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By Lisa Richwine and Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Walt Disney signaled on Thursday it was girding for a potentially prolonged fight with YouTube TV over distribution of its television  channels, worrying investors about the outlook for its already declining TV business and pushing its shares down 6.6%. The company also missed quarterly revenue expectations as the cable weakness overshadowed strong growth in the company's streaming and parks businesses that powered a profit beat. On a post-earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston told analysts Disney has "built a hedge" into its forecasts assuming the negotiations could drag on. Disney's networks disappeared from YouTube TV – the fourth-largest pay-TV provider in the U.S. with about 10 million subscribers – on October 30 in the latest carriage rights dispute between the Alphabet unit and a major media company. NBCUniversal content had also briefly gone dark on YouTube TV earlier this year due to a similar dispute. Morgan Stanley analysts estimate a 14-day blackout on YouTube TV would cost Disney about $60 million in revenue. The tense discussions underscore YouTube TV's rapid growth as well as Google's vast financial resources, which give it greater leverage in negotiations with media companies. "The deal that we have proposed is equal to or better than what other large distributors have already agreed to," Disney CEO Bob Iger said, referring to the talks with YouTube TV. "And while we've been working tirelessly to close this deal and restore our channel to the platform, it's also imperative that we make sure that we agree with a deal that reflects the value that we deliver, which both YouTube, by the way, and Alphabet have told us is greater than the value of any other provider." BUYBACK, DIVIDEND BOOST The media and entertainment giant also unveiled plans to boost its dividend by 50% and double its share buyback plan for fiscal 2026. It posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.11 for its fourth quarter ending in September, a 3% decline from a year earlier but 6 cents above an average LSEG estimate. Profit rose in Disney's theme parks unit, partially from an expansion of the U.S. cruise ship business and growth at Disneyland Paris. Earnings at its streaming business surged 39% to $352 million. Disney said it added 12.5 million subscribers to Disney+ and Hulu during the quarter, reaching a total of 196 million.  A new distribution deal with cable and broadband provider Charter Communications helped draw new streaming customers, Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston told Reuters. Box office smash "Lilo & Stitch" debuted on Disney+ during the quarter and racked up 14.3 million views in its first five days, he said. Disney has been remaking itself to adjust to the industry-wide decline of traditional broadcast and cable TV. It has invested in new theme park attractions and cruise ships and worked to lure subscribers to its streaming services. CEO Bob Iger undertook aggressive cost-cutting when he returned to Disney in 2022. His current contract expires at the end of 2026, and Disney has said it will name Iger's successor early next year. TRADITIONAL TV DECLINE Thursday's earnings report reflected a continued slide in television fees and advertising revenue, but the company projected confidence in the next two years.  Disney forecast double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2026, in line with its previous forecast. The company also said it expected double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2027.  The company's board declared a dividend of $1.50 per share, up from $1 a share, and doubled its stock buyback to $7 billion in fiscal 2026. In the just-ended quarter, Disney's revenue was comparable to a year ago at $22.5 billion but shy of the $22.75 billion analyst forecast. Operating income at the entertainment division slumped by more than a third to $691 million after this year's films failed to match the success of last year's hits "Inside Out 2" and "Deadpool & Wolverine."  Profit at the traditional television unit declined 21% to $391 million, and income from ESPN slipped too. The experiences unit that includes theme parks posted operating income of $1.88 billion, up 13% from a year ago. Part of the growth came from more passenger days on Disney cruise ships, the company said. "This was another year of great progress as we strengthened the company by leveraging the value of our creative and brand assets and continued to make meaningful progress in our direct-to-consumer businesses," Iger said in a statement. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Sonali Paul, Arun Koyyur and Nick Zieminski)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Lisa Richwine and Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Walt Disney signaled on Thursday it was girding for a potentially prolonged fight with YouTube TV over distribution of its cable channels, worrying investors about the outlook for its already declining TV business and pushing its shares down 6%. The company also missed quarterly revenue expectations as the cable weakness overshadowed strong growth in the company's streaming and parks businesses that powered a profit beat. On a post-earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston told analysts Disney has "built a hedge" into its forecasts assuming the negotiations could drag on. Disney's content disappeared from YouTube TV – the fourth-largest pay-TV provider in the U.S. with about 10 million subscribers – on October 30 in the latest carriage rights dispute between the Alphabet unit and a major media company. NBCUniversal content had also briefly gone dark on YouTube TV earlier this year due to a similar dispute. Morgan Stanley analysts estimate a 14-day blackout on YouTube TV would cost Disney about $60 million in revenue. The tense discussions underscore YouTube TV's rapid growth as well as Google's vast financial resources, which give it greater leverage in negotiations with media companies. "The deal that we have proposed is equal to or better than what other large distributors have already agreed to," Disney CEO Bob Iger said, referring to the talks with YouTube TV. "And while we've been working tirelessly to close this deal and restore our channel to the platform, it's also imperative that we make sure that we agree with a deal that reflects the value that we deliver, which both YouTube, by the way, and Alphabet have told us is greater than the value of any other provider." BUYBACK, DIVIDEND BOOST The media and entertainment giant also unveiled plans to boost its dividend by 50% and double its share buyback plan for fiscal 2026. It posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.11 for its fourth quarter ending in September, a 3% decline from a year earlier but 6 cents above an average LSEG estimate. Profit rose in Disney's theme parks unit, partially from an expansion of the U.S. cruise ship business and growth at Disneyland Paris. Earnings at its streaming business surged 39% to $352 million. Disney said it added 12.5 million subscribers to Disney+ and Hulu during the quarter, reaching a total of 196 million.  A new distribution deal with cable and broadband provider Charter Communications helped draw new streaming customers, Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston told Reuters. Box office smash "Lilo & Stitch" debuted on Disney+ during the quarter and racked up 14.3 million views in its first five days, he said. Disney has been remaking itself to adjust to the industry-wide decline of traditional broadcast and cable TV. It has invested in new theme park attractions and cruise ships and worked to lure subscribers to its streaming services. CEO Bob Iger undertook aggressive cost-cutting when he returned to Disney in 2022. His current contract expires at the end of 2026, and Disney has said it will name Iger's successor early next year. TRADITIONAL TV DECLINE Thursday's earnings report reflected a continued slide in television fees and advertising revenue, but the company projected confidence in the next two years.  Disney forecast double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2026, in line with its previous forecast. The company also said it expected double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2027.  The company's board declared a dividend of $1.50 per share, up from $1 a share, and doubled its stock buyback to $7 billion in fiscal 2026. In the just-ended quarter, Disney's revenue was comparable to a year ago at $22.5 billion but shy of the $22.75 billion analyst forecast. Operating income at the entertainment division slumped by more than a third to $691 million after this year's films failed to match the success of last year's hits "Inside Out 2" and "Deadpool & Wolverine."  Profit at the traditional television unit declined 21% to $391 million, and income from ESPN slipped too. The experiences unit that includes theme parks posted operating income of $1.88 billion, up 13% from a year ago. Part of the growth came from more passenger days on Disney cruise ships, the company said. "This was another year of great progress as we strengthened the company by leveraging the value of our creative and brand assets and continued to make meaningful progress in our direct-to-consumer businesses," Iger said in a statement. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Sonali Paul, Arun Koyyur and Nick Zieminski)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Lisa Richwine and Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Walt Disney missed Wall Street estimates for quarterly revenue on Thursday as ongoing weakness in its cable TV unit overshadowed solid growth in streaming and theme parks, sending its shares down more than 3.9% in premarket trading. The media and entertainment giant also unveiled plans to boost its dividend by 50% and double its share buyback plan for fiscal 2026. It posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.11 for its fourth quarter ending in September, a 3% decline from a year earlier but 6 cents above an average LSEG estimate. Profit rose in Disney's theme parks unit, partially from an expansion of the U.S. cruise ship business and growth at Disneyland Paris. Earnings at its streaming business surged 39% to $352 million. Disney said it added 12.5 million subscribers to Disney+ and Hulu during the quarter, reaching a total of 196 million.  A new distribution deal with cable and broadband provider Charter Communications helped draw new streaming customers, Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston told Reuters. Box office smash "Lilo & Stitch" debuted on Disney+ during the quarter and racked up 14.3 million views in its first five days, he said. Disney has been remaking itself to adjust to the industry-wide decline of traditional broadcast and cable TV. It has invested in new theme park attractions and cruise ships and worked to lure subscribers to its streaming services. CEO Bob Iger undertook aggressive cost-cutting when he returned to Disney in 2022. His current contract expires at the end of 2026, and Disney has said it will name Iger's successor early next year. TRADITIONAL TV DECLINE Thursday's earnings report reflected a continued slide in television fees and advertising revenue, but the company projected confidence in the next two years.  Disney forecast double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2026, in line with its previous forecast. The company also said it expected double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2027.  The company's board declared a dividend of $1.50 per share, up from $1 a share, and doubled its stock buyback to $7 billion in fiscal 2026. In the just-ended quarter, Disney's revenue was comparable to a year ago at $22.5 billion but shy of the $22.75 billion analyst forecast. Operating income at the entertainment division slumped by more than a third to $691 million after this year's films failed to match the success of last year's hits "Inside Out 2" and "Deadpool & Wolverine."  Profit at the traditional television unit declined 21% to $391 million, and income from ESPN slipped too. The experiences unit that includes theme parks posted operating income of $1.88 billion, up 13% from a year ago. Part of the growth came from more passenger days on Disney cruise ships, the company said. "This was another year of great progress as we strengthened the company by leveraging the value of our creative and brand assets and continued to make meaningful progress in our direct-to-consumer businesses," Iger said in a statement. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Sonali Paul, Arun Koyyur and Nick Zieminski)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Lisa Richwine and Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Walt Disney said on Thursday it would boost its dividend by 50% and double its share buyback plan for fiscal 2026, as the media giant's streaming and parks businesses powered a quarterly earnings beat. Disney posted an adjusted earnings per share of $1.11 for its fourth quarter ending in September, a 3% decline from a year earlier but 6 cents above an average LSEG estimate. Profit rose in Disney's theme parks unit, partially from an expansion of the U.S. cruise ship business and growth at Disneyland Paris. Earnings at its streaming business surged 39% to $352 million. Disney said it added 12.5 million subscribers to Disney+ and Hulu during the quarter, reaching a total of 196 million.  Still, shares of the company fell nearly 3% in premarket trading as overall revenue missed estimates, weighed down by the continued slide in the cable TV business. A new distribution deal with cable and broadband provider Charter Communications helped draw new streaming customers, Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston told Reuters. Box office smash "Lilo & Stitch" debuted on Disney+ during the quarter and racked up 14.3 million views in its first five days, he said. Disney has been remaking itself to adjust to the industry-wide decline of traditional broadcast and cable TV. It has invested in new theme park attractions and cruise ships and worked to lure subscribers to its streaming services. CEO Bob Iger undertook aggressive cost-cutting when he returned to Disney in 2022. His current contract expires at the end of 2026, and Disney has said it will name Iger's successor early next year. TRADITIONAL TV DECLINE Thursday's earnings report reflected a continued slide in television fees and advertising revenue, but the company projected confidence in the next two years.  Disney forecast double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2026, in line with its previous forecast. The company also said it expected double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2027.  The company's board declared a dividend of $1.50 per share, up from $1 a share, and doubled its stock buyback to $7 billion in fiscal 2026. In the just-ended quarter, Disney's revenue was comparable to a year ago at $22.5 billion but shy of the $22.75 billion analyst forecast. Operating income at the entertainment division slumped by more than a third to $691 million after this year's films failed to match the success of last year's hits "Inside Out 2" and "Deadpool & Wolverine." Profit at the traditional television unit declined 21% to $391 million, and income from ESPN slipped too. The experiences unit that includes theme parks posted operating income of $1.88 billion, up 13% from a year ago. Part of the growth came from more passenger days on Disney cruise ships, the company said. "This was another year of great progress as we strengthened the company by leveraging the value of our creative and brand assets and continued to make meaningful progress in our direct-to-consumer businesses," Iger said in a statement. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Sonali Paul and Arun Koyyur)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Lisa Richwine and Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Walt Disney missed Wall Street estimates for quarterly revenue on Thursday as ongoing weakness in its cable TV unit overshadowed solid growth in streaming and theme parks, sending its shares down more than 3.9% in premarket trading. The media and entertainment giant also unveiled plans to boost its dividend by 50% and double its share buyback plan for fiscal 2026. It posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.11 for its fourth quarter ending in September, a 3% decline from a year earlier but 6 cents above an average LSEG estimate. Profit rose in Disney's theme parks unit, partially from an expansion of the U.S. cruise ship business and growth at Disneyland Paris. Earnings at its streaming business surged 39% to $352 million. Disney said it added 12.5 million subscribers to Disney+ and Hulu during the quarter, reaching a total of 196 million.  A new distribution deal with cable and broadband provider Charter Communications helped draw new streaming customers, Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston told Reuters. Box office smash "Lilo & Stitch" debuted on Disney+ during the quarter and racked up 14.3 million views in its first five days, he said. Disney has been remaking itself to adjust to the industry-wide decline of traditional broadcast and cable TV. It has invested in new theme park attractions and cruise ships and worked to lure subscribers to its streaming services. CEO Bob Iger undertook aggressive cost-cutting when he returned to Disney in 2022. His current contract expires at the end of 2026, and Disney has said it will name Iger's successor early next year. TRADITIONAL TV DECLINE Thursday's earnings report reflected a continued slide in television fees and advertising revenue, but the company projected confidence in the next two years.  Disney forecast double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2026, in line with its previous forecast. The company also said it expected double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2027.  The company's board declared a dividend of $1.50 per share, up from $1 a share, and doubled its stock buyback to $7 billion in fiscal 2026. In the just-ended quarter, Disney's revenue was comparable to a year ago at $22.5 billion but shy of the $22.75 billion analyst forecast. Operating income at the entertainment division slumped by more than a third to $691 million after this year's films failed to match the success of last year's hits "Inside Out 2" and "Deadpool & Wolverine."  Profit at the traditional television unit declined 21% to $391 million, and income from ESPN slipped too. The experiences unit that includes theme parks posted operating income of $1.88 billion, up 13% from a year ago. Part of the growth came from more passenger days on Disney cruise ships, the company said. "This was another year of great progress as we strengthened the company by leveraging the value of our creative and brand assets and continued to make meaningful progress in our direct-to-consumer businesses," Iger said in a statement. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Sonali Paul, Arun Koyyur and Nick Zieminski)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Lisa Richwine and Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Walt Disney said on Thursday it would boost its dividend by 50% and double its share buyback plan for fiscal 2026, as the media giant's streaming and parks businesses powered a quarterly earnings beat. Still, shares of the company fell nearly 3% in premarket trading as overall revenue missed market expectations, weighed down by the continued slide in the cable TV business. Disney posted an adjusted earnings per share of $1.11 for its fourth quarter ending in September, a 3% decline from a year earlier but 6 cents above an average LSEG estimate. Profit rose in Disney's theme parks unit, partially from an expansion of the U.S. cruise ship business and growth at Disneyland Paris. Earnings at its streaming business surged 39% to $352 million. Disney said it added 12.5 million subscribers to Disney+ and Hulu during the quarter, reaching a total of 196 million.  A new distribution deal with cable and broadband provider Charter Communications helped draw new streaming customers, Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston told Reuters. Box office smash "Lilo & Stitch" debuted on Disney+ during the quarter and racked up 14.3 million views in its first five days, he said. Disney has been remaking itself to adjust to the industry-wide decline of traditional broadcast and cable TV. It has invested in new theme park attractions and cruise ships and worked to lure subscribers to its streaming services. CEO Bob Iger undertook aggressive cost-cutting when he returned to Disney in 2022. His current contract expires at the end of 2026, and Disney has said it will name Iger's successor early next year. TRADITIONAL TV DECLINE Thursday's earnings report reflected a continued slide in television fees and advertising revenue, but the company projected confidence in the next two years.  Disney forecast double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2026, in line with its previous forecast. The company also said it expected double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2027.  The company's board declared a dividend of $1.50 per share, up from $1 a share, and doubled its stock buyback to $7 billion in fiscal 2026. In the just-ended quarter, Disney's revenue was comparable to a year ago at $22.5 billion but shy of the $22.75 billion analyst forecast. Operating income at the entertainment division slumped by more than a third to $691 million after this year's films failed to match the success of last year's hits "Inside Out 2" and "Deadpool & Wolverine."  