Check out the companies making headlines before the bell. Netflix — The streaming giant’s stock fell 6.8% after Netflix reported a narrowly better profit for the quarter ended Dec. 31, with earnings of 56 cents per share. Analysts surveyed by LSEG, on the other hand, had expected earnings of 55 cents per share. The company’s revenue was $12.05 billion, beating the consensus estimate of $11.97 billion. Netflix announced it had 325 million paid subscribers worldwide by the end of this quarter, another milestone. United Airlines — The company said it expects record profits in 2026 due to strong travel demand in recent weeks, sending shares up 3%. United Airlines expects adjusted earnings per share of $12 to $14 this year, in line with analyst estimates of $13.16 per share. The company also expects earnings of $1 to $1.50 per share, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.13 per share. Progress Software — The business software company’s stock rose more than 7%. Progress Software issued rosy guidance for the first quarter, calling for earnings per share of $1.56 to $1.62 and revenue of $244 million to $250 million. Analyst estimates compiled by FactSet called for earnings of $1.41 per share and revenue of $243.6 million. Kraft Heinz — The food and beverage maker’s stock fell 5% after Berkshire Hathaway registered its entire 27.5% ownership interest in the company for a possible sale. Johnson & Johnson — Shares fell about 0.8% even as the pharmaceutical giant reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and better-than-expected financial forecasts for 2026. The company forecast operating sales of $99.5 billion to $100.5 billion this year, beating the LSEG consensus of $98.9 billion. J&J also forecast full-year earnings of $11.43 to $11.63 per share in 2026, beating analysts’ expectations of $11.45 per share. —CNBC’s Pia Singh contributed reporting.
