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CEO Bob Iger Announces Joint Hulu and Disney+ Streaming Service. What Does It Mean for Investors?
The Motley Fool·2025-08-10 22:05

Core Insights - The Walt Disney Company is integrating its streaming service Hulu into Disney+, while Hulu will still be a separate category within the Disney+ menu [1][2] - Disney will cease reporting subscriber numbers and average revenue per user (ARPU) for both Disney+ and Hulu, which are key metrics for investors [2][11] Financial Performance - For fiscal Q3 2025, Disney reported revenue of $23.7 billion and an adjusted per-share profit of $1.61, up from $1.39 year-over-year, exceeding earnings expectations of $1.47 per share [3] - The company's cable television revenue declined by 15%, leading to a 28% drop in operating income for the cable TV segment [4] - Disney's streaming revenue grew by 6% year-over-year to nearly $6.2 billion, resulting in an operating profit of $346 million, compared to a slight loss in the same quarter of 2024 [5] Subscriber Growth - Disney+ added 1.4 million subscribers in the last quarter, with 1 million from the U.S.-Canada region, while Hulu gained 1.3 million subscribers but lost a few hundred thousand from its live-TV service [7][8] Strategic Changes - CEO Bob Iger stated that the decision to stop reporting subscriber metrics aligns with changes in the media landscape and reflects how management evaluates business performance [11][12] - The integration of Hulu into Disney+ is expected to streamline operations and enhance the user experience, with a slight increase in subscription costs [16][18] Market Position - Combined, Hulu and Disney+ are as popular in the U.S. as Netflix and Amazon Prime, and both platforms gained U.S. viewing time in Q2 of this year [19] - Disney's direct-to-consumer business accounts for about one-fourth of its total revenue, indicating that other segments are performing well [20] Investment Outlook - The recent stock decline presents a potential buying opportunity, with analysts rating Disney stock as a strong buy and a consensus price target of $135.12, representing a 17% upside from current levels [21]