Profit at the traditional television unit declined 21% to $391 million, and income from ESPN slipped too. The experiences unit that includes theme parks posted operating income of $1.88 billion, up 13% from a year ago. Part of the growth came from more passenger days on Disney cruise ships, the company said. "This was another year of great progress as we strengthened the company by leveraging the value of our creative and brand assets and continued to make meaningful progress in our direct-to-consumer businesses," Iger said in a statement. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Sonali Paul and Arun Koyyur)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -When director Alex Woo pitched the animated Netflix film "In Your Dreams" to actor Simu Liu, Liu was fascinated by the opportunity to show a real family that argues. "The way that families are depicted, especially to a lot of children, is this idea that families are always happy, always smiling. They never fight. And it's just not true," said Liu, the China-born Canadian star of Marvel movie "Shang-Chi" in 2021. "I think it's important that kids have imagery of families that aren't perfect." "In Your Dreams" opens in theaters on Friday. The adventure-comedy film was animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks. Director Woo started as a storyboard artist at legendary animation studio Pixar and worked on films like "Ratatouille," "WALL·E" and "Cars 2." The plot centers on the journey of sister Stevie, voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, and brother Elliot, voiced by Elias Janssen, in search of The Sandman, who can magically save their parents' marriage. Emmy winner Cristin Milioti as Mom and “The Office” actor Craig Robinson as the stuffed animal Baloney Tony round out the voice cast. Milioti, who won a Grammy for the album "Once," said her duet with Liu, on a song that shows the strained couple in harmony, was a highlight. “I think that song is really great and it is such a beautiful moment in the film too,” she said. Hoang-Rappaport's character grapples with the discovery that there is no magic solution to real-life problems. Stevie thinks, "I can fix this on my own and everything can be fixed…I can keep my family together," the teen actor said. But Stevie's journey ends with the same truth Liu wanted to show: Real families fight, and fixing things takes more than a dream. Life does not always go the way that people plan. (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Rollo Ross; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Lisa Richwine and Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Walt Disney said on Thursday it would boost its dividend by 50% and double its share buyback plan for fiscal 2026, as the media giant's streaming and parks businesses powered a quarterly earnings beat. Disney posted an adjusted earnings per share of $1.11 for its fourth quarter ending in September, a 3% decline from a year earlier but 6 cents above an average LSEG estimate. Profit rose in Disney's theme parks unit, partially from an expansion of the U.S. cruise ship business and growth at Disneyland Paris. Earnings at its streaming business surged 39% to $352 million. Disney said it added 12.5 million subscribers to Disney+ and Hulu during the quarter, reaching a total of 196 million.  Still, shares of the company fell nearly 3% in premarket trading as overall revenue missed estimates, weighed down by the continued slide in the cable TV business. A new distribution deal with cable and broadband provider Charter Communications helped draw new streaming customers, Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston told Reuters. Box office smash "Lilo & Stitch" debuted on Disney+ during the quarter and racked up 14.3 million views in its first five days, he said. Disney has been remaking itself to adjust to the industry-wide decline of traditional broadcast and cable TV. It has invested in new theme park attractions and cruise ships and worked to lure subscribers to its streaming services. CEO Bob Iger undertook aggressive cost-cutting when he returned to Disney in 2022. His current contract expires at the end of 2026, and Disney has said it will name Iger's successor early next year. TRADITIONAL TV DECLINE Thursday's earnings report reflected a continued slide in television fees and advertising revenue, but the company projected confidence in the next two years.  Disney forecast double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2026, in line with its previous forecast. The company also said it expected double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2027.  The company's board declared a dividend of $1.50 per share, up from $1 a share, and doubled its stock buyback to $7 billion in fiscal 2026. In the just-ended quarter, Disney's revenue was comparable to a year ago at $22.5 billion but shy of the $22.75 billion analyst forecast. Operating income at the entertainment division slumped by more than a third to $691 million after this year's films failed to match the success of last year's hits "Inside Out 2" and "Deadpool & Wolverine." Profit at the traditional television unit declined 21% to $391 million, and income from ESPN slipped too. The experiences unit that includes theme parks posted operating income of $1.88 billion, up 13% from a year ago. Part of the growth came from more passenger days on Disney cruise ships, the company said. "This was another year of great progress as we strengthened the company by leveraging the value of our creative and brand assets and continued to make meaningful progress in our direct-to-consumer businesses," Iger said in a statement. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Sonali Paul and Arun Koyyur)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Lisa Richwine and Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Walt Disney said on Thursday it would boost its dividend by 50% and double its share buyback plan for fiscal 2026, as the media giant's streaming and parks businesses powered a quarterly earnings beat. Disney posted an adjusted earnings per share of $1.11 for its fourth quarter ending in September, a 3% decline from a year earlier but 6 cents above an average LSEG estimate. Profit rose in Disney's theme parks unit, partially from an expansion of the U.S. cruise ship business and growth at Disneyland Paris. Earnings at its streaming business surged 39% to $352 million. Disney said it added 12.5 million subscribers to Disney+ and Hulu during the quarter, reaching a total of 196 million.  A new distribution deal with cable and broadband provider Charter Communications helped draw new streaming customers, Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston told Reuters. Box office smash "Lilo & Stitch" debuted on Disney+ during the quarter and racked up 14.3 million views in its first five days, he said. Disney has been remaking itself to adjust to the industry-wide decline of traditional broadcast and cable TV. It has invested in new theme park attractions and cruise ships and worked to lure subscribers to its streaming services. CEO Bob Iger undertook aggressive cost-cutting when he returned to Disney in 2022. His current contract expires at the end of 2026, and Disney has said it will name Iger's successor early next year. TRADITIONAL TV DECLINE Thursday's earnings report reflected a continued slide in television fees and advertising revenue, but the company projected confidence in the next two years.  Disney forecast double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2026, in line with its previous forecast. The company also said it expected double-digit adjusted EPS growth for fiscal 2027.  The company's board declared a dividend of $1.50 per share, up from $1 a share, and doubled its stock buyback to $7 billion in fiscal 2026. In the just-ended quarter, Disney's revenue was comparable to a year ago at $22.5 billion but shy of the $22.75 billion analyst forecast. Operating income at the entertainment division slumped by more than a third to $691 million after this year's films failed to match the success of last year's hits "Inside Out 2" and "Deadpool & Wolverine." Profit at the traditional television unit declined 21% to $391 million, and income from ESPN slipped too. The experiences unit that includes theme parks posted operating income of $1.88 billion, up 13% from a year ago. Part of the growth came from more passenger days on Disney cruise ships, the company said. "This was another year of great progress as we strengthened the company by leveraging the value of our creative and brand assets and continued to make meaningful progress in our direct-to-consumer businesses," Iger said in a statement. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Sonali Paul and Arun Koyyur)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -When director Alex Woo pitched the animated Netflix film "In Your Dreams" to actor Simu Liu, Liu was fascinated by the opportunity to show a real family that argues. "The way that families are depicted, especially to a lot of children, is this idea that families are always happy, always smiling. They never fight. And it's just not true," said Liu, the China-born Canadian star of Marvel movie "Shang-Chi" in 2021. "I think it's important that kids have imagery of families that aren't perfect." "In Your Dreams" opens in theaters on Friday. The adventure-comedy film was animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks. Director Woo started as a storyboard artist at legendary animation studio Pixar and worked on films like "Ratatouille," "WALL·E" and "Cars 2." The plot centers on the journey of sister Stevie, voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, and brother Elliot, voiced by Elias Janssen, in search of The Sandman, who can magically save their parents' marriage. Emmy winner Cristin Milioti as Mom and “The Office” actor Craig Robinson as the stuffed animal Baloney Tony round out the voice cast. Milioti, who won a Grammy for the album "Once," said her duet with Liu, on a song that shows the strained couple in harmony, was a highlight. “I think that song is really great and it is such a beautiful moment in the film too,” she said. Hoang-Rappaport's character grapples with the discovery that there is no magic solution to real-life problems. Stevie thinks, "I can fix this on my own and everything can be fixed…I can keep my family together," the teen actor said. But Stevie's journey ends with the same truth Liu wanted to show: Real families fight, and fixing things takes more than a dream. Life does not always go the way that people plan. (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Rollo Ross; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)