Walt Disney sharply outperformed Wall Street’s quarterly earnings estimates on Wednesday, with results buoyed by the strong holiday box office performance of animated sequel “Moana 2,” though the company warned of a modest decline in Disney+ streaming subscribers in the coming quarter.

NEW YORK -- Disney easily topped first-quarter expectations thanks in part to the box office success of “Moana 2.” The Walt Disney Co. earned $2.55 billion, or $1.40 per share, for the period ended Dec. 28. The Burbank, California-based company earned $1.91 billion, or $1.04 per share, in the prior-year period.

"Moana 2" and another profitable quarter for Disney+ and Hulu helped Disney beat forecasts for revenue and earnings for the December 2024 quarter.