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Disney (DIS) Teams Up With TikTok to Celebrate 100 Years

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Disney (DIS - Free Report) and TikTok have announced a first-of-its-kind content hub to celebrate the 100th anniversary of DIS. This four-week activation will be available in 24 regions around the world.

Starting on Oct 16, this interactive experience on TikTok will allow fans to engage with Disney content in various ways, commemorating the company's century of magic and storytelling.

TikTok users will be able to watch videos from various Disney brands, offering a wide range of content from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, ESPN, National Geographic, Disney Parks and more. Users can create their own videos using the company’s music and effects, allowing them to express their love for Disney in creative ways.

Daily Disney trivia games will challenge fans' knowledge about Disney movies, characters and stories. Fans can collect and trade virtual Character Cards that can be used to win unique profile frames, allowing them to show off their fandom.

The partnership aims to leverage TikTok's popularity and creativity, which has made it a destination for fans to connect and engage with their favorite films, shows, characters and experiences. With more than 240 billion views across DIS' portfolio on TikTok, this collaboration seeks to further enhance the Disney experience on the platform.

TikTok is also curating a special Disney100 Playlist featuring popular songs from its extensive catalog, including classics from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios and Disney Branded Television.

DIS is creating a notable presence on TikTok, engaging with audiences, delivering sports content through ESPN and fostering a sense of community. Additionally, the company will become a TikTok Pulse Premiere publisher, enabling advertisers to showcase their content alongside DIS' premium entertainment and sports content.

This partnership between Disney and TikTok provides fans with an immersive and entertaining experience that celebrates its rich history and ongoing impact on entertainment and global communities.

Stiff Competition in Streaming Business Hurts Disney’s Prospects

DIS has suffered from the underwhelming performance of its streaming business, Disney+, due to intensified competition from Netflix (NFLX - Free Report) , Amazon (AMZN - Free Report) Prime Video and Comcast’s (CMCSA - Free Report) Peacock. Moreover, the disappointing theatrical release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Elemental also hurt growth.

The company 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, it 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.

Shares of DIS have underperformed Netflix, Amazon and Comcast in the year-to-date period. Shares of Netflix, Amazon and Comcast returned 20.6%, 54.5% and 25.3%, respectively, against Disney’s decline of 2.9%.

Nevertheless, the company’s focus on sports streaming, particularly Live Sports on ESPN+, is expected to attract more subscribers. The renewal of the MLB sports rights deal through 2028 and the agreement with Spanish club football’s first division, La Liga, further strengthened the portfolio of its sports content. These factors will be a tailwind in DIS’ international success regardless of facing stiff competition from Netflix and Amazon.

For the current quarter, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company estimates revenues between $21.15 billion and $21.53 billion. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter fiscal 2023 revenues is pegged at $21.34 billion, indicating year-over-year growth of 5.89%. The consensus estimate for earnings declined by a couple of cents over the past 30 days to 76 cents per share.

Disney is planning to expand investment in its Parks, Experiences and Products segment, which accounted for 37.3% of total revenues in third-quarter fiscal 2023. Over the next decade, it plans to double its capital expenditure to nearly $60 billion.

Upcoming attractions include the new Frozen-themed lands in Hong Kong Disneyland, Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris and Tokyo Disney Resort, as well as a Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disney Resort.

Internationally, Disney+ is expanding choice and value options with the launch of a new Standard tier, as well as Standard with Ads in selected 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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