In the streaming wars, news breaks so fast it feels like you need a scorecard. Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) will lose Friends but will get Seinfeld. AT&T's (NYSE: T) WarnerMedia will have The Big Bang Theory on HBO Max. And remind me, again: What is Peacock?
The battle for subscribers' money -- and time (so many shows, so few hours) -- has never been so intense. Netflix has been the online video streaming leader for years, but now, blue-chip competitors have their own services or are about to launch them.
For investors, the competition demands attention, because some companies are willing to take a loss in the early streaming years. Their strategy: Spend big on content and offer low subscription rates that will attract subscribers. After a few years, when there's a large subscriber base, the business will be churning out cash (and loyal customers might be willing to pay higher prices).