Latest news with #TheWaltDisneyCompany
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Can I Rely on Dividends for Life After Quitting My Job?
Relying on dividend income for life is possible for many, but it could require a large initial investment. Risks to consider include the possibility of dividend cuts or suspensions and inflation eroding the buying power of your income. Potential strategies to minimize these risks include diversification and investing in stocks and funds with solid track records of dividend increases. 10 stocks we like better than Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF › As always, The Motley Fool cannot and does not provide personalized investing or financial advice. This information is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional financial advice. Always seek the guidance of a qualified financial advisor for any questions regarding your personal financial situation. If you'd like to submit your question for feedback, you can do so here. Imagine doing the things you love without worrying about money. That's the dream for many Americans. Some achieve this goal in their 60s when they retire. Others can do it even earlier. One of the top ways people fulfill this dream is by investing in dividend stocks. But can you rely on dividends for life after quitting your job? The concept of living off dividends for life is a simple one. First, you invest a sum of money in stocks that pay dividends. Second, you use the dividend income to cover your expenses after you quit working. Easy-peasy? Not necessarily. First, you'll need a substantial amount of money to invest. Exactly how much depends on the dividend yield the stocks you invest in pay. The dividend yield is the annual dividends per share paid by a company divided by its current share price. Divide the amount of annual income you require by the dividend yield you expect to make to calculate how much money you'll need to invest. For example, let's say you want to make $100,000 per year. If you receive a dividend yield of 3%, you'll need to invest around $3.33 million ($100,000 divided by 3%) to get that amount. That amount is attainable for some, but it could be a stretch for many people. If you want to retire on dividend income but don't have $3.33 million to invest, you have two options. First, you could try to get a higher dividend yield. A dividend yield of 5%, for example, would require only $2 million invested to make $100,000 per year. Second, you could try to live on less money. If you could make ends meet on $70,000, you'd need $2.33 million to invest with a 3% dividend yield. There are some risks to keep in mind, though. One biggie is that the dividend yield you receive in the future might not be as high as the yield you get at first. Some companies cut their dividend payments over time. A few even suspend or eliminate their dividend programs. For example, going into 2020, The Walt Disney Company had paid a dividend for over 40 years. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company suspended its dividend program for three years. It's also possible that a company that has reliably paid dividends for a long time will be acquired, resulting in the elimination of its dividend. Walgreens Boots Alliance is a great case in point. The pharmacy giant had a streak of 47 consecutive years of dividend increases as of late 2023. However, Walgreens cut its dividend in January 2024. It's now in the process of being acquired and taken private. Inflation is arguably an even greater threat. It can erode the buying power of your dividend income even if none of the stocks you own reduce or suspend their dividends. The good news is that there are potential strategies you can follow to minimize these risks. Probably the most important one is to diversify your investments. If you only own five stocks, and one suspends its dividend, your income would be reduced by 20% assuming they are all paying the same amount. But if you own 25 stocks and it happens, your income would be only 4% lower. Investing in dividend-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is a great way to diversify. For example, the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHD) owns 103 dividend stocks. Its top holdings include Coca-Cola, Verizon Communications, Altria Group, Cisco Systems, and Lockheed Martin. The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF currently offers a dividend yield of around 4%. This ETF has also delivered an average annual return of roughly 12% since its inception in October 2011. If you want diversification and an even higher yield, closed-end funds (CEFs) could be an alternative. One CEF that I own is the Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund (NYSE: UTF). This fund owns 259 stocks. Its distribution yield is a lofty 7.2%. The CEF's average annual total return since its inception in March 2004 is 9.5%. There are two key things to note about closed-end funds, though. Many of them use leverage (borrowing), which increases their risk. The Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund's leverage ratio is 28.5%. Their fees are also typically higher than ETFs. How can you minimize inflation risk? Look at the history of dividend increases for the companies and funds you're considering. Just because a company or fund has increased its dividend consistently at an average rate higher than inflation doesn't mean it will always do so. However, investing in stocks and funds with strong track records of dividend hikes could increase the odds that your annual dividend income at least keeps up with inflation. Finally, reevaluate your holdings regularly. The stocks and funds that are great picks today might not be such great picks a few years from now. Many Americans can quit their jobs and rely on dividends for life. But the sources of those dividends could need to change from time to time. Before you buy stock in Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $638,985!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $853,108!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 978% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 Keith Speights has positions in Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Cisco Systems and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool recommends Lockheed Martin and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Can I Rely on Dividends for Life After Quitting My Job? was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Campaign ME
