We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Disney (DIS) Set to Expand Disney+ Offering in New Regions
Read MoreHide Full Article
The Walt Disney (DIS - Free Report) is expanding Disney+ service to 42 new countries and 11 new territories, per a recent announcement.
Disney+ will be available in South Africa from May 18. In June, the company will launch the service in several countries in Africa and Europe, including Turkey.
Disney+ has emerged as a key growth driver for Disney in recent times. International expansion in the Nordics, Latin America and other Asian territories, as well as a robust content portfolio have helped Disney+ garner a solid subscriber base within a short span of time.
Moreover, its availability as a bundle in the United States that includes Hulu (with ads) and ESPN is likely to have benefited paid subscriber growth.
Disney+, as of Jan 1, 2022, had 129.8 million paid subscribers compared with 94.9 million as of Jan 2, 2021. Excluding Disney+ Hotstar, Disney added 5.1 million paid subscribers, primarily driven by growth in its Asia Pacific and European markets. Disney+’s launch in South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong helped in driving user base growth.
The rapidly growing subscriber base strengthens Disney’s position in the increasingly saturated streaming space currently dominated by Netflix (NFLX - Free Report) , and the growing prominence of services from Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) and Apple (AAPL - Free Report) .
Markedly, Netflix missed its user-base target in fourth-quarter 2021. The streaming giant added 8.28 million paid subscribers globally in the quarter against the addition of 8.51 million in the year-ago quarter, missing its guidance of 8.5 million.
Netflix’s first-quarter 2022 subscriber addition rate is expected to remain muted due to lack of content, stiff competition and the macro-economic impact of COVID-19 in several parts of the world.
Meanwhile, Comcast’s Peacock had 24.5 million monthly active accounts in the United States at the end 2021. Comcast is focused on expanding Peacock’s streaming content portfolio and has pulled in shows like The Office from Netflix. Moreover, original content from the likes of WWE and the NFL is expected to aid subscriber growth for Peacock’s premium service.
Apple’s streaming service, Apple TV+, is gaining recognition with Ted Lasso winning Emmy Awards and most recently, CODA winning three Academy Awards. This is expected to boost Apple TV+’s viewership.
Nevertheless, Disney has an impressive lineup of big-budget movies slated to be released over the next 12 months, a number of which will stream on Disney+ simultaneously with their theatrical releases.
Exciting content that includes Pixar's Turning Red and Marvel Studios' Moon Knight, two Star Wars series: Andor and Obi-Wan Kenobi, two Marvel series - Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk, and the highly anticipated movie, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is expected to drive user base growth.
Image: Bigstock
Disney (DIS) Set to Expand Disney+ Offering in New Regions
The Walt Disney (DIS - Free Report) is expanding Disney+ service to 42 new countries and 11 new territories, per a recent announcement.
Disney+ will be available in South Africa from May 18. In June, the company will launch the service in several countries in Africa and Europe, including Turkey.
Disney+ has emerged as a key growth driver for Disney in recent times. International expansion in the Nordics, Latin America and other Asian territories, as well as a robust content portfolio have helped Disney+ garner a solid subscriber base within a short span of time.
Moreover, its availability as a bundle in the United States that includes Hulu (with ads) and ESPN is likely to have benefited paid subscriber growth.
Disney+, as of Jan 1, 2022, had 129.8 million paid subscribers compared with 94.9 million as of Jan 2, 2021. Excluding Disney+ Hotstar, Disney added 5.1 million paid subscribers, primarily driven by growth in its Asia Pacific and European markets. Disney+’s launch in South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong helped in driving user base growth.
The Walt Disney Company Price and Consensus
The Walt Disney Company price-consensus-chart | The Walt Disney Company Quote
Subscriber Base Growth Aids Competitive Position
The rapidly growing subscriber base strengthens Disney’s position in the increasingly saturated streaming space currently dominated by Netflix (NFLX - Free Report) , and the growing prominence of services from Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) and Apple (AAPL - Free Report) .
Markedly, Netflix missed its user-base target in fourth-quarter 2021. The streaming giant added 8.28 million paid subscribers globally in the quarter against the addition of 8.51 million in the year-ago quarter, missing its guidance of 8.5 million.
Netflix’s first-quarter 2022 subscriber addition rate is expected to remain muted due to lack of content, stiff competition and the macro-economic impact of COVID-19 in several parts of the world.
Meanwhile, Comcast’s Peacock had 24.5 million monthly active accounts in the United States at the end 2021. Comcast is focused on expanding Peacock’s streaming content portfolio and has pulled in shows like The Office from Netflix. Moreover, original content from the likes of WWE and the NFL is expected to aid subscriber growth for Peacock’s premium service.
Apple’s streaming service, Apple TV+, is gaining recognition with Ted Lasso winning Emmy Awards and most recently, CODA winning three Academy Awards. This is expected to boost Apple TV+’s viewership.
Nevertheless, Disney has an impressive lineup of big-budget movies slated to be released over the next 12 months, a number of which will stream on Disney+ simultaneously with their theatrical releases.
Exciting content that includes Pixar's Turning Red and Marvel Studios' Moon Knight, two Star Wars series: Andor and Obi-Wan Kenobi, two Marvel series - Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk, and the highly anticipated movie, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is expected to drive user base growth.
Disney, which currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) remains on track to achieve its prior guidance of 230-260 million Disney+ paid subscribers by the end of fiscal 2024. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.