• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

2

When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all

3

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

1

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

2

When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all

3

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
Arts & EntertainmentDisney

Disney earnings: Coronavirus pandemic batters business, as expected

Aric Jenkins
By
Aric Jenkins
Aric Jenkins
Down Arrow Button Icon
Aric Jenkins
By
Aric Jenkins
Aric Jenkins
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 5, 2020, 4:18 PM ET

Disney reported fiscal second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, suffering a significant drop to its bottom line as the novel coronavirus pandemic battered many of its businesses.

Earnings per share came in at $0.60—down $1.01, or 63% from a year earlier. Wall Street analysts had estimated a figure of $0.83, a decline of 48% from the year earlier, according to consensus estimates from Zacks Investment Research. Revenues meanwhile were up to $18.01 billion, up from $14.92 billion a year earlier—an increase of 21%. That number was in line with consensus expectations of $18.03 billion.

Disney’s Parks, Experiences, and Product segment was hit particularly hard by the pandemic. The division, which handles the likes of theme parks, retail stores, and cruise lines, generated $639 million of operating income in the second quarter. That’s down from $1.5 billion a year earlier, a 58% decline. Disney estimated COVID-19 had a $1 billion impact on the segment’s total operating income, mostly due to lost revenues from closures. Across the entire company, Disney estimated the coronavirus had an impact of $1.4 billion to operating income in the second quarter, a 37% decline from a year ago.

“Disney’s bottom-line number has missed the consensus estimate by a big margin, evidence that the company’s parks and media businesses are taking a big hit from the coronavirus-triggered closures,” said Haris Anwar, a senior analyst at Investing.com. “It’s very difficult to see that segment, which accounts for 70% of Disney’s revenues, coming back to normality any time soon. This new reality will continue to hurt Disney franchises, at least in the next 12 months, keeping its share price down.”

The results marked the first time Disney CEO Bob Chapek reported quarterly earnings since taking over from Bob Iger in late February. Iger remains at Disney in the position of executive chairman, handling the company’s creative endeavors. About three weeks into Chapek’s tenure, in mid-March, Disney began closing its theme parks as lockdown measures intensified. Disney’s fiscal second quarter ended on March 31, meaning the earnings results reflect only about two weeks of significant coronavirus disruptions.

“While the COVID-19 pandemic has had an appreciable financial impact on a number of our businesses, we are confident in our ability to withstand this disruption and emerge from it in a strong position,” Chapek said in a statement. “Disney has repeatedly shown that it is exceptionally resilient, bolstered by the quality of our storytelling and the strong affinity consumers have for our brands, which is evident in the extraordinary response to Disney+ since its launch last November.”

Disney’s direct-to-consumer business was a bright spot for the company as consumers increasingly look to streaming entertainment at home. All three of its streaming services saw paid subscriber growth in the second quarter. At the end of the quarter, March 31, Disney+ had 33.5 million subscribers—but on April 8 the company announced the service had surpassed 50 million subscribers, suggesting accelerated growth (though 8 million in India were automatically signed up through the over-the-top streaming service Hotstar).

ESPN+, meanwhile, is up to 7.9 million subscribers, up from 6.6 million at the end of the first quarter, and 2.2 million a year earlier. Hulu increased to 32.1 million total subscribers, up from 30.4 million the previous quarter and 25.2 million last year.

“Disney’s significant investment in streaming is a bright spot for the company that could help it mitigate some of its shortfalls, but it alone can’t propel the company past all of this adversity. Disney+ quickly amassed an impressive number of subscribers, but its impact on the broader company is limited as long as theaters and theme parks stay closed,” said eMarketer analyst Ross Benes. “This is because the streaming service, like so many other Disney products, generates the most revenue when it can be used to cross-market other company properties.”

About the Author
Aric Jenkins
By Aric Jenkins
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

victor
North AmericaSports
Victor Wembanyama nearly got egged by a rabid Knicks fan. Nobody filed a complaint with the NYPD
By The Associated PressJune 12, 2026
3 hours ago
pattie
LawCopyright
Patagonia sues drag queen Pattie Gonia, seeking $1 for trademark infringement
By Brittany Peterson and The Associated PressJune 12, 2026
3 hours ago
t
Arts & EntertainmentTaylor Swift
Taylor Swift is youngest woman to make Songwriters Hall of Fame at 36, but blew out her voice cheering for the Knicks
By Maria Sherman and The Associated PressJune 12, 2026
4 hours ago
blunt
Arts & EntertainmentReligion
Aliens are so mainstream the Catholic Church just fired an exorcist for saying UFOs are demons
By Krysta Fauria and The Associated PressJune 12, 2026
4 hours ago
The chaos at CBS News shows the limits of ‘blow it up’ leadership
C-SuiteLeadership
The chaos at CBS News shows the limits of ‘blow it up’ leadership
By Claire ZillmanJune 12, 2026
12 hours ago
Shaun White, wearing a jacket with a fur-lined hood, looks up.
SuccessBrainstorm Tech
Olympic champion Shaun White says AI is ‘leveling the playing field’ for professional athletes
By Sasha RogelbergJune 11, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
Environment
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
3 days ago
When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all
Investing
When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all
By Jim EdwardsJune 12, 2026
9 hours ago
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
Energy
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 11, 2026
1 day ago
American taxpayers have spent $33 billion on sports stadiums. They got fewer seats—and higher prices
Success
American taxpayers have spent $33 billion on sports stadiums. They got fewer seats—and higher prices
By Catherina GioinoJune 11, 2026
1 day ago
Meet the SpaceX employees who are set to become multimillionaires thanks to its IPO: from execs to even welders
Success
Meet the SpaceX employees who are set to become multimillionaires thanks to its IPO: from execs to even welders
By Preston ForeJune 11, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.