"A cheaper subscription plan could be more attractive to new (subscribers) and it would also likely carry higher gross margins and potentially even higher gross profit (over time), given the extremely low cost of delivering streaming content," adds analyst Douglas Anmuth of Barclays Capital in a research note.
The rental company recently signed a multi-year deal to increase its NBCU streaming content, including all the seasons of "Eureka," "The Office," "Battlestar Galactica," and others. Additionally, Saturday Night Live episodes will be available the day after they air.
Hastings noted that 60 percent of Netflix's 15 million subscribers used the streaming service last quarter, on desktops, the iPad/iPhone, gaming consoles and a number of Blu-ray players and set-top boxes.