The Walt Disney Co has said it will cut about 7,000 jobs as part of a “significant transformation” announced by chief executive Bob Iger.
The job cuts amount to about 3 per cent of the entertainment giant’s global workforce and were announced after Disney reported quarterly results that topped Wall Street’s forecasts.
Mr Iger returned as chief executive in November following a challenging two-year tenure by his handpicked successor, Bob Chapek.
The company said the job reductions are part of targeted $5.5 billion cost savings across the company.
As of October 1st, Disney employed 220,000 people, of which about 166,000 worked in the US and 54,000 internationally.
In its latest results, solid growth at Disney’s theme parks helped offset tepid performance in its video streaming and movie business.
Disney said that it earned $1.28 billion, or 70 cents per share, in the three months through to December 31st. That compares with net income of $1.1 billion, or 60 cents per share, a year earlier.
Excluding one-time items, Disney earned 99 cents per share. Analysts, on average, were expecting adjusted earnings of 78 cents per share, according to FactSet.
Revenue grew 8 per cent to $23.51 billion from $21.82 billion a year earlier. Analysts were expecting revenue of $23.44 billion.
In a statement, Mr Iger said the company is embarking on a “significant transformation” that management believes will lead to improved profitability at the company’s streaming business.
The company said Disney+ ended the quarter with 161.8 million subscribers, down 1 per cent from October 1st.
Hulu and ESPN+ each posted a 2 per cent increase in paid subscribers during the quarter.
Shares in Disney rose 3 per cent in after-hours trading.
