Netflix tops Q2 forecasts as revenue rises 13 per cent and viewing tops 97 billion hours

LONDON: Netflix has proved it is still the master of suspense, managing to keep its financial performance on an incredibly steady screen. The streaming titan delivered a set of second-quarter results that matched its internal projections, showcasing that even a summer packed with major sporting events could not disconnect its highly engaged audience.

For the three months ending 30 June 2026, Netflix recorded revenue of $12.56 billion, representing a robust 13.4 per cent year-on-year growth. On a foreign exchange neutral basis, revenue rose by 12 per cent. The company generated an operating income of $4.19 billion, resulting in an operating margin of 33.4 per cent, which is slightly ahead of the initial forecast due to the timing of various expenses. Net income came in at $3.40 billion, up from $3.13 billion in the prior-year quarter, while diluted earnings per share reached $0.80 compared to $0.72 in the second quarter of 2025.

The firm’s executive team was quick to praise the numbers. Netflix chief financial officer Spence Neumann stated: “Our financial performance remains solid and we’re on track to meet our objectives for the year”.

This positive financial picture was mirrored across different geographical areas. Double-digit revenue growth was recorded in all operating regions. The EMEA market surpassed the quarterly $4.0 billion mark for the first time, bringing in $4.03 billion (up 14 per cent year-on-year). The LATAM and APAC regions also made significant strides, with LATAM bringing in $1.58 billion (up 21 per cent) and APAC generating $1.51 billion (up 16 per cent). Meanwhile, in the UCAN region (US and Canada), revenue climbed 10 per cent to $5.43 billion, reflecting only a partial-quarter impact from recent price hikes.

The growth comes despite some heavy competition on traditional television screens. Total member viewing hours in the first half of 2026 surpassed 97 billion hours, a 2 per cent increase compared to the first half of 2025. This represents a slight acceleration from the 1.5 per cent growth recorded in 2025, achieving this milestone despite the massive distractions of the Winter Olympics and the World Cup. Non-English programming continues to be a major engine for international growth, accounting for over a third of all viewing.

Key content triumphs during the quarter included Harlan Coben’s thriller I Will Find You, which scored 87 million views to become the platform’s most-watched new original series debut of the year. In addition, the animated feature Swapped pulled in 137 million views, putting it on track to become Netflix’s second-most viewed original animated film of all time. Other notable hits included the action film Apex, starring Charlize Theron, which recorded 131 million views, and the romantic comedy Office Romance, starring Jennifer Lopez, which drew 63 million views.

Beyond traditional movies and series, the platform is aggressively expanding its format repertoire to keep subscribers hooked. The group has added video podcasts, such as Jay Shetty’s On Purpose and Allegedly, and announced upcoming audio projects with stars like Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson in collaboration with iHeartMedia. It is also licensing popular social media talent, with kids content creators Danny Go! and Salish & Jordan Matter both finding spots in the Global Top 10 lists.

To strengthen its presence in regional markets, Netflix launched an innovative partnership in France with local broadcaster TF1. French members can now access TF1’s linear and on-demand content through their Netflix subscription at no extra cost. On the gaming front, its app for children, Netflix Playground, has registered a threefold increase in daily players since launching in April.

Looking ahead, Netflix has slightly narrowed its full-year revenue outlook for 2026 to between $51.0 billion and $51.4 billion, which represents 13 per cent to 14 per cent growth. The business maintains its full-year operating margin guidance of 31.5 per cent, while expecting its annual advertising revenue to roughly double to approximately $3.0 billion.

On the capital side, Netflix generated $1.74 billion in net cash from operations and $1.53 billion in free cash flow during the quarter, the latter being impacted by cash tax payments related to the Warner Bros. termination fee. The company remains highly committed to returning capital to investors, executing $4.70 billion in share buybacks during the quarter, its largest quarterly repurchase programme to date.

With an upcoming third-quarter slate featuring films starring Kevin Hart, Greta Lee, Wagner Moura, and Robert DeNiro, alongside high-profile live sports events such as Major League Baseball games and the highly anticipated Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua boxing match, Netflix appears to have written a script that keeps both audiences and shareholders thoroughly entertained.