AI-powered contentSome parts of this article are powered by AI.
Share this article
Summary
Netflix (NFLX) closed at $68.69 on October 20, 2026, down $1.16 (-1.66%), while the S&P 500 and the Dow rose.
The drop came before Netflix released third-quarter results after the close, with diluted EPS of $0.87 on revenue of $12.9 billion.
Netflix forecast fourth-quarter revenue of $13.4 billion, below the $13.51 billion analysts expected per Yahoo Finance, and lowered its 2026 ad revenue outlook to about $2.7 billion.
Gotrade News - Netflix (NFLX) closed at $68.69 on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, down $1.16 (-1.66%). In Netflix stock news, the decline came as investors awaited third-quarter results that Netflix released after the close; according to Yahoo Finance, the report beat profit estimates but the fourth-quarter revenue forecast fell short.
NFLX Trading Data
Data
Value
Closing price
$68.69
Change
-$1.16 (-1.66%)
Previous close
$69.85
Open
$69.84
Day range
$68.20 to $70.66
Volume
65.7 million shares
30-day average volume
35.5 million shares
52-week range
$65.08 to $124.86
Market cap
$286.0 billion
Regular-session close on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, 4:00 p.m. New York time. Stock prices: Yahoo Finance, cross-checked against the closing price on Nasdaq.com. Indices and the 10-year Treasury yield: Yahoo Finance daily closes for the same date.
Netflix opened at $69.84, traded between a low of $68.20 and a high of $70.66, and finished $0.49 above the day's low. Volume reached 65.7 million shares, +85.16% versus the average of 35.5 million shares.
The stock lagged the broader market. The Nasdaq Composite closed at 26,424.82 (-0.02%), the S&P 500 at 7,712.57 (+0.28%) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average at 52,495.88 (+1.02%), leaving Netflix -1.64 percentage points against the Nasdaq. Several megacap peers also ended lower: Meta Platforms (META) closed -1.59%, Alphabet (GOOGL) -1.13% and Apple (AAPL) -1.00%.
The stock remains near its 52-week low. At $68.69, the shares sit 44.99% below their 52-week high of $124.86 and 5.55% above their 52-week low of $65.08.
No source reviewed for this article tied the regular-session decline to a company-specific announcement, since Netflix published its results only after the 4:00 p.m. New York close. During the session, Yahoo Finance reported that investors were waiting on Netflix's third-quarter earnings alongside SpaceX's, and noted that Meta, Alphabet and Apple were trading lower, the same group Netflix fell with while the Dow and the S&P 500 gained.
The earnings report itself landed after the bell. According to Netflix's letter to shareholders dated October 20, 2026, third-quarter revenue grew 12% year over year to $12.9 billion, "consistent with our forecast," and diluted EPS rose to $0.87 from $0.59 a year earlier. Yahoo Finance reported that EPS topped the $0.82 analysts expected, while revenue was in line with estimates.
The outlook drew the attention. Netflix forecast fourth-quarter revenue of $13.4 billion, which Yahoo Finance said was below the $13.51 billion analysts expected, and now expects 2026 ad revenue of about $2.7 billion versus roughly $3 billion previously, which the company attributed to a "slightly slower than expected rollout of some ad product capabilities." As reported by Stocktwits, shares fell 5% in after-hours trading after the report, which it tied to the soft fourth-quarter revenue outlook and a fourth consecutive period of slowing sales growth.
NFLX Stock Analysis: Supporting Factors and Risks
Supporting Factors
Margins widened: the shareholder letter reports a third-quarter operating margin of 34.6%, up from 28.2% a year earlier.
Netflix bought back 63.9 million shares for $4.8 billion in the quarter, which it called its largest quarter ever of stock repurchases, with $22.3 billion of authorization remaining.
According to the company, member response to its 2026 price increases is consistent with prior price changes and its expectations.
Risks
Sales growth is slowing: Stocktwits said the fourth-quarter outlook sets up a fourth consecutive period of slower sales growth.
Advertising is running behind plan, with the 2026 ad revenue estimate lowered to about $2.7 billion from roughly $3 billion.
Engagement is under scrutiny, and the letter itself states: "We know there's some investor concern about our view hours growth."
This article is for education and information only and is not investment advice. Investment decisions are yours to make after your own research.
Gotrade is the trading name of Gotrade Securities Inc., which is registered with and supervised by the Labuan Financial Services Authority (LFSA). This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research (DYOR) before investing.
M. Alfathan Rahman is a content writer with over 3 years of experience developing digital content strategies across various industries, including fintech. He has experience producing content for tax-related websites and financial education platforms. His focus areas include data research, and crafting financial articles that are informative, accurate, and accessible to investors of all experience levels.
Hendrie Saputra holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Business Risk & Finance, along with professional experience in finance, marketing, and project management. He is experienced in analyzing market data and developing research-driven business strategies.
