LOS GATOS, CA – Netflix added 5.59 million new streaming members in the fourth quarter of 2015, part of more than 17 million in 2015, which it says proves “how much the world is embracing Internet TV”.
The online streaming giant said late Tuesday that it now has 44.7 million U.S. streaming customers and 30 million internationally, after adding 4 million net additions outside of its home country in the quarter ended December 31. The company generated $1.67 billion in total streaming revenue for Q4, up from $1.31 billion year-over-year, and recorded 74.76 million total streaming subscribers at quarter end, which inched past 75 million “just a few hours after the quarter closed”.
Revenues for the period were $1.82 billion, up from $1.48 billion during the same quarter in 2014, while net income of $43.2 million fell from the $83.4 million reported for the same period a year earlier.
A note to shareholders that included the company’s financial results said Netflix plans to launch over 600 hours of original programming this year, up from about 450 hours in 2015, which includes approximately 30 original series, eight original feature films, 35 new seasons of original series for kids, a dozen documentaries, and nine stand-up comedy specials.
In addition to an emphasis on family-friendly shows, Netflix said it is boosting its non‐English language original productions, including a French political drama called Marseille, and shows from Italy, Japan, Mexico and Brazil.
“Increasingly, our goal is to own more of our original programming to allow for greater creative and business control and to ensure global access to content”, reads the note, signed by CEO Reed Hastings and CFO David Wells. “We are currently actively managing productions spanning the globe from Cambodia to Venice Beach.”
Netflix added that its subscribers streamed 42.5 billion hours of content in 2015, up from 29 billion hours in 2014.
“We recognize that in some parts of the world, mobile is the primary way many people access the Internet”, continues the note. “We are improving our mobile experience, including sign up, credentials & authentication, the user interface, and streaming efficiency for cellular networks.”
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