Disney's Bob Iger named USA's top CEO

[Rumors Rocks]

http://americasmarkets.usatoday.com/2014/07/15/disneys-bob-iger-named-usas-top-ceo/

Disney's Bob Iger named USA's top CEO

By: Chris Woodyard July 15, 2014 3:01 pm

In a bullish world that seems dominated by ever hotter technology stocks, it would seem like the choice of 2014 CEO of the Year would go to a Facebook, Amazon or Apple.

Not this year. Chief Executive magazine put on its mouse ears to name Bob Iger, CEO of Walt Disney, to its top honor. Iger joins such past big names as Bill Gates, Jack Welch and Michael Dell.

For the award’s 29th year, the honor went to Iger for having pursued Disney’s cultural issues, adding more depth to the brand and having made smart acquisitions like innovators Pixar Animation Studios, producer of animated hits like Cars, and Marvel Entertainment. He also negotiated a deal for Lucasfilm, a path to the Star Wars brand.

In February of this year, Disney stock price hit an all-time closing high of $79.23, having tripled since Iger took over in 2005. It’s gone even higher since. In midday trading Tuesday, DIS was hovering around $86.20 a share, up 0.62%

“Instead of the easy fixes, Bob Iger played the long game by addressing Disney’s cultural issues head-on with a three-pronged strategy, making it a stronger, more profitable company with greater depth in its overall brand,” says JP Donlon, editor in chief of Chief Executive magazine. “For this reason, he is well-deserving of this year’s CEO of the Year honor.”

Congratulations, Bob Iger.

 

[OKW Lover]

Good for Bob!

 

[Bob Roberts]

Its easy to look like an all star when there is 10's of billions of dollars of QE every month combined with artificially low interest rates (cheap money) and what do you get? That's right!! Overly inflated stock prices!!!!!!!

Go team!!!! Bob is a genius!!!!!

 

[Mad Hattered]

Looks like Bobby's Botox injections are wearing off. And he needs to get that hairpiece taken care of. It's looking a little haggered.

 

[Rumors Rocks]

Its easy to look like an all star when there is 10's of billions of dollars of QE every month combined with artificially low interest rates (cheap money) and what do you get? That's right!! Overly inflated stock prices!!!!!!!

Go team!!!! Bob is a genius!!!!!

Ahh, come on "Bob"----- you've gotta give Iger some credit here----it's not so easy. Check out this recent article.

Six Flags is no Disney

http://americasmarkets.usatoday.com/2014/07/21/six-flags-is-no-disney/

By: Matt Krantz July 21, 2014 12:36 pm

Sure, Six Flags (SIX) operates themeparks, just like Walt Disney (DIS), does. But when it comes to stock price and earnings performance, Six Flags isn’t even in the same parking lot as the Mouse House.

That became brutally clear Monday when Six Flags disappointed investors with a second-quarter profit of 60 cents a share, falling short of expectations by 6%, says S&P Capital IQ. Six Flags’ revenue of $376.6 million also missed views, by nearly 5%.

This is the third quarter in the past five that Six Flags’ profit has come up short versus expectations. What hurt Six Flags this time? Attendance in the companies’ 18 parks fell 8% to 8.2 million guest. The company blamed the “lingering effects of the long, harsh winter that expanded school calendars and slowed early-season attendance,” the company said in its earnings press release. “Attendance was the headline negative number,” says Tuna Amobi, analyst with S&P Capital IQ.

Investors are dealing with Six Flags harshly, sending shares down $2.67, or 6.1%, go $38.33. But the worries about themepark attendance don’t seem to be hurting shares of industry titan, Disney, at all. Shares of Disney are up 11 cents, or 0.1%, to $85.92, a noteworthy gain given the pain the broad market is having today.

Shares of Six Flags are down 4.3% over the past three months, while shares of Disney are up 8.5%.

Amobi thinks investors are treating Six Flag too harshly. She said the company’s turnaround plan is still on track. “The company deserves the benefit of the doubt,” Amobi says. “We have a more optimistic outlook for the second half.”

It’s still too soon to see if analysts will cut Disney’s second-quarter earnings forecasts. And to be sure: There’s more to Disney than just themeparks. ESPN is the biggest business for Disney. But right now, analysts expect Disney to put up another huge quarter for earnings, up nearly 14% when it reports Aug. 5. And it’s tough to bet against the mouse: Disney has beaten earnings expectations in five out of the past five quarters.

 

[DummbGiRL]

What's with the "Six Flag's" Dad wearing a Suit and Tie? So uncomfortable - How would that be considered good marketing? What man wants to wear that while out with his son? I mean the other Dad on the ride is wearing a realistic blue t-shirt. What was this post about again?

 

[rteetz]

You can't compare disney and six flags. Disney is much much more than theme parks. Six flags is only theme parks.

 

[Mad Hattered]

You can't compare disney and six flags. Disney is much much more than theme parks. Six flags is only theme parks.

Not to mention that ESPN is the main money maker for Disney. It doesn't have squat to do with how well Iger is doing. Disney acquired ABC/EPSN 4 years before Iger was even put in charge.

Gooooooooo....Bobby!!!!

 

[Rumors Rocks]

You can't compare disney and six flags. Disney is much much more than theme parks. Six flags is only theme parks.

I believe the author just did. Iger as Disney's CEO must wear many hats and oversee the multiple divisions and facets that comprise all of Disney, this is part of what makes him deserving of the award-which is judged accordingly from a community of his peers and esteemed experts in the industry instead of a group of fanbois. This is the big leagues and investors are sorely disappointed in Six Flags. Six Flags has no other excuse for such an abysmal performance, when they only have to be concerned with their amusement parks and nothing more. With the exception of Disneyland Paris, Disney Theme Parks have steadily outperformed all of the forecasts and estimates-exceeding investors expectations.

 

[OKW Lover]

Not to mention that ESPN is the main money maker for Disney. It doesn't have squat to do with how well Iger is doing. Disney acquired ABC/EPSN 4 years before Iger was even put in charge.

Gooooooooo....Bobby!!!!

Perhaps you forgot that Iger came to Disney in the acquisition?