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

Trendingnow

1

The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents

2

Peter Thiel and other tech billionaires are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich

3

A Trump Account could make your kid a millionaire by 45—but financial experts say the app's projections come with a catch

1

The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents

2

Peter Thiel and other tech billionaires are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich

3

A Trump Account could make your kid a millionaire by 45—but financial experts say the app's projections come with a catch
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
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

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
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

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

Disney bet big on one of its most popular franchises and most-streamed movie. The live-action remake failed to make a big splash
Arts & EntertainmentMovies
Disney bet big on one of its most popular franchises and most-streamed movie. The live-action remake failed to make a big splash
By Lindsey Bahr and The Associated PressJuly 12, 2026
18 hours ago
Photo of Phoebe Gates
Startups & VentureEntrepreneurs
‘I have a chip on my shoulder.’ Phoebe Gates wants her $185 million AI startup Phia to succeed with ‘no ties to my privilege or my last name’
By Sydney LakeJuly 11, 2026
2 days ago
A 12-person PR firm represents De Niro, Pacino, and billion-dollar clients. Its founder says the secret is staying small
SuccessPublic relations
A 12-person PR firm represents De Niro, Pacino, and billion-dollar clients. Its founder says the secret is staying small
By Sydney LakeJuly 11, 2026
2 days ago
A $5 hair tie, a sold-out dress, cake and a fast-food order: How fans chase closeness to Erling Haaland, Taylor Swift and other celebrities
Arts & EntertainmentWorld Cup
A $5 hair tie, a sold-out dress, cake and a fast-food order: How fans chase closeness to Erling Haaland, Taylor Swift and other celebrities
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 11, 2026
2 days ago
Taylor Swift paid New York City more than $160,000 to cover the costs tied to her wedding, Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed
Arts & EntertainmentTaylor Swift
Taylor Swift paid New York City more than $160,000 to cover the costs tied to her wedding, Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed
By The Associated Press, Catherina Gioino, Andrew Dalton and Kimberlee KruesiJuly 10, 2026
3 days ago
Erling Haaland #9 of Norway
Successathletes
When Erling Haaland isn’t playing for Norway in the World Cup, he’s investing in a chess championship and playing an animated Viking
By Emma BurleighJuly 10, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
Innovation
The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 12, 2026
1 day ago
Peter Thiel and other tech billionaires are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich
Big Tech
Peter Thiel and other tech billionaires are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 12, 2026
1 day ago
A Trump Account could make your kid a millionaire by 45—but financial experts say the app's projections come with a catch
Personal Finance
A Trump Account could make your kid a millionaire by 45—but financial experts say the app's projections come with a catch
By Sydney LakeJuly 12, 2026
1 day ago
Wyoming officials say Meta’s 715,000-square-foot data center is responsible for contaminating its water system with a rare bacterium
Environment
Wyoming officials say Meta’s 715,000-square-foot data center is responsible for contaminating its water system with a rare bacterium
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 10, 2026
3 days ago
A Yale professor says America is now an 'oldigarchy'—and Boomers on LinkedIn are enraged
Crypto
A Yale professor says America is now an 'oldigarchy'—and Boomers on LinkedIn are enraged
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 12, 2026
1 day ago
Trump’s time is running out to avoid a nightmare Strait of Hormuz scenario
Energy
Trump’s time is running out to avoid a nightmare Strait of Hormuz scenario
By Jordan BlumJuly 12, 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.