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Netflix rides ‘Squid Game' surge but keeps revenue goals cautious

Netflix rides ‘Squid Game' surge but keeps revenue goals cautious

Canada News.Net5 days ago
LOS GATOS, California: A blockbuster quarter fueled by global hits like Squid Game has helped Netflix beat second-quarter earnings expectations and raise its revenue forecast for the year, though analysts say investor hopes were set even higher.
The company reported earnings per share of US$7.19, slightly ahead of the $7.08 estimate from analysts polled by LSEG. Revenue totaled $11.08 billion, just over forecasts of $11.07 billion. Net income came in at $3.1 billion, edging expectations of $3.06 billion.
Netflix also raised its full-year revenue guidance to between $44.8 billion and $45.2 billion, citing "healthy member growth," strong ad sales, and a weaker U.S. dollar. Previously, the company had forecast revenue of up to $44.5 billion.
The update followed the late-June release of the final season of Squid Game, the dystopian Korean series that became Netflix's most-watched non-English language title. The new season drew 122 million views in just days, helping boost Netflix's performance late in the quarter.
Still, the stock fell 1.8 percent in after-hours trading, with some analysts saying the company's updated guidance felt cautious. "The full-year outlook now feels quite conservative, which is problematic for a stock priced for perfection," said Investing.com's Thomas Monteiro. "At this stage, the company appears overly dependent on further price increases — at least through 2026 — to drive revenue."
The company's efforts to expand its advertising business continue, including through an ad-supported tier and recent forays into live programming like WWE wrestling. However, Netflix has said advertising will remain a secondary contributor to revenue growth in the near term.
Among the other shows released during the quarter were Sirens, The Four Seasons, and a third season of Ginny & Georgia. Netflix no longer reports quarterly subscriber numbers and has instead asked investors to focus on profit. It said member growth beat forecasts but came late in the quarter, limiting its impact on revenue.
Looking ahead, Netflix projected $11.5 billion in revenue and net income of nearly $3 billion for the next quarter — both slightly above Wall Street expectations.
Two major releases are on the horizon: a new season of Wednesday in August and the final episodes of Stranger Things in November and December. Both shows rank among Netflix's most valuable franchises globally.
In a post-earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Spencer Neumann was asked about the possibility of acquiring assets from other media firms. He reiterated Netflix's preference for organic growth: "We've historically been more builders than buyers, and we continue to see big runway for growth without fundamentally changing that playbook."
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Cleo Laine, singer, actress and British ‘national treasure,' dies at 97
Cleo Laine, singer, actress and British ‘national treasure,' dies at 97

