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Disney (DIS) Q1 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates

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Walt Disney (DIS - Free Report) reported $23.55 billion in revenue for the quarter ended December 2023, representing a year-over-year increase of 0.2%. EPS of $1.22 for the same period compares to $0.99 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.58% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $23.41 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.97, the EPS surprise was +25.77%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Disney performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

  • Number of paid subscriber - ESPN+: 25.2 million versus 25.95 million estimated by four analysts on average.
  • Number of paid subscriber - SVOD Only: 45.1 million versus 44.23 million estimated by four analysts on average.
  • Number of paid subscriber - Live TV + SVOD: 4.6 million compared to the 4.66 million average estimate based on four analysts.
  • Number of paid subscriber - Total Hulu: 49.7 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of 48.89 million.
  • Linear Networks- Other: $43 million compared to the $109.70 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of -84% year over year.
  • Revenue- Parks & Experiences- International: $1.48 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.50 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +34.9%.
  • Linear Networks- Affiliate fees: $1.77 billion compared to the $1.82 billion average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -61% year over year.
  • Linear Networks- Advertising: $994 million versus $1.06 billion estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -60.2% change.
  • Revenue- Parks & Experiences- Domestic: $6.30 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $6.13 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +3.7%.
  • Direct-to-Consumer- Subscription fees: $4.51 billion versus $4.46 billion estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +6.3% change.
  • Direct-to-Consumer- TV/SVOD distribution and other: $65 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $80 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -61.8%.
  • Direct-to-Consumer- Advertising: $974 million compared to the $913.94 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +8.6% year over year.
View all Key Company Metrics for Disney here>>>

Shares of Disney have returned +10.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +5.6% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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