YouTube has stepped up its push for living-room viewers with exclusive creator shows and a growing subscription business, intensifying competition with Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX).
Ahead of Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) third-quarter earnings report, crypto punters are also wagering on whether YouTube’s advertising revenue will top $12 billion.
YouTube’s Netflix Challenge Is Playing Out In the Living Room
During Alphabet’s second-quarter earnings call, Chief Business Officer Philipp Schindler said YouTube was investing in exclusive programming and expanding its appeal to advertisers targeting television audiences.
“We have a slate of new and returning creator shows that are coming exclusively to YouTube,” Schindler said.
The company is also seeing traction beyond advertising. “Beyond advertising, YouTube’s Subscription business, which thrives across living room screens, is growing faster than Ads, particularly driven by YouTube Music and Premium,” he said.
YouTube’s TV Viewing Share Nearly Doubles Netflix’s
A September 2026 Nielsen report showed YouTube accounted for a record 14.2% of U.S. TV viewing in July, nearly twice Netflix’s 7.8% share.
Alphabet’s second-quarter results also showed YouTube advertising revenue climbing 13% year over year to $11.06 billion, supported by direct-response and brand advertising.
At the time, CFO Anat Ashkenazi said the company saw “strong Ads growth related to the World Cup, particularly in YouTube Ads.”
Can YouTube Ads Cross $12 Billion in Q3
On Polygon (CRYPTO: POL)-based Polymarket, traders see a 19% chance that YouTube’s third-quarter advertising revenue will exceed $12 billion and a 20% chance that it will surpass $11.8 billion.
The odds rise to 28% for revenue topping $11.6 billion, 69% for $11.4 billion and 79% for $11.2 billion.
Alphabet Q3 Earnings Expectations
Alphabet is scheduled to report its third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 28.
Analysts expect Alphabet to report revenue of $128.18 billion, up from $102.35 billion a year earlier, and earnings per share of $3.02, up from $2.87 in the year-ago quarter.
The company has topped Wall Street’s revenue and EPS estimates for 14 consecutive quarters.
Price Action: Alphabet Class A shares closed up 1.19% at $320.58 on Tuesday, while Class C shares rose 0.84% to $316.83. In after-hours trading, Class A gained 0.93% to $323.56, while Class C advanced 0.70% to $319.05, according to Benzinga Pro.
According to Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings, GOOGL shows weak price trends in the short, medium and long term, but retains a moderate value score.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo Courtesy: Kaspars Grinvalds on Shutterstock.com
Recent Comments