If You Invested $1,000 In Netflix Stock One Year Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have Now

Investors who have owned stocks in the last year have generally experienced some big gains. In fact, the SPDR S&P 500 SPY total return over the last 12 months is 55.9%. But there is no question some big-name stocks performed better than others along the way.

Netflix’s Run: One company that has been a solid investment in the last year has been streaming video leader Netflix, Inc. NFLX.

Netflix gained a clear first-mover advantage in the over-the-top streaming space. In the past two years, the company has demonstrated for the first time that it can fend off stiff competition from top-tier competitors, led by Walt Disney Co DIS.

Fortunately for Netflix investors, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was actually very good for Netflix’s business. While other companies were dealing with economic shutdowns, people around the world who were sheltering in place had little to do for entertainment other than stream movies and TV shows.

In fact, in 2019 Netflix reported $4.13 in EPS on $20.1 billion in revenue. In 2020, those numbers jumped to $6.08 in EPS on $25 billion in revenue.

At the beginning of 2020, Netflix shares were trading at around $326. By the beginning of March, the stock was up to $373, even after news of the coronavirus spreading in China prompted concerns about a U.S. pandemic.

Netflix bottomed at $290.25 during the pandemic-driven March sell-off. Fortunately for Netflix investors, the dip did not last long.

By April, Netflix shares were back at new all-time highs above $500 and the stock got as high as $575.37 in August prior to an extended consolidation period. Netflix has traded mostly sideways between around $460 and $575 ever since. Traders may be taking profits in the stock, which has been one of the top market performers of the past two decades. Or they may simply see 2020 pandemic comps setting Netflix up for some lackluster growth numbers in coming quarters.

Related Link: If You Invested $1,000 In Apple Stock One Year Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have Now

Netflix In 2021, Beyond: The stock eventually made it back up to new all-time highs in January 2021 when it jumped to $593.29 on the strength of a Q4 earnings beat. However, investors sold the dip, and the stock quickly dropped back down into its previous trading range.

In recent days, the stock was trading around $548.

Still, Netflix investors who bought one year ago and held on have generated a decent return on their investment. In fact, $1,000 in Netflix stock bought on April 7, 2020, would be worth about $1,443 today.

Looking ahead, analysts are expecting more upside for Netflix in the next 12 months. The average price target among the 37 analysts covering the stock is $650, suggesting 18.5% upside from current levels.