Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH Cuts Stake in Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. $WBD

Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH cut its holdings in Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD) by 2.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 1,531,711 shares of the company’s stock after selling 40,590 shares during the quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH owned about 0.06% of Warner Bros. Discovery worth $29,914,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WBD. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its position in Warner Bros. Discovery by 304.9% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 68,950 shares of the company’s stock valued at $729,000 after buying an additional 51,920 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Warner Bros. Discovery by 50.5% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 63,254 shares of the company’s stock valued at $679,000 after acquiring an additional 21,228 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC increased its stake in shares of Warner Bros. Discovery by 6.2% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 65,082 shares of the company’s stock worth $698,000 after acquiring an additional 3,779 shares during the period. Focus Partners Wealth lifted its position in Warner Bros. Discovery by 91.6% during the first quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 116,821 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,254,000 after purchasing an additional 55,837 shares during the period. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Warner Bros. Discovery by 10.9% in the second quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 13,148 shares of the company’s stock worth $151,000 after buying an additional 1,295 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 59.95% of the company’s stock.

Key Warner Bros. Discovery News

Here are the key news stories impacting Warner Bros. Discovery this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company statement says more than 93% of WBD shareholders rejected Paramount’s “inferior scheme,” signaling strong shareholder preference for Netflix’s offer, which supports the likelihood of a cash exit for WBD holders. Variety: Warner Bros. Discovery Says Over 93% of Shareholders Have ‘Rejected Paramount’s Inferior Scheme’
• Positive Sentiment: Netflix revised the offer to an all-cash bid, strengthening the economics of a deal for WBD shareholders (cash consideration reduces financing/stock risk). Yahoo Finance: Netflix makes all-cash offer for Warner
• Neutral Sentiment: Paramount Skydance extended its hostile tender-offer deadline to Feb. 20, prolonging the contest and leaving more time for shareholders to be solicited — outcome remains uncertain. Reuters: Paramount extends deadline on hostile Warner Bros bid to February 20
• Neutral Sentiment: The EU will review Netflix’s and Paramount’s rival bids simultaneously, an unusual head?to?head antitrust review that could speed a comparative decision but also adds complexity to approval odds. Reuters: EU to weigh Netflix, Paramount bids for Warner Bros at the same time
• Negative Sentiment: Paramount filed a lawsuit challenging WBD’s agreement with Netflix, adding legal risk that could delay or block the transaction and create uncertainty for WBD shareholders. PopCulture: Paramount Files Lawsuit Against Warner Bros. Discovery Over Netflix Deal
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory scrutiny is intensifying: Netflix’s Ted Sarandos is scheduled to testify before a U.S. Senate committee about the deal, and regulators globally will weigh competition concerns — both raise the probability of delays, remedies, or blocks. Reuters: Netflix’s Sarandos to testify in Senate hearing on Warner deal
• Negative Sentiment: Separately, Netflix’s stock weakness and concerns about the cost/financing and integration of an $82.7B acquisition have tightened market sentiment around the deal, which could affect the transaction’s feasibility and timing. Reuters: Netflix defends Warner Bros bid as shares drop

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently commented on WBD. Rothschild Redb raised shares of Warner Bros. Discovery from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $29.50 price objective on shares of Warner Bros. Discovery in a report on Monday, December 8th. Bank of America increased their price target on Warner Bros. Discovery from $16.00 to $24.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 30th. Arete Research raised their target price on Warner Bros. Discovery from $30.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Finally, Raymond James Financial raised their price objective on shares of Warner Bros. Discovery from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, November 7th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and twelve have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Warner Bros. Discovery presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $24.75.

Warner Bros. Discovery Stock Down 0.6%

WBD stock opened at $28.36 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $27.10 and its 200 day moving average price is $19.83. The firm has a market capitalization of $70.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 149.27 and a beta of 1.56. Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $7.52 and a fifty-two week high of $30.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a current ratio of 1.07.

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported ($0.06) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.04) by ($0.02). Warner Bros. Discovery had a return on equity of 1.34% and a net margin of 1.28%.The firm had revenue of $9.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.17 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.05 EPS. The company’s revenue was down 6.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. will post -4.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Warner Bros. Discovery

In other Warner Bros. Discovery news, CAO Lori C. Locke sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.62, for a total transaction of $138,100.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 110,084 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,040,520.08. This trade represents a 4.34% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels sold 242,994 shares of Warner Bros. Discovery stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.50, for a total value of $7,168,323.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 918,940 shares in the company, valued at $27,108,730. This trade represents a 20.91% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 489,326 shares of company stock worth $12,781,456 in the last three months. 1.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Warner Bros. Discovery

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) is a global media and entertainment company formed when WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc combined their businesses in 2022. Headquartered in New York City, the company assembles a broad portfolio of film and television production, linear and cable networks, streaming services and consumer distribution operations. Its assets span well-known studio brands, premium scripted and unscripted programming, news and factual entertainment, and licensed franchise properties.

The company’s core activities include film and television production and distribution through units such as Warner Bros.