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☆ Disney will soon own all of Hulu. Here's how the company got here and what's next.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Disney has offered to pay Comcast $8.6 billion to take full control of Hulu. Disney is already in the process of rolling out a unified app that'll make Hulu's general entertainment content available in Disney+ . "With Hulu firmly in the Disney fold, they can create their own mini-bundle with kids and family (Disney +), general entertainment (Hulu), and sports (ESPN). The valuation also has to take into account that Hulu contains an entire Disney basic cable network, FX on Hulu. Netflix is set to spend $17 billion on entertainment content in 2024, while Disney is poised to spend $15 billion.

Persons: Bob Iger's, —, Bob Iger, Hulu —, what's, Comcast's NBCUniversal, pare, he's, Jonathan Miller, Brian Roberts, there's, Bernstein, Laurent Yoon, Read, Jordan Helman, Max, Puck, Disney, Bernstein's Yoon Organizations: Disney, Comcast, Hulu, Service, YouTube, News, Century Fox, Marvel, Netflix, Integrated Media, ESPN, ABC, LightShed Partners, Warner Bros, Wall, Paramount Global, Paramount, Showtime, HBO Max, Macquarie Equity Research, Media, Disney Disney, Hollywood Locations: Disney, Hulu, Canada, India, Hollywood

☆ Strikes were just one battle. Hollywood is still fighting a war for survival
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Hollywood writers and actors are going back to work after one of the longest strikes ever in the entertainment industry. Hollywood is in a rebuilding era — a painful, awkward transition fueled by tectonic changes in technology and consumer behavior. Strikes, while disruptive, were only a blip compared with the many other existential quandaries weighing on media companies. Cable TV sign-ups have been rapidly falling for a decade, and no one believes that trend is going to reverse. Netflix and Disney aren’t just competing against each other, they’re also competing with YouTube and TikTok and endless podcasts.

Persons: CNN Business ’, Bob Iger, “, ”, We’re, Hulu —, Peacock, HBO Max — we’re, Max, “ OTT ” —, Iger, aren’t, Harrison Ford, Disney, they’re, That’s, Barbenheimer ”, Taylor Swift, Indiana Jones, you’ll Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, Hollywood, Studio, Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros, Cable, Netflix, Hulu, Apple, Amazon Prime, HBO, CNN, Discovery, Disney aren’t, YouTube, Intelligence Locations: New York

☆ SAG-AFTRA strike: Hollywood actors and major studios make progress in talks, signaling possible deal on horizon
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —It appears the actors’ strike is approaching its final scene. That progress has led to hopes that an agreement could be reached as early as this week or next week, the people said. One such issue, the use of artificial intelligence, has proved to be a sticking point between the writers and studios and required careful examination. SAG-AFTRA told its members early Monday that over the weekend it had “discussed all open proposals,” including A.I., with the studios. That would mean actors, crews, and much of the Hollywood industry would have to endure the holiday season out of work.

Persons: Duncan Crabtree, —, Bob Iger, Discovery’s David Zaslav, Ted Sarandos, Donna Langley —, AFTRA, Hollywood, “, ” Crabtree, Variety, we’re, ” Organizations: CNN, Hollywood, SAG, Warner Bros, NBC, Sherman

But the action that will have longer-term ramifications for the league, and the media and entertainment landscape, is happening off the court. The companies holding the rights to show N.B.A. Discovery, the parent company of TNT — are collectively paying the league $24 billion over nine years for that privilege. Interest rates are high, Wall Street is demanding profitability over growth, and streaming has reconfigured the entertainment industry. The result of the N.B.A.’s negotiations will say a lot about the future of broadcast networks, the cable bundle, streaming services and the sports media ambitions of technology companies.

Persons: LeBron James, Nikola Jokic Organizations: Basketball, Disney, ESPN, ABC, Warner Bros, TNT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Disney attorneys want to question a previous administrator of the governing district that provides municipal services to Walt Disney World as part of its defense against a state lawsuit brought by a board made up of appointees of Florida Gov. The agreements were signed in February before the district takeover by the DeSantis appointees, who claim the contracts neutered their powers. The appointees are now suing Disney in state court in an attempt to void the deals. One of the arguments the DeSantis appointees make about why the agreements should be voided is that they weren't properly publicized. Political Cartoons View All 1211 ImagesDisney has filed counterclaims in the state lawsuit which include asking the state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable.

