The Disney empire

There’s no question that Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS), with a market value recently topping $230 billion, commands an entertainment empire.

Disney’s theme parks attract millions of visitors every year. Its TV networks, including ABC, Disney Channel and ESPN, reach hundreds of millions of viewers. Seven of the top 10 largest-grossing movies of all time were made by studios now owned by Disney. And Disney has already made more money from its 2019 films than any other studio ever has in a single year — and it achieved that milestone back in July.

Disney’s acquisition of Twenty-first Century Fox Inc. gives the company an even greater content portfolio. Although this megadeal negatively impacted Disney’s earnings in its latest quarter, it also enabled the company to deliver impressive year-over-year revenue growth of 33%.

Disney has proven exceptional at leveraging its portfolio of content, which includes power players such as Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar and the now-ubiquitous Disney Princesses. Its rollout of its Disney+ video streaming service in November will give it yet another way to make money.

Sure, Disney faces challenges. Its TV networks continue to experience the effects of cable subscribers cutting the cord. An economic recession could cause some customers to cut back on vacation spending, hurting its theme-park businesses. But the long run continues to look very bright for Disney. (The Motley Fool owns shares of and has recommended Disney.)