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Why Did Disney's Latest Earnings Cause Shares to Plunge? | Pivot

May 11, 2024 / 07:49

This episode discusses Disney's recent earnings report, CEO Bob Iger's strategies for streaming, and the challenges faced by the parks division. Key topics include the company's streaming losses, password crackdowns, and upcoming sequels like Moana and Deadpool.

Bob Iger reported a smaller loss in streaming compared to the previous year, indicating progress towards profitability. However, investor concerns about flat growth in the parks business led to a significant drop in Disney's stock value.

The conversation highlights the impact of market reactions on Disney's stock, particularly regarding the expectations for parks and streaming. Analysts expressed jitters over the parks' future performance, which contributed to the stock's decline.

Discussion also covers potential strategies for Disney, including shedding its cable business and focusing on streaming and parks. The possibility of activist investors influencing Disney's direction is mentioned, particularly if the stock continues to underperform.

Finally, the hosts consider potential candidates for leadership roles at Disney, including Evan Spiegel and Sheryl Sandberg, emphasizing the need for fresh perspectives in management.

TLDR

Disney's earnings report reveals streaming progress but parks concerns lead to stock decline.

Episode

7:49
00:00:00
although he had some issues with the earnings Disney earnings CEO Bob Iger saw the streaming part of his business
00:00:05
is on track to profitability it's not quite there yet but they only lost1 18 million on streaming this quarter
00:00:11
compared to over this number is incredible $600 million in the same quarter last year that's a good thing
00:00:19
actually because it looks like it's just like Netflix it's moving to profitability um investors weren't sold
00:00:24
on that news shares sunk 10% based on some Jitters around the parks business growth is expected to be flat there in
00:00:31
Q3 the CFO is blaming higher operating costs inflation and quote Global moderation from Peak poid Peak covid
00:00:39
Travel for that people went to the parks jammed them and now are back to normal behavior Scott let's focus on the
00:00:45
streaming this business is leaning into password crackdowns and sequels um password crackdowns have worked really
00:00:51
well for Netflix um they um uh they've been taking away passwords my kids are depressed now because they can't use my
00:00:59
pass my Netflix thing um and now I have to pay for more of them um uh there that
00:01:06
that helped Netflix a lot so passord um and making sequels they've got a Moana sequel one for inside out and our
00:01:13
favorite Deadpool um there are two Frozen coming up soon they've sort of leaned out of the Marvel Universe
00:01:20
because it's gotten the MCU because uh it's it's it's a little tired so talk a little bit first about streaming and
00:01:27
then where every I think the parks will be fine they'll be fine they'll figure this was really unusual because if I
00:01:32
just read the earnings report I wouldn't have guessed Disney on its on announcement of its earnings it had one
00:01:38
of its worst days it's usually not a very volatile stock and it lost 10% of its I think it was even 11% of its value
00:01:44
at one point in one trading day and what's interesting is I don't think they saw this coming because the Market's
00:01:49
been focused on their streaming losses and effectively they're now break even the streaming Market is just an amazing
00:01:56
case study in economics because overspending built a huge Market Market but there was people were spending too
00:02:01
much Capital now it's being massively rationalized in an incredible clip what they weren't expecting was that the
00:02:07
analysts would get so jittery about the gift that was sort of the consistent gift they kept on giving and that was
00:02:13
the parks and when they gave forward guidance saying look the sugar high of Co or people wanting to get out postco
00:02:20
is wearing off and the parks might not produce the massive Eva and it took the stock way down this
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might this might create some unnatural acts at the company because the bottom line is that if this stock goes sub 100
00:02:36
and underperforms I don't think Nelson's going away the activist this was an activist investor who was trying to get
00:02:42
a seat on the board typically what happens with activists is that the first board meeting they lose and then
00:02:48
management has a year to get the stock back up and if they get the stock back up everyone's happy if they don't get
00:02:54
the stock back up the activist gets a couple seats at the second board meeting that's where we are now now and so I
00:03:01
would imagine this was a really ugly earnings call for Bob because if the stock does decline over the next two
00:03:07
quarters Nelson's back third time Nelson's back and and I think the board is going to get very serious about a
00:03:15
succession plan and trying to present a new strategy which he's got to be interested in but this is this this is
00:03:22
no getting around it the Market's reaction to this was surprising and ugly uh ugly for Bob because the only thing
00:03:31
that keeps Nelson off the board unless Nelson's already sold which I doubt is if the stock uh is if the strategy they
00:03:38
put in place seems to be getting traction yeah and they've got a lot of uh allies it's it's Nelson feld's I per
00:03:46
elon's involved with them there's a whole bunch there's a whole pel of people that are going to start agitating
00:03:52
at Disney that said the the streaming business is going to is going to decline in in losses and then become very
00:03:59
profitable I suspect as the others you know you have we have a company called Paramount that's in play right now may
00:04:05
or may not sell it's been a big mess um there's a whole bunch of streaming consolidation about to happen and the
00:04:12
people that are going to be standing are Netflix Disney um s Warner and Time Warner HBO and even they are in have
00:04:19
some problems going forward um we'll see what would you do if you were him what would be the move you would make besides
00:04:25
Moana and Deadpool um I would probably shed the Cable business and let someone roll up
00:04:33
all the Bad Assets the TV business they don't have TV business excuse me the TV business the broadcast the TV business
00:04:39
ABC Etc and I would I would um uh focus on streaming in the Parks Parks your cash streaming is the problem there CBS
00:04:48
will also be on the market but I think what the opportunity there is for a private Equity Firm to come and take all
00:04:54
of them cut costs and go bad bank and consolidate all of them and just try and cut costs faster the business toin sell
00:05:00
those off all the C and ESPN everything yeah because right now those businesses what they do is they create a lower
00:05:07
multiple on the entire business yeah because typically when you having a conglomerate when you have a bunch of
00:05:13
businesses CEOs love it because it creates a lack of volatility and the bigger the business the higher
00:05:19
compensation but investors don't like it because I don't need Bob Iger to put me
00:05:24
in the Parks business I can go buy stock in a park business or I can go buy stock
00:05:28
in a pure place streaming company called Netflix so investors don't like it and typically the way investors punish CEOs
00:05:36
for being in a bunch of businesses that may or may not be unrelated and some people would argue Disney has a flywheel
00:05:42
but typically in a conglomerate investors will find the worst business with the lowest multiple and they will
00:05:47
assign that business they will assign that multiple to the entire business so often timesing them down so I would
00:05:54
imagine if the stock goes really if the stock goes down to say 70 or 80 Nelson will switches complexion to this company
00:06:01
needs to be broken up right and they'll have to sell a part he's got to sell that it's going to be hard to sell a
00:06:05
Broadcast Network right now um because there's so many in the the money's declining soapers but you could make a
00:06:10
lot of money as you've noted on the decline um linear networks you can soak them till the very end and and keep them
00:06:17
in business a business like Yahoo I recently interviewed its CEO is doing rather well now if you can they're great
00:06:23
businesses they're just in Decline they still they still Hemorrhage cash they're
00:06:27
just in Decline y y or you can do something bring the costs in line and then it's not even in Decline it just is
00:06:32
maintaining in a lot of ways that's what's happening at Yahoo um we'll see what's happened picked me one CEO for
00:06:39
that company off anybody you could pick Disney Disney one not the ones that are necessarily In Contention within it's
00:06:44
Danny Walden um uh who's had some problems at ABC uh Jas uh Jimmy Peto who's had some problems at ESPN The
00:06:52
Parks guy who now has some problems um pick anyone outside the company Evan Spiegel or the guy who runs fubo fubo TV
00:07:01
he seemed pretty bright to me okay someone like that well Evan is incredibly talented incredibly creative
00:07:07
I think he's pretty good with shareholders snap is actually doing pretty well I think they need quote
00:07:12
unquote some youth at the senior management level all right I'm gonna give you one that you're gonna love
00:07:17
Cheryl Samberg chery Samberg to run Disney she was on the board well I I look I think calmed down enough around
00:07:24
her except for with you I think anyone who does that kind of damage to the mental health of young teen girls girls
00:07:29
should have that type of opportunity okay I'm just telling you she good operator she knows all those
00:07:38
businesses okay yeah you let all the men return she's going to return just like the rest of them

Episode Highlights

  • Disney's Streaming Losses
    Disney's streaming business is moving towards profitability but still facing significant losses.
    “They only lost 18 million on streaming this quarter.”
    @ 00m 08s
    May 11, 2024
  • Stock Market Reaction
    Disney's stock dropped 10% after disappointing earnings, surprising analysts and investors alike.
    “It lost 10% of its value in one trading day.”
    @ 01m 40s
    May 11, 2024
  • Activist Investor Pressure
    An activist investor is pushing for changes at Disney, raising stakes for Bob Iger.
    “If the stock goes sub 100, Nelson's back.”
    @ 02m 36s
    May 11, 2024

Episode Quotes

  • The streaming market is just an amazing case study in economics.
    Why Did Disney's Latest Earnings Cause Shares to Plunge? | Pivot
  • This was a really ugly earnings call for Bob.
    Why Did Disney's Latest Earnings Cause Shares to Plunge? | Pivot
  • The market's reaction to this was surprising and ugly.
    Why Did Disney's Latest Earnings Cause Shares to Plunge? | Pivot

Key Moments

  • Streaming Struggles00:08
  • Investor Jitters00:24
  • Activist Investor02:36
  • Earnings Call Drama03:01

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