Features

HARTFORD, Conn. — When shareholders of The Walt Disney Co. meet here Tuesday, they will be treated to a show as carefully written and rehearsed as a Broadway play. 

More than 1,000 shareholders and their guests will view clips from upcoming Disney movies, watch the quirky, funny commercials used to advertise sports network ESPN and be greeted as they enter the Hartford Civic Center by Mickey, Minnie and other Disney characters. 

But the well-planned Disney magic will likely not be enough to soothe shareholders, who have seen their stock languish in recent years and want to know what their company plans to do about it. 

Disney chief executive Michael Eisner and other executives know the questions will be tough and are prepared to answer them. 

“Are the shareholders better off today? Yes. Are they richer? No. Will they be richer going forward? Yes,” said Disney spokesman John Dreyer, summarizing the comments Eisner intends to deliver. 

“It doesn’t work to point out the tremendous value creation during most of the years since 1984 nor the enormous growth of Disney to become a worldwide media company,” wrote Eisner, who joined the company in 1984. The company has also been the subject of rumors about Eisner’s leadership and Disney’s status as a possible takeover target, given its lagging share price. Both Eisner and President Robert Iger did not receive bonuses this year because the company failed to reach certain financial targets. Still, analysts say the current management team still has time to turn the company around before Eisner’s job is called into question.