May 8, 2012 The Walt Disney Company Investor Relations News [updated] Today

As Bob Iger concluded the call that day: "We are in a creative golden age. The combination of our brands—Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm (not yet acquired), and Disney Animation—gives us an unrivaled arsenal of storytelling for the next decade."

It was a prescient statement. Just six months later, Disney would announce the acquisition of Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion, bringing Star Wars into the fold. The seeds for the modern Disney empire were sown in the fertile ground of that record-breaking spring. Disclaimer: This article is a retrospective analysis based on historical financial disclosures and press releases from The Walt Disney Company dated May 8, 2012. may 8, 2012 the walt disney company investor relations news

BURBANK, Calif. – May 8, 2012 – The Walt Disney Company today released its second-quarter financial results for fiscal 2012, delivering a performance that exceeded Wall Street expectations and sent a clear signal to investors: the magic was not only back but operating at record capacity. As Bob Iger concluded the call that day:

Domestic attendance at Disney World and Disneyland was flat, but guest spending (per capita ticket and food/merchandise) increased. The segment’s growth was hampered by the ongoing construction of New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom and the early stages of Shanghai Disneyland , which Iger called "the most ambitious international project we have ever undertaken." The Consumer Products division (now Disney Experiences) saw a 7% rise in operating income to $187 million, driven by Avengers merchandise and the evergreen success of Cars and Disney Princess lines. The seeds for the modern Disney empire were

"I think 'The Avengers' is a perfect example of how we’ve managed the Marvel brand," Iger told analysts. "By integrating them into our global distribution and marketing machine while preserving the creative spirit that made them great, we have unlocked staggering value."

The primary catalyst? Marvel’s The Avengers , which had been released globally just four days prior to the earnings call (on May 4, 2012). At the time of the report, the film had already shattered opening weekend records, grossing over $640 million worldwide in less than a week.