Toronto Sun

time3 hours ago

  • Toronto Sun

Cleo Laine, singer, actress and British ‘national treasure,' dies at 97

Published Jul 25, 2025 • 7 minute read Cleo Laine performs at the Jazz Festival at Confederation Park in Ottawa is this file photo. Photo by file photo / Postmedia Network Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Cleo Laine, an English singer who moved easily among musical genres with a dazzling vocal range of almost five octaves and who nurtured a dual career as an actress, performing in musicals and dramatic roles during a career of more than six decades, died July 24. She was 97. Her death was announced in a statement from Monica Ferguson, the chief executive and artistic director of the Stables, a British arts centre founded by Laine and her husband, John Dankworth. Laine began performing in London jazz clubs in the early 1950s, working alongside Dankworth, a saxophonist. After they married, they formed Britain's royal couple of jazz, winning acclaim for performances that combined bebop with baroque music and the blues. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Nothing if not eclectic, Laine remains the only female singer to be nominated for Grammy Awards in the pop, classical and jazz categories, which she accomplished in successive years in the 1970s. She was the first – and still the only – British singer to receive a Grammy for best jazz vocal performance, when she won for her 1983 album 'Cleo at Carnegie: The 10th Anniversary Concert.' Her repertoire encompassed the saucy lyrics of British playwright and composer Noël Coward, the poetry of John Donne and T.S. Eliot, standards by Duke Ellington and George Gershwin, and even Shakespeare's sonnets, which were worked into jazz compositions by Dankworth. A concert by Laine was likely to have a 19th-century German art song by Robert Schumann followed by a tune by Stephen Sondheim or Fats Waller. Laine, who rarely appeared without Dankworth at her side as her musical director, made dozens of recordings, including albums with classical guitarist John Williams and flutist James Galway. She recorded songs from 'Porgy and Bess' with Ray Charles. Her parallel career as a theatre actress informed the dramatic flair she brought to her singing. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I'm a cabaret singer wherever I am,' she once told The Washington Post . 'I think it's a part of me that the words are very important, much more so than improvisation. I think that the drama of a song is a lot more important than oobly-shoobling all over the place.' In 1961, she had a song in the Top 5 on the British pop chart ('You'll Answer to Me'), appeared as a nightclub singer in the film 'The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone' and received glowing reviews for her performance at an Edinburgh arts festival when she filled in at the last minute for Lotte Lenya in 'The Seven Deadly Sins,' a theatrical piece with music and dance by Lenya's husband, Kurt Weill. The following year, Laine – who identified herself as Black and biracial – appeared in two plays on the London stage, including in Caryl Brahms and Ned Sherrin's 'Cindy-Ella, or I Gotta Shoe,' an all-Black musical based on the Cinderella story. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. She had dramatic roles in other British productions, including a modern adaptation of Euripides's 'The Trojan Women,' Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and the title role in a 1970 staging of Henrik Ibsen's 'Hedda Gabler.' Laine had a showstopping role in a long-running 1971-1972 London revival of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's 'Show Boat,' playing Julie, a mixed-race singer whose story ends in tragedy. Her songs, including 'Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man' and 'Bill,' invariably brought the audience to its feet. In 1972, after Laine made her New York debut at Alice Tully Hall, New York Times jazz critic John S. Wilson called her one of Britain's 'national treasures … with a remarkable voice that ranges from an exotically dark, breathy quality to high-note-topping exclamation.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Despite her undeniable vocal dexterity, other reviewers were unmoved by the commanding theatricality she brought to the concert stage. 'She has a frighteningly accurate ear and a teasingly infallible sense of rhythm,' Times music critic John Rockwell wrote in 1974 of Laine's performance at New York's Carnegie Hall. 'But for this listener, admiration stops a good deal short of real affection. Miss Laine strikes me as a calculating singer, one whose highly perfected artifice continually blocks communicative feeling. To me, she has all the personality of a carp. But then, obviously, I'm just a cold fish.' Nonetheless, Laine maintained a large and loyal following for both her singing and her theatrical work. Dankworth wrote a musical play for her, based on the life of the French writer Colette, that premiered in 1979 and later moved to London's West End. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In 1985, Laine developed the role of Princess Puffer in the original Broadway production of 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' (later called 'Drood'), based on an unfinished novel by Charles Dickens, and earned a Tony Award nomination for best actress in a musical. In 2000, she played a singer in 'The Last of the Blonde Bombshells,' a joint U.S.-British TV movie about a latter-day reunion of an all-female band from the Second World War, also starring Judi Dench, Olympia Dukakis and Ian Holm. 'Whatever I'm doing at the time is my favourite thing,' Laine told The Post . 'A lot of people would say I'm too eclectic, diversifying far too much, but I think that because of that I've worked longer and had a much more interesting life.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Clementina Dinah Campbell was born Oct. 28, 1927, in the Southall district of London. She had a Black Jamaican father and a White English mother who were not married to each other when their daughter was born. In a 1994 autobiography, Laine called her mother 'a bigamist' who had not obtained a divorce before marrying Laine's father. The family moved frequently, and her parents held a variety of jobs, including running a cafe and boardinghouse. Her father also worked in construction and 'would sing at the drop of a hat,' Laine told The Post . 'He was a busker, singing on street corners in the Depression,' she said. 'It was a matter of need, dire need, in those days. Being Black, it was difficult for him to get work, so he busked. I wasn't really aware of this until much later, when I realized that he used to bring a lot of pennies home and count them.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Young Clementina was strongly influenced by her father's interest in jazz and was encouraged by her mother to study music and acting. She left school at 14 and became an apprentice hairdresser, always hoping to break into show business. 'I would sit in the cinema,' she later told Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper, 'watching Lena Horne and Judy Garland and think: 'I want that for me.'' At 19, she married George Langridge, a roofer, and had a son. Five years later, in 1951, Laine had a tryout with Dankworth, then emerging as one of England's leading jazz musicians. 'I think she's got something, don't you?' he told his bandmates after the audition. 'Something?,' a trumpeter answered. 'I think she's got everything.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Her name at the time was Clementina – or Clem – Campbell Langridge. After some brainstorming, the band members decided to call her Cleo Laine. 'They decided my real name was too long and sounded like a cowboy,' she told the Chicago Sun-Times. Her sister raised her son while Laine devoted herself to her career. She impressed Dankworth and his band not just with her voice but with her ability to match them, glass for glass, in drinking ale during their tours of British nightclubs. By the mid-1950s, Laine was anointed Britain's top jazz singer by critics and music magazines. She divorced her first husband, from whom she had grown apart, and she married Dankworth in 1958. They had two children, who were raised by nannies and attended boarding schools while their parents were on tour. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. They lived about 50 miles from London in the village of Wavendon, where they established a theatre and an educational foundation. In the 'show must go on' tradition, Laine gave a performance at Wavendon on Feb. 6, 2010. Only at the end did she announce that Dankworth had died earlier that day. Dankworth was presented with a fellowship of the Royal Academy in 1973 and the following year appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He was knighted in 2006, the first British jazz musician to receive this honour. Survivors include a son from her first marriage, Stuart Langridge; two children from her second marriage, singer Jacqui Dankworth and jazz bassist and composer Alec Dankworth; and several grandchildren. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Laine wrote two volumes of memoirs and received the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1997. Her voice remained supple and precise well into her 80s. In 1983, she told The Post how she sought to connect with her listeners: 'I like to imagine when I'm singing that it's not thousands of people but one person, and a love affair can be created that way. I ignore my husband in the background: This is a love affair going on.' Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances. Hockey Sports Toronto & GTA Toronto & GTA Columnists

