Did Netflix Overstate Potential Losses?

How do you lose $970,000 subscribers but make it sound like a win? Tell people ahead of time that you’re going to lose 2 million. This way 970,000 seems like less than half of the amount you were supposed to lose. It’s almost like when a total underdog team hangs on all the way into the fourth quarter against the number one team in the country or something. Everybody remembers a great game but it was still a loss.

Was this part of Netflix’s plan? Analysts were chomping at the bit to report that Netflix had lost 2 million, 4 million subscribers or more. It wouldn’t surprise me if some people already had gravestone pictures lined up. Here Lies Netflix it only has 200 million plus subscribers what a failure. Here Lies Netflix it produces more TV shows than any three or four networks combined in a year but only 20 of them are popular what a failure.

Netflix says it expects to bring in 1 million subscribers in the third quarter. Is Netflix Under reporting that number? Will they actually bring in 3 million? Is Netflix pulling a Rope A Dope?

Sorry analyst class. You’re going to have to hold off on your obits.

See the earnings letter here