Core Viewpoint - Disney has significantly underperformed the S&P 500 in recent years, but there are signs that this trend may soon change with new leadership and a focus on its profitable experiences segment [1][10]. Leadership Transition - Josh D'Amaro has been appointed as the new CEO, effective March 18, following Bob Iger's interim leadership, which was marked by challenges including box office failures and budget issues with Disney+ [4][3]. - Iger's tenure saw Disney stock gain only 7% compared to a 76.6% gain in the S&P 500, indicating a period of underperformance [9][10]. Financial Performance - Disney's market capitalization stands at $193 billion, with a current stock price of $108.70 and a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 15.7, reflecting low investor confidence [11][16]. - The experiences segment contributed 71.9% of Disney's first-quarter fiscal 2026 operating income, with operating margins of 33.1%, showcasing its importance to the company's financial health [12][13]. Strategic Focus - Disney plans to prioritize quality feature films, streaming, and sports content, while expanding its experiences segment through new parks and cruise fleet growth [14][15]. - D'Amaro's approach includes taking calculated risks, such as expanding into the Middle East with a new Disneyland, which could tap into a large potential customer base [15]. Investment Outlook - The company is viewed as a potential buy for patient value investors, especially if it can maintain strong operating income from its experiences segment and improve streaming margins [16][17]. - The investment thesis for Disney is considered to be at its strongest in recent times, despite the company's historical underperformance [17].

In February 2020, Disney announced that it had picked a successor to CEO Bob Iger: Bob Chapek, who was running the company's parks unit. That didn't work out.Six years later, Disney is running it back. This time, it has picked parks boss Josh D'Amaro to replace Iger, who swears he's really leaving Disney for good this time. The most obvious thing to say about D'Amaro's selection is that the parks business he oversees is Disney's most important business — a reliable profit and growth driver.But a counterpo ...

Disney just made it official: Josh D'Amaro will be its next CEO. D'Amaro, the experiences chairman who's been at the Mouse House since 1998, will take over for longtime CEO Bob Iger on March 18, Disney announced on Tuesday morning."Josh possesses that rare combination of inspiring leadership and innovation with a keen eye for strategic growth opportunities and a deep passion for the Disney brand and its people — all of which make him the right person to take the reins as Disney's next CEO," James Gorman, D ...

Group 1: Disney - The Walt Disney Company has a diverse portfolio in the entertainment industry, including theme parks, movie production, and streaming services like Disney+ and Hulu, with nearly 200 million global subscribers [2] - In September, 7 million subscribers canceled their Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions due to the removal of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" from the air [3] - Disney's stock rose by 3.34% in 2025, with 20 out of 31 analysts rating it a buy and an average 12-month price target of $132.50 compared to its current price of $113.75 [4] - Disney's trailing twelve-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 16.62, which is significantly lower than Netflix's [4] Group 2: Netflix - Netflix, originally a DVD rental service, has evolved into a leading streaming platform with a catalog of original series and movies, boasting 300 million global subscribers [5][6] - The company is negotiating a $72 billion equity deal to acquire Warner Bros, including HBO and HBO Max, which may finalize in 2026 but faces competition from a hostile takeover bid by Paramount [6] - Netflix's stock performed slightly better than Disney in 2025, returning 5.45%, with a P/E ratio of 39.33, making it more than twice as expensive as Disney [7] - Of the 43 analysts covering Netflix, 20 rate it a buy, with an average 12-month price target of $126.19 compared to its current price of $93.99 [7] Group 3: Comparison and Conclusion - The choice between Disney and Netflix presents challenges, as both companies have distinct advantages and disadvantages [8] - The P/E ratio comparison indicates that Disney, with a ratio of 16.62, is a more attractive investment compared to Netflix's 39.33 [8]

Core Insights - Netflix's streaming service has reached a record-high of 325 million subscribers, significantly outpacing competitors like Amazon Prime and Disney+ [1][3] - Despite this success, Netflix's stock price has decreased by 36% from its mid-2025 peak, raising concerns about the valuation of its maturing business and the impact of its planned $82 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery [2][9] Subscriber Growth and Competition - Netflix continues to lead the streaming market with 325 million paying subscribers, while Amazon Prime and Disney+ have 200 million and 131.6 million subscribers, respectively [3] - The company is innovating with new pricing structures, including a low-cost subscription tier at $7.99 per month, to attract a broader audience [4] Advertising Business Momentum - Netflix's advertising revenue has shown remarkable growth, doubling year-over-year in 2024 and exceeding $1.5 billion in 2025, although it still represents a small portion of the total revenue of $45.2 billion [6] - The advertising business is expected to continue growing, especially with the addition of premium content and live sports [5][14] Acquisition Plans - Netflix announced plans to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, which holds valuable franchises and could significantly enhance its advertising business [8] - Regulatory concerns may arise regarding the competitive implications of this acquisition, as Warner is a major player in the streaming market [9] Financial Performance and Valuation - In 2025, Netflix reported earnings of $2.53 per share, resulting in a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 33, which is comparable to the Nasdaq-100 average of 32.6 [10] - Wall Street estimates suggest earnings could grow to $3.12 per share in 2026, leading to a forward P/E of 26.6, indicating potential for stock appreciation [11][13] Future Outlook - Management anticipates the advertising business will double in size again this year, and Netflix is committed to outspending competitors on content to attract new subscribers [14] - The recent decline in stock price may present a buying opportunity for long-term investors, despite potential volatility related to the Warner Bros. acquisition [13][14]

