The Walt Disney Company
| The Walt Disney Company | |
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| Formerly | Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio (1923–1926) Walt Disney Studio (1926–1929) Walt Disney Productions (1929–1986) |
| Company type | Public |
| Traded as | NYSE: DIS Dow Jones component S&P 100 component S&P 500 component |
| Industry | Mass media · Entertainment |
| Founded | October 16, 1923 |
| Founders | Walt Disney · Roy O. Disney |
| Headquarters | Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, California, U.S. |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Key people | James P. Gorman (chairman) Josh D'Amaro (CEO) Dana Walden (president and CCO) |
| Revenue | US$94.4 billion (FY2025) |
| Operating income | US$17.6 billion (FY2025) |
| Net income | US$12.4 billion (FY2025) |
| Total assets | US$197.5 billion (FY2025) |
| Total equity | US$114.6 billion (FY2025) |
| Employees | ~231,000 (FY2025) |
| Divisions | Disney Entertainment · Disney Experiences · ESPN |
| Website | thewaltdisneycompany.com |
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known simply as Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. It was founded on October 16, 1923, by brothers Walt Disney and Roy O. Disney as a small animation studio, and has grown into one of the largest and best-known entertainment companies in the world.
The company was originally called the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. It later operated as the Walt Disney Studio and then Walt Disney Productions before adopting its current name in 1986. Today Disney is known worldwide for its films, theme parks, television networks, and characters such as Mickey Mouse, and it owns major brands including Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm.
1 History✎
1.1 Early years✎
Walt and Roy Disney started their studio in 1923 to make animated cartoons. The young company found its first lasting success with the creation of Mickey Mouse in 1928, followed by full-length animated films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Over the following decades, Disney expanded from animation into live-action films, television, and theme parks, opening Disneyland in 1955.
1.2 Expansion under Bob Iger✎
Bob Iger became chief executive officer in 2005 and led a long period of growth built largely on major acquisitions. Under his leadership the company purchased Pixar in 2006, Marvel Entertainment in 2009, Lucasfilm in 2012, and the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox in 2019. These deals brought franchises such as Toy Story, the Marvel superheroes, and Star Wars under the Disney umbrella.
Iger retired in 2020 and was succeeded by Bob Chapek, who had previously led the parks division. Chapek's tenure proved short and turbulent, and the board removed him in November 2022, bringing Iger back as CEO.
1.3 Leadership transition✎
During his second term, Iger restructured the company around three core segments, gave more authority to creative leaders, and focused on improving the profitability of streaming. After a closely watched succession process overseen by board chairman James P. Gorman, the board unanimously selected Disney Experiences chairman Josh D'Amaro as the next CEO.
D'Amaro officially took over as chief executive at the company's annual meeting on March 18, 2026. Iger remained with the company as a senior adviser and board member, with plans to retire at the end of 2026. Dana Walden, previously a co-chair of Disney Entertainment, became president and chief creative officer.
2 Business segments✎
Disney organizes its operations into three main segments.
The Disney Entertainment segment covers the company's film studios, general entertainment television, and most of its streaming services, including Disney+ and Hulu. It includes studios such as Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Marvel Studios, and Lucasfilm.
The Disney Experiences segment includes the company's theme parks, resorts, cruise line, and consumer products. This segment has become central to Disney's financial performance, accounting for a large share of the company's profit, and the company has committed to spending tens of billions of dollars to expand its parks and build new cruise ships.
The ESPN segment covers the company's sports media business, including the ESPN networks and its digital sports offerings.
3 Finances✎
For fiscal year 2025, which ended September 27, 2025, Disney reported revenue of about US$94.4 billion, up roughly 3 percent from the prior year. Total segment operating income rose about 12 percent to US$17.6 billion, and net income attributable to the company was about US$12.4 billion. The company reported total assets of about US$197.5 billion and employed roughly 231,000 people.
Disney's stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DIS and is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500.
4 See also✎
This article draws on publicly reported facts. For a fuller treatment, see The Walt Disney Company on Wikipedia.