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Disney (DIS) Raises Prices for Disney+, Hulu Streaming Services
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Walt Disney (DIS - Free Report) is raising subscription costs from a few of its streaming services, including Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+.
Disney+ is increasing its monthly subscription from $10.99 to $13.99 per month starting Oct 12. This marks the second price increase in less than a year, as it was previously raised from $7.99 to $10.99 per month in December 2022. The ad-supported subscription tier for Disney+ remains $7.99 per month, offering a more affordable option.
Disney-owned streaming services Hulu, ESPN+ and Hulu + Live TV are also experiencing price hikes. Hulu's monthly subscription cost has also increased from $14.99 to $17.99. The Hulu + Live TV monthly subscription has gone up from $82.99 to $89.99.
ESPN+ subscribers will see their monthly subscription cost rise from $9.99 to $10.99. The annual subscription has increased from $99.99 to $109.99.
Disney offers various bundled packages, and these are also seeing price increases. Disney Bundle Trio Basic (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ ad-supported) monthly subscription is now available at $14.99, up from $12.99. The subscription price for the premium, ad-free version has increased from $19.99 to $24.99 per month.
Streaming Giants Resort to Price Hike to Meet Production Costs
These price adjustments reflect the evolving landscape of streaming services and their efforts to cover the costs of producing and licensing content. Subscribers should assess their preferences and budgets to determine which pricing plan is most suitable for them.
Earlier this month, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD - Free Report) raised the cost of a new ad-free monthly subscription for Discovery+ from $6.99 to $8.99, with applicable taxes in the United States and Canada. However, the ad-lite subscription has been unchanged at $4.99 per month. Existing subscribers will experience the price increase in their monthly billing cycle on or after Nov 2.
Netflix (NFLX - Free Report) is set to discontinue its free mobile plan in Kenya, where users were able to access 25% of its content without a subscription for the past two years. Netflix is introducing a 4.99-pound ($6.07) monthly subscription plan with advertisements. Netflix has put restrictions on password sharing in India. Individuals who previously used streaming accounts paid by people living in different households must now have their own subscriptions.
In June, Paramount Global (PARA - Free Report) implemented a price hike on Paramount+, coinciding with the launch of Paramount+ with Showtime integration. This change raised the cost of the current ad-supported essential plan from $4.99 to $5.99 per month, and the premium plan increased from $9.99 to $11.99 per month, now including Showtime as part of the premium offering.
The Disney+ price increase comes amid news of Disney beginning to crackdown on password sharing starting as early as next month in Canada.
Disney reported streaming losses that totaled $512 million in its fiscal third-quarter results — about half of the $1.1 billion loss reported in the prior-year period. Despite the narrowing loss, the company continues to shed subscribers. The media giant had 146.1 million total Disney+ subscribers at the end of its last reported quarter, a 7.4% decline from the previous quarter.
The majority of its subscriber losses came from Disney+ Hotstar, its brand in India, which saw users drop by 24% on a sequential basis. Domestic users, however, including those in the United States and Canada, fell by 1%.
Internationally, Disney+ is expanding choice and value options with the launch of a new Standard tier, as well as Standard with Ads in select EMEA markets and Canada. The new ad-supported plans start at £4.99/€5.99 month in EMEA and $7.99/month in Canada.
Existing subscribers in applicable markets will remain in the Premium tier with No Ads when their subscription price increases in December, unless they opt to switch to one of the new lower-priced plans.
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Disney (DIS) Raises Prices for Disney+, Hulu Streaming Services
Walt Disney (DIS - Free Report) is raising subscription costs from a few of its streaming services, including Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+.
Disney+ is increasing its monthly subscription from $10.99 to $13.99 per month starting Oct 12. This marks the second price increase in less than a year, as it was previously raised from $7.99 to $10.99 per month in December 2022. The ad-supported subscription tier for Disney+ remains $7.99 per month, offering a more affordable option.
Disney-owned streaming services Hulu, ESPN+ and Hulu + Live TV are also experiencing price hikes. Hulu's monthly subscription cost has also increased from $14.99 to $17.99. The Hulu + Live TV monthly subscription has gone up from $82.99 to $89.99.
ESPN+ subscribers will see their monthly subscription cost rise from $9.99 to $10.99. The annual subscription has increased from $99.99 to $109.99.
Disney offers various bundled packages, and these are also seeing price increases. Disney Bundle Trio Basic (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ ad-supported) monthly subscription is now available at $14.99, up from $12.99. The subscription price for the premium, ad-free version has increased from $19.99 to $24.99 per month.
The Walt Disney Company Price and Consensus
The Walt Disney Company price-consensus-chart | The Walt Disney Company Quote
Streaming Giants Resort to Price Hike to Meet Production Costs
These price adjustments reflect the evolving landscape of streaming services and their efforts to cover the costs of producing and licensing content. Subscribers should assess their preferences and budgets to determine which pricing plan is most suitable for them.
Earlier this month, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD - Free Report) raised the cost of a new ad-free monthly subscription for Discovery+ from $6.99 to $8.99, with applicable taxes in the United States and Canada. However, the ad-lite subscription has been unchanged at $4.99 per month. Existing subscribers will experience the price increase in their monthly billing cycle on or after Nov 2.
Netflix (NFLX - Free Report) is set to discontinue its free mobile plan in Kenya, where users were able to access 25% of its content without a subscription for the past two years. Netflix is introducing a 4.99-pound ($6.07) monthly subscription plan with advertisements. Netflix has put restrictions on password sharing in India. Individuals who previously used streaming accounts paid by people living in different households must now have their own subscriptions.
In June, Paramount Global (PARA - Free Report) implemented a price hike on Paramount+, coinciding with the launch of Paramount+ with Showtime integration. This change raised the cost of the current ad-supported essential plan from $4.99 to $5.99 per month, and the premium plan increased from $9.99 to $11.99 per month, now including Showtime as part of the premium offering.
The Disney+ price increase comes amid news of Disney beginning to crackdown on password sharing starting as early as next month in Canada.
Disney reported streaming losses that totaled $512 million in its fiscal third-quarter results — about half of the $1.1 billion loss reported in the prior-year period. Despite the narrowing loss, the company continues to shed subscribers. The media giant had 146.1 million total Disney+ subscribers at the end of its last reported quarter, a 7.4% decline from the previous quarter.
The majority of its subscriber losses came from Disney+ Hotstar, its brand in India, which saw users drop by 24% on a sequential basis. Domestic users, however, including those in the United States and Canada, fell by 1%.
Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have declined 7% compared with the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector’s increase of 2.7% year to date. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Internationally, Disney+ is expanding choice and value options with the launch of a new Standard tier, as well as Standard with Ads in select EMEA markets and Canada. The new ad-supported plans start at £4.99/€5.99 month in EMEA and $7.99/month in Canada.
Existing subscribers in applicable markets will remain in the Premium tier with No Ads when their subscription price increases in December, unless they opt to switch to one of the new lower-priced plans.