By Dhirendra Tripathi
Investing.com – Netflix stock (NASDAQ:NFLX) traded 2.5% higher in premarket Monday after Citi upgraded the stock to a ‘buy’ with a target of $450, 17% higher than its Friday close of $384.36.
According to reports, analyst Jason B Bazine cited attractive valuation for his optimism on the stock. Netflix shares have lost almost a quarter of their value since the company’s January 20 guidance that disappointed traders and other stakeholders.
The company is projecting it will add 2.5 million users by March, substantially lower than the 4 million it added in the first quarter of 2021. It closed December at nearly 222 million users.
Netflix faces increasing headwinds after nearly two years of scorching growth fueled by the pandemic. Competition in the form of Disney+ and Discovery (NASDAQ:DISCA) is increasing while competition for content is also driving costs higher.
Bazine said cash flow remains high at Netflix and “the prevailing equity value offers a compelling entry point”. Free cash flow in the fourth quarter doubled from a year ago to $569 million.
In other news, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings last week bought 51,440 shares of the company for around $20 million. Hastings now owns about 5.16 million shares through a Trust following the purchase. Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman of Pershing Square Capital has bought over 3.1 million Netflix shares.