Dec. 12, 2025 (After the Bell) — Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) ended Friday’s regular session little changed and stayed calm in extended trading, even as the broader market pulled back from record highs amid fresh “AI bubble” jitters. [1]
If you’re tracking Disney stock heading into the next trading day, one key practical note comes first: U.S. stock markets don’t open on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. The next regular session for DIS is Monday, Dec. 15, 2025—and that date matters for another reason: Disney’s next dividend goes ex-dividend on Dec. 15. [2]
Below is what happened with Disney stock after the bell on 12/12/2025, the major Disney headlines dated 12/12/2025, and the key items to know before the next market open.
Disney Stock After the Bell (Dec. 12, 2025): The Numbers That Matter
Disney stock closed Friday at about $111.6 (sources vary slightly by feed/rounding) and was essentially flat after-hours. [3]
- Regular-session close: $111.60 (Finviz) [4]
- At-close print shown on another feed: $111.56 (ChartExchange) [5]
- After-hours (early read): $111.56 with minimal change, in relatively light extended-hours volume [6]
That “quiet” after-hours tape is notable because Disney spent the week in the spotlight for AI-related strategy and blockbuster box office results (more on both below). But on Friday, the market’s biggest force was broader risk-off movement in tech and AI-linked names—Disney simply didn’t get swept up in the worst of it. [7]
Why Wall Street Was Risk-Off Friday (and Why That Still Matters for DIS)
Friday’s pullback wasn’t a Disney-specific story—it was a market-wide move led by tech weakness.
- The S&P 500 fell about 1.1% and the Nasdaq slid about 1.7%, according to an Associated Press market recap. [8]
- Reuters reported renewed worries around the AI trade after fresh disappointments and margin concerns from major AI infrastructure players, which helped pressure the broader complex. [9]
For Disney investors, this backdrop matters because DIS has increasingly traded like a “story stock” around streaming strategy, content performance, and now—more directly—AI strategy. When markets turn cautious on AI narratives, Disney can get pulled into the conversation even though it isn’t a chipmaker.
The Big Disney Catalyst Still in Focus: The OpenAI–Sora Agreement
One of the biggest Disney headlines in this window is the company’s landmark agreement with OpenAI, which combines (1) licensing Disney IP for generative video and (2) a major equity investment.
OpenAI’s announcement lays out the key terms:
- A three-year licensing agreement enabling Sora to generate short, user-prompted social videos drawing on 200+ Disney/Marvel/Pixar/Star Wars characters. [10]
- A plan to make a selection of fan-inspired Sora short-form videos available to stream on Disney+. [11]
- Disney becomes a major customer of OpenAI (APIs for products/tools/experiences, including Disney+) and will deploy ChatGPT for employees. [12]
- Disney will make a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI, plus receive warrants for additional equity. [13]
- The post also notes the transaction is subject to definitive agreements and approvals (i.e., not fully “done” in a final sense). [14]
Reuters’ video summary, dated Dec. 12, 2025, reinforced the headline points: Disney is investing $1 billion and licensing characters from major franchises for Sora—framing it as a deal that could reshape how entertainment content gets made. [15]
What investors are debating now
This deal can be read two ways:
- Offense: Disney monetizes and extends its IP into new creation channels, with Disney+ positioned as a distribution surface for curated fan content. [16]
- Defense: Disney sets licensing rules and safety rails around how its characters appear in generative content—an approach that could help protect brand value as AI video spreads.
Business Insider reporting (also in this same time window) described how Disney employees are already using internal AI tools—highlighting a broader internal push toward productivity tooling alongside the external Sora licensing move. [17]
Another Major (and Very Traditional) Disney Driver: “Zootopia 2” Hits $1 Billion
Disney also put out a blockbuster box-office milestone on Dec. 12, 2025: “Zootopia 2” surpassing $1 billion globally.
In Disney’s own release, the company said the film would cross the $1B mark after 17 days, citing $986.1 million earned at the time of the statement and providing a domestic/international split. [18]
Disney also tied the theatrical momentum to streaming engagement, stating that interest in the franchise drove record viewership for “Zootopia” and “Zootopia+” on Disney+, totaling 725 million hours globally on the platform. [19]
Reuters likewise highlighted the headline milestone—“Zootopia 2” reaching the billion-dollar mark—as a bright spot for Disney’s studio machine. [20]
Why this matters for DIS stock
Even in a streaming-first era, Disney still gets rewarded when it proves it can:
- Create “event” theatrical releases that travel globally, and
- Convert that attention into longer-tail engagement on Disney+.
In plain terms: a $1B movie is still one of the clearest signals that Disney’s IP engine is working. [21]
Parks & Experiences Update: A Notable Attraction Timeline Shift
Disney parks news doesn’t usually move the stock minute-to-minute, but it shapes sentiment around Disney’s experiences segment.
