Disney reports profit hit on higher costs, while parks business shines as CEO search narrows

Core Insights - Disney reported fiscal first-quarter results that exceeded forecasts, driven by record performance in its parks business, although overall profits declined due to rising costs across various business units [1][2]. Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share were $1.63, surpassing expectations of $1.56, with revenue increasing by 5% to $26 billion, above the forecast of $25.7 billion [2]. - Total operating income decreased to $4.6 billion from $5.1 billion a year ago [2]. Parks and Experiences - The parks and experiences unit achieved record quarterly revenue of $10 billion, with a 1% increase in attendance and a 4% rise in spending per customer [3]. - The company indicated that international visitor numbers to its US parks may pose challenges in the upcoming quarter [3]. Sports Unit - The sports unit experienced a 23% decline in operating income year-over-year, attributed to increased sports rights costs and a $110 million impact from a carriage dispute with YouTube TV [4]. - Revenue for the sports unit rose by 1% to $4.91 billion [4]. Entertainment Unit - Revenue in the entertainment unit, which includes the film studio, grew by 7% to $11.6 billion, bolstered by successful box office releases like "Zootopia 2" and "Avatar: Fire and Ash" [5]. - However, profits for this unit fell by 35% to $1.1 billion due to higher costs [5]. - Streaming revenue, part of the entertainment unit, increased by 11% to $5.3 billion [5].