Persons: —, Ron DeSantis, John Classe, DeSantis, Glen, Mike Schneider Organizations: — Disney, Walt Disney, Florida Gov, Central, DeSantis, Republican, Florida Legislature, Disney, Classe Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Central Florida, Florida, Glen Gilzean, Classe

☆ The Apple-Disney deal that could actually happen
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

And Apple has long been seen by some analysts as the most obvious acquirer of all or part of Disney. Iger said he considers the studio, streaming, and parks businesses (where the company recently set plans to invest $60 billion over the next decade) to have the most value. It would be hard to imagine operating the parks or streaming businesses without owning the popular franchises that fuel them. Ives envisions a deal where Apple pays for exclusive access to ESPN content and game broadcasts, with an acquisition following down the road. I believe it's a matter of not if, but when Apple buys ESPN."

Persons: Bob Iger, Steve Jobs, Tim Cook, Biden, that's, Gregg Abella, Iger, David Rogers, Apple, it's, Dan Ives, Cook, Ives Organizations: Disney, ABC, FX, Geographic, ESPN, Apple, Pixar, Jobs, Apple's, Investment Partners, Management, Star, Marvel, Columbia University, Verizon, MLS, Messi, Insider, Wedbush Securities, Google

☆ You haven't been paying a fair price for your streaming services. Warner Bros. Discovery CFO says: 'I think that's in the process of being corrected'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Will Gendron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A change may be coming to your streaming services, Warner Bros. The services have been undervalued, Gunnar Wiedenfels said, and "quality content has been given away"That could spell price hikes. AdvertisementAdvertisementAs Insider's Matt Turner summed up: "Streaming services have been underpriced in the name of attracting critical mass." In January, Warner Bros Discovery increased the price of an ad-free subscription to HBO Max for the first time since its launch in 2020. Aside from boosting prices, services are also cracking down on password sharing.

Persons: Gunnar Wiedenfels, Wiedenfels, Max —, Matt Turner, Comcast's Peacock, Max, Peacock, Mark Schilsky, HBO Max, we're, Bob Iger, Schilsky Organizations: Warner Bros, Discovery, Service, Bank of America Securities Media, Communications, Entertainment Conference, Netflix, Hulu, Disney, Paramount, Apple, Bernstein Research, Warner Bros Discovery, HBO, HBO Max, Wall Street Journal Locations: Wall, Silicon, Hollywood

☆ Disney and Charter reach deal to end cable blackout, expand access to streaming services
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Hours ahead of "Monday Night Football," which airs on Disney's ESPN, the companies reached a deal that would allow millions of Charter cable customers to watch the game. Terms of the deal are said to include a discounted wholesale price for subscribers for Disney streaming services, and an increase in marketplace, or subscriber fees, paid to Disney, CNBC's David Faber reported, citing sources. The highly anticipated ESPN streaming service will be made available to Spectrum TV Select subscribers when it launches. At the time of the blackout, Charter had about 14.7 million customers. Hours after the blackout began, Charter executives held an investor call pushing for a revamped deal with Disney that would give Spectrum pay-TV customers free access to Disney's ad-supported streaming apps Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu.

Persons: CNBC's David Faber, ESPN — Organizations: Charter Communications, Disney, ESPN, Warner Bros . Discovery, Paramount Global, FX, Disney Channel, YouTube, U.S ., ESPN — Disney, Hulu, NFL, Monday Night, Charter Locations: Hulu

☆ Charter puts media companies on notice in bid to save pay-TV bundle
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Rafael Henrique | SOPA Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesCharter Communications CEO Chris Winfrey wants the pay-TV bundle to live. For Charter, a company that doesn't produce content itself, the TV bundle is still a big part of its business, even as broadband grows. Disney also noted its multi-billion dollar investments in exclusive content for Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu. Disney has said it's a matter of time before it offers ESPN outside of the pay-TV bundle. Long live pay-TV

