Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro tous parks ‘surprise’ in last quarter, ‘clarity’

Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro told CNBC’s Julia Boorstin on Friday that the company’s parks division was a “big surprise” last quarter and that he feels confident about the company’s trajectory during his first few months at the top of the media giant.

“We’re delivering on everything that we said we’re going to deliver on,” D’Amaro said. “I think there’s clarity inside of the organization in terms of where we need to to go next. A lot of stability with the the team. So you know, almost six months in, I’m feeling pretty good about where we are.”

D’Amaro stepped into the role of Disney CEO in March, succeeding Bob Iger after a closely watched succession race and following a turnaround period at the media giant.

The longtime Disney executive had most recently served as chairman of Disney Experiences, the unit that includes the theme parks, cruise lines and consumer products, and which drives profitability for the company.

His immediate tasks since assuming the top job have been sustaining momentum in Disney’s core growth areas, namely its theme parks and streaming divisions. These areas have been a focus for investors, and in recent quarters, Disney has received a mixed reception from Wall Street.

“I’m not happy with where the stock stands right now,” D’Amaro said Friday. “Our investors aren’t happy with that, but I do believe that we’re sitting in a very great space relative to the entertainment industry.”

Last week Disney reported quarterly results that once again showcased the strength of parks and streaming, and Wall Street appeared pleased with growth in Disney’s theme park segment despite mounting macroeconomic uncertainty for consumers.

Still, the stock is down more than 8% in the last 12 months.

On Friday, D’Amaro said that while Disney isn’t “immune” to some of the headwinds hitting theme parks, the company is positioned to respond if needed. Still, he fell short of disclosing whether further theme park price increases were coming, and instead said to expect further investments in its destinations.

The CEO has previously said that his focus in leading Disney is on investing in intellectual property.

“This next chapter is about, No. 1, telling great stories. We’ll never forget that. We want to move with more speed and urgency than we have before,” D’Amaro said. “Embrace technology even more aggressively than we have in the past, and importantly, bring this company together to act like ‘One Disney,’ which you’ve heard me say before.”

D’Amaro highlighted the company’s flagship streaming service, specifically.

“We have tremendous scale, growing scale internationally. So as it is today, I feel very good about where Disney+ is,” D’Amaro said. “But there are opportunities, obviously, to keep growing it.”