Netflix Down On Dire Analyst Warning

NFLX calls have been quite popular lately

The shares of Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) are down 2.2% to trade at $280.20 this morning, after some cautionary words from Evercore ISI. Based on recent data checks,, which include a slowdown in app download growth in September, the brokerage firm warned that third-quarter international subscriber growth could be lower than expected for the second straight quarter. Netflix will report earnings after the close on Wednesday, Oct. 16.

Netflix stock has now dropped 27% since its mid-July peak above $384. An earnings-induced bear gap shortly after those highs triggered the pivot, and the stock has carved out a channel of lower highs and lows since then. For the past month, the shares have consolidated below the $300 level, with the overhead 20-day moving average providing additional resistance.

Meanwhile, in the options pits, the focus has been centered around calls. The FAANG stock sports a top-heavy 10-day call/put volume of 1.43 on the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX).

Echoing this, the security's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) sits at 0.80, which ranks in the bottom 4th percentile -- underscoring a very unusual call-skew among short-term speculators. Digging deeper, several options buyers have targeted the October 330 call over the past two weeks, perhaps betting on a big post-earnings rally from NFLX next month.