Persons: Rafael Henrique, Chris Winfrey, Winfrey, Barry Diller, Tom Rutledge, —, Hulu —, Disney, Long Organizations: Communications, Getty, Charter, Disney, U.S ., Warner Bros, Discovery, Paramount Global, Comcast, Media, Paramount, ESPN, P Global Market Intelligence, Hulu Locations: U.S, Hulu

☆ Jim Cramer: This is my thinking behind Monday's buys of two very unloved stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

We have waited for Estee Lauder (EL), too. Estee Lauder is a huge employer in China and a favored one. Estee Lauder remains a great answer for them. Disney and Estee Lauder are battles and we have waited until our adversaries seem spent and the time is right. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

Persons: Jeff Marks, we've, that's, Estee Lauder, —, Bob Iger, Estee's Fabrizio Freda —, Iger, Freda, Xi, Gina Raimondo, Monday, Wang Wentao, Lauder, It's, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Disney Bob Iger, Kevin Dietsch Organizations: Disney, ESPN, Hulu, NBC, Comcast, DIS, Fox, Netflix, Apple, Federal Trade Commission, Paramount, Warner Brothers Discovery, Hollywood, United State, Cosmetics, U.S, Commerce, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, Getty Locations: Hulu —, China, United, Hainan, South Korea, Iger, Sun Valley , Idaho

☆ Bob Iger is supposed to save Disney. It’s not going according to plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“In some ways, the challenges are greater than I anticipated,” Iger told CNBC in a revealing interview last month. But under Iger 2.0, Disney has cultivated even more headaches for itself, including a morale crisis sparked by one surprisingly candid interview with CNBC on July 13. Naturally, the comments set off alarms within Disney General Entertainment Content, the division that operates Disney’s broadcast and cable networks. A few days after the Faber interview, Iger tried to smooth things over at an off-site meeting with senior managers. But Disney appears to be all-in on the boss, even though the sequel almost never lives up to the original.

Persons: Bob Iger, Dad ”, It’s, ” Iger, won’t, Mary Poppins, Iger, David Faber, Disney’s, David Paul Morris, Faber, CNN’s Oliver Darcy, can’t, Bob Chapek, Weeks, Chapek, Disney Organizations: New, New York CNN, Disney, CNBC, Hollywood, Rivals Comcast, Warner Bros ., Sun, ESPN, ABC, Disney Channel, Geographic, Allen & Co Media, Technology Conference, Bloomberg, Getty, Disney General Entertainment, Lucasfilm, Marvel Entertainment, Pixar Studios Locations: New York, Idaho, Sun Valley , Idaho

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: SoFi, ON Semiconductor, Disney, Sweetgreen and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

SoFi Technologies – Shares of the fintech company popped more than 18% after it reported second-quarter results and lifted its full-year guidance. ON Semiconductor — The chipmaker's shares jumped 3.2% after it posted an earnings and revenue beat for the second quarter. New Relic — Shares jumped 13.4% after a private equity consortium announced it would take the software company private. Sweetgreen — The salad chain's shares jumped 11% Monday after an upgrade from Piper Sandler. Adobe — The software stock jumped 3.9% after Morgan Stanley upgraded the shares to overweight from equal weight.

Persons: FactSet, Disney, Kevin Mayer, Tom Staggs, Bob Iger, Spero, Sweetgreen, Piper Sandler, XPeng, Cowen, Morgan Stanley, Morgan Stanley's, Goldman Sachs, Wayfair, Salesforce's, — CNBC's Hakyung Kim, Yun Li, Sarah Min, Tanaya Macheel, Samantha Subin Organizations: SoFi Technologies, Disney, Financial Times, Food and Drug Administration, UBS, Hasbro, of, Bank of America, CVS, Adobe, Chevron, New York Community Bancorp, Deutsche Bank, CSX, RBC Locations: Bob Iger .

