CNBC Guest alleges: NFLX Cooking the Books

Discussion in 'Stocks' started by Rearden Metal, Feb 11, 2011.

  1. Neither are good. Your limited to $150 + debit on yours, while mine earns to $136 on shares. Delta position is the exposure on mine, but a gap under $200 on shares would be a problem. You would still see a nice return at $200 now on a 1000-1500bps jump in vol.

    I wouldn't trade either. A bear long calendar is ok, but would invert delta on accounting concerns. So you're left with a long backspread, bear vertical or bear risk-reversal (probably the best-bet here). I have no position in NFLX and don't plan on playing NFLX unless it continues to rally.
     
    #21     Feb 13, 2011
  2. Fraud is a strong word and I doubt it's applicable here; however, the company may be taking aggressive postures that increase reported earnings at the expense of cash flow, all within the GAAP guidelines. I don't know, since I haven't seen the balance sheet and statement of cash flows.
     
    #22     Feb 13, 2011
  3. LEAPup

    LEAPup

    I would re-think that one if I were you.
     
    #23     Feb 13, 2011
  4. the1

    the1

    At exactly what level do these people work? CFO? Controller? CEO? Senior Internal Accounting Auditer? Please tell me they are executive level because if not they haven't a clue.

    NFLX is using the same kind of tricks that AOL used in the dot-com bubble. In a couple years this stock will be doing reverse splits to save its name. If only Blockbuster can hang on that long....

     
    #24     Feb 13, 2011
  5. the1

    the1

    Enron's financial statements looked fairly good too. If you ever get the chance, watch the documentary on CNBC the next time it air. It's very interesting. There was on very bright analyst who asked Shilling a question about some number on the financial statements that just didn't seem right (can't recall what it was) and Shilling's response was to call him an "asshole." LOL

     
    #25     Feb 13, 2011
  6. Dacamic

    Dacamic Guest

    I inherited Enron stock in the late 1990's, and thus regularly received their financial statements. The "red flags" in those statements were not in the financial statements themselves, rather it was in the related Notes to Financials Statements. It was obvious they had made a simple business very complicated through derivatives and unconsolidated equity affiliates. Also, as a long-time employee in power-related industries, I knew their energy trading model was unsustainable because the margins were very thin and the underlying risk very high. Based on those fundamental concerns, I sold the stock at $40 (on it's way up to $80 before it dropped into oblivion).

    I'm not sufficiently familiar with Netflix to comment on the soundness of their business model. Nonetheless, their business and financial statements are relatively straightforward. In a company of this nature, the most likely accounts to be significantly affected by shenanigans would be revenue-related (mostly simply by adjusting Deferred Revenue). This is the sorta smoke that would make me start thinking about a fire.
     
    #26     Feb 13, 2011
  7. No, Shilling was asked why they couldn't publish their balance sheet in their quarterlies... that was the question that prompted the "asshole" comment.
     
    #27     Feb 13, 2011
  8. yeah i plugged all of them into the graph, cant find the right combo to play with. maybe after pe goes to 100.
     
    #28     Feb 13, 2011
  9. kayakfly

    kayakfly

    Classic talking of the book. netflix is fine, don't buy the hype.
     
    #29     Feb 14, 2011
  10. If the banks can report Enron style accounting why not everyone, lets just make something up.

    Yes we have been down this road many times in the past decade, yet few if any are punished.
     
    #30     Feb 14, 2011