The Walt Disney Company

A diversified global mass media and entertainment company based at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California, the Walt Disney Company (commonly known as Disney) was founded in 1928 by Walt Disney and his brother Roy.

On October 16, 1923, Walt and Roy O. Disney founded the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, which later went on to be known as the Walt Disney Studio and then as The Walt Disney Company before officially changing its name to The Walt Disney Company in 1986. The Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio is still in operation today under the name Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. Prior to expanding into other areas such as live-action film production, television, and theme parks, the business established itself as a leader in the United States animation sector.

Because it wants to sell more adult material than is usually associated with its family-oriented brands, Disney has established and purchased business divisions since the 1980s to do so. The Walt Disney Studios, a film studio branch of the corporation, is well-known for producing films such as Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, 20th Century Animation, and Searchlight Pictures. In addition to television, broadcasting, and streaming media, Disney's other major business segments include divisions for theme park resorts and consumer goods as well as publishing and foreign activities. In addition to the ABC broadcast network, Disney also owns and operates cable television networks such as Disney Channel, ESPN, Freeform, FX, and National Geographic as well as publishing, merchandising, music, and theatre divisions. The company owns and operates direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Disney+, Star+, ESPN+, Hulu, and Hotstar as well as Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, which includes 14 theme parks, resort hotels, and cruise lines located throughout the world. Originally developed in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, the cartoon character Mickey Mouse now serves as the official mascot of the Walt Disney Corporation.

Because of this, the business has been a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since 1991. Its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker code "DIS." In August 2020, big financial institutions controlled little less than two-thirds of the stock market capitalization.