Key Points
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Shares of Netflix are down 24% so far in 2026.
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By September 2027, Netflix could trade in the $70-$135 range, according to analyst forecasts.
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Netflix has revenue growth opportunities, such as sports and video podcasting, but it will take time to see a return on investment in those ventures.
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After Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) walked away from its attempt to acquire assets from Warner Bros. Discovery earlier in the year, the video streamer's stock price never quite found its footing. As of this writing, shares are down 24% thus far in 2026, and barring a broad market rally, Netflix would have a lot of ground to make up to finish the year in positive territory.
Looking a little further out, however, gets interesting, as there are some positive forecasts for where the stock could be trading by September 2027.
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The Netflix stock price outlook by this time next year
From the 54 analysts covering the stock, the lowest 12-month price target is $70, the median is $93.50, and the highest is $135, according to CNN. From a closing price of $71.14 on Sept. 25, the median one-year price target of $93.50 would represent a 31.4% gain, while the highest price target, $135, would be a gain of 89.7%. The lowest target, $70, however, would represent a 1.6% loss.
Over the next couple of years, I do like Netflix as a long-term investment, as it has plenty of interesting revenue-generating opportunities to capitalize on, from live events to video podcasting to gaming to its themed amusement complex, Netflix House. Live sports, in particular, could offer a promising dual benefit for driving new subscribers and generating ad revenue, as the NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams, streamed on Netflix on Sept. 10, averaged 18.5 million viewers and peaked at 21.3 million. In NFL history, it now ranks in the top three most-streamed Thursday prime-time games.
Still, as the saying goes, it takes money to make money. In 2024, for instance, Netflix paid $150 million for the right to stream two NFL games on Christmas. It's going to have to keep spending as it brings more sporting events into its fold. At the same time, its video podcasting concept remains new, and the company has yet to establish a meaningful monetization strategy for its gaming unit. The Netflix House concept is expanding to Las Vegas in 2027, but that will mark a total of just three open venues.
Why I'm still cautious
There's always a chance Netflix starts regaining its footing by increasing engagement among current subscribers while keeping content budgets in check and reporting better-than-expected ad revenue and subscriber growth, but that's a lot of boxes to check off. And if Netflix gets into a content-creation war with other streamers, it can only raise prices so much to cover the costs before subscribers push back.
It appears the next year will be challenging, as it's difficult to see anything in the immediate future that could reignite investor enthusiasm. That's why I see the stock as more likely to trade between $70 and $93.50 by this time next year, with $93.50 being on the more optimistic side, than to jump all the way to $135.
The current risk doesn't seem to outweigh the potential reward over the next year, so I'd be comfortable waiting for Netflix to show signs of progress before investing. In the meantime, there are plenty of other opportunities out there to consider.
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Jack Delaney has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.