NETFLIX plans to cut its spending by US$300 million this year, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday (May 12), citing people familiar with the matter.

Company leaders urged staffers to be judicious with their spending, including in relation to hiring, but said there would be no hiring freeze or additional layoffs, according to the report.

Netflix declined to comment. Shares of the company were down nearly 2 per cent in early trading.

Last month, Netflix beat estimates for first quarter but offered a lighter-than-expected forecast, demonstrating the challenges it faces in pursuit of growth.

The company said it shifted a wider launch of a plan to crack down on unsanctioned password sharing into the second quarter to make improvements.

As the streaming video pioneer faces signs of market saturation, it is exploring new ways to make money, such as password crackdown and a new ad-supported service.

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Netflix in June also laid off 300 employees, or about 4 per cent of its workforce, in the second round of job cuts aimed at lowering costs. REUTERS