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Campaign ME
Behind-the-scenes: How Miral orchestrated ‘a decoy' before a dazzling Disney reveal
Miral and The Walt Disney Company have revealed key details about how they strategically orchestrated the unveiling of the first Disney theme park resort in the Middle East and Africa region through close collaboration with Momentum Dubai, Initiative MENAT, Weber Shandwick MENAT, HQ Worldwide Shows (HQWS) and Dejavu UAE – marking one of the most ambitious and high-profile integrated campaign launches the region has seen to date. Under a strict veil of confidentiality, a 'decoy' campaign was executed in full across strategy, creative, production, media, communications and PR, which then culminated in the region's most magical reveal that captured the attention of the world, sparking a frenzy of excitement across channels and conversations. From inception to execution and amplification, the campaign was a masterclass in creative agility, stakeholder engagement and global scale. Badr Bourji, Senior Vice President Marketing at Miral Destinations, said, 'This was more than a launch – it was an incredible feat of integration that showed how great marketing collaboration can create magical outcomes. In welcoming Disney to Yas Island we knew we needed world-class partners who could move at the speed of ambition. Momentum, Initiative, and Weber Shandwick and HQWS brought vision, dedication and relentless commitment to every detail, turning a once-in-a-generation announcement into a global cultural moment.' Disney reveal: A 'decoy' and a dazzling drop PR to perfection Weber Shandwick MENAT secured the physical presence of 70 regional and global journalists in a room at the W Abu Dhabi, under the guise of a 'decoy' 15-year Yas Island celebration. Under strict confidentiality, the integrated agency team orchestrated a dual-track campaign that allowed media to preview the 15-year celebration of fireworks, before the dazzling drop of the real Disney theme park announcement went live at 4 PM on May 7, hitting media outlets almost immediately and outdoor placements just 40 minutes later. Weber Shandwick MENAT developed the communications, proactive reputation management and PR strategy – and engaged international, regional and local media outlets, More than 10,000 pieces of earned coverage were published in the first 48 hours, fueling the swell of social engagement. 'From a PR perspective, the challenge was real, the scale was massive, and the importance of getting it right was absolute,' said Ghaleb Zeidan, Regional Managing Director at Weber Shandwick MENAT. 'One of the toughest parts was getting journalists onsite without letting them in on the big hook it really was. Making that happen is a crucial part of what has made this such an outstanding success. For us it meant trusting our incredible team of people, tapping into media relationships built over years, identifying synergies across projects, and deploying deep expertise in reputation management. Once the foundation was laid, a sparkle of Disney's pixie dust brought the magic to life across the world.' On-ground experiential activation Bringing this vision to life on the ground was HQWS, the experiential agency entrusted with designing, producing, and delivering the three landmark events that framed the announcement. These included the Global Media Junket at W Abu Dhabi, the showstopping Night-Time Spectacular at Yas Links, and the official project announcement ceremony at the future Disney location, From scripting and storyboarding to audiovisual production, the HQWS show team worked in sync with ongoing pre-visualisation and animatics, ensuring every detail aligned with the creative vision. In parallel, its design teams fast-tracked planning and production, delivering technical drawings, visuals, and specifications for all physical and branding elements with precision and speed. 'It was an absolute honour to produce the series of magical events celebrating the announcement of Disney Abu Dhabi,' said Katie Veira, Founding Partner & Chief Creative Officer at HQWS. 'Together with Miral and Disney, we wove wonder into reality in just 15 days, highlighting the power of true creative collaboration.' The spectacular post-announcement public celebration event at Yas Links, featured a 9,000-drone show, fireworks, and live performances by pianist Lang Lang, Emirati singer Rashed Alnuaimi, West End star Kerry Ellis and soprano Sonya Balsara. The announcement drew A-list guests including Naomi Campbell, Tyrese Gibson, Nancy Ajram, Chiara Ferragni and Ed Westwick, alongside global media, dignitaries and entertainment industry leaders. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yas Island جزيرة ياس (@yasisland) Creative strategy and media rollout Spearheading the creative strategy, Momentum Dubai crafted the platform of 'A Whole New World Awaits', creative assets, and the celebration event story – uniting every touchpoint from concept to launch event. 'This was one of the most intense, collaborative and rewarding campaigns we've delivered as a team,' said Raphael Nassoura, General Manager and Executive Creative Director at Momentum Dubai. 