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☆ Elon Musk Is Funding Ex-‘Mandalorian’ Actress’s Suit Against Disney
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Brooks Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Elon Musk poked the Walt Disney Company anew on Tuesday by agreeing to fund a wrongful-termination lawsuit filed by the “Mandalorian” actress Gina Carano. “Please let us know if you would like to join the lawsuit against Disney,” Mr. Musk, seemingly trawling for other plaintiffs, wrote in a post on X, which he bought in 2022. Disney dropped Ms. Carano, a former mixed-martial artist, from “The Mandalorian” in 2021 after she espoused baseless conspiracy theories and right-wing positions, some of which were seen as homophobic and antisemitic, in a series of social media posts. Lucasfilm, the Disney division that makes “The Mandalorian,” said in a statement at the time that Ms. Carano’s “social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable.”United Talent Agency also dropped Ms. Carano. Ms. Carano’s suit, filed on Tuesday in federal court in California, seeks a court order forcing Disney and Lucasfilm to weave her “Mandalorian” character back into episodes and recast her for the part.

Persons: Elon Musk, Gina Carano, Mr, Carano, ”, Carano’s Organizations: Walt Disney Company, Disney, Lucasfilm, United Talent Agency Locations: California

☆ To Boost Profits, Disney Cracks Down on Password Sharing
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Emily Schmall | More About Emily Schmall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Fans of “The Bear” won’t be able to use a friend’s Hulu account to watch Season 3. The Walt Disney Company, which owns Hulu, joined Netflix this week in banning password sharing in an effort to boost the company’s subscriber numbers and make its streaming services business profitable. In an email to its subscribers on Wednesday, Hulu said it would start “adding limitations on sharing your account outside of your household,” beginning March 14. The company added that it would analyze account use, and that it could suspend or terminate accounts that shared login details beyond their households. On Jan. 25, Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu, all services owned by Disney, updated their terms of service agreements to prohibit viewers from “using another person’s username, password or other account information” to access their content.

Persons: won’t, Hulu Organizations: Walt Disney Company, Hulu, Netflix, Disney, ESPN Locations: ”, Hulu

☆ Federal Judge Dismisses Disney Lawsuit Against DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Brooks Barnes | More About Brooks Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ron DeSantis of Florida, a federal judge on Wednesday threw out a lawsuit filed by the Walt Disney Company claiming that Mr. DeSantis and his allies violated the company’s First Amendment rights by taking over a special tax district that encompasses Walt Disney World. Disney and Mr. DeSantis, who recently ended his campaign for president, have been at odds for nearly two years over Disney World, the 25,000-acre theme park and resort complex south of Orlando. Before the takeover took effect, however, Disney signed contracts — quietly, but in publicly advertised meetings — to lock in development plans worth some $17 billion over the next decade. An effort by Mr. DeSantis and his allies to void the contracts resulted in dueling lawsuits, with Disney suing Mr. DeSantis and the tax district in federal court and the new appointees returning fire in state court. On Wednesday, Judge Allen Winsor in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida in Tallahassee dismissed the federal case in its entirety.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Disney, — Mr, —, Judge Allen Winsor Organizations: Gov, Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney, Disney, Northern, Northern District of Locations: Florida, Orlando, U.S, Northern District, Northern District of Florida, Tallahassee

☆ Bill Gates thinks the super-wealthy should pay more tax – and plenty of rich people agree
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Bill Gates wants ultra-wealthy individuals to pay more tax — and now a growing chorus of billionaires agree. Gates doubled down on his calls to tax the rich in a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week. It seems others agree, as more than 250 ultra-wealthy people signed an open letter calling for global leaders to impose a wealth tax. "Our request is simple: we ask you to tax us, the very richest in society," the letter says. The open letter's signatories includes Abigail Disney , whose grandfather Roy O. Disney cofounded The Walt Disney Company.

