Barron’s recently had a piece on Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS), in which they point out that the stock price is flat over the past ten years. That, of course, is an awful return in which you would have been just as well putting the money under a mattress. When you include dividends, the 10-year stock return is close to 10%, but that still pales in comparison to the S&P 500 Index (SPX), which has returned over 200% from 10 years ago.I will not be speculating on theme park demand, ESPN subscriber growth, or anyth ...

Streaming Service Launch - ESPN's direct-to-consumer streaming service will launch on August 21st, priced at $29.99 per month [1] - The service will offer everything ESPN has, including new features for fantasy sports, betting, and personalized sports center, accessible outside the cable bundle [1] - ESPN aims to be agnostic, allowing cable subscribers to authenticate and access the streaming service without additional cost, incentivizing them to maintain their cable subscriptions [1] - The industry is closely watching how many cable subscribers will cancel to opt for the ESPN streaming service, potentially pairing it with other streaming services like Netflix or Amazon [1] WWE Rights Acquisition - Disney is paying $325 million per year over 5 years for the US rights to 10 of WWE's premium live events, previously on Peacock, to be shown on ESPN [1] - These events, including WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, and SummerSlam, will move to ESPN starting in the 2026 calendar year [1] Stock Market Reaction - Disney's stock is up 3 and one-third percent following the news, indicating Wall Street's positive reaction [1] - The NFL will take a 10% stake in ESPN, potentially contributing to the stock's upward movement, signaling long-term security and NFL rights on ESPN [1] Industry Impact - The launch of ESPN's streaming service is a significant media question, affecting every media company tied to the linear cable bundle [1] - The industry is trying to find out how many more customers will cancel traditional cable now that ESPN can be accessed outside the bundle [1]

Entertainment giant Disney, which is counting on its streaming and theme-park businesses to drive growth, raised its profit forecasts in its current fiscal year https://t.co/k1elBmBFFJ ...

IQiyi is seeking to raise $300 million in a Hong Kong market debut this year, becoming the latest US-listed Chinese firm to tap investors closer to home https://t.co/OYeJf48xsW ...

Group 1 - Disney is set to report its fiscal third-quarter earnings, with a focus on updates regarding its streaming, TV, movies, and theme parks businesses [1] - Investors are looking for details on the upcoming ESPN direct-to-consumer streaming service, which will launch this fall at a price of $29.99 per month [2] - The streaming market is shifting as consumers move away from traditional pay TV, with Fox Corp. also launching its own streaming app [3] Group 2 - In the last earnings report, Disney reported 126 million global subscribers for its Disney+ service, surpassing analyst expectations [4] - The company indicated that its streaming business has reached profitability, prioritizing this metric over subscriber growth [4] - Disney's experiences business, which includes parks and resorts, reported a 6% year-over-year revenue growth, with domestic theme park revenue up 9% and international park revenue down 5% [5] Group 3 - Expected earnings per share for Disney are $1.47, with anticipated revenue of $23.73 billion [6]

Elon, I have an executive order here on my desk that says, "Provide new showrunner users with a brief overview of how to generate a scene." Its creators are calling it the Netflix of AI. And there's a person watching us right now. Showrunner, a video platform launched by the startup Fable, promises not only to let you stream new shows, but also to make new episodes yourself with the help of artificial intelligence.Mark, See, even Nacho thinks this is ridiculous. And the company's now backed by an investment ...

Theme Park Revenue - Disney's parks and experiences division is a key area of investment, with $60 billion planned over a decade [3] - The industry is observing the impact of new competition in Florida, specifically Epic Universe in Orlando, on Disney's park results [4] - Consumer spending habits, booking trends, and pricing strategies at Disney parks are under scrutiny [4][5] - The focus is on how much consumers are spending within the parks and whether they are shortening their stays in Orlando [6] - Performance of parks in Paris and Asia are also important [6] Streaming Subscriber Growth - Disney's stock previously saw a boost after adding 1.4 million streaming subscribers, exceeding expectations [7] - The expectation is to add approximately 1.5 million subscribers to Disney Plus [7] - The launch of a new bundle combining ESPN, Hulu, and Disney Plus is anticipated to drive subscriber growth and reduce churn [8] - Disney aims to retain subscribers through bundled services and perks [9] - The industry is considering the potential impact of streaming services on traditional cable subscriptions, with speculation about a bottom around 50 million subscribers [9]

