ReedHastings

When "Mad Men" came back to AMC after a long break, the 1960s ad executives saw a 20% spike in ratings, and the reason why is as clear as a dry martini: Millions of viewers have streamed the first four seasons on Netflix.

Netflix wants to thank you for your loyalty. The beleaguered video rental giant is offering subscribers to its DVD plans an extra disc this month. No catch, no bait and switch: Just a straight good will gesture after a year of missteps.

If Netflix's poorly received rate hike and Qwikster fiasco didn't leave you questioning CEO Reed Hastings' ability to lead the video buffet operator, Monday night's quarterly report should do the trick. But it'll take more than strategic missteps and fumbled apologies to send the CEO packing.

There's never a dull moment on Wall Street, especially when new tablets and old banks are in the way. Let's go over some of the items that will help shape the week ahead once Monday rolls around.

Realizing that the consumer is usually right, Netflix is abandoning plans to separate its streaming business from its mail-order roots. Here's why Qwikster -- the site that would have served as the new home for customers receiving discs by mail -- was mercifully killed by the former tech darling this morning, sending shares higher.

On a split-adjusted basis, Apple went public at $2.75 a share 31 years ago; the stock closed at $378.25 yesterday. Investors lucky enough to hold for the entire period have enjoyed a 17% annualized return. Find a founder capable of delivering on a similar scale and you'll have a much easier time funding your retirement.

The three months since Netflix announced its price change have been fairly disastrous for the company, with the stock down 60% from its peak. But reports of Netflix's death are exaggerated: Vulture-like investors hoping to pick up shares at rock-bottom prices should hold out. Here's why.

It doesn't take long to go from hero to goat on Wall Street. Just ask Netflix. The video rental giant has gone from hitting all-time highs just two months ago to busting through new 52-week lows. To blame? A widely criticized price adjustment and its recent Qwikster launch.

In an open apology to Netflix customers, CEO Reed Hastings took the blame for the price hikes and service changes that generated such negative reactions. He also announced that Netflix was splitting its DVD-by-mail business off under a new name: Qwikster.

In a seemingly Scrooge-like move, Hollywood studios may soon restrict newly released DVDs to sales-only for several weeks before allowing them to be available for rental from places such as Netflix, Blockbuster or your local video store. Keen on reversing the trend of falling DVD sales and...