Disney Beats All Earnings Estimates

February 5, 2013 by Jon C. Ogg

Disney LogoThe Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) is out with its fourth quarter earnings report. The entertainment and media giant has been challenging new highs and it now has the Star Wars brand to add to its revenue in future years. The company’s report was $0.79 in earnings per share excluding items and sales grew by 5% to $11.341 billion in revenue. Thomson Reuters had estimates for the so-called Mouse House at $0.76 per share and for 4% sales growth to $11.21 billion in revenue.

We would note that Star Wars is likely to not have any major impact in the near-term on Disney’s revenue and non-GAAP earnings but it will impact its expenses, balance sheet, and earnings in a negative manner ahead until it gets another Star Wars film behind it. Until then, Disney has many new film releases coming: Iron Man 3, Oz, Lone Ranger, and Monsters University.

Disney said that it had 7% sales growth to $5.1 billion in its Media Networks unit, its Parks and Resorts grew by 7% to $3.4 billion, and it saw 7% growth to $1 billion in its Consumer Products. Its interactive unit saw at a slower growth of 4% to $291 million and its Studio Entertainment sales were down by 5% to $1.5 billion.

Shares closed up by 0.7% at $54.28 versus a 52-week trading range of $40.20 to $54.87 and the consensus analyst price target from Thomson Reuters was $57.25.

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