Netflix users slow on no blockbuster

For now, Netflix investors can have rapid subscriber growth or a big jump in profit — not both.

The streaming-video giant reported first-quarter user gains that fell short of estimates because there was not a House of Cards-style hit to draw new viewers and retain others. On the other hand, the lack of big-budget productions boosted net income. Next quarter, with the return of House of Cards and three major movies on the release schedule, profit will miss estimates while customer gains will improve, Netflix said this week.

The dilemma whipsawed Netflix investors yesterday. The shares rose less than 1% to $147.71 in New York before the official market open, but fell by over 1.2% later. They had gained 15% since the start of the year.