Banco Santander S.A. Grows Stock Position in The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS)

Key Points

• Banco Santander S.A. increased its stake in The Walt Disney Company by 37.1% in the first quarter, now holding 139,254 shares valued at approximately $13.7 million.
• Other institutional investors have also made significant adjustments to their positions, with Rheos Capital Works Inc. boosting their holdings by 164.7% during the same period.
• Walt Disney reported earnings of $1.45 per share, surpassing estimates and showing a 7.0% increase in revenue compared to the previous year.

Banco Santander S.A. grew its position in The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS - Free Report) by 37.1% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 139,254 shares of the entertainment giant's stock after acquiring an additional 37,679 shares during the quarter. Banco Santander S.A.'s holdings in Walt Disney were worth $13,744,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Planning Directions Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Walt Disney in the first quarter valued at approximately $326,000. Trek Financial LLC grew its position in shares of Walt Disney by 479.9% in the fourth quarter. Trek Financial LLC now owns 36,320 shares of the entertainment giant's stock valued at $4,044,000 after purchasing an additional 30,057 shares in the last quarter. WoodTrust Financial Corp grew its position in shares of Walt Disney by 6.7% in the first quarter. WoodTrust Financial Corp now owns 96,158 shares of the entertainment giant's stock valued at $9,491,000 after purchasing an additional 6,047 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Stockton grew its position in shares of Walt Disney by 4.4% in the first quarter. Bank of Stockton now owns 9,091 shares of the entertainment giant's stock valued at $897,000 after purchasing an additional 383 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rheos Capital Works Inc. grew its position in shares of Walt Disney by 164.7% in the first quarter. Rheos Capital Works Inc. now owns 395,400 shares of the entertainment giant's stock valued at $39,026,000 after purchasing an additional 246,000 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.71% of the company's stock.

Insider Transactions at Walt Disney

In related news, EVP Brent Woodford sold 1,000 shares of Walt Disney stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $110.84, for a total value of $110,840.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 46,831 shares in the company, valued at $5,190,748.04. The trade was a 2.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.16% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Walt Disney Price Performance

Shares of DIS opened at $116.57 on Friday. The Walt Disney Company has a fifty-two week low of $80.10 and a fifty-two week high of $124.69. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $118.76 and its 200 day moving average price is $107.72. The company has a market cap of $209.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.84, a PEG ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 1.56. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, May 7th. The entertainment giant reported $1.45 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.21 by $0.24. Walt Disney had a net margin of 9.47% and a return on equity of 9.99%. The firm had revenue of $23.62 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $23.15 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.21 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 7.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that The Walt Disney Company will post 5.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Walt Disney from $130.00 to $138.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday. Guggenheim upped their price target on Walt Disney from $120.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, June 27th. Needham & Company LLC restated a "buy" rating and issued a $125.00 price target on shares of Walt Disney in a research report on Thursday, May 8th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Walt Disney from $110.00 to $120.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 8th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Walt Disney from $125.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 9th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $128.70.

Walt Disney Profile

The Walt Disney Company operates as an entertainment company worldwide. It operates through three segments: Entertainment, Sports, and Experiences. The company produces and distributes film and television video streaming content under the ABC Television Network, Disney, Freeform, FX, Fox, National Geographic, and Star brand television channels, as well as ABC television stations and A+E television networks; and produces original content under the ABC Signature, Disney Branded Television, FX Productions, Lucasfilm, Marvel, National Geographic Studios, Pixar, Searchlight Pictures, Twentieth Century Studios, 20th Television, and Walt Disney Pictures banners.

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