Disney is planning to cut several thousand jobs and has asked some managers to reduce costs by as much as 20%, marking another round of reductions under CEO Josh D’Amaro. The moves follow prior rounds in April and September that eliminated hundreds of roles across marketing, HR, and technology, and come as the company accelerates cost-cutting to free up investment for growth. Executives signaled that further reductions are possible and have framed these actions as part of a larger organizational reshaping, including an August early-retirement option. With about 231,000 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, the company faces continued pressure to streamline operations while maintaining earnings prospects ahead of its Q4 2025 report due in mid-November. The broader industry trend toward cost reductions, including peers like Netflix, underlines a cautious growth environment and a focus on efficiency going into next year.
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The layoffs span several thousand roles, with some managers specifically instructed to cut costs by up to 20%, according to unnamed sources.
This round follows earlier reductions: about 1,000 positions in April predominantly in marketing, and around 300 in September mainly in human resources and technology.
CEO Josh D’Amaro and CFO Hugh Johnston acknowledged ongoing cost reductions in a August letter to shareholders, noting the company is mid-stream and will provide updates on progress.
Disney introduced an early-retirement program in August as part of its organizational reshaping efforts, which also include involuntary staff reductions in certain areas continuing into next year.
The company ended fiscal 2025 with roughly 231,000 employees, underscoring the scale of its workforce and the breadth of the cost-cutting drive.
Industry peers are also pursuing cuts, such as Netflix announcing a roughly 6% headcount reduction, highlighting a broader trend of belt-tightening in entertainment.
Disney is slated to report its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on November 17, highlighting the immediate financial implications of the ongoing cost-reduction program.