Disney plans job cuts across operations as cost reduction drive deepens

Traders Union
All News
Business & Wealth
Companies
Disney job cuts intensify

Highlights

Disney plans to cut several thousand jobs and instruct some managers to reduce costs by as much as 20%, per Bloomberg sources.
The company previously eliminated around 1,000 marketing positions in April and about 300 roles in human resources and technology in September 2025.
Disney, with 231,000 employees at end of fiscal 2025, will provide more restructuring details in its Nov. 17 fourth-quarter earnings report.

Cost reduction push expands across Disney divisions

As reported by CNBC, citing Bloomberg, Disney is planning to cut several thousand jobs, while some managers have been asked to reduce costs by as much as 20%, according to people familiar with the matter cited in the report.

The planned reductions mark the latest round of layoffs since CEO Josh D’Amaro took over earlier this year. In April, Disney separately moved to eliminate as many as 1,000 positions, mainly in marketing, and in September it cut about 300 roles, many in human resources and technology.

Executives had already signaled the possibility of further reductions in the company’s August earnings report. In an Aug. 5 letter to shareholders, D’Amaro and CFO Hugh Johnston said Disney remains focused on lowering costs across the enterprise to create more capacity to invest for growth, adding that the company is still in the middle of that work.

Layoffs add to pressure across entertainment sector

Disney also introduced an early retirement program for some employees in August. In an Aug. 24 letter to staff, Chief People Officer Sonia Coleman said involuntary staff reductions had already begun in some areas and would continue into next year.

According to Disney’s annual financial report, the company had about 231,000 employees at the end of its fiscal year 2025, which closed in September that year. The latest workforce actions underscore how major entertainment companies continue to seek savings, with Netflix saying in a memo last month that it would lay off roughly 6% of its workforce.

Disney is scheduled to report its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on Nov. 17, a release that could provide investors with further details on the scale and timing of the restructuring.

Our earlier analysis of the S&P 500 (SPX) highlighted how earnings-season headlines were driving sharp sector rotation, with tech and AI-related stocks rebounding while broader selling pressure persisted. We also noted the index was trading below key moving averages, suggesting fragile consolidation and elevated sensitivity to further corporate updates and macro signals.

This material may contain third-party opinions, none of the data and information on this webpage constitutes investment advice according to our Disclaimer. While we adhere to strict Editorial Integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners.