Treasure Planet Strands Disney's Earnings

Walt Disney Co.

(DIS) - Get Free Report

has lowered its latest fiscal fourth-quarter earnings after ticket sales for the film

Treasure Planet

were lower than expected,

Bloomberg.com

reported.

Disney also said federal regulators are investigating its disclosures about outside directors whose relatives had ties to the company.

The company said that former U.S. Senator George Mitchell was named presiding director and that the board would meet twice annually without management present,

Bloomberg

reported. Some investors have raised questions about the board's independence.

Treasure Planet

flopped over its five-day, Thanksgiving weekend opening, recording ticket sales of $16.6 million,

WSJ.com

reported. Disney said it must take a $74 million pretax writedown for the fourth quarter of 2002 to reflect a lower book value for the movie. That will reduce net income for the quarter ended Sept. 30 by $47 million, or 2 cents a share.

Disney shares closed down 85 cents, or 4.3%, to $18.54 in

NYSE

trading.