3 dates for Disney stock investors to return to in October

The losing streak is over. Actions of Walt Disney (DIS 0.19%) rose in September, a notable achievement after closing lower in each of the past five months. Can it string together consecutive months of positive returns?

Disney won’t report financial results until early next month, but that doesn’t mean October will be boring. It’s the start of Disney’s new fiscal year, for starters. From a significant price change to fresh content for ABC and Disney+, let’s look at some of the upcoming events that could move the media giant’s stock this month.

October 14

Pat Sajak retired in June from ABC Wheel of Fortune after 40 years, but it’s not the last time he’ll be selling vocals as competitors spin the iconic wheel. Sajak has signed on to host the fifth season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune which begins on ABC in mid-October. Unlike the classic version of the game, this limited-run season features celebrities as contestants competing for charity contributions. Fall programming begins on Monday evenings, beginning October 14th.

This isn’t the only notable debut on ABC this month. The live action The Little Mermaidone of Disney’s few box office blockbusters of 2023, opens worldwide in theaters on October 6. New seasons of cult favorites Abbott Elementary and Shark tank will also start on October 9 and October 18 respectively.

Image source: Disney.

October 17

It will cost slightly more for US subscribers to Disney’s premium streaming services starting October 17. The most popular ad-free Disney+ plan will increase by $2 per month to $15.99. For the first time since it was introduced, the ad-free tier of the service will also be raised. It sees a 25% increase, going from $2 to $9.99 per month. Hulu, ESPN+ and most bundles will also move up.

Viewers won’t appreciate paying more for the premium platforms they enjoy, but annual price increases have become the norm. With Disney’s direct-to-consumer streaming segment finally turning the corner in terms of profitability, a price hike on a scalable business can transform a company’s bottom line.

Disney is now starting to crack down on password sharing, a process that has helped the industry’s top dog grow its revenue per user by getting people to pay more for a secondary account that lives outside the main account’s home. If he’s able to keep this month’s growth and password-sharing restrictions under control, he can redefine the value of the entire company for the better.

October 25

The top streaming platforms are finding ways to continue expanding their offerings. Disney owns many of the biggest franchises through its Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm and namesake studios, but it also sometimes relies on magnetic musical programming it doesn’t own.

Disney+ has previously scored with Hamiltona Beatles docu-series and Taylor Swift’s concert film, which was a major draw in theaters last year. Target a different audience this month when Road Trip: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band premieres on October 25. The documentary follows “The Boss” on tour with his longtime band.

That’s not the only music programming coming to the service. The 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction will air live on Disney+ on October 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 moves the shares of the media stock, but now that the business is profitable after four years of massive operating losses, the hope is that the collection of fresh programming will retain its subscriber base. happy and growing.