AQR Capital Management LLC Buys 534,376 Shares of The Walt Disney Company $DIS

Key Points

• AQR Capital Management increased its stake in The Walt Disney Company by 65.8% during the first quarter, now owning approximately 1.35 million shares valued at about $129.7 million.
• The company reported $1.61 earnings per share for the most recent quarter, exceeding analyst estimates, with revenue of $23.65 billion, slightly below expectations.
• Various analysts issued positive ratings for Disney, with targets ranging from $131.18 to $140.00, reflecting a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy".

AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS - Free Report) by 65.8% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,346,357 shares of the entertainment giant's stock after acquiring an additional 534,376 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC owned approximately 0.07% of Walt Disney worth $129,735,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG grew its stake in Walt Disney by 8.1% during the first quarter. J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG now owns 222,747 shares of the entertainment giant's stock worth $21,983,000 after buying an additional 16,781 shares in the last quarter. Planning Directions Inc. acquired a new stake in Walt Disney during the first quarter worth about $326,000. WoodTrust Financial Corp grew its stake in Walt Disney by 6.7% during the first quarter. WoodTrust Financial Corp now owns 96,158 shares of the entertainment giant's stock worth $9,491,000 after buying an additional 6,047 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Stockton grew its stake in Walt Disney by 4.4% during the first quarter. Bank of Stockton now owns 9,091 shares of the entertainment giant's stock worth $897,000 after buying an additional 383 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lodge Hill Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Walt Disney during the first quarter worth about $24,373,000. 65.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Walt Disney Trading Down 0.7%

Walt Disney stock traded down $0.88 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $117.93. 6,668,217 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,294,819. The company has a quick ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The Walt Disney Company has a 12 month low of $80.10 and a 12 month high of $124.69. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $119.01 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $108.78. The stock has a market capitalization of $212.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.48, a PEG ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.55.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 6th. The entertainment giant reported $1.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.45 by $0.16. Walt Disney had a net margin of 12.22% and a return on equity of 9.67%. The firm had revenue of $23.65 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.69 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.39 EPS. The company's revenue was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast that The Walt Disney Company will post 5.47 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Raymond James Financial reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Walt Disney in a research note on Monday, August 11th. Evercore ISI lifted their price target on shares of Walt Disney from $134.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, August 4th. Guggenheim lifted their price target on shares of Walt Disney from $120.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, June 27th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Walt Disney from $120.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 9th. Finally, Rosenblatt Securities lifted their price target on shares of Walt Disney from $140.00 to $141.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, August 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have given a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Walt Disney has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $131.18.

Walt Disney Company 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.