Persons: Bill Gates, Gates, Abigail Disney, Roy O, Disney, Brian Cox, Valerie Rockefeller, Rockefeller Organizations: Service, Business, Microsoft, Economic, Walt Disney Company, Patriotic Millionaires, Patriotic Millionaires UK, TaxMeNow, Humanity, Oxfam, Boeing, Disney Locations: Davos, California, New York

☆ Abigail Disney regrets that she once flew alone on her family's private Boeing 737 from California to New York
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Abigail Disney expressed regret for flying solo on her family's private jet nearly two decades ago. The Disney heiress made the comments in a report titled "Proud to Pay More." AdvertisementThe Walt Disney Company heiress and filmmaker Abigail Disney said it was "wrong" for her to fly on her family's private Boeing 737 plane alone. Abigail Disney is the granddaughter of Roy O. Disney, who cofounded The Walt Disney Company alongside his brother, Walt Disney. AdvertisementShe said that "one of the greatest luxuries" she experienced growing up was her family's private jet, but one of her strongest memories of using the plane was "actually not so fond."

Persons: Abigail Disney, —, Roy O, Walt Disney, Disney, She's, Bob Iger Organizations: Disney, Service, Walt Disney Company, Boeing, Financial Times, SEC Locations: California, New York

☆ Premarket stocks: Why Wall Street should worry about retail
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Consumer spending accounts for about 70% of America’s gross domestic product, the broadest measure of the US economy, so a recession is nearly impossible as long as consumer spending is growing. Wednesday’s report is expected to be a good one — economists polled by FactSet expect that a strong holiday shopping season boosted consumer spending by 0.4% in December from the month prior. But new data from the New York Federal Reserve on Tuesday has soured the mood on Wall Street. The outlook for consumer spending doesn’t look so bright, either. The trend marked the deepening of a demographic challenge set to have significant implications on the world’s second largest economy, report my colleagues Laura He and Simone McCarthy.

Persons: Alicia Wallace, shutdowns, It’s, Brian Moynihan, ”, CNN’s Richard Quest, they’ve, Bob Iger, Samantha Delouya, Walt Disney, Iger’s, Disney, Laura, Simone McCarthy Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, FactSet, New York Federal Reserve, Consumer, Hamas, Federal Reserve, Bank of America, Economic, Disney, National Bureau of Statistics, Communist, NBS Locations: New York, Suez, Iranian, Asia, Europe, United States, Drewry, Davos, Switzerland, China, Communist China

☆ Bob Iger made $31.6 million as Disney’s CEO last year
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Disney CEO Bob Iger raked in $31.6 million in compensation last year – a multi-million-dollar boost from his income the year before. Iger’s 2023 pay package included a base salary of $865,385, stock awards totaling $16.1 million, $10 million in stock option awards, $2.1 million in performance-based compensation and $2.48 million in other compensation, according to The Walt Disney Company’s annual proxy statement, which was filed Tuesday. In 2022, Iger brought in $15 million in total compensation, according to the filing. Iger served as Disney’s CEO from 2005 to 2020, but he reemerged from retirement in November 2022 to replace his hand-picked successor, Bob Chapek, less than three years after Chapek took over the role of Disney CEO. Although Chapek left the entertainment company in 2022, he still made $9.9 million in total pay from Disney last year, according to the filing.

Persons: Bob Iger, Walt Disney, Iger, Bob Chapek, Chapek, Disney Organizations: CNN, Disney

☆ DeSantis is fighting for his political life along Iowa’s icy campaign trail
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

But on the eve of the caucuses, DeSantis is on the brink in a state where he’s banked his entire campaign. Big donors soon discovered that the Florida governor could be a flat and uninspiring candidate. It was a cringeworthy moment that could become a pitiful emblem of busted hopes if the Florida governor doesn’t mount a comeback on Monday. “If the number that we have is anywhere close to reality, he’s going to have a very, very good night,” Vander Plaats said. An Iowa defeat for DeSantis would be especially bitter, because after months on the trail, he’s a far more polished candidate.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Trump, “, ” DeSantis, he’s, – Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Scott Walker, Haley, ”, Jake Tapper, It’s, Trump’s, Anthony Fauci, invigorated, weaponizing, she’s, DeSantis remorselessly, Ron, doesn’t, Mike Huckabee, Pennsylvania Sen, Rick Santorum, Texas Sen, Ted Cruz, Bob Vander Plaats, ” Vander Plaats, He’s, “ Donald Trump, Steve Deace, “ Ron DeSantis, ” Deace, postmortems, “ He’s, That’s, I’m, Fox, Bob Rommel Organizations: Des Moines , Iowa CNN, Florida Gov, Republican, GOP, Republicans, Des Moines Register, NBC, South Carolina Gov, PAC, Wisconsin Gov, South, Trump, Iowa, Walt Disney Company, Yale, Harvard, Elon, Twitter, CNN, West, Arkansas Gov, Texas, Fox News, Fox Locations: Des Moines , Iowa, Florida, Iowa, South Carolina, New Hampshire, “ State, Texas, West Des Moines, Pennsylvania, Urbandale , Iowa, Naples

