Posted in: Disney+, Movies, Opinion, streaming, TV, TV | Tagged: bob iger, disney, lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, nelson peltz, opinion

Disney Going "Woke" Leaves Peltz Far From Broke After Stock Sale

Despite losing to Disney CEO Bob Iger, Nelson Peltz is reportedly making $1 billion (in "woke" profits???) from selling his company stock.

If you know what's been going on with The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger this year, then you know he's sitting in a bit more of a comfortable position than he was when the year first started. In large part, that had to do with activist investor Nelson Peltz looking to challenge Iger's leadership and secure some spots on the Disney Board of Directors – a move that originated from Peltz's belief that Disney was suffering financially because it had spent too much time pursuing a "woke" agenda and not listening to its customer base. If we had a vote, it would come down to choosing between Iger – the dude whom Twin Peaks co-creator Mark Frost credits with being one of the show's biggest defenders when it was first getting off the ground – and someone who says something like this. "Why do I have to have a Marvel [movie] that's all women? Not that I have anything against women, but why do I have to do that? Why can't I have 'Marvels' that are both? Why do I need an all-Black cast?" We're going with Iger…

Fortunately for Iger (and millions of other folks), Peltz & his slate lost their bid big time – with nine of Disney's 12 director candidates receiving more than 90% of shares voting in favor of them (with Iger receiving 94% of shares noting in his favor). Here's a screencap of the voting results:

But before anyone sheds any tears for Peltz, reports are that Peltz's firm, Trian Fund Management, sold off all of its stake in Disney – doing so at a time when the company has grown 11% in 2024, as compared to this time period last year. With the stock hitting approximately $120 per share when the transaction reportedly went down, the profit from sale would come in at around $1 billion. Stepping back and looking at it from a "bigger picture" perspective, the best way to describe what went down was that Disney went "woke" and Peltz didn't go broke – at least not financially.

During the shareholders meeting earlier this month, Iger addressed the company's role when it comes to addressing important social and/or political issues – emphasizing that Disney's job "is to entertain first and foremost" while still adhering to the company's "responsibility to do good in the world" without advancing "any kind of agenda."

"Our job is to entertain first and foremost, and by telling great stories, we continue to have a positive impact on the world and inspire future generations, just as we've done for over 100 years. Disney has always been and will continue to be a source of hope, joy, and optimism for people of all ages. We're committed to telling stories that reflect the world around us and using those stories to entertain people from all walks of life," Iger shared during the call from earlier today.

Iger added, "I've always believed that we have a responsibility to do good in the world. But we know our job is not to advance any kind of agenda. So, as long as I'm in the job, I'm going to continue to be guided by a sense of decency and respect. And we will always trust our instincts." The CEO's comments about the company's social/political responsibilities came after two proposals – one requesting that Disney stay out of progressive politics and another requesting that the company take a more progressive approach to the candidates and causes that it supports.

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