The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) Receives Consensus Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from Brokerages

Key Points

• Analysts maintain a favorable view of Disney: Twenty-one brokerages assign the stock a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating, with 16 buys and one strong buy. The average 12-month price target is approximately $127.61, above the reported $106.80 share price.
• Disney’s latest quarterly results exceeded expectations on earnings, with EPS of $2.06 versus the $1.86 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 6.8% year over year to $25.25 billion. Its Experiences segment, including parks, resorts, and cruises, remains a key profit driver.
• Institutional investors own 65.71% of Disney, with several firms recently increasing their positions, although two executives sold shares under pre-arranged trading plans. Disney is also continuing to expand its vacation ecosystem through a new Lakeshore Lodge and additional cruise itineraries.

Shares of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS - Get Free Report) have been given an average rating of "Moderate Buy" by the twenty-one ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have assigned a hold recommendation, sixteen have assigned a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $127.6111.

DIS has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Walt Disney from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Phillip Securities raised shares of Walt Disney from a "moderate buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Monday, May 11th. UBS Group set a $115.00 target price on shares of Walt Disney in a research note on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Walt Disney from $125.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. Finally, Guggenheim reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $120.00 price target on shares of Walt Disney in a research note on Thursday, August 6th.

Walt Disney News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Disney’s Experiences segment generated approximately $3 billion in quarterly operating profit, with theme parks and cruise lines offsetting mixed performance elsewhere. The results support the view that parks, resorts, and cruises are key earnings drivers. Disney's Experiences Generated $3 Billion in One Quarter
• Positive Sentiment: Disney announced a new Lakeshore Lodge near the Magic Kingdom, scheduled to open in July 2027. The resort’s room offerings and early cash-booking program for Disney Vacation Club members could expand high-margin lodging revenue and strengthen the company’s vacation ecosystem. Disney's Lakeshore Lodge Reveals Rooms
• Positive Sentiment: Disney Cruise Line announced fall 2027 and spring 2028 sailings, including a new Disney Adventure port of call, providing additional evidence of continued investment in its growing cruise business. Disney Cruise Line Sailings Announced
• Positive Sentiment: Disney and the NFL are launching a merchandise collaboration, creating another licensing and consumer-products opportunity. Disney and NFL Partner for Apparel Collaboration
• Neutral Sentiment: CFO Hugh Johnston will participate in Goldman Sachs’ Communacopia + Technology Conference on September 9. Investors may look for commentary on streaming, parks demand, margins, and financial targets, but no new guidance was provided. Disney to Participate in Goldman Sachs Conference
• Negative Sentiment: Reports concerning a former actress’s lawsuit against Disney and a prior confidential settlement involving another party add legal and reputational noise, although the reported settlement could limit potential exposure. Raquel Lee Settlement Report

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Brent Woodford sold 7,238 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.31, for a total transaction of $762,233.78. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 62,323 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,563,235.13. This represents a 10.41% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Paul M. Roeder sold 3,596 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.32, for a total value of $382,326.72. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 0.17% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Walt Disney

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in DIS. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its stake in Walt Disney by 29.2% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 8,522,860 shares of the entertainment giant's stock worth $969,646,000 after buying an additional 1,924,200 shares during the last quarter. Aviva PLC lifted its stake in Walt Disney by 5.5% in the fourth quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 1,516,177 shares of the entertainment giant's stock valued at $172,495,000 after buying an additional 78,914 shares during the last quarter. Windsor Advisory Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Walt Disney by 297.9% during the first quarter. Windsor Advisory Group LLC now owns 10,082 shares of the entertainment giant's stock valued at $972,000 after acquiring an additional 7,548 shares during the period. World Investment Advisors boosted its holdings in shares of Walt Disney by 18.8% during the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 96,476 shares of the entertainment giant's stock valued at $10,976,000 after acquiring an additional 15,243 shares during the period. Finally, Cullen Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Walt Disney during the second quarter worth about $4,092,000. Institutional investors own 65.71% of the company's stock.

Walt Disney Price Performance

DIS stock opened at $106.80 on Friday. The stock's 50 day moving average is $100.55 and its two-hundred day moving average is $101.53. Walt Disney has a 52-week low of $92.18 and a 52-week high of $119.78. The company has a market capitalization of $184.40 billion, a PE ratio of 22.02, a P/E/G ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 1.39. The company has a quick ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The entertainment giant reported $2.06 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.86 by $0.20. Walt Disney had a return on equity of 9.90% and a net margin of 8.70%.The company had revenue of $25.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $25.39 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.61 EPS. The business's revenue was up 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. Walt Disney has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.642-6.642 EPS. Analysts predict that Walt Disney will post 6.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Walt Disney Company Profile

The Walt Disney Company NYSE: DIS, commonly known as Disney, is a diversified global entertainment and media conglomerate headquartered in Burbank, California. Founded in 1923 by Walt and Roy O. Disney, the company grew from an animation studio into a multi‑national entertainment enterprise known for iconic intellectual property and family‑oriented storytelling. Disney's operations span film and television production, streaming services, theme parks and resorts, consumer products, and live entertainment.

On the content side, Disney produces and distributes feature films and television programming through a portfolio of studios and labels that includes Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Studios, along with broadcast and cable networks such as ABC, FX and National Geographic.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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