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☆ Disney needs to show investors it has a plan to make streaming profitable — and stop hemorrhaging money
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Disney's direct-to-consumer unit, which includes streaming platforms Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, has yet to reach profitability — losing nearly $1.5 billion last quarter. Those loses spurred Disney's board to push out then-CEO Bob Chapek and bring Iger back to the top job. In 2021 Disney spent $25 billion to produce original content, and the following year expanded its budget to $33 billion. Similarly, Macquarie's Nollen said Disney's advertising-based subscription tier for Disney+ is "a lever Disney can pull to raise revenue." "Lots of angry people ask me why I support Nelson Peltz for the Disney board, and I give a simple answer: What has this board done for its shareholders other than wipe out more shareholder money?"

☆ 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.

☆ Disney has bigger problems than Ron DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

But there are problems with spinning off ESPN, even if it would raise cash and allow Disney to trim debt. Labor painsUnionized rank-and-file workers at Disney World last week voted 96% against a contract offer from Disney that would have given them raises of at least $1 a year over the next five years. The company called the rejected wage proposal a “very strong offer.”But the last thing that Iger or Disney needs is to upset the strong demand for travel to Disney World or other park locations. Political battles in FloridaThe political culture wars are yet another headache for Iger, as Disney faces the possible loss of the powers it has to operate as a government-like entity for the land on which Disney World operates. “We are monitoring the progression of the draft legislation, which is complex given the long history of the Reedy Creek Improvement District,” said Jeff Vahle, president, Walt Disney World Resort.

☆ Here are Monday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, Tesla, Amazon, Netflix, Spotify, Disney, Uber & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Wells Fargo upgrades Spotify to overweight from equal weight Wells said the stock is coming off of "margin probation." Bernstein upgrades Diageo to outperform from market perform Bernstein said shares of the spirits company are compelling at current levels. " Wells Fargo reiterates Tesla as equal weight Wells said the industry dynamic surrounding EV pricing remains "challenged." Raymond James downgrades PayPal to market perform from outperform Raymond James said in its downgrade of PayPal that market share losses are growing. Cowen initiates Dick's as outperform Cowen said its survey checks show that Dick's continues to gain market share.

☆ Morgan Stanley says Disney can surge 35% as a strong consumer drives park revenue
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares for Disney could see big gains going forward, according to Morgan Stanley. He also noted that his bull case scenario is now in play after the stock's hot start to 2023. "After a 25% appreciation in shares YTD, we focus on the bull case from here: In our view, the recent appreciation in shares reflects two recent shifts in sentiment. Morgan Stanley has a bull case price target of $150 per share on Disney, which implies upside of 36.1% from Friday's close. Disney shares were down nearly 1% during the premarket Monday.

☆ Universal's new Mario Kart ride is receiving high marks, but critics say its size restrictions exclude some
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Early reviews have praised Universal's Super Nintendo World for bringing the Mario Bros. to life. Super Mario World is set to open in Florida February 17. But its flagship Mario Kart ride has spurred backlash, because its seat-size limits riders to those with a waistline smaller than 40 inches. "Man, Universal Studios' Mario Kart ride is a bummer for those of us who don't fit the size requirements!" one user wrote.

☆ WTA roundup: Alycia Parks, Lin Zhu win first singles titles
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

February 5 - Alycia Parks won her first WTA singles title, defeating No. She won points on 85 percent of her first serves and saved all four break points she faced. She converted 80 percent of her first serves into points and staved off two break points until championship point, when she double faulted on the final break point of the match. Thailand OpenLin Zhu of China was another first-time WTA tour winner, defeating Lesia Tsurenko 6-4, 6-4 in Hua Hin. And in a match that saw 23 break point opportunities, Zhu cashed in on eight of nine attempts but saved only eight of 14 break points on her serve.

☆ I'm a 17-year-old trans kid in Utah, and I'm uprooting my life because of a law that bans gender-affirming care
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Yelena Dzhanova | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Luka, a 17-year-old trans kid living in Utah, is moving to Portland to evade the ramifications. Then I learned I'm trans. They really, really helped me figure out who I am and helped me feel comfortable living as who I am. So I'm planning to leave Utah. So I'm making the decision to leave Utah as soon as I can.

☆ In Texas, hunters shoot feral pigs from helicopters
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Evan Garcia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRYAN, Texas, Feb 3 (Reuters) - On a bitterly cold January morning, a helicopter soars above central Texas farmland. The four passengers hanging outside the aircraft are hunting - going after feral hogs, an invasive species in the southeastern United States. First introduced to North America by early explorers hundreds of years ago, feral hogs can wreak havoc on agriculture, tearing up soil and eating plants. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, an estimated 6.9 million feral hogs roamed the United States in 2016 – with more than one-third of that population, 2.6 million hogs, living in Texas. For hunters like Mitchell Birkett, a 21-year-old Texas A&M University student, going after the hogs was a chance to combine pleasure with purpose.

