The Walt Disney Company $DIS Shares Sold by Sterling Capital Management LLC

Key Points

• Sterling Capital Management cut its Walt Disney stake by 72.6% in the first quarter, selling 73,193 shares and leaving it with 27,678 shares worth about $2.67 million.
• Disney continues to see supportive operational news, including parks upgrades, upcoming Walt Disney World holiday/event dates, and content momentum that helped it become the first studio to pass $3 billion worldwide at the box office.
• The stock still faces some pressure, with a $50 million streaming-related settlement adding a legal overhang and shares trading below recent moving averages despite earnings that beat expectations and analysts maintaining a Moderate Buy consensus.

Sterling Capital Management LLC lowered its position in shares of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS - Free Report) by 72.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 27,678 shares of the entertainment giant's stock after selling 73,193 shares during the quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC's holdings in Walt Disney were worth $2,668,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of DIS. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Walt Disney by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 159,342,154 shares of the entertainment giant's stock worth $18,128,357,000 after acquiring an additional 1,220,207 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in Walt Disney by 2.3% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 83,873,646 shares of the entertainment giant's stock worth $9,604,567,000 after purchasing an additional 1,853,897 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Walt Disney by 3.5% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 40,588,604 shares of the entertainment giant's stock worth $4,597,804,000 after purchasing an additional 1,361,888 shares during the period. J. Stern & Co. LLP raised its stake in Walt Disney by 9,060.1% during the fourth quarter. J. Stern & Co. LLP now owns 38,135,363 shares of the entertainment giant's stock worth $4,338,660,000 after purchasing an additional 37,719,041 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Walt Disney in the 4th quarter valued at $2,388,278,000. 65.71% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Walt Disney News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Disney unveiled new updates tied to Pirates of the Caribbean and broader parks revamps, including upgraded animatronics and other immersive tech. That suggests continued capital investment in the Parks, Experiences and Products segment, which can support long-term revenue growth and fan engagement. Disney Officially Unveils New Pirates of the Caribbean Release
• Positive Sentiment: Disney also announced 2026 holiday party and festival dates at Walt Disney World, reinforcing demand drivers for the parks business and helping investors gauge strong seasonal attendance and ticketing opportunities. Walt Disney World Announces Dates and Details for 2026 Holiday Parties and Festivals
• Positive Sentiment: Disney highlighted new film marketing around Hexed and a new Lilo & Stitch short, while box-office coverage said Disney became the first studio to pass $3 billion worldwide, both of which support the company’s content and theatrical momentum. Box Office: Disney First Studio to Pass $3B Worldwide
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles focused on consumer interest in Disney stock, parks tips, merchandise tests, and family-travel rankings. These headlines reflect ongoing brand visibility, but they are unlikely to move shares on their own. The Walt Disney Company (DIS) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
• Neutral Sentiment: Disney World-related fire reports at the