The media giant has a lot going on as it kicks off fiscal 2025 this month.
The losing streak is over. Shares of Walt Disney (DIS 0.19%) rose in September, a notable achievement after closing lower in each of the previous five months. Can it string together back-to-back months of positive returns?
Disney won’t report financial results until early next month, but it doesn’t mean that October will be boring. It’s the start of Disney’s new fiscal year, for starters. From a significant pricing move to fresh content for ABC and Disney+, let’s look at some of the upcoming events that could move shares of the media giant this month.
Oct. 14
Pat Sajak retired in June from ABC’s Wheel of Fortune after 40 years, but it’s not the last time that he’ll be selling vowels as contestants spin the iconic wheel. Sajak signed up to host the fifth season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune that kicks off on ABC in mid-October. Unlike the classic version of the game, this limited-run season runs features celebrities as contestants competing for charity contributions. It kicks off the fall primetime programming on Monday nights starting Oct. 14.
That’s not the only notable debut on ABC this month. The live-action The Little Mermaid, one of Disney’s few box office success stories of 2023, makes its world television premiere theatrical releases on Oct. 6 New seasons of cult favorites Abbott Elementary and Shark Tank will also kick off on Oct. 9 and Oct. 18, respectively.
Image source: Disney.
Oct. 17
It’s going to cost a bit more for stateside subscribers of Disney’s premium streaming services starting Oct. 17. The most popular Disney+ plan with no ads will increase $2 a month to $15.99. For the first time since it was introduced, the ad-free tier of the service will also be raised. It’s getting a 25% increase, rising $2 to $9.99 a month. Hulu, ESPN+, and most bundles will also be moving higher.
Viewers won’t appreciate paying more for the premium platforms they’re enjoying, but annual pricing increases have become the norm. With Disney’s direct-to-consumer streaming segment finally turning the corner in terms of profitability, a price increase on a scalable business can transform a company’s bottom line.
Disney is now starting to crack down on password sharing, a process that helped the industry’s top dog grow its revenue per user by getting folks to pay more for a secondary account living outside of the main account’s home. If it’s able to keep churn in check through this month’s increase and the password sharing restrictions it can redefine the value of the entire company for the better.
Oct. 25
The best streaming platforms find ways to keep expanding their offerings. Disney owns many of the largest franchises through its Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, and namesake studios, but it also sometimes springs for magnetic musical programming that it doesn’t own.
Disney+ has scored in the past with Hamilton, a Beatles docu-series, and Taylor Swift’s concert film that was a major draw at theaters last year. It’s aiming for a different audience this month, when Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band premieres on Oct. 25. The documentary follows “The Boss” on tour with with his longtime band.
That’s not the only musical programming coming to the service. The 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction will stream live on Disney+ on Oct. 19. There will also be plenty of non-musical content coming, including a new Lego animated special in collaboration with Marvel.
There isn’t likely to be a single piece of Disney+ content that will move shares of the media stock, but now that the business is profitable after four years of massive operating losses, the hope is the collection of fresh programming will keep its subscriber base happy and growing.