Core Insights - Expedia Group (EXPE) is set to report its second-quarter 2025 results on August 7, with expected revenues of $3.71 billion, reflecting a 4.39% increase year-over-year, and earnings estimated at $4.14 per share, indicating a 17.95% rise from the previous year [1][3]. Financial Performance Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EXPE's second-quarter 2025 revenues is $3.71 billion, a 4.39% increase from the same quarter last year [1]. - The consensus for earnings is $4.14 per share, which is a $0.01 increase over the past 30 days and represents a 17.95% increase year-over-year [1]. Recent Performance Trends - EXPE has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in three of the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 5.48% [2]. - The company anticipates gross bookings growth of 2-4% and revenue growth of 3-5%, with a one-point benefit from the Easter shift and a two-point foreign exchange headwind [3][9]. Market Dynamics - The performance in the second quarter is expected to be influenced by ongoing challenges in the U.S. market, resilience in international markets, and cost optimization efforts [3]. - Domestic travel softness and reduced inbound flows may have impacted B2C performance due to EXPE's significant U.S. market exposure [4]. Segment Performance - The B2B segment is expected to be a key growth driver, likely maintaining double-digit momentum supported by expanded partnerships and strength in the APAC region [5]. - Advertising revenues are projected to show robust growth, aided by increased partner participation and new advertising solutions, with AI-driven tools enhancing platform adoption [6]. Operational Efficiency - Management expects adjusted EBITDA margin expansion of 75-100 basis points year-over-year, driven by operational efficiency initiatives and cost discipline measures, including restructuring actions affecting approximately 4% of employees [7].

Core Insights - Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is set to report its second-quarter 2025 results on August 7, with expected revenues of $9.83 billion, reflecting a 1.20% increase year-over-year, and a narrowed loss estimate of 14 cents per share, indicating a 96.56% increase from the previous year [1][8]. Financial Performance - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates that WBD has surpassed earnings expectations in one of the last four quarters but missed three times, resulting in a negative average surprise of 659.92% [2]. - The anticipated revenue of $9.83 billion for Q2 2025 is supported by strong performance in the streaming segment, which saw a subscriber growth of 5.3 million and an 8% increase in streaming revenues in Q1 2025 [3][8]. Streaming Segment - The streaming segment is expected to continue its momentum, bolstered by successful releases such as "The Last of Us" and "And Just Like That," along with international expansion and growth in ad-supported offerings [3]. - The Studios segment is projected to rebound due to a major licensing agreement with the streaming division and early success from new content like the Minecraft Movie and Sinners, with the release of Superman further enhancing performance [4]. Linear Networks and Advertising - The Linear Networks segment is facing challenges due to ongoing declines in traditional TV viewership and a tough advertising market, likely leading to a drop in network revenues for the upcoming quarter [5]. - Advertising performance is expected to decline by 2% year-over-year, influenced by the absence of major sports events like the Final Four, despite some offset from the Stanley Cup Finals [6]. Earnings Expectations - According to the Zacks model, WBD currently has an Earnings ESP of -47.89% and a Zacks Rank of 3, indicating a lower likelihood of an earnings beat [7].

Executive Leadership Team - Skydance Media has announced a new executive leadership team ahead of the $8 billion merger with Paramount Global, with David Ellison as CEO of the new company, Paramount Skydance Corp. [1] - Jeff Shell, former CEO of NBCUniversal, will serve as president of the merged company [3][11] - George Cheeks will remain as chair of the TV Media division, while Cindy Holland will oversee the direct-to-consumer division [4][7] Company Structure - The new company will be structured into three primary business segments: Studios, Direct to-Consumer, and TV Media [2] - Key appointments include Andy Gordon as COO, Andrew Warren as interim CFO, and Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein as co-chairs of Paramount Pictures [5][8] Financial Aspects of the Merger - The merger deal includes $2.4 billion for Shari Redstone, $4.5 billion for non-NAI Paramount shareholders, and an additional $1.5 billion in new capital for debt repayment and balance sheet recapitalization [12] - Shari Redstone will receive $180 million in severance and other benefits upon completion of the deal [13] Vision and Goals - David Ellison expressed confidence in the new leadership team, emphasizing their industry experience and commitment to transforming Paramount [9][10] - The merger aims to foster collaboration between creative and technical talent to unlock Paramount's full potential [10]