The more things change, the more they stay the same. Cynical, maybe, but this old saw has delivered plenty of truth over the years, and now, it’s making a comeback. This time, it’s in streaming services, and streaming stocks are—mostly–up on the notion of a streaming bundle, much like a cable bundle used to be. Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD) and Paramount (NASDAQ:PARA) gained somewhat, while Disney (NYSE:DIS) exploded upward, over 6% in the closing minutes of Thursday’s trading session. The only loser? Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX), down fractionally in the afternoon session.
The word came out of John Malone from Liberty Media, who, during an interview with CNBC, offered up some new possibilities for the concept of streaming. And, in what will likely prove surprising to very few, the man regarded as the “cable cowboy” advanced a notion much like cable: the bundle. In this case, though, the “streaming bundle.” Malone envisions a future in which streaming service providers, like Paramount and Warner or Disney and Netflix or any other combination therein, get together and offer their services in one bundle to consumers, and split the cash realized accordingly.
Indeed, there are signs that the industry is already taking this notion to heart. One report noted that Netflix and Warner are already getting together with Verizon (NYSE:VZ) to offer a discounted streaming bundle, allowing viewers access to the ad-supported versions of Max and Netflix for $10 a month. Given that both purchased separately would run $17 a month, that’s a pretty healthy savings. Verizon noted that bundling streaming services can mean big money, reducing churn between 60% and 70%. With customers all over still reeling from inflation pressures, offering a bargain right now might be the only real way to get ahead.
Which Streaming Stocks are a Good Buy Right Now?
Turning to Wall Street, WBD stock is the big winner in upside potential right now. With an average price target of $17.18, this Strong Buy-rated stock offers an 80.75% upside potential. Meanwhile, NFLX stock, a Moderate Buy, offers a 6.86% upside potential against its average price target of $464.97.