'Everyone, from agency to client, was in the trenches, solving in real time, aligning across creative, production, and strategy. To launch a project of this scale, under this timeline, is a testament to what's possible when there's full trust and alignment.' Premium OOH across landmark global sites and major digital platforms went live soon after the embargo lifted, courtesy of Initiative MENAT who engineered the media strategy, planning and buying across key global markets including the US, UK, and the GCC. Among the highlights was a first-ever brand livestream on Pubity, bringing the announcement to more than 40 million followers worldwide. 'In a project defined by complete confidentiality and high-pressure timelines, our team rose to the occasion with focus, resilience, and a shared belief in the region's vision,' said Lara Arbid, CEO of Initiative MENAT and Magna Global MENA. Arbid added, 'This launch wasn't just about media placement for us, it was about advancing the UAE's broader ambition and delivering on a moment of cultural significance with precision and purpose. We overcame material constraints, navigated tight timelines, and leveraged every connection, platform, and insight to ensure the region's biggest entertainment story landed with maximum impact. From OOH dominance to culturally attuned storytelling, we executed a fast, focused, and globally resonant multi-market rollout.' Dejavu UAE was the production house responsible for the final production of the Disney video rollout in partnership with Miral's Yas Island and The Walt Disney Company. All in all, the announcement sets the stage for Disney's seventh global theme park resort and its first in the Middle East and Africa. The waterfront resort in the UAE will be 'authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati', featuring signature attractions, themed accommodations, immersive retail and dining and storytelling that reflects both Disney's legacy and Abu Dhabi's cultural ambition. Upon completion, the new theme park resort on Yas Island will offer signature Disney entertainment, themed accommodation, unique dining and retail experiences, and storytelling in a way that celebrates both the heritage of Disney and the futuristic and cultural essence of Abu Dhabi. As the UAE continues to position itself as a global hub for culture and innovation, and Abu Dhabi cements its status as a world-class tourism destination, this launch became more than a media campaign; it reflected national ambition and regional potential. CREDITS: Client: Miral Destinations Creative agency: Momentum Dubai Media agency: Initiative MENAT PR agency: Weber Shandwick MENAT Experiential agency: HQ Worldwide Shows (HQWS) Production house: Dejavu UAE
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Does The Walt Disney Company (DIS) Offer an Attractive Risk/Reward Potential?
Sound Shore Management, an investment management firm, has released its investor letter for the first quarter of 2025. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The fund's Investor Class (SSHFX) and Institutional Class (SSHVX) declined 1.93% and 1.89% respectively, in the first quarter of 2025 compared to a 2.14% return for the Russell 1000 Value Index (Russell Value) and -4.27% return for the Standard & Poor 500 Index (S&P 500). Sound Shore's 35-year annualized returns were 10.13% and 10.41% for SSHFX and SSHVX, respectively, as of March 31, 2025, and were ahead of the Russell Value at 9.81% and trailed the S&P 500 at 10.56%. In addition, please check the fund's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2025. In its first-quarter 2025 investor letter, Sound Shore Management highlighted stocks such as The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS). The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) is an entertainment company that operates through the Entertainment, Sports, and Experiences segments. The one-month return of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) was 21.53%, and its shares gained 7.82% of their value over the last 52 weeks. On May 23, 2025, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) stock closed at $109.72 per share with a market capitalization of $197.249 billion. Sound Shore Management stated the following regarding The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) in its Q1 2025 investor letter: "Along with concerns about a slowing economy and consumer spending, holdings PayPal and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) fell after strong finishes to 2024, despite both having very solid balance sheets. Notwithstanding the economic worries, each has internal change that is driving improved profitability. Media and entertainment leader Disney was lower after giving back a portion of its prior YTD gains. With an impressive breadth of content to drive market share and a steady, cash generating Experiences business (parks, resorts, cruises), we believe Disney is uniquely well positioned. The company's media unit is growing while content spending has come down. We believe their streaming business, which includes ESPN and Hulu, is undervalued and management is raising prices for the service. Trading below 14 times earnings power with a strong balance sheet, renewed dividend and $3 billion annual share buyback program, Disney is an attractive risk/reward with potential to grow both in the US and abroad." A packed theater of moviegoers watching a blockbuster film produced by the entertainment company. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 104 hedge fund portfolios held The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) at the end of the first quarter which was 108 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as NVIDIA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the undervalued AI stock set for massive gains. In another article, we covered The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) and shared the list of stocks Jim Cramer recently commented on. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q1 2025 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors. READ NEXT: Michael Burry Is Selling These Stocks and A New Dawn Is Coming to US Stocks. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Does The Walt Disney Company (DIS) Offer an Attractive Risk/Reward Potential?