☆ China, debt and Disney: Three economic themes that will dominate the Republican primaries
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —Republican presidential candidates Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis sparred on a wide range of economic issues during the CNN GOP presidential debate on Wednesday evening. But as Haley and DeSantis duked it out to crown themselves the most fiscally prudent candidate, some clear economic themes began to emerge that will likely have a big influence on the upcoming Republican primaries and beyond: China, debt levels and the government’s role in business. ChinaBoth Haley and DeSantis sought to prove how tough they could be on China. But as my colleague Elisabeth Buchwald points out, the US and China are the first- and second-largest economies in the world. President Joe Biden has also made reducing economic dependence on China a platform in both his 2020 and 2024 campaigns.

Persons: Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis sparred, Nancy Pelosi’s, ”, “, Ron, you’re, Haley, Haley, DeSantis, Donald Trump, Elisabeth Buchwald, Joe Biden, DeSantis didn’t, Trump, wouldn’t, ” DeSantis, Gary Gensler, “ I’m, ” Sen, Sherrod Brown, Brown, Nick Smart, It’s Taylor, Taylor, Swift, Ramishah Maruf, “ Taylor Swift, Pollstar Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Republican, CNN, Social Security, Walt Disney Company, FBI, SEC, Securities, Exchange, SEC’s, ”, Banking Committee, Spotify, AMC, Bloomberg Locations: New York, China, Iowa, Beijing, United States, South Carolina, Florida, DeSantis

☆ Big M&A and Bob Iger's future: 13 media executives make their anonymous 2024 predictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-20 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

Executive 2: Bob Iger will, again, extend his contract as Disney CEO Earlier this year, Disney CEO Bob Iger renewed his contract through 2026. This executive predicted "fool me five times, shame on me." This executive predicted Peltz and Rasulo will win their campaign and both join the board. This person predicted Disney would purchase privately held Candle Media to acquire Moonbug Entertainment, the owner of CoComelon. This executive predicted Yaccarino would either lose patience or find her job increasingly pointless and leave the company in 2024.

Persons: Andrew Ross Sorkin, Walt Disney Company Bob Iger, Michael M, David Zaslav, Slaven Vlasic, NBCUniversal, Brian Roberts, Roberts, Donna Langley, Bob Iger, Iger, Nelson Peltz, Jay Rasulo, Marco Bello, Peltz, Rasulo, Disney's, Dana Walden, Dana Walden Jason Laveris, Disney Entertainment Dana Walden, Walden, Bob Chapek, Andrew Wilson, Wilson, Chris Licht wouldn't, McCarthy, Andrew Wilson Michael Newberg, Kevin Mayer, Mayer, Bryan van der Beek, Tom Staggs, Staggs, Jayson Tatum, Kyle Terada, NBCUniversal's Peacock, Alec Martinez, Gray, Discovery's Max, Jeff Zucker, Lady Michelle Obama's, Michelle Obamas, Cheriss, Gerry Cardinale, Jeff Shell, RedBird, Shari Redstone's, David Ellison, Byron Trott, Zucker, Mark Thompson, Linda Yaccarino, X Linda Yaccarino, Vox, Jerod Harris, Yaccarino, CNBC's Julia Boorstin, Boorstin, Elon Musk's, Jason LaVeris, Barbie, Mario, Oppenheimer, LightShed's Greenfield Organizations: Walt Disney Company, New York Times, Santiago, Getty, Jazz, Lincoln Center, Warner Bros ., Comcast, Warner Bros, Discovery, Disney, Trian Fund Management, Future Investment Initiative, Summit, Bloomberg, Filmmagic, Disney Entertainment, Electronic Arts, CNBC, Candle Media, Iger, Media, Moonbug Entertainment, Apple Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, USA, National Basketball Association, NBA, Apple, The College, ESPN, College, NHL, MLB, Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, Mobile, National Hockey League, Diamond Sports Group, Scripps, Gray Television, Las Vegas Golden Knights, Arizona Coyotes, Phoenix Suns, Street Journal, Netflix, Hulu, Max, Paramount, RedBird, Paramount Global, CNN Worldwide, CNN, NurPhoto, BDT, The Ritz, Carlton, FilmMagic, Mario Bros Locations: New York City, Disney, Miami , Florida, Las Vegas , Nevada, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point , California

