Netflix Ready to Tame Wall Street Skeptics

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- It used to be that when Netflix (NFLX) missed out on a major content deal the company's shares would tank as flighty investors questioned whether the upstart streaming video service could maintain its value to subscribers.

On Monday, Netflix lost out to Universal on a content deal with HBO. However, unlike when the streaming subscription video service didn't extend exclusivity deals with Starz and Epix, the shares didn't tank.

In fact, Netflix posted strong gains on Monday that put the company's shares near $100, or its highest levels since early 2012, when content costs and subscriber growth reemerged as a question mark for investors.

So what gives?

Investors may be wising up to how Netflix is going to profitably offer streaming content that can compete with far more expensive cable and satellite subscriptions. Meanwhile, after activists like Carl Icahn have bought up Netflix shares, the company may be entering a new phase of discretion when it comes to paying for streaming video content.

Notably, after signing an exclusive content agreement with Disney (DIS) for its popular Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars movies for an undisclosed price, Netflix may not feel it needs to chase every new deal out there, as subscribers await a dramatic expansion of the movies offered on its steaming service.

While Netflix lost out to Universal on the rights to HBO content, it was able to quietly improve the streaming portfolio offered to subscribers by way of a less hyped exclusive deal with Time Warner's (TWX) for previous seasons of serialized dramas produced by Warner Brothers Television.

"Netflix continues to bring viewers the best content portfolio, and today's announcement only serves to reinforce that," wrote Morgan Stanley analyst Scott Devitt, in a Monday note to clients that reiterated the firm's 'overweight' rating.

"With the addition of eight well-known / highly-anticipated serialized dramas on their way to Netflix users' TVs, the company has better positioned itself relative to both Amazon Prime Instant Video and Hulu," notes Devitt. "Additionally, the Warner Bros. serialized TV content may bring new subscribers and reduce churn among existing customers, especially given its exclusivity," the analyst concludes.

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