According to foreign media reports, Disney plans to lay off thousands of employees and has asked some management to cut costs by 20% annually. This is not Disney's first round of layoffs recently. Since announcing 7,000 job cuts in 2023, Disney has implemented at least six rounds of layoffs, affecting its film, television, Pixar, ESPN, and administrative departments. The management team has also undergone two CEOs, Bob Iger and Josh D'Amaro.
The company has improved profitability through cost-cutting, but its stock price is still down 44% from its all-time high, while the S&P 500 has risen 97% during the same period.
The continued shrinkage of its traditional television business, streaming competition, and massive capital expenditures on theme parks are the main factors affecting the company's valuation recovery. Viewers are shifting to social media, online video, and streaming services from Amazon and Apple, creating a cyclical shift.
Disney will release its Q4 fiscal year results in two weeks, at which time we will know how much of the so-called "20% cost cut" has been included in its guidance.