Core Viewpoint - Netflix has shown solid growth but has recently experienced a significant decline in stock value, raising questions about its future performance [2][5]. Financial Performance - Netflix reported a revenue growth of 17.6% in 2025, reaching $12.1 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $11.97 billion, with an operating margin of 24.5%, up from 22.2% [3]. - For 2026, Netflix anticipates revenue between $50.7 billion and $51.7 billion, representing a 12%-14% increase from 2025, with a target operating margin of 31.5% [4]. Market Position and Valuation - With a market capitalization around $400 billion, Netflix's growth rate appears healthy, although revenue growth is expected to slow after 16% growth in 2025 [5]. - The company is projected to achieve approximately $3 in earnings per share in 2026, resulting in a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 28, aligning with the S&P 500's trailing P/E ratio [9]. Strategic Moves - Netflix is pausing share buybacks to accumulate cash for the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which has raised investor skepticism [6]. - To enhance the appeal of the acquisition for WBD shareholders, Netflix has modified its offer to an all-cash deal [6].

Core Insights - Walt Disney is undergoing a significant transformation in the media industry, with its linear TV business declining as streaming services gain dominance. Despite challenges, Disney's streaming business is performing well, and the company continues to lead at the box office with several potential blockbusters planned for 2026. However, the future of the movie theater business remains uncertain [1][9]. Group 1: Company Performance - Disney's experiences segment, which includes its parks and cruise ships, generated $36 billion in revenue and nearly $10 billion in operating profit in fiscal 2025, showcasing the strength of its intellectual property and franchises like Marvel and Star Wars [5]. - The stock is currently trading at around 17 times fiscal 2025 earnings, with expectations of double-digit EPS growth in fiscal 2026 and 2027, indicating that the valuation may be attractive given the value of Disney's media properties [7]. Group 2: Industry Context - The media industry is shifting, with streaming services becoming increasingly important, which may pressure Disney's results in the near term. However, the company has a history of adaptation and is expected to navigate these changes successfully [6][9]. - Warner Bros. Discovery, a competitor, is likely to be acquired for at least $72 billion, highlighting the value of content and intellectual property in the industry, which is a strong point for Disney as well [4].

Core Insights - CuriosityStream, Inc. is participating in the 28th Annual Needham Growth Conference, with management scheduled for a fireside chat and one-on-one meetings [1] - CEO Clint Stinchcomb will speak on panels discussing the future of streaming and the impact of AI and technology in media and advertising [1] Company Overview - CuriosityStream Inc. is a global factual entertainment media company offering original and curated content across various genres including science, nature, history, technology, society, and lifestyle [2] - The company operates the Curiosity Stream SVOD service, available in over 175 countries, and has millions of subscribers [2] - Additional offerings include Curiosity Channel, Curiosity University, Curiosity Now, Curiosity Explora, Curiosity Audio Network, and Curiosity Studios [2]

Core Viewpoint - Roku, Inc. is experiencing positive momentum in its stock performance, driven by strong interest from advertisers in its streaming platform [1] Company Overview - Roku, Inc. operates a TV streaming platform that provides access to shows, movies, news, and sports, alongside selling streaming devices, smart TVs, audio products, and offering digital advertising services [1] Investment Insights - RGA Investment Advisors has had a fluctuating investment journey with Roku, initially purchasing shares in late 2018 and maintaining a significant position despite market volatility [1] - The firm has learned valuable lessons regarding holding high valuations and managing tax implications, particularly during market downturns like the tariff crash, where they increased their position significantly [1]

Technology Evolution & Trends - The tech industry has evolved from wired to wireless, exemplified by innovations like the Mac, iPod, and iPhone, enabling constant connectivity [2] - Streaming services gained prominence in 2007 with Netflix, offering both DVD rentals and online streaming [2] - Social media evolved significantly, with Facebook emerging as a key platform and later pivoting to Meta in 2021 [3] - AI is considered the most important and dramatic technology innovation, with potential societal impacts that are difficult to predict within the next decade [25][26] AI & Quantum Computing - By 2029, IBM anticipates that corporations will have access to useful quantum computers capable of solving real-world problems [5] - AI is being used to build companies without people, such as an AI bank, and is showing promise in areas like drug discovery [11] - Quantum computers are not general-purpose but can be used in conjunction with general-purpose systems to solve complex problems [13][14] Telecom Industry Dynamics - The bursting of the telecom bubble in the late 1990s had significant consequences, including job losses and a potential recession, leading to aggressive interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve [16] - Overbuilding of telecom capacity during the dot-com era led to a massive excess capacity, which ultimately benefited the tech economy by lowering connectivity costs [17][20] - The industry is potentially experiencing another fiber optic bubble with Fiber to the Home (FTTH) overbuilding by major companies and private equity firms [24] - The excess capacity created during the telecom bubble enabled the rise of companies like Netflix, which capitalized on essentially free transport to build a dominant entertainment business [22]