☆ Florida GOP chair defies DeSantis, won’t step down as new details of sexual assault allegation emerge
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( Steve Contorno | Carlos Suarez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Ziegler admitted to having sex with the alleged victim, but said the sex was consensual and that he recorded the encounter. In one alleged exchange on October 27, the alleged victim wrote: “I’m not okay with what happened the other day between us”. “Yeah I know but that was not cool and you didn’t bring her [Bridget] and then did that to me,” the alleged victim responded. In one call, the alleged victim allegedly told Ziegler “he sexually assault her” and Ziegler replied, “Those are big words, please don’t, no I didn’t. Christian Ziegler, 40, has also fiercely defended DeSantis’ agenda against national backlash from LGTBQ groups.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Christian Ziegler, –, ”, Ziegler, Bridget, “, Christian, Christian “, Bridget Ziegler, “ Christian, That’s, Lol, ” Ziegler, Ziegler “, Derek Byrd, ” Byrd, DeSantis, Walt Disney, ” DeSantis, I’ve, They’ve Organizations: CNN, Florida’s Republican Party, Florida Gov, GOP, Sarasota Police Department, Florida Center, Government, Christian, Police, Google, ” CNN, Sarasota County, Liberty, Walt, Washington Examiner Locations: that’s, Florida, Central Florida

☆ Disney CEO Bob Iger says company's movies have been too focused on messaging
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin, left, and Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, speak during the Times' annual DealBook Summit in New York City, Nov. 29, 2023. Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said Wednesday he will no longer tolerate his company's partners and creative team prioritizing messaging over storytelling. Iger had been in charge of "creative endeavors" in 2020 and 2021, even while Bob Chapek ran the company as CEO. Disney named two new board members on Wednesday — former Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman and former Sky CEO Jeremy Darroch — as it gears up for a potential proxy fight. Current Disney board member Francis A. deSouza won't run for reelection at the annual meeting.

Persons: Andrew Ross Sorkin, Bob Iger, Iger, It's, Disney's, Bob Chapek, Ron DeSantis, Sen, Ted Cruz, it's, I've, Nelson Peltz's, Morgan Stanley, James Gorman, Jeremy Darroch —, Francis A, deSouza Organizations: New York Times, Walt Disney Company, Times, Disney, Florida Gov, Management, Wednesday, Sky Locations: New York City, New York, Ted Cruz of Texas

☆ Nelson Peltz renews proxy fight against Disney
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Activist shareholder Nelson Peltz’s Trian Fund Management has launched a new proxy fight against Disney, just months after backing off from its earlier push after returned chief executive Bob Iger announced a vast cost-cutting plan for the media conglomerate. Trian declined to comment on how many seats it is seeking on Disney’s board, but said in the release that Disney has turned down its request for representation, including for Peltz. Trian’s reignition of its proxy fight comes a day after Disney revealed a shuffle to its board, with Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman and former CEO of Sky Jeremy Darroch to join as new directors. Peltz in January launched a bid for a seat on Disney’s board after the company fired Bob Chapek in November 2022. We will be watching,” Peltz said on CNBC shortly after the conclusion of Iger’s TV interview in February, where the chief executive laid out his cost-cutting plan, addressed right-wing criticism of Disney and his decision to return to the company.

