Walt Disney Company shares has exceeded their all-time high after the company reported strong earnings growth on Tuesday, driven by rising revenues at ESPN, and promised to capitalize on the runaway success of the recently released movie, “The Avengers.” On Wednesday, shares were up 0.6 percent in premarket trading to $44.55 per share. During after-hours on Tuesday, shares hit $44.86. Although Disney lost $200 million on the sci-fi epic “John Carter,” the company reported earnings for the first three months on 2012 that surged 18 percent compared to 2011. The fairytale company reported earnings, excluding certain items, of 58 cents a share on $9.6 billion in revenue.
Disney’s “The Avengers” made history in the box-office in its debut over the weekend, racking in more than $207 million and becoming Disney’s highest-earning film ever. Disney CEO Bob Iger said they would release an “Avengers” sequel “eventually, at a date to be determined.” In a statement, Iger said, “We’re incredibly optimistic about our future, given the strength of our core brands, Disney, Pixar, Marvel, ESPN, and ABC, and our extraordinary ability to grow franchises across our businesses.”
