The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) reported earnings for the fiscal year and fourth quarter ended October 3, 2009. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the year was $1.76, compared to $2.28 in the prior year. EPS for the current and prior year include certain items that are discussed below. Excluding these items, EPS for the year was $1.82, down 20% from $2.28 in the prior year.

EPS for the current year included a non-cash gain in connection with the merger of Lifetime Entertainment Services (Lifetime) and A&E Television Networks (A&E), a gain on the sale of our investment in two pay television services in Latin America, and restructuring and impairment charges, which collectively had a net adverse impact of $0.06. EPS for the prior year included an accounting gain related to the acquisition of the Disney Stores North America, a gain on the sale of movies.com, the favorable resolution of certain income tax matters, a bad debt charge for a receivable from Lehman Brothers, and an impairment charge, which collectively had no net impact on EPS.

For the quarter, diluted EPS was $0.47 compared to $0.40 in the prior-year quarter. EPS for the current quarter included the gain related to the Lifetime/A&E transaction and restructuring and impairment charges, which together resulted in a net benefit of $0.01, while EPS for the prior-year quarter included the Lehman Brothers bad debt charge and an impairment charge, which together had a net adverse impact of $0.04. Excluding these items, EPS for the quarter increased 5% to $0.46 compared to $0.44 in the prior-year quarter.

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