Disney (DIS) Stock Rises 4% as Company Plans 1,000 Layoffs Under New CEO

TLDR

• Disney plans to cut up to 1,000 jobs in the coming weeks under new CEO Josh D’Amaro
• Most cuts will target the recently consolidated marketing division
• Disney has laid off over 8,000 workers since Bob Iger returned as CEO in 2022
• The company saved up to $7.5 billion in costs through previous restructuring efforts
• DIS stock is down 12.8% year-to-date, closing at $99.18

Walt Disney is planning to lay off up to 1,000 employees in the coming weeks. The cuts are part of a broader cost-reduction effort under new CEO Josh D’Amaro, who took over from Bob Iger earlier this year.

Most of the job cuts will come from Disney’s marketing division, which was consolidated under a single Chief Marketing Officer, Asad Ayaz, in January. That consolidation brought together marketing teams across entertainment, experiences, and sports under one roof.

D’Amaro’s cost-cutting push is reportedly codenamed Project Imagine internally. The goal is to speed up collaboration between teams. Disney has not officially commented on the specifics of the plan.

The Walt Disney Company, DIS

The planned cuts are not entirely new. Reports suggest the layoff plans were already underway before D’Amaro was officially named CEO.

Disney employed around 230,000 people at the end of fiscal year 2025. The 1,000 planned cuts represent a relatively small portion of that total workforce.

A Company That’s Been Here Before

This is not Disney’s first major round of layoffs. Since Bob Iger returned as CEO in 2022, the company has cut more than 8,000 positions. Those cuts focused mainly on entertainment, ESPN, and corporate operations.

The previous restructuring helped Disney save up to $7.5 billion — more than originally targeted. Theme parks and the cruise line held up well through that period.

Disney is dealing with a difficult environment in Hollywood. Cord-cutting has hurt its linear TV business. Streaming profits have been under pressure. Box office returns have softened. Rivals like Amazon Prime and YouTube continue to attract more viewers.

Sony Pictures also announced hundreds of job cuts this week, pointing to similar pressures across the industry.

What Analysts Are Saying

Despite the challenges, analyst sentiment on DIS remains broadly positive. On TipRanks, the stock carries a Strong Buy consensus rating, based on 18 Buy ratings and three Holds.

The average price target sits at $132.11, which would represent about 33% upside from current levels.

DIS stock is down 12.8% year-to-date. It hit a January high of $115.88 before pulling back. A post-earnings dip in February added to the pressure.

The stock closed at $99.18 on Wednesday, up 3.55% on the day.

The post Disney (DIS) Stock Rises 4% as Company Plans 1,000 Layoffs Under New CEO appeared first on CoinCentral.