3 Momentum Anomaly Picks as Markets Hit Record High on the Trot
3 Momentum Anomaly Picks as Markets Hit Record High on the Trot

Globe and Mail

time4 hours ago

  • Globe and Mail

3 Momentum Anomaly Picks as Markets Hit Record High on the Trot

The broader U.S. equity markets scripted history by continuously hitting record highs over the past few days, buoyed by strong quarterly earnings performance from hitherto-reported firms across all sectors. In particular, solid earnings from blue-chip technology stocks that portrayed the growing clout of AI infrastructure spending induced positive investor sentiments. Moreover, renewed trade deals between the United States and its trading partners for a mutually beneficial tariff policy boosted the markets. Investors now await further clarity on the interest rate cuts with the Federal Reserve slated to meet next week. Amid the vagaries of the market, investors often seek to employ time-tested winning strategies to fetch sustained profits. One of the most successful game plans to beat the blues is to bet on momentum stocks, like Netflix, Inc. NFLX, Robinhood Markets, Inc. HOOD and Affirm Holdings, Inc. AFRM when value or growth investing fails to generate the desired profits. This approach primarily tends to follow the adage, 'the trend is your friend.' At its core, momentum investing is 'buying high and selling higher.' It is based on the idea that once a stock establishes a trend, it is more likely to continue in that direction because of the momentum that is already behind it. Momentum investing is a way to profit from the general human tendency to extrapolate current trends into the future. It is based on that gap in time before the mean reversion occurs, i.e., before prices become rational again. Momentum strategies have been known to be alpha-generative over a long period and across market stages. So, this strategy is quite tricky to implement, as detecting these trends is no child's play. Here, we have created a strategy to help investors get in on these fast movers and rake in handsome gains. Our screen will help you benefit from both long-term price momentum and a short-term pullback in price. 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It indicates when the timing is best to grab a stock and take advantage of its momentum with the highest probability of success. Stocks with a Momentum Score of A or B, when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 (Buy), handily outperform other stocks. Current Price greater than $5: The stocks must all be trading at a minimum of $5. Market Capitalization = Top #3000: We have chosen stocks that are among the top 3000 in terms of market value to ensure the stability of price. Average 20-Day Volume greater than 100,000: A substantial trading volume ensures that these stocks are easily tradable. Here are three stocks out of the five that made it through this screen: Los Gatos, CA-based Netflix is considered a pioneer in the streaming space. The company has evolved from a small DVD-rental provider to a dominant streaming service provider, courtesy of its wide-ranging content portfolio and a fortified international footprint. 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Notorious French singer faces new probe over ex-wife's death
Notorious French singer faces new probe over ex-wife's death

