Fresh off a gangbusters earnings report, Netflix is asking investors to bet on it again: The streaming video company is raising money that it may use to invest in its own TV shows. Netflix says it intends to raise $400 million in debt, and will use $225 million of that money to refinance some of its existing notes. The company says it will use the remainder for “general corporate purposes, including capital expenditures, investments, working capital and potential acquisitions and strategic transactions.” But in his quarterly shareholders’ letter last week, Reed Hastings was more concise about what he planned to do with the money: It would be used for “additional reserves as well as increased flexibility to fund future originals.” Netflix already has a slate of five original series announced, including “House of Cards,” the $100 million Kevin Spacey production that premieres on Friday.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.