Disney Flatlines After Weeks of Disappointment and Several Surprising Announcements

Disney’s stock price continues to falter despite several big wins for the company and some exciting announcements from the CEO himself.

Bob Iger standing by an archway with a view of a fairytale castle in the background. — Credit: Inside the Magic

Those keeping track of The Walt Disney Company on Wall Street are certainly aware Disney has failed to gain any momentum over the last few months.

Earlier this year, The Walt Disney Company saw a significant decline on Wall Street. Its stock price sank to $105, marking a daily drop of over $10 or 9.04%. Later that same month, Disney’s stock price fell to $101. Disney eventually reached below the $100 mark in June.

As of the market opening on July 9, 2024, The Walt Disney Company has flatlined and is hovering around the $96 mark. This figure represents a loss of over $5 and a drop of 5.7% over the last month.

A man smiles broadly while standing in front of a castle and a statue of a man holding hands with a mouse character, iconic symbols of the Disney Company. The image is in black and white, and the atmosphere appears slightly foggy. — Credit: Disney

Disney’s performance on Wall Street comes at an interesting time for the company, with its leading man, Bob Iger, nearing the end of his tenure as CEO for the second time.

Iger left Disney in 2020 but returned in late 2022, replacing Bob Chapek, the company’s incredibly controversial and problematic former CEO.

Iger has made it clear his time back as CEO will be somewhat brief, with Disney reportedly looking for his successor. However, in the short time Iger has been back at Disney, he has already made some surprising announcements.

Earlier this year, Iger let slip that Disney may be working on not only a third Frozen film but a fourth as well. Iger also revealed Disney had transformed its Moana Disey+ series into its own movie, announcing the sequel would hit theaters in late 2024.

An image shows animated characters from the movie "Inside Out." The characters, including Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger, display a range of emotions. Joy is in the center, smiling, surrounded by the other characters who exhibit their respective emotions. — Credit: Pixar

The Walt Disney Company has faced challenges on Wall Street since COVID-19, struggling to stabilize following the effects of the unprecedented global pandemic. However, Disney has undoubtedly enjoyed success in many ways, notably within its entertainment and theme park divisions, which continue to be moneymakers for the company.

Disney’s quarterly reports reveal that the theme parks, mainly Disneyland and Walt Disney World, bring in millions of dollars each year. Revenues actually increase thanks to the introduction of new systems and services, like Disney’s controversial Disney Genie+ service.

While not every release turns out to be a hit, Disney also remains a dominant force in movie theaters, with Pixar’s recent release of Inside Out 2 in June becoming the year’s biggest movie.

Releasing nearly a decade after the original, Inside Out 2 seeks to tell more of Riley’s story as she continues to grow up. Riley faces a whole host of new, more complicated emotions, such as Anxiety and Embarrassment, with the film acting as a comedic animated adventure and a heartfelt coming-of-age story.

The film has dominated the box office and pop culture, becoming the first movie in 2024 to reach the billion-dollar mark, a huge win for Disney, especially considering the company’s lackluster results with films like Strange World (2022), Haunted Mansion (2023), and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023).

With the success of Inside Out 2, and with a slate of several highly anticipated Marvel projects like Deadpool & Wolverine, it’s clear Disney will at the very least continue to dominate movie theaters for the foreseeable future.

Stay tuned here for all updates on The Walt Disney Company.