☆ Disney World has a bigger problem than Ron DeSantis: people aren't going
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Cork Gaines | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Disney's ongoing feud with Ron DeSantis is certainly a factor. Ron DeSantis, it's pretty clear that the park's problems run deeper than a political beef. While crowd sizes are down in the US parks, revenue is up at international Disney parks such as Disneyland Hong Kong. Despite the DeSantis dust-up, the park's biggest issue has nothing to do with politics — Disney World is damn expensive. Ron DeSantis Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesIt's also clear that a cut back on vacationing is not the issue.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Disney execs, Li Zhihua, execs, DeSantis, —, Ron DeSantis Paul Hennessy, Courtney Garcia, Garcia, Samantha Delouya, Bob Iger Organizations: Disney, Service, Walt Disney, Florida Gov, Wall Street Journal, Hollywood Studios, Shanghai Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland, China News Service, — Disney, Getty, TSA, Payne Capital Management Locations: Wall, Silicon, Magic, Shanghai, Paris, Hong, Hong Kong, Florida

☆ Cramer: This is my game plan for the week ahead after Friday's surprise rally
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

It was the compromise debt limit deal — not the employment number — that caused the market to rally. The shorts were correct to press their bets if there was no debt deal and we got an employment number that was a steamer. A short squeeze happens when short sellers having to buy stocks to cover their short positions, pushing prices higher. I say no, no more than you needed in 2011, when the debt ceiling deal led to a fantastic rally because Armageddon was avoided. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

Persons: Dow, Kevin McCarthy couldn't, Charles Schumer wasn't, Joe Biden lamely, McCarthy, Biden, Ronald Reagan, Tip O'Neil, Chris Matthews, Jerome Powell, Jim Umpleby, Sanford Bernstein, FANG, it's, Locker, Estee Lauder, Fabrizio Freda, Mary Dillon, Emerson, hasn't, Jeff Marks, LULU, Powell, battlegrounds, Johnson, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Joe Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Patrick's, Saul Loeb Organizations: Republican, Assistance, Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, Caterpillar, Fed, Emerson Electric, Devices, GE Healthcare, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, US, AFP, Getty Locations: United States, China, California, St, Washington ,

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: PTN, BYND, GOOGL, PACW and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The entertainment giant also reported revenue and earnings in line with Wall Street's estimates, according to Refinitiv. AppLovin — Shares popped 23.53% following the company's first-quarter revenue beat. Unity Software's revenue of $500 million beat the $480 million expected from analysts polled by Refinitiv. Tapestry — Shares of the Coach parent jumped 8.27% after the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings and revenue for its latest quarter. Its first-quarter revenue came in at $441 million, versus analyst estimates of $425 million, according to Refinitiv.

☆ Disney's Bob Iger is going nuclear on Ron DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Disney's Bob Iger escalated the conflict between the company and Florida's Ron DeSantis on Wednesday. It's the latest move in a feud that began last year over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill. Buckle up for a roller coaster ride, because the feud between Disney's CEO Bob Iger and Florida's Ron DeSantis just got bumpier. This is the latest — and most drastic — move in the clash between DeSantis and Iger, who inherited the battle with Disney from his predecessor Bob Chapek. Spokespeople for both Disney and DeSantis declined to give any additional comment.

☆ DeSantis warns Disney World he'll take a third swing at them after the company wrote in a loophole that collapsed his takeover plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

DeSantis warned that Disney hadn't seen the last of their feud: "There's more to come." "There's a lot of little back and forth going on now with the state control," DeSantis said, the audience booing at the mention of Disney. The governor-appointed board is talking to lawyersIn his new book, DeSantis has a chapter about the dust-up with Disney and how he retaliated against the company. He even revealed that he and his wife, Casey DeSantis, got married at Walt Disney World — a fact first reported by Insider. "The media STILL doesn't realize that Governor DeSantis always thinks 10 steps ahead," Christina Pushaw from the governor's rapid response team wrote on Twitter.

☆ 35 secret terms only cruise workers know — and the ones you don't want to hear as a passenger
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Cruise workers have their own secret language they use to communicate with one another. That's because crew members have dozens of secret code words and sayings they use to communicate while keeping passengers in the dark. Insider compiled a dictionary of cruise ship language based on interviews with cruise workers, previous reporting, and industry blogs. GUSTAVO GRANADO/AFP via Getty ImagesBabaloo: Alternatively spelled "Babalu," this is widespread cruise worker slang that means "fool" or "idiot." Cruise to Nowhere: Also called a "stay-cation" by some cruise workers, this is when a ship cruises at sea without stopping at any ports.

