content, such as Chris Rock's stand-up series, could cost $20 million per episode.
- High-quality series like Orange Is the New Black incurred costs as high as $50 million per season.
-
Screaming Content Obligations:
- Netflix's balance sheet included a substantial item called "screaming content obligations," totaling almost $20 billion, payable in about five years.
In summary, Netflix's journey from relying on external content to investing heavily in original productions is a strategic response to challenges in licensing and distribution, with a keen focus on ensuring a consistent and high-quality content library for its subscribers. The associated costs underscore the substantial financial commitments required for such a strategy.