Disney’s first quarter with CEO Bob Iger back in command isn’t looking so good. In Q1 2023 Disney reported a total of 161.8 million Disney+ global subscribers, a decrease of 2.4 million subs from 164.2 million in the previous quarter – the streamer’s first subscriber loss since launching in 2019. With competition heating up from rivals such as Netflix and Amazon, it’s unclear how Disney plans to compete in an increasingly saturated market and sustain its subscriber base longterm.
Disney+ saw a decrease in subscribers following the launch of their new streaming service, Disney+. The loss of subscribers was likely due to the offering of a new streaming service as well as increased competition from other streaming services. Additionally, Disney+ had an inadequate marketing campaign which may have resulted in lower viewership.
Since its release in late November, Disney+ has been on an upward trajectory in terms of subscribers. In just over two months, the platform has attracted an additional 200,000 domestic subscribers. Despite some initial turbulence caused by high prices and restrictive content availability, Disney+ appears to be gaining traction among consumers. With a library of classic and family-friendly films as well
Netflix seems to be doing just fine for now, despite Disney+’s ambitious plan to reach up to 245 million subscribers by 2024. Netflix currently has over 230 million global subscribers, so Disney+ would have a mighty tough time surpassing them. However, with new content such as The Mandalorian and a growing base of originals like Stranger Things and Game of Thrones, the company seems poised for continued growth in the near future.
Netflix’s decision to cease providing subscriber addition guidance may be a sign that the streaming service is pulling back from its aggressive growth strategy. While this move could also mean that Netflix is becoming more selective in its expansion into new markets, it’s possible that Disney’s announcement today indicates a shift in Disney’s own growth strategy as well.
Netflix’s subscriber loss comes on the heels of its increase in subscription prices for Disney+ ad-free and ad-supported plans. Analysts were expecting a much larger loss of 3 million subscribers, so today’s news isn’t entirely bad from that perspective. However, it does suggest that Netflix may not be as dominant as it used to be in the streaming market.
Disney is a powerhouse in the entertainment world, and its other streaming services are no exception. ESPN+ continued to see growth in Q3, adding 600,000 new subscribers over the last quarter. Hulu also saw some good news – it now has 48 million subscribers, making it one of the most popular streaming services on the market. Disney’s other streaming services are proving to be a big hit with viewers, so expect even more growth in Q4 and beyond!
Disney’s improved financial performance and plans to reduce costs could bode well for its stock price in the near future. With a nearly 50% increase in revenue, it seems as though Disney is doing well despite its recent controversies. The company is planning to reduce costs by $5.5 billion, which will likely be welcomed by investors. Despite some controversy surrounding its upcoming movies, Disney’s overall business remains strong and appears poised for continued success in the future.
One possibility is that the restructuring will result in Disney reducing its workforce, which could mean a decrease in quality products. While fans of Disney’s output may not be happy with a loss of jobs, it’s important to remember that these layoffs are likely part of an effort by Iger and his team to turn around the company’s streaming business.
The decision to fire CEO James Iger comes as a surprise to many, as he has led the company since 2012. However, it is speculated that Iger may have been pushed out due to the recent financial troubles at Disney. The company has been struggling with debt in recent years and was forced to issue a profit warning earlier this year.
Disney’s licensing strategy could change if recent reports are true that the company is exploring the sale of its movie and TV rights to its competitors in order to combat streaming losses. In recent years, Disney has been known to keep much of its original programming exclusively on Disney+ and Hulu, but this strategy could be changing if the company is losing money on these services. If this weretrue, it would be a significant shift in strategy for Disney since it is typically known for maintaining control over its content.
The recent licensing deals by Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) show that the major media companies are starting to see the potential in gaining revenue from licensed content. The deals with Roku and Tubi will give consumers access to 2,000 hours of Movies and TV Shows, including ‘Westworld.’ This shows that there is still a great deal of interest in licensed content, even after Netflix pulled many of their shows from HBO Max.