Entertainment Weekly reported that Disney World announced the final day for the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith will be March 1, 2026, ahead of its transformation into a Muppets-themed ride. [22]
For investors, this falls into the “medium-term brand and capex narrative” bucket—less about Monday’s open, more about how Disney refreshes high-traffic assets to sustain demand.
Forecasts and Street Expectations (As of Dec. 12, 2025)
Forecasts are not guarantees—but they shape the “default expectations” DIS must beat.
Simply Wall St’s page (marked “Last updated 12 Dec 2025”) summarizes analyst-modeled growth expectations for Disney as:
- Earnings growth: ~2.7% per year
- Revenue growth: ~4.4% per year
- EPS growth: ~4.4% per year
- Forecast ROE: ~10.7% in 3 years [23]
Meanwhile, market dashboards continued to show that many analysts still model meaningful upside from current levels (often expressed as a consensus target price). For example, Finviz listed a target price around $133.71 while DIS traded near $111.6. [24]
The takeaway: the market is not pricing Disney like a high-growth hyper-scaler—but it is still pricing in a path of steady improvement, especially if streaming economics keep stabilizing.
What to Know Before the Next Market Open
Again, there is no U.S. market open on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. The actionable “next open” for Disney stock is Monday, Dec. 15, 2025 (NYSE).
Here are the key items to have on your checklist before then:
1) Watch for weekend follow-through on the OpenAI agreement
The OpenAI post makes clear that Disney’s deal involves licensing, product integration, and a $1B equity investment—but also that closing is subject to approvals and definitive agreements. [25]
What can move sentiment quickly:
- New details about how “curated” Disney+ distribution will work
- Creator/rights-holder reaction and broader Hollywood posture toward AI
- Competitive responses from other studios and platforms
2) Streaming consolidation headlines are spilling into Disney’s competitive frame
Even if Disney isn’t bidding, the Netflix–Warner Bros. Discovery drama is shaping how investors think about future streaming power, pricing, and regulation.
Reuters (Dec. 12) reported skepticism from antitrust experts around Netflix’s arguments and emphasized that the deal is likely to face close scrutiny. [26]
Another Reuters piece framed the Warner deal as potentially reshaping Hollywood power dynamics in awards and beyond. [27]
For Disney shareholders, this matters because any M&A outcome can affect:
- Subscriber competition
- Content bidding inflation/deflation
- Bundling and pricing strategies across the industry
3) Monday is an important dividend date for Disney stockholders: Dec. 15 ex-dividend
Disney’s board previously declared a cash dividend structure totaling $1.50 per share, paid in two installments of $0.75—with one installment payable Jan. 15, 2026 and a record date of Dec. 15, 2025 per Disney’s fiscal 2025 earnings release. [28]
Market data sources list Dec. 15, 2025 as the ex-dividend date for this $0.75 payment. [29]
Practical implications for the Monday open:
- Stocks often adjust by roughly the dividend amount on the ex-dividend date (though market movement can easily overwhelm that effect).
- Short-term traders sometimes position around dividend timing, which can affect Monday liquidity and price action.
4) Keep one eye on “AI trade” volatility even if Disney is holding up
Friday’s market story—AI-related volatility and valuation nerves—can carry into Monday quickly, especially if there are more earnings, guidance, or macro surprises that hit the AI ecosystem. [30]
Disney is now more directly “AI-adjacent” in the public narrative because of the Sora partnership, so a renewed AI selloff (or rebound) can influence how investors talk about DIS even if the fundamentals haven’t changed overnight.
Bottom Line for Disney Stock After the Bell (12/12/2025)
Disney stock finished Friday near $111.6 and was flat after-hours, a relatively calm setup heading into the weekend. [31]
But the news flow around Disney remains anything but quiet:
- The OpenAI/Sora partnership is a rare, high-profile bet that ties Disney’s IP strategy directly to generative AI economics and distribution. [32]
- The studio engine posted a headline win with “Zootopia 2” crossing $1B, reinforcing Disney’s ability to create global event content and drive downstream engagement. [33]
- And for near-term traders, Monday (Dec. 15) is the key “next open” date, with Disney’s ex-dividend timing in focus. [34]
References
1. finviz.com, 2. stockanalysis.com, 3. finviz.com, 4. finviz.com, 5. chartexchange.com, 6. chartexchange.com, 7. apnews.com, 8. apnews.com, 9. www.reuters.com, 10. openai.com, 11. openai.com, 12. openai.com, 13. openai.com, 14. openai.com, 15. www.reuters.com, 16. openai.com, 17. www.businessinsider.com, 18. thewaltdisneycompany.com, 19. thewaltdisneycompany.com, 20. www.reuters.com, 21. thewaltdisneycompany.com, 22. ew.com, 23. simplywall.st, 24. finviz.com, 25. openai.com, 26. www.reuters.com, 27. www.reuters.com, 28. thewaltdisneycompany.com, 29. stockanalysis.com, 30. www.reuters.com, 31. finviz.com, 32. openai.com, 33. thewaltdisneycompany.com, 34. stockanalysis.com
