Disney has said the success of ‘Toy Story5’ extended beyond the box office in the June quarter, as the ‌hit film fuelled sales of merchandise, boosted engagement on the Disney+ streaming service and attracted more theme park visitors.

CEO Josh D’Amaro, who took over in March, highlighted his strategy to invest in franchises like Toy Story to reach audiences outside the box office in a lengthy (Q3 FY26) earnings letter to shareholders on Wednesday (August 5), according to a Reuters report.

Separately, Disney and TikTok announced a deal on Wednesday that will allow TikTok creators to use characters and scenes from Disney movies and TV shows in short-form videos.

The company reported revenue of $25.2 billion in the (third) quarter, up 7 percent from last year, but shy of Wall Street’s forecasts of $25.4 billion, according to analysts surveyed by LSEG.

The company said it would sell its 50 percent stake in A+E Global Media to co-owner Hearst Corporation, and use the estimated $1.2 billion in cash proceeds to repurchase Disney shares. This will increase the value of its fiscal 2026 share repurchases to at least $9 billion.

Disney’s Parks and experiences division reported revenue of nearly $10 billion, up 10 percentl from a year ago, fueled by a 4 percent increase in attendance at its theme parks globally and a 3 percent increase at its domestic parks.

Operating income for the experiences segment rose to $3 billion, a 20 percent gain from a year ago, in part reflecting a $100 million tariff refund it received earlier in the quarter.

Disney’s Entertainment group reported $11.3 billion in revenue for the quarter, a gain of 6 percent from a year earlier, reflecting the performance of ‘Toy Story’ and a ⁠15 percent increase in subscription fees for the company’s Disney+ and Hulu streaming services. Segment operating income rose 64 percent to nearly $1.7 billion.

D’Amaro said during an investor call that Disney+ would continue to evolve, adding games, merchandise and other experiences. He said the company also is considering launching a free streaming product to reach consumers who are price ⁠sensitive, which could potentially entice more people to subscribe to Disney+.