New York CNN —Unionized workers at Disney World have rejected a contract proposal from the company that would have given them at least a $1 an hour raise each year over the five-year life of the rejected offer. The 32,000 Disney employees, members of six different unions, had been urged by their unions’ leadership to vote no. “I think the workers at Disney World have sent a loud message that $1 is not enough. The union and rank-and-file members say workers wouldn’t be able to afford to live in central Florida under the company’s offer. Those working under this contract, all of them full-time employees, represent more than 40% of all workers at Disney World.

☆ Disney and other Hollywood giants spent billions chasing Netflix. But their strategy appears to have a major flaw.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Media companies are trying to get to streaming profitability but their underlying businesses are in worse shape than previously thought. The remedy is to cut content spending, which throws the whole business model out the window. After cheering on Hollywood players for massively spending on streaming content, Wall Street is looking less impressed. Bottom line is, the media business isn't as good as it used to be." But another warning sign for these companies is that in streaming, content may not be as valuable as once thought.

The sharp contrast with Bolsonaro, who criticized environmental agents, was a relief to some scientists concerned that the retreating Amazon rainforest may be near a point of no return. Ibama's staffing and resources expanded in Lula's 2003-2010 presidency, when he managed to reduce Amazon deforestation by 72%. Rodrigo Agostinho, whom Lula tapped to run Ibama, told Reuters in an interview that the agency now has about 350 active field agents for all of Brazil. That is less than half what it had at the start of Bolsonaro's term and well below the 2,000 field agents at the peak of its powers, he added. Sidelining Ibama, Bolsonaro deployed the military to protect the Amazon, but their inexperience in conservation failed to lower deforestation while running up a massive bill.

☆ Some UN Afghan aid delivered by men only, donors voice alarm
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

PRECEDENT TO REGRETAny potential change to the U.N. approach to food aid following the ban has alarmed some donor nations and aid groups. Ambassador to the United Nations, Lisa Carty, said on Wednesday during a briefing by Griffiths to U.N. member states. Griffiths stressed that Afghan women need to work in food aid distribution to ensure supplies reached the most vulnerable - women and girls. The United Nations has appealed for $4.6 billion to fund the aid operation in Afghanistan in 2023. Griffiths and the heads of some international aid groups met Taliban officials last week to push for more, including in the areas of cash and food aid distribution.

☆ I make $3,000 a month renting out my backyard as a dog park. I spend 10 minutes a day on this easy side hustle that cost me nothing to set up.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Kimanzi Constable | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Rick Powell and his wife make $3,000 a month using Sniffspot to rent their yard out as a dog park. If someone has a fenced-in yard, they can list it on Sniffspot, and dog owners can rent it by the hour. The memberships start at $30 a month, and members get two hours each month. They can book four hours for $66 a month and eight hours for $120 a month. I spend two hours a month ensuring no yard waste is missed and mowing the lawn.

☆ Starwood CEO Barry Sternlicht’s New Hotel Brand Bets on Outdoor Recreation
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Craig Karmin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Field & Stream Lodge hotels, such as the one depicted in this rendering, are planned around national parks and other scenic destinations. Real-estate investor and hotelier Barry Sternlicht , known for sleek, design-oriented lodging brands like W Hotels and the Baccarat Hotel, is launching a new hotel chain to celebrate the great outdoors. Field & Stream Lodge Co. will operate hotels around national parks, woods, ski mountains, lakes and desert land across the U.S. It is aimed at families and outdoor enthusiasts, Mr. Sternlicht said. His real-estate firm sold the outdoor-recreation retailer of the same name in 2014 but retained the company’s lodging rights.

New York CNN —Jonathan Pulliam has been working at Disney World since 2018, dressing up as everything from beloved Disney cartoon characters to Star Wars villains. Those working under this contract, all of them full-time employees, represent more than 40% of all workers at Disney World. “A dollar does not afford Disney workers with the ability to keep up with the skyrocketing rent increases. Union leadership said they hope that Disney will return to the table with a better offer once union members reject this one. Unions have represented workers at Disney World since soon after the park’s 1971 opening, but employees have never gone on strike.

☆ Media frenzy from Alex Murdaugh double homicide trial is disrupting weddings at event hall across the street from the courthouse, bride says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Alex Murdaugh murder trial is underway at a South Carolina courthouse across the street from a wedding venue. One bride told The Daily Beast she's stressed about her wedding being so close to the trial. "I did know about the courthouse being across the street but we have never had a trial like this before," DeLong told The Daily Beast. It was more convenient due to the weather and location in town," she told The Daily Beast. "I had been super excited and now I am pretty stressed out," DeLong said, according to The Daily Beast.

☆ At Theme Parks, You Must Be This Tall—and This Thin—to Ride
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Jacob Passy | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The newest ride at Universal Studios Hollywood, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, takes visitors into the classic Nintendo game using augmented reality and animatronics. It also warns that they might not be allowed to ride if their waistline measures 40 inches or more. The ride, one of several at the California park with that admonition, illustrates how navigating theme parks has grown tougher for plus-size visitors as parks balance accessibility with heightened safety requirements.

☆ I'm a Cirque du Soleil performer. I grew up in the circus, and now I travel the world with my husband and kids.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Jill Schildhouse | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Her husband works alongside her, and their kids travel with them. Then, at age 20, I was invited by Cirque du Soleil to join the Flying Trapeze troupe of Zaia in Macau, China. Working for Cirque du Soleil, I have a lot more consistency. I see my husband 24/7I met my husband, Ammed Tuniziani — a third-generation performer who comes from a traditional circus family in Venezuela — while working with Cirque du Soleil. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and everything is complimentary — it's one of the benefits that comes with being on tour with Cirque du Soleil.

☆ My family of 4 spent $600 a night at Disney's Beach Club Resort, and it's one of our favorite hotels
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Kari Becker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

My family of four stayed in a club-level suite at Disney's Beach Club Resort for $600. Themed after a New England-style beach resort, it's located in the Epcot area around Crescent Lake, our favorite resort area to stay in. Here's a look at our recent stay in a club-level suite and why Beach Club has become a top pick for my family. Beach Club is a great resort for groups of all sizesWe'll definitely be returning to Beach Club. After this trip, it's fair to say that Beach Club is one of my family's favorite hotels.

☆ SeaWorld Shuffles Executives, Names Interim Financial Chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Will Feuer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. is shuffling its executives, moving Chief Financial Officer Chelle Adams, who took that job less than a year ago, to the newly created role of chief transformation officer. Ms. Adams will work to streamline organizational processes and oversee business development and growth activities, the company said. SeaWorld named Jim Forrester, who joined the company in 2019, to the role of interim finance chief and treasurer. Mr. Miller will oversee all Florida parks, alongside another co-chief parks operations officer, Byron Surrett, who will oversee all non-Florida parks. The company also named three new park presidents, and promoted Shekufeh Boyle to the role of chief accounting officer.

☆ As Deal Making Picks Up, Tech Chiefs Worry About Software Integration
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Angus Loten | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

That is a potentially costly process that can require overhauling existing enterprise tech stacks, or even hiring high-priced experts to manage new IT tools, analysts said. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS How can tech executives smooth the integration of new digital tools when their vendors make acquisitions? Hewlett Packard Enterprise this month said it acquired Pachyderm and would integrate new software tools into its enterprise-tech platform. HPE this month said it acquired Pachyderm, a San Francisco-based software startup, and would integrate the new software tools into its enterprise-tech platform. “Our existing customer base will want to know they won’t be forced to replace an existing technology they already buy,” Mr. Hotard said.

☆ Colorado bear takes hundreds of 'selfies' on wildlife camera trap
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Annie Hill | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

A curious bear has become the surprise star of wildlife cameras set up in Boulder, Colorado, taking hundreds of "selfies" in an apparent impromptu photoshoot, local officials said. This particular bear, however, appeared to be captivated by the camera. "In this instance, a bear took a special interest in one of our wildlife cameras and took the opportunity to capture hundreds of 'selfies,'" Phillip Yates, a spokesperson for Open Space and Mountain Parks, said in a statement Thursday. The photo series, which appears to meditate on the ephemeral nature of life, has pioneered a bold new hybrid of self-portraiture and wildlife photography. While officials may not have expected photoshoots to be among those uses, Yates said the images captured by the wildlife cameras can also be used to help recommend measures to protect important natural areas.

Total revenue rose 0.7% to $30.55 billion in the quarter. Cable revenue grew 1.4% to $16.64 billion, narrowly missing analysts' estimates of $16.67 billion. Comcast lost 440,000 video subscribers in the quarter, fewer than Factset's estimated loss of 548,000, as the trend of cable TV cord-cutting continued. The company also lost 26,000 broadband customers in the quarter, compared with Factset's estimated loss of 40,000 customers. NBCU advertising sales grew 4% to $2.86 billion, and theme parks revenue grew 12% to $2.11 billion.

☆ Comcast beats expectations even as broadband growth slows, Peacock racks up losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Comcast on Thursday reported fourth quarter earnings that topped analyst expectations despite persistent softness in broadband subscriber growth and mounting losses from its streaming service, Peacock. The company's top-line growth was fueled by higher revenue from its broadband and wireless businesses, as well as its theme parks segment. Here's how Comcast performed, compared to estimates from analysts surveyed by Refinitiv:Earnings per share : 82 cents, adjusted, vs. 77 cents expected: 82 cents, adjusted, vs. 77 cents expected Revenue: $30.55 billion vs. $30.32 billion expected. Yet even that number was a sign that cable broadband subscriber growth has slowed – especially compared to the early days of the pandemic. Still, Comcast's broadband subscriber base has remained stable and revenue for the segment increased nearly 6% during the quarter due in part to price hikes.

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