Icahn said in an interview Monday that he informed the Los Gatos, California-based company three weeks ago that he wouldn’t seek seats on the seven-person board during the current nominating period. Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings is positioning the company well for growth, he said.

“We think he’s done a great job,” said Icahn, 77, by telephone. “When you make $600-$700 million, you don’t punch the CEO in the face.”