Cheap Stocks Scarce, Netflix and Microsoft Stand Out
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 47 minutes ago
0mins
Source: Fool
- Netflix Stock Volatility: Despite Netflix's P/E ratio of about 28, slightly above the S&P 500's 27, its stock has fallen 41% over the past year, primarily due to skepticism regarding its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which has weakened investor confidence in its future growth.
- Revenue Growth Slowdown: Netflix reported a 16% year-over-year revenue increase to $12.3 billion in Q1, with an operating margin of 32.3%, but it forecasted a slowdown in revenue growth to 13.5%, raising market concerns despite its strong fundamentals.
- Microsoft Stock Decline: Microsoft’s stock has dropped about a third from its peak last October, yet it reported an 18% revenue increase to $82.9 billion in Q3, with adjusted EPS rising 18% to $4.27, indicating continued strength in its cloud and software businesses.
- Competitive Pressure: Despite facing competition from AI-native programs, Microsoft’s P/E ratio has fallen to 21, the lowest since before the pandemic, reflecting lower market expectations for its future growth, although its diversified business portfolio still provides a solid growth foundation.
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Analyst Views on NFLX
Wall Street analysts forecast NFLX stock price to rise
38 Analyst Rating
27 Buy
10 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 77.380
Low
92.00
Averages
114.18
High
150.00
Current: 77.380
Low
92.00
Averages
114.18
High
150.00
About NFLX
Netflix, Inc. is a provider of entertainment services. The Company acquires, licenses and produces content, including original programming. It provides paid memberships in over 190 countries offering television (TV) series, films and games across a variety of genres and languages. It allows members to play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time. The Company offers members the ability to receive streaming content through a host of Internet-connected devices, including TVs, digital video players, TV set-top boxes and mobile devices. It is engaged in scaling its streaming service, such as introducing games and advertising on its service, as well as offering live programming. It is developing technology and utilizing third-party cloud computing, technology and other services. The Company is also engaged in scaling its own studio operations to produce original content.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Netflix Stock Volatility: Despite Netflix's P/E ratio of about 28, slightly above the S&P 500's 27, its stock has fallen 41% over the past year, primarily due to skepticism regarding its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which has weakened investor confidence in its future growth.
- Revenue Growth Slowdown: Netflix reported a 16% year-over-year revenue increase to $12.3 billion in Q1, with an operating margin of 32.3%, but it forecasted a slowdown in revenue growth to 13.5%, raising market concerns despite its strong fundamentals.
- Microsoft Stock Decline: Microsoft’s stock has dropped about a third from its peak last October, yet it reported an 18% revenue increase to $82.9 billion in Q3, with adjusted EPS rising 18% to $4.27, indicating continued strength in its cloud and software businesses.
- Competitive Pressure: Despite facing competition from AI-native programs, Microsoft’s P/E ratio has fallen to 21, the lowest since before the pandemic, reflecting lower market expectations for its future growth, although its diversified business portfolio still provides a solid growth foundation.
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- Netflix Stock Decline: Netflix shares have fallen over 41% in the past year, currently trading at a P/E ratio of about 28, despite a 16% revenue increase to $12.3 billion in Q1 and an operating margin of 32.3%; however, investor concerns over slowing future revenue growth have led to a sell-off, pushing the stock to an 18-month low.
- Microsoft Valuation Drop: Microsoft’s stock has decreased by approximately one-third from its peak last October, with a current P/E ratio of 21, the lowest since before the pandemic, even as its Q3 revenue rose 18% to $82.9 billion and core software and cloud businesses continue to grow, investor confidence remains shaken by fears of AI competition.
- Overall Market Valuation High: The S&P 500 is trading at a P/E ratio of 27, while the Nasdaq-100 is even higher at 34, indicating that overall market valuations are at historical highs, making it challenging for investors to find cheap stocks.
- Investment Opportunity Analysis: Despite the challenges faced by Netflix and Microsoft, analysts believe there are still attractive investment opportunities in the current market environment, particularly against the backdrop of an AI bull market, suggesting investors should focus on the long-term growth potential of these companies.
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- High Market Valuations: After four years of an AI bull market, the S&P 500 now trades at a P/E ratio of 27, with the CAPE ratio indicating valuations near historical highs, second only to the dot-com bubble, suggesting increased market risk and the need for cautious stock selection by investors.
- Volatile Performance for Netflix: Despite Netflix achieving a 16% revenue growth to $12.3 billion in Q1, its stock has fallen 41% over the past year due to cautious forecasts about future growth, reflecting investor concerns over its failed bid for Warner Bros. Discovery and uncertainty about its profitability.
- Growth Potential for Microsoft: Microsoft reported an 18% revenue increase to $82.9 billion in Q3, and despite AI competition pressures, its Azure cloud business and core software products continue to grow, with a P/E ratio now at 21, indicating its stock may be an attractive investment opportunity.
- Cautious Investor Sentiment: While both Netflix and Microsoft show strong performance in their respective sectors, market concerns about future growth have led to stock volatility, particularly with Netflix's guidance falling short of expectations, prompting investors to focus on long-term fundamentals for informed investment decisions.
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- Acquisition Decision Impact: Netflix's decision to walk away from a nearly $83 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery reflects its cautious management of shareholder capital, resulting in a 5.83% drop in stock price amid investor concerns.
- Intensifying Competition: Fox's aggressive $22 billion bid for Roku raises market fears of a formidable new competitor, particularly in the rapidly growing ad-supported market, challenging Netflix's market position.
- Financial Resilience: Despite the competitive landscape, Netflix maintains a robust financial profile with a 49.44% gross margin and strong free cash flow, allowing for $20 billion in content investment while executing stock buybacks to enhance shareholder returns.
- Investment Opportunity: Analysts suggest that patient investors consider buying Netflix shares at a discount as the stock trades near 52-week lows, believing that its leadership in streaming and content production capabilities will yield long-term returns for investors.
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- Carnival Earnings Preview: Carnival Cruise Line is set to report quarterly results on Monday, with shares up 25% over the past three months, although down 11% from February highs, indicating market concerns about its recovery potential.
- FedEx Earnings Outlook: FedEx will release its earnings after the bell, with a nearly 14% rise in stock price over the last three months, yet down 5% from last week's peak, reflecting cautious market sentiment regarding its profitability.
- Amazon Prime Day Survey: Amazon's Prime Day event runs from Tuesday to Friday, with a recent survey indicating that 27% of Americans plan to participate, down from 34% last year, suggesting a decline in consumer enthusiasm, with shares down 16% from May highs.
- Communication Services Sector Decline: The S&P Communication Services sector fell nearly 4% on Monday, with Netflix shares plummeting almost 6%, down 45% from last June's peak, highlighting significant challenges facing the industry.
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- Tech Stock Decline: Alphabet's stock fell over 5% following the announcement of Google DeepMind VP Jumper's departure, leading to a broader decline in major tech stocks, which may heighten investor uncertainty regarding the tech sector's future performance.
- Oil Price Volatility: Oil prices initially surged over 2% after Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, but later retreated due to reported progress in peace talks with the US, highlighting the direct impact of geopolitical tensions on market dynamics and prompting investors to reassess energy sector risks.
- Market Expectation Shift: The market is currently pricing in a 39% chance of a 25 basis point rate hike at the upcoming FOMC meeting, reflecting a cautious investor sentiment towards future monetary policy, which could influence market liquidity and investment strategies.
- Overseas Market Performance: European and Asian stock markets closed higher, with the Euro Stoxx 50 and Japan's Nikkei 225 rising by 0.29% and 1.55% respectively, indicating a divergence in global market trends that may provide some support for the US market.
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