☆ Salesforce, Caterpillar and Disney are in the news. Here's our take on the headlines
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Meanwhile, analysts who cover Caterpillar (CAT) put out fresh research that cuts against our own thinking, and layoffs will soon begin at Disney (DIS). The Salesforce co-founder echoed the we-can-learn-from-everybody philosophy he laid out on March 1 in an interview with Jim Cramer. Salesforce shares, which rose modestly Monday, has surged more than 44% this year, the third-best performing Club stock behind Nvidia (NVDA) and Meta Platforms (META). Baird turns bearish on CAT CAT 1Y mountain Caterpillar's 12-month stock performance. "It's very hard to get in and out of CAT," Jim said Monday.

☆ Here’s our fourth-quarter earnings report card for all the stocks in our portfolio
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +20 min

Fourth-quarter earnings season is in the rearview mirror and most Club stocks reported results ahead of, or in line with, analysts' forecasts. Moreover, excluding foreign exchange fluctuations, this marked the ninth quarter in a row of 20% or better annual earnings growth. Nvidia (NVDA) reported a very strong quarter and better-than-expected guidance for the current quarter . Eli Lilly 's (LLY) fourth-quarter results came up a bit short on revenue but delivered a strong bottom line. Despite missing on top-line expectations, Wells Fargo 's (WFC) earnings came in better-than-expected, as the bank realized the benefits of higher interest rates .

☆ From 'babaloo' to 'slop chest,' these are 35 secret terms only cruise workers know — and the ones you don't want to hear as a passenger
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Cruise workers have their own secret language they use to communicate with one another. That's because crew members have dozens of secret code words and sayings they use to communicate while keeping passengers in the dark. Insider compiled a dictionary of cruise ship language based on interviews with cruise workers, previous reporting, and industry blogs. GUSTAVO GRANADO/AFP via Getty ImagesBabaloo: Alternatively spelled "Babalu," this is widespread cruise worker slang that means "fool" or "idiot." Slop chest: A tiny convenience store in the crew-only section of a cruise ship that sells essential items.

☆ Disney CEO Bob Iger has 'very little room for maneuver' as he tackles layoffs, budget cuts, a company reorg, and questions over the future of Hulu and ESPN
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Disney chief Bob Iger will speak Wednesday on his first quarterly earnings call since returning as CEO. Wall Street wants to see how Disney plans to boost profitability this year and whether it will trade ESPN or Hulu. Aside from a quick visit to Disney World in January, Bob Iger has been lying very low. Media investor Ross Gerber told Insider that Iger would get back to focusing on content rather than on the distribution mechanism. Iger tweeted a photo of himself at Disney World, dressed in a relaxed green cardigan and gray slacks as he posed with cast members on January 19.

☆ Here's our January rapid-fire update on all 34 stocks in Cramer’s Charitable trust portfolio
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Here's a rapid-fire update on every stock in the CNBC Investing Club portfolio. As much as we'd like to maintain a bigger position in this roughly $472 stock, we're refraining from violating our cost basis of $291.52. ( See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust portfolio.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.

☆ Disney board exposed itself to activist intervention, but Peltz may be overreaching
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Disney's share price spike in 2021 was caused by the same phenomenon — investors charging into streaming services with significant subscriber growth. Activist investor Nelson Peltz spent about 30 minutes Thursday morning speaking with CNBC's Jim Cramer and David Faber in a wide-ranging interview about why he wants a Disney board seat. Now Iger's back, and the Disney board has tasked him with finding a successor in the next two years. It's a far easier case to be made that Disney's board and Iger have consistently bungled succession planning. As Trian noted in its presentation (on Slide 28), the Disney board extended Iger's retirement date five different times between October 2011 and December 2017.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: CarMax, Salesforce, Coinbase and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

CarMax fell 53% in 2022 but has risen 18% since its disappointing quarterly results in December. Coinbase shares dropped 86% in 2022 as macro conditions and scandal dragged down the crypto market. Tesla — Tesla shares rose 2% after the EV maker registered with the state of Texas to expand its electric vehicle factory in Austin this year. Levi Strauss & Co — Shares of the clothing company slipped 2.2% after Citi downgraded the stock to neutral from buy. Shares were higher by less than 1% premarket.

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