Netflix shares NFLX rose about 4.3% on Monday after Evercore ISI increased its price target on the streaming company to $110 from $100 and reiterated its Outperform rating.
The new target implies roughly 42% upside from Netflix’s previous closing price.
The brokerage cited improving subscriber trends in the United States and Japan, as well as growth opportunities from live events, short-form content and advertising.
Netflix penetration reaches multi-year high in US
Evercore analyst Kutgun Maral said Netflix’s penetration rate reached a multi-year high of 63% in the US.
In Japan, penetration rose to a record 22%, according to the brokerage’s surveys.
Churn intentions also improved in both markets, although customer satisfaction remained a concern in the US.
The findings came from Evercore ISI’s 58th quarterly US subscriber survey and its semi-annual survey in Japan.
The brokerage said the results strengthened its view that Netflix retains strong subscriber engagement and pricing power.
Netflix stock climbed 4.32% in morning trading to $80.74.
The valuation framework was extended to 2028, using 25 times the firm’s 2028 earnings-per-share estimate.
Citi also maintained a Buy rating and a $100 price target in a recent note.
Live events and short-form content offer growth opportunities
Evercore identified live programming as a potential driver of subscriber growth and engagement.
In Japan, 45% of newly surveyed subscribers said they joined Netflix as part of the company’s World Baseball Classic promotion.
The survey also showed that the percentage of users who had watched live events increased to 60% in September from 42% in March.
The brokerage also highlighted Netflix Clips, the company’s short-form video feed.
Around 46% of Japanese respondents and 38% of US respondents said they had scrolled through the feature.
Evercore said live events and short-form videos could support engagement and retention.
The company’s advertising-supported tier was also attracting new and returning subscribers.
Netflix’s margins and buybacks support earnings growth
Netflix’s broader strategy remains focused on growing revenue and operating profit while managing content costs.
Management is targeting an operating margin of 31.5% this year, up from 29.5% last year and 26.5% two years ago.
Content costs increased 11.5% in the first half of 2026, while total viewing hours rose 2% year over year.
The company has also expanded its live programming and added lower-cost content, including video podcasts.
The advertising business is expected to generate approximately $3 billion this year.
A Motley Fool report said advertising could provide further growth through increased ad-supported viewing, new products and improvements to Netflix’s advertising technology.
Netflix also repurchased a record $4.7 billion of its shares in the second quarter. Its board had authorised an additional $25 billion in buybacks, with $27.1 billion remaining under existing authorisations at the end of June.
Evercore described Netflix as a sustainable 20% earnings-per-share growth company, although it expects the company’s catalyst path to become more visible in 2027 rather than 2026.
The post Netflix stock rises as Evercore raises price target to $110 appeared first on Invezz