The Province

time4 hours ago

  • The Province

Notorious French singer faces new probe over ex-wife's death

Bertrand Cantat, former singer with 1980s rock band Noir Desir, was the subject of a three-part Netflix documentary Published Jul 25, 2025 • 2 minute read Bertrand Cantat, former singer with popular 1980s rock band Noir Desir ("Black Desire"). Photo by XAVIER LEOTY / AFP/File BORDEAUX — A notorious French singer who beat his girlfriend to death is to face a new legal investigation over the suicide of his ex-wife following a Netflix documentary about his violent behaviour, prosecutors said Thursday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Bertrand Cantat, former singer with popular 1980s rock band Noir Desir ('Black Desire'), was the subject of a widely watched three-part Netflix documentary that aired from March this year. He was sentenced to prison over the killing of actress Marie Trintignant in a Vilnius hotel room in 2003, but worked and performed after being released despite protests and calls for a boycott. Prosecutors in Cantat's hometown Bordeaux said in a statement Thursday they were looking into 'potential acts of intentional violence' against his ex-wife Krisztina Rady, who was found hanged at her home in 2010. Prosecutors will look into 'several claims and testimonies not included' in four previous investigations into the circumstances of Rady's death, all of which were closed without charges, the statement said. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In 'The Cantat Case' on Netflix, a nurse claims that Rady visited a hospital in Bordeaux 'following an altercation with her partner, a violent argument' which had resulted in a 'scalp detachment and bruises.' The nurse said he consulted her hospital file out of 'curiosity' in the archives of a hospital in the city where he was a temporary worker. Rady, a Hungarian-born former interpreter, had also left a terrorised message on her parents' answering machine before her death. In it, she referred to violence by Cantat, the documentary and a 2013 book written by two French journalists claimed. Bertrand Cantat's lawyer, Antonin Levy, said he was not aware of the reopening of an investigation into the case when contacted by AFP. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. After being released from jail in 2007, the Bordeaux singer worked on a new album and toured with the band Detroit. His case sparked fierce debate, with many fans prepared to pardon his criminal record and seeing him as someone who had served out his punishment behind bars — four years out of an eight-year sentence. Women's rights campaigners viewed him as a symbol of violent misogyny, even more so after the death of Rady in 2010. The release of his first solo album 'Amor Fati' in 2017 sparked more controversy in the midst of the #MeToo movement, which saw women around the world speak out more forcefully about domestic violence and sexual assault. It led to several of Cantat's concerts being cancelled and protests from feminist organisations. At a major concert at the Zenith venue in northeast Paris in 2018 attended by thousands of fans, Cantat targeted journalists saying 'I have nothing against you, you have something against me… I couldn't give less of a shit.' Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances. Vancouver Whitecaps Local News Vancouver Canucks Hockey Soccer

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