Netflix Posts $5.28B Net Income in Q1 2026, Up 83% Year-Over-Year

Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), a global streaming entertainment service, reported net income of $5.28 billion for the three months ending March 31, 2026, up 83% from $2.89 billion in the year-earlier quarter. Diluted earnings per share rose to $1.23 from $0.66. Read more earnings reports.

Total revenue for the quarter reached $12.25 billion, an increase of 16% from $10.54 billion in the first quarter of 2025. Operating income climbed 18% to $3.96 billion from $3.35 billion in the prior-year period.

The company's cost of revenue increased to $5.89 billion from $5.26 billion year-over-year. Research and development expenses rose to $959.7 million from $822.8 million in the same quarter last year.

Cash generated from operations totaled $5.29 billion for the three months ending March 31, 2026, compared to $2.79 billion in the first quarter of 2025. The company used $781.9 million in investing activities and $1.23 billion in financing activities during the quarter.

Netflix's cash and cash equivalents stood at $12.26 billion as of March 31, 2026, up from $9.03 billion at the end of December 2025. Total assets grew to $61.02 billion from $55.60 billion over the same period.

Total stockholders' equity increased to $31.13 billion as of March 31, 2026, from $26.62 billion at year-end 2025. Long-term debt declined slightly to $13.36 billion from $13.46 billion at the end of December.

The company had 4.21 billion common shares outstanding as of March 31, 2026, down from 4.22 billion at the end of the prior quarter. Income tax expense for the quarter was $1.26 billion, compared to $323.4 million in the first quarter of 2025.