New York, Jan 17, 2026, 16:18 ET — Market closed
- Disney shares slipped 1.9%, ending the session at $111.20.
- Disney appointed Dave Filoni as Lucasfilm president after Kathleen Kennedy stepped down.
- U.S. markets remain closed Monday, reopening for trading on Tuesday.
Walt Disney shares ended Friday down 1.9%, closing at $111.20 after fluctuating between $111.14 and $113.79 during the session.
The drop comes ahead of a long weekend for U.S. markets, closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and set to reopen Tuesday. Investors get extra time to digest company news and adjust positions before the next round of earnings. 1
Why it matters now: Disney’s stock often moves based on what’s coming down the pipeline. Any shift in its franchise strategy can quickly impact streaming lineups, movie release dates, and merchandise — all of which tie back into the theme parks as well.
Disney shook up its “Star Wars” studio, naming Dave Filoni president of Lucasfilm as Kathleen Kennedy stepped down from the top spot to take on a producer role, the company announced. CEO Bob Iger praised Kennedy’s “leadership” and “vision.” Daniel Loria, editorial director at Boxoffice Media, described Kennedy’s role as “an impossible task” following George Lucas. The studio’s upcoming big-screen slate features “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” set for May 2026. 2
Disney found itself in the spotlight again amid the ongoing streaming wars. Netflix and Sony agreed to a multi-year deal giving Netflix exclusive streaming rights to Sony films for the first 18 months following their theatrical and video-on-demand releases. After that period, the movies will shift to Disney, according to Reuters. 3
Friday’s market action offered little direction. U.S. stocks closed mostly unchanged ahead of the long weekend, with the Dow slipping 0.17% while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq each fell just 0.06%. “One of the other reasons markets have been flat-lining is we’re at the start of the earnings season,” said Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. 4
Disney investors are gearing up for earnings as their next clear checkpoint. Attention will zero in on streaming momentum, ad revenue shifts, and Disney’s take on ESPN’s move to direct-to-consumer. At the same time, traders will be sizing up how much cash the theme parks can continue to generate if customers begin to resist rising ticket prices.
The downside risk remains. A stumble in streaming growth, softer park attendance, or another lull in the film lineup could easily overshadow the studio’s leadership shake-up. That’s especially true as rivals ramp up their efforts for subscribers and screen share.
Disney will release its Q1 FY26 earnings on Feb. 2, with a webcast set for 8:30 a.m. ET. The results will come out ahead of the market open that morning. 5