Sound Shore Management, an investment management firm, has released its investor letter for the first quarter of 2025. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The fund's Investor Class (SSHFX) and Institutional Class (SSHVX) declined 1.93% and 1.89% respectively, in the first quarter of 2025 compared to a 2.14% return for the Russell 1000 Value Index (Russell Value) and -4.27% return for the Standard & Poor 500 Index (S&P 500). Sound Shore's 35-year annualized returns were 10.13% and 10.41% for SSHFX and SSHVX, respectively, as of March 31, 2025, and were ahead of the Russell Value at 9.81% and trailed the S&P 500 at 10.56%. In addition, please check the fund's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2025. In its first-quarter 2025 investor letter, Sound Shore Management highlighted stocks such as The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS). The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) is an entertainment company that operates through the Entertainment, Sports, and Experiences segments. The one-month return of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) was 21.53%, and its shares gained 7.82% of their value over the last 52 weeks. On May 23, 2025, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) stock closed at $109.72 per share with a market capitalization of $197.249 billion. Sound Shore Management stated the following regarding The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) in its Q1 2025 investor letter: "Along with concerns about a slowing economy and consumer spending, holdings PayPal and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) fell after strong finishes to 2024, despite both having very solid balance sheets. Notwithstanding the economic worries, each has internal change that is driving improved profitability. Media and entertainment leader Disney was lower after giving back a portion of its prior YTD gains. With an impressive breadth of content to drive market share and a steady, cash generating Experiences business (parks, resorts, cruises), we believe Disney is uniquely well positioned. The company's media unit is growing while content spending has come down. We believe their streaming business, which includes ESPN and Hulu, is undervalued and management is raising prices for the service. Trading below 14 times earnings power with a strong balance sheet, renewed dividend and $3 billion annual share buyback program, Disney is an attractive risk/reward with potential to grow both in the US and abroad." A packed theater of moviegoers watching a blockbuster film produced by the entertainment company. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 104 hedge fund portfolios held The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) at the end of the first quarter which was 108 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as NVIDIA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the undervalued AI stock set for massive gains. In another article, we covered The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) and shared the list of stocks Jim Cramer recently commented on. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q1 2025 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors. READ NEXT: Michael Burry Is Selling These Stocks and A New Dawn Is Coming to US Stocks. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Jim Cramer Notes The Walt Disney (DIS) 'Reported a Terrific Quarter'
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) stands against other stocks that Jim Cramer discussed recently. During Thursday's episode of Mad Money, Jim Cramer cautioned investors against letting excessive pessimism shape how they approach the stock market. 'My view, you can be as cynical and corrosive as you want about the vast majority of things in the world in life. But if you're trying to make big money in the stock market, you're actually better off being critical and constructive. Reflexive negativity is not a smart strategy, and you'll most certainly trade yourself into oblivion with very little show for it.' READ ALSO: Jim Cramer Put These 8 Stocks Under a Microscope Recently and Jim Cramer Commented on These 6 Natural Gas Players. Cramer pointed out that markets often offer strong opportunities, especially on days when sentiment is low, and if investors remain too skeptical, they miss out. He emphasized that these chances do not appear in isolation; they show up often in what he called 'the greatest market in the world.' As per Cramer, many stocks that were once dismissed or 'left for dead' ended up rebounding. He noted, 'The cynics missed all of these moves,' and went on to say, 'You could have caught all of them.' 'So here's the bottom line: If you examined these same opportunities with a jaundiced eye, too critical, too negative, I know what would've happened. You would've passed on all of them. But if you were open-minded, if you were constructive, any one of these could easily have made you a boatload of money.' For this article, we compiled a list of 12 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the episodes of Mad Money aired on May 15. We listed the stocks in the order that Cramer mentioned them. We also provided hedge fund sentiment for each stock as of the fourth quarter of 2024, which was taken from Insider Monkey's database of over 1,000 hedge funds. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (). A packed theater of moviegoers watching a blockbuster film produced by the entertainment company. Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 108 During the recent episode, Cramer discussed that the investors who dropped The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) due to various worries ended up not making money. 'Look, these things occur every day around here. Think about what happened to the stock of Disney in the last few months… A month ago, it was at $82…. People were buzzing about how the theme parks are too expensive. The sports entertainment's too expensive. The movies are either too woke or not woke enough, depending on who you ask. You never heard anyone say, did it got the right amount? Now, one month later, Disney's at $112 pretty much in a straight line. Disney (NYSE:DIS) is a major name in entertainment. The company produces and distributes movies and television content, runs streaming platforms, and operates theme parks and resorts in different parts of the world. It also delivers sports content and organizes live events. Overall, DIS ranks 4th on our list of stocks that Jim Cramer discussed recently. While we acknowledge the potential of DIS as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than DIS but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at . Sign in to access your portfolio
