New York, January 19, 2026, 17:50 ET — The market has closed.
- Disney shares ended Friday down 1.95%. U.S. markets remained closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- The company announced that ‘Zootopia 2’ is now the highest-grossing animated film ever certified by the Motion Picture Association globally.
- Investors are eyeing Disney’s Feb. 2 earnings, while Netflix is set to report later this week.
Walt Disney shares get their first shot at trading Tuesday, following the announcement that “Zootopia 2” has climbed to become the top-grossing animated film in Motion Picture Association history. U.S. markets were shut Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. (New York Stock Exchange)
The box-office report arrives at a tricky time for media stocks. Traders are banking heavily on evidence that major franchises retain their draw, even as streaming rivals ramp up and advertising continues to dictate many content budgets.
Disney’s shares fell $2.21, or 1.95%, closing Friday at $111.20. During the session, the stock fluctuated between $111.12 and $113.85, with roughly 12 million shares traded. (Investing)
On Sunday, Disney announced that “Zootopia 2” has raked in $1.703 billion worldwide, surpassing Pixar’s “Inside Out 2.” The studio hailed it as the top global Motion Picture Association release of 2025. “This milestone belongs first and foremost to the fans around the world,” said Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman. (The Walt Disney Company)
The Motion Picture Association, known as MPA, serves as the key trade group for the U.S. film industry. Disney reported the sequel has grossed $390 million in the U.S. and $1.313 billion overseas, including $619 million from China.
Disney’s next major checkpoint is earnings. The company plans to report fiscal first-quarter results before the market opens on Feb. 2, followed by a webcast at 8:30 a.m. ET. (The Walt Disney Company)
Investors usually zero in on two key areas: if theme parks and experiences continue generating strong cash flow, and whether streaming margins improve as Disney consolidates more of its video content into a streamlined bundle.
Netflix is slated to report its fourth-quarter earnings on Jan. 20. The results could influence how Disney’s streaming business is viewed, especially around subscriber churn, pricing strategies, and its ad-supported options. (Netflix)
The stage for Tuesday’s reopen is uneasy. U.S. stock futures dipped Monday following President Donald Trump’s threat to impose new tariffs on eight European countries. Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management cautioned that “the willingness to recycle capital indefinitely into U.S. assets becomes less automatic.” (AP News)
But a record weekend at the box office isn’t a guaranteed boost to profits. And with a broad risk-off tone hitting markets Tuesday, individual stock drivers might get lost in the noise.
Traders are zeroing in on Disney’s Feb. 2 earnings report, looking for updates on its film lineup, streaming profitability, and theme park demand as 2026 kicks off.
