JP Morgan has a simple way for Apple to becoming a content leader: It should buy Netflix. It seems simple enough, no? That’s what the bank’s analyst Samik Chatterjee published this morning in a new note, according to CNBC.
Chatterjee wrote, “We think Netflix is best strategic fit on leading position in engagement level as well as original content, differentiating itself from pure aggregators of content . . . We believe there is value to acquiring the most successful player in this space, which is hard to replicate with a smaller player in this market.”
One slight snag is that buying Netflix would cost Apple an insane amount of money. JP Morgan estimates it would probably take around $189 billion. While Apple does have more than enough cash in its coffers, such a purchase would certainly make a significant dent on the balance sheet.
An acquisition of this kind would certainly be big news. While it’s true that Apple stands to gain when it comes to its overall content creation strategy, Netflix’s future as the streaming leader is anything but guaranteed. Though the company’s releases continue to garner critical acclaim, it’s unclear how it will be able to keep the momentum as more video services enter the fray. Not to mention, Netflix recently hiked its rates, which made many consumers quite unhappy.
It’s important to emphasize that the JP Morgan note is pure speculation. Chatterjee hasn’t heard of any deals being discussed between the two companies. Still, the analyst believes this would be one way for Apple to continue to be a leader in the digital media space. Other potential acquisitions Chatterjee recommended were Activision Blizzard and Sonos.
You can read the full CNBC report here.
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