Persons: Nelson Peltz’s, Bob Iger, ” Trian, Trian, Trian’s, Morgan Stanley, James Gorman, Sky Jeremy Darroch, ” “, ” Disney, Peltz, Bob Chapek, Chapek, Iger’s, Iger, “, ” Peltz, Disney, ” Iger, I’ve, ” — CNN’s Oliver Darcy Organizations: New, New York CNN, Management, Disney, Peltz, Sky, Walt Disney Company, Disney Parks, CNBC Locations: New York, Florida

☆ Opinion: ‘The Golden Bachelor’ women gave me what I needed
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Opinion Amy Klein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Yet I was one of the millions tuning into “The Golden Bachelor” premiere because I wanted to know how they would handle aging. As an older mom, I am fascinated by the media’s portrayal of older women. Consider this: the women of “The Golden Girls” — Blanche, Dorothy and Rose — were in their 50s in 1985, when the show about old women began. “Is anyone watching ‘The Golden Bachelor’ and thinking, ‘maybe I shouldn’t be so scared to get older…. “I feel like as someone in her 20s it’s scary, like how am I going to look when I’m older?

Persons: Amy Klein, “, Amy Klein Mira Zaki, Gerry Turner —, —, it’s, Mary McNamara, Michelle Cottle, They’re, they’re, Xer, I’m, ” Cottle, John Fleenor, Vladimir ”, she’s, frailty, Alice, — Blanche, Dorothy, Rose —, Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, Manolo Blahnik, ” Charlotte, Galit Nimrod, ”, ” It’s, Gerry, ’, Eva Gutowski, ” Ellen Goltzer, Marina Perera Organizations: CNN, Nation, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Walt Disney Company, Max, verve Locations: Worth

☆ Bob Iger says 'The Marvels' had little 'supervision' and Disney has made too many sequels
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

of The Walt Disney Company Bob Iger speak during the New York Times annual DealBook summit on November 29, 2023 in New York City. One year after returning to the helm of Disney , Bob Iger said Wednesday his top priority at the company is revitalizing its film studio after a string of box office disappointments including "The Marvels" and "Wish." "The experience of accessing [the films] and watching them in the home is better than it ever was," he told Andrew Ross Sorkin at The New York Times' DealBook Summit. In increasing its output to feed Disney+, Iger said the company "diluted" its quality, particularly when it came to its Marvel Cinematic Universe features. Iger returned as CEO a year ago as the board fired Chapek.

Persons: Andrew Ross Sorkin, Walt Disney Company Bob Iger, Bob Iger, Iger, Covid, Bob Chapek Organizations: Walt Disney Company, New York Times, Disney, The New York Times, Marvel Locations: New York City

☆ After year of ‘fixing things,’ Bob Iger tells Disney employees his plans to reshape the company for the future
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Iger has had nothing short of a full plate since retaking the throne of the Magic Kingdom last year. He’s been tasked with repositioning ESPN in a direct-to-consumer future, reversing the company’s faltering creative engine (e.g. In short, it’s been a demanding 12 months for the legendary Disney chief — something Iger was not shy about. But it is still unclear what Iger would like to do with some of the company’s declining television assets, namely ABC. “I’ve been through some difficult times and faced a lot of adversity as a company,” Iger told Disney employees, “and I know that each time we get through it.”

Persons: Bob Iger, Iger, David Muir, He’s, it’s, ” “, ” Iger, “, I’ve, he’s, Will, Muir, ”, Dana Walden, ” Walden, Jimmy Pitaro, Mickey Mouse, ” Pitaro, Pitaro Organizations: CNN, New Amsterdam Theatre, Disney, “, ABC, Magic, ESPN, Marvel Studios, Hulu, Hollywood, Walt Disney Company, ABC News, Disney Entertainment Locations: New York City, —, Israel

☆ Disney CEO Bob Iger says company is ready to start building
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger attends the Nominees Luncheon for the 95th Oscars in Beverly Hills, California, U.S. February 13, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 28 (Reuters) - Walt Disney (DIS.N) CEO Bob Iger told employees that he faced a "myriad of challenges" upon returning to the company but remained upbeat about its prospects. "I feel that we’ve just emerged from a period of a lot of fixing to one of building again," Iger said. The meeting marks the one-year anniversary of Iger's first town hall since rejoining the company as chief executive in November 2022. Disney has undergone a transformation under Iger, who restructured the company and streamlined operations to make the business more cost effective.

