Disney's New CEO Faces Challenges Ahead
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 18 2026
0mins
Should l Buy DIS?
Source: Fool
- Stock Performance Issues: Disney's stock closed at $91.80 in November 2022, and has only risen 9% over the past 41 months, while the S&P 500 has surged 69%, indicating relative weakness that could undermine investor confidence.
- Historical Lessons: Although former CEO Bob Iger turned streaming profitable in fiscal 2024, his inability to outperform the market led to two proxy battles, highlighting challenges in corporate governance and market trust.
- Managing Fan Expectations: New CEO Josh D'Amaro faces the high expectations of Disney fans, whose demands for theme park experiences and content are complex and often contradictory, making it a significant challenge that could impact the company's brand image.
- Acknowledging the Predecessor: Should D'Amaro achieve a new all-time high for Disney stock, it is suggested he thank former CEO Chapek to recognize his contributions to the company's growth, which could enhance internal culture and external perception.
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Analyst Views on DIS
Wall Street analysts forecast DIS stock price to rise
19 Analyst Rating
16 Buy
3 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 96.560
Low
123.00
Averages
137.29
High
152.00
Current: 96.560
Low
123.00
Averages
137.29
High
152.00
About DIS
The Walt Disney Company is a diversified worldwide entertainment company. The Company's segments include Entertainment, Sports and Experiences. The Entertainment segment generally encompasses its non-sports focused global film and episodic content production and distribution activities. The lines of business within the Entertainment segment along with their business activities include Linear Networks, Direct-to-Consumer, and Content Sales/Licensing. The Sports segment encompasses its sports-focused global television and direct-to-consumer (DTC) video streaming content production and distribution activities. The lines of business within the Sports segment include ESPN and Star. The Experiences segment includes Parks and Experiences and Consumer Products. Parks and Experiences consists of Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Disneyland Resort in California, Disney Cruise Line, and others. Consumer Products includes licensing of its trade names, characters, visual, literary and other IP.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Theme Park Investment: Disney plans to invest $60 billion over the next decade to upgrade its theme parks and expand its cruise fleet, emphasizing its commitment to enhancing guest experiences, which is expected to attract more visitors and boost revenue.
- Content Production Focus: With its streaming business now profitable, Disney will increase investments in high-budget films, including Toy Story 5 and Avengers: Doomsday, further solidifying its leadership position in the entertainment industry.
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- Lost Investment Opportunity: The collaboration was expected to provide Disney access to classic characters, but with Sora's closure, this potential market expansion opportunity is lost, impacting Disney's strategic positioning in the AI landscape.
- Future Investment Focus: Despite the setback with OpenAI, Disney plans to invest $60 billion over the next decade in expanding its theme parks and cruise lines, indicating a strategic pivot back to its core business to remain competitive in the entertainment sector.
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