Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) Downgraded by Wall Street Zen to “Hold”

Wall Street Zen cut shares of Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Saturday,Wall Street Zen reports.

Several other analysts have also recently commented on the stock. UBS Group set a $115.00 price target on shares of Walt Disney in a research note on Monday, August 24th. Argus restated a “buy” rating and issued a $134.00 price objective on shares of Walt Disney in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. Yorkville Ives initiated coverage on Walt Disney in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $125.00 price objective on the stock. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 price objective on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Friday, October 9th. Finally, Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Monday, August 31st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $128.16.

Walt Disney Trading Down 0.4%

DIS opened at $116.72 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The stock has a market capitalization of $201.53 billion, a PE ratio of 24.07, a PEG ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 1.44. Walt Disney has a 1-year low of $92.18 and a 1-year high of $120.80. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $108.05 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $103.68.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The entertainment giant reported $2.06 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.86 by $0.20. Walt Disney had a net margin of 8.70% and a return on equity of 9.90%. The company had revenue of $25.25 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $25.39 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.61 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Walt Disney will post 6.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walt Disney

In other news, EVP Horacio E. Gutierrez sold 20,552 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.00, for a total value of $2,466,240.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 37,765 shares in the company, valued at $4,531,800. This trade represents a 35.24% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Brent Woodford sold 3,618 shares of Walt Disney stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.00, for a total value of $423,306.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 62,995 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,370,415. This represents a 5.43% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last three months, insiders have sold 51,570 shares of company stock worth $5,846,631. Insiders own 0.17% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of DIS. Advisors Management Group Inc. ADV raised its position in Walt Disney by 4.6% in the 1st quarter. Advisors Management Group Inc. ADV now owns 2,266 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $218,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Providence Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Walt Disney by 1.1% during the 1st quarter. Providence Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 9,192 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $888,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Guardian Partners Inc. boosted its holdings in Walt Disney by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Guardian Partners Inc. now owns 32,991 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $3,188,000 after acquiring an additional 101 shares during the last quarter. Chapin Davis Inc. grew its stake in shares of Walt Disney by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. Chapin Davis Inc. now owns 32,101 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $3,090,000 after acquiring an additional 103 shares in the last quarter. Finally, TOWER TRUST & INVESTMENT Co grew its stake in shares of Walt Disney by 1.6% in the 3rd quarter. TOWER TRUST & INVESTMENT Co now owns 6,435 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $675,000 after acquiring an additional 104 shares in the last quarter. 65.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Walt Disney News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Walt Disney this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Disney’s animated film Hexed is projected to generate $40 million–$50 million over the Thanksgiving box-office stretch. That forecast offers a possible theatrical boost, though it is an estimate rather than a result. Thanksgiving box-office projections
• Positive Sentiment: Walt Disney World is extending park hours for Thanksgiving week, a seasonal move that may help accommodate visitor demand and support park spending. Thanksgiving park hours
• Neutral Sentiment: EVP Brent Woodford sold 3,618 shares under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan and still held 62,995 shares afterward, making the sale a limited signal about his outlook. SEC Form 4 filing
• Negative Sentiment: Reports say Disney is seeking savings of up to 20% and considering thousands of job cuts. Lower expenses could improve profitability if savings are achieved, but the scale of the reductions and employee uncertainty raise concerns about execution and possible effects on operations. Reports on planned cost savings and layoffs
• Negative Sentiment: A recent analysis says Netflix is pulling ahead of Disney, reinforcing concerns about competition in streaming. The article’s headline frames the issue as a potential buying opportunity, but the competitive gap remains a risk for Disney’s growth outlook. Analysis of Disney and Netflix competition

About Walt Disney

The Walt Disney Company is a global entertainment and media company whose businesses include film and television production, streaming, sports programming, and theme parks and resorts. Its brands and properties include Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, ABC, and ESPN.

Disney produces and distributes films and television programs, operates streaming services including Disney+ and Hulu, and provides sports content through ESPN. Its Experiences business operates theme parks and resorts, cruise ships, and other travel and consumer experiences based on the company’s characters and stories.

Founded in 1923 by Walt Disney and Roy O.