Persons: Bob Iger, Mario Anzuoni, Walt Disney, “, ” Iger, I've, Iger, Alan Bergman, Dana Walden, Jimmy Pitaro, Josh D’Amaro, Nelson Peltz, Bob Chapek, Scarlett Johansson, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Disney, Dawn Chmielewski, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Walt Disney Company, REUTERS, New Amsterdam Theatre, Disney Entertainment, ESPN, Walt, New York Times, Disney, Florida Governor, Thomson Locations: Beverly Hills , California, U.S, Iger's, Burbank , California, New York

☆ ESPN's VP of sports betting shares his keys to success for ESPN Bet and an inside look into the partnership with Penn
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Margaret Fleming | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In other words, ESPN Bet has arrived. The companies announced in August their collaboration, with the operator selling its stake in Barstool Sports to rebrand Barstool Sportsbook as ESPN Bet. Screenshots from the ESPN Bet app. Providing easy transitions between the ESPN and ESPN Bet apps is a key focus to drive that metric, he added. — ESPN BET (@ESPNBet) November 10, 2023The move has given ESPN Bet an advantage on social media with 5.4 million followers on X, 2.7 million on Facebook, and 2.4 million on Instagram.

Persons: It's, Jay Snowden, Mike Morrison, Morrison, Scott Longley, DraftKings, Penn, Snowden, Jimmy Pitaro, Pitaro, I'm, cohesively we've, Keys, Fubo Sportsbook, Maxim Bet, it's Organizations: ESPN Bet, ESPN, Penn Entertainment, Sports, Business, Apple, Caesars, Penn, ESPN Penn, TheScore, Fox, Maxim, Yahoo, Walt Disney Company, ESPN BET, Facebook Locations: Penn, Las Vegas

☆ ValueAct builds stake in Disney, adds drama at home of Mickey Mouse -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A screen shows the logo and a ticker symbol for The Walt Disney Company on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., December 14, 2017. ValueAct and Disney declined to comment. Disney's stock price could trade between $120 and $190 a share, far above its current $94.19 price, ValueAct has suggested, the people said. Unlike other activist investors who noisily push for change through public presentations, ValueAct prefers to work quietly behind the scenes. In January, ValueAct CEO Mason Morfit was invited onto Salesforce's (CRM.N) board at a time the company had at least five activist shareholders.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, ValueAct, Mickey, Nelson Peltz's, Peltz, Shaw, Trian, Mason Morfit, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Dawn Chmielewski, Arsheeya, Arun Koyyur, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Walt Disney Company, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, ValueAct, Walt Disney, Disney, 13D Monitor, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, Fund Management, Management, Capital Partners, Microsoft, Svea, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Bengaluru

☆ ValueAct Capital builds stake in Disney - 13D Monitor
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A screen shows the logo and a ticker symbol for The Walt Disney Company on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., December 14, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Acquire Licensing RightsNov 15 (Reuters) - Activist investor ValueAct Capital has taken a stake in Walt Disney (DIS.N), sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. ValueAct is the second activist investor to arrive at Disney after Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund Management last month signaled it would be pushing for multiple board seats after having abandoned a proxy fight earlier this year. The new position was first reported by 13D Monitor. Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss in New York and Arsheeya Bajwa in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun KoyyurOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, ValueAct, Nelson Peltz's, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Arun Koyyur Organizations: Walt Disney Company, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Walt Disney, Disney, Management, 13D, Svea, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Disney’s franchise fatigue taints M&A magic
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company, Robert Iger, attends the premiere of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" in Los Angeles, California, U.S. December 16, 2019. REUTERS/Phil McCarten Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Nov 14 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Walt Disney’s (DIS.N) load-bearing franchises are cracking. Disney’s Pixar studio delivered its own opening weekend dud with “Elemental.” The Star Wars universe’s latest TV expansion, “Ahsoka,” was panned. Iger’s acquisitions of Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars’ Lucasfilm seemed a master stroke of M&A. A slowdown at his most prized acquisitions raises the stakes on his next M&A decisions at a time of increased scrutiny.

Persons: Robert Iger, Phil McCarten, Walt Disney’s, ”, Bob Iger’s, Iger, Nelson Peltz, Jennifer Saba, Orsted’s, Cameron, Jonathan Guilford, Streisand Neto Organizations: Walt Disney Company, REUTERS, Reuters, Marvel, Variety, Pixar, Disney, Star Wars, Lucasfilm, X, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S

☆ Ranking the biggest winners, and losers, in the current economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . In today's big story, we're ranking how different generations are doing in the current economy. After watching their parents and predecessors (millennials) struggle with finances, Gen Z is taking matters into their own hands. A May survey found more than half of Gen Z respondents had already started investing.

Persons: —, Tom Brady, Brooks Kraft, who's, It's, They've, Gen Zers, Gen Z, Gen, they've, Zers, HENRY, There's, aren't, Jamie Dimon, Dimon, Banks, Goldman Sachs, Joel Saget, Loren Elliott, Andreessen Horowitz, Elon, Barack Obama's, Allen Berezovsky, Getty, Roberto Machado Noa, Rowan Jordan, Tyler Le, Bob Iger's, it's, that's, Scooter Braun's, Camila Sterling, David Bolno, Sterling, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, Will Smith, LL, Queen Latifah, Remy Ma, Chris Sattlberger, Dan DeFrancesco, Naga Siu, Hallam Bullock, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Service, Brooks Kraft LLC, Alpha, Beta, Getty, JPMorgan, Treasury, MDs, AFP, Getty Images Google, Microsoft, Google, US, Disney, Republican, NBC News, CBS, Walt Disney Company, Bayer, Airbus Locations: Ukraine, California, Florida, New York City, San Diego, London, New York

☆ Disney Adds 5 Million Streaming Subscribers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Benjamin Mullin | More About Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As Robert A. Iger approaches the first anniversary of his return as chief executive of the Walt Disney Company, he delivered a strong earnings report on Wednesday, telling investors that the company added roughly five million subscribers to its streaming services in the last three months. In a statement, Mr. Iger acknowledged that Disney still had “work to do,” but highlighted the company’s “significant progress” over the last year in reorganizing itself. “These efforts have allowed us to move beyond this period of fixing and begin building our businesses again,” Mr. Iger said. The results, for services including Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu, could help Disney stave off Nelson Peltz, an activist investor who has been pushing the company to come up with a plan to replace Mr. Iger, improve the profitability of the streaming services and reinstate the company’s dividend. Disney’s stock was up about 4 percent in after-hours trading.

Persons: Robert A, Iger, ” Mr, Nelson Peltz Organizations: Walt Disney Company, Disney, ESPN

☆ Disney taps PepsiCo veteran Johnston as CFO
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A screen shows the logo and a ticker symbol for The Walt Disney Company on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., December 14, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 6 (Reuters) - Walt Disney (DIS.N) on Monday hired PepsiCo (PEP.O) veteran Hugh Johnston as its chief financial officer, strengthening top boss Bob Iger's hands as he tries to turn around the media giant facing a decline in its cable business and investor pressure. Johnston had also helped guide the Doritos maker through its bitter battle with activist investor Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund Management. At PepsiCo, Johnston will be replaced by Jamie Caulfield, currently CFO at the company's North America business. Johnston will receive an annual base salary of $2 million, Disney said, compared with the $1 million base salary he received at PepsiCo at of the end of 2022, according to a regulatory filing.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Walt Disney, Hugh Johnston, Bob Iger's, Johnston, Nelson Peltz's, Trian, Michael Ashley Schulman, Christine McCarthy, Jamie Caulfield, Disney, Akash Sriram, Aishwarya Venugopal, Sriraj Organizations: Walt Disney Company, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Monday, PepsiCo, ESPN, Fund Management, Disney, Running, Microsoft, HCA Healthcare, Hollywood, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, America, Bengaluru

☆ Sports betting, online casino boom fuels big DraftKings revenue gains as rivals vie for market share
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The growth of online sports betting and casino gaming across the U.S. has led to soaring revenue for sportsbook companies, but an already crowded race for consumers' dollars is about to get more competitive. Its success, which sent shares more than 16% higher Friday, came not only from sports betting, but also from online versions of casino games. Revenue is expected to grow yearly by 17.3% to reach a projected market volume of $14.4 billion by 2027. Meanwhile, despite being legal in just six states, revenue in the online gaming market is projected to reach $19.1 billion in 2023, according to Statista data. Revenue for online gaming is projected to grow 12.9% yearly and hit $31.1 billion by 2027.

Persons: It's Organizations: Caesars, MGM, Walt Disney Company, ESPN BET, Revenue Locations: U.S

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