Netflix (NFLX +0.63%) is an on-demand subscription streaming service that's become a household name The company launched its streaming platform in 2007, but its origins go back to 1997 as a DVD-by-mail movie rental service.
The company is one of the most popular global and U.S. streaming services. In its 2024 annual report, Netflix announced it had more than 300 million paid members worldwide, a 16% increase from the prior year. The company also generated revenue of $11.5 billion in the third quarter of 2025, up 17.2% from the prior-year period, with net income of nearly $2.6 billion.
NASDAQ: NFLX
Key Data Points
As a publicly traded company, anyone can become a part owner of Netflix and share in the streaming giant's growth story. Here's what you need to know about who owns Netflix, its board of directors, and how to become a shareholder and invest in Netflix.
Shareholder
Who owns Netflix?
Netflix completed its initial public offering (IPO) on May 23, 2002, at a price of $15 per share. Thousands of individuals and institutional investors own Netflix stock, but institutional investors hold about 85.8% of Netflix stock as of late 2025.
Who are the largest shareholders?
The majority of Netflix shares are held by a group of well-known institutions. However, individual investors also retain a notable slice of the business. Here are the top five individuals and institutions that control shares of Netflix as of the company's most recent proxy statement in mid 2025.
Individuals
- Reed Hastings: Owns 4.2 million shares. He co-founded and has served as executive chairman of Netflix since 2023 after 25 years as CEO.
- Ted Sarandos: Owns 557,282 shares. Sarandos has served as co-CEO of Netflix since July 2020.
- Jay C. Hoag: Owns 380,232 shares. Hoag has served as one of Netflix's directors since 1999.
- Greg Peters: Owns 274,038 shares. Peters has served as co-CEO of Netflix with Sarandos since January 2023.
- Spencer Neuman: Owns 193,550 shares. He has been Netflix's chief financial officer since 2019.
Institutional investors
- Vanguard Group: A top global investment advisor, Vanguard Group owns 38.5 million shares of Netflix, representing a stake of 9.1%.
- BlackRock (BLK -0.34%): The investment company is the world's largest asset manager. It owns nearly 34 million shares of Netflix, representing an equity stake of 8% of outstanding shares.
- FMR, LLC: Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC is part of Fidelity Investments. The company owns 22.1 million shares of Netflix, representing a 5.2% stake.
- State Street Corporation (STT -0.08%): The company is a global financial services and bank holding giant. It owns approximately 17.4 million shares of Netflix, representing an equity stake of roughly 4.1% of outstanding shares.
- T. Rowe Price Group (TROW +0.21%): The global investment firm was founded in 1937 and is based in Baltimore, Maryland. It owns approximately 11.2 million shares of Netflix, an equity stake of 2.6%.
Who is on the board of directors for Netflix?
Netflix's board of directors helps manage the company on behalf of its stakeholders and shareholders. Its made up of 13 members.
Board of Directors
NAME | ROLE | TENURE |
|---|---|---|
Richard Barton | Independent Director | Since 2002 |
Mathias Döpfner | Independent Director | Since 2018 |
Reed Hastings | Chairman | Since 1997 |
Jay Hoag | Lead Independent Director | Since 1999 |
Leslie Kilgore | Independent Director | Since 2012 |
Strive Masiyiwa | Independent Director | Since 2020 |
Ann Mather | Independent Director | Since 2010 |
Ellie Mertz | Independent Director | Since 2025 |
Greg Peters | Director | Since 2023 |
Ambassador Susan Rice | Independent Director | Since 2023 |
Ted Sarandos | Director | Since 2020 |
Brad Smith | Independent Director | Since 2015 |
Anne Sweeney | Independent Director | Since 2015 |
How to invest in Netflix
Because Netflix is a publicly traded company, anyone with a brokerage account can invest in the stock by following these steps.
- Open your brokerage account: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
- Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
- Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
- Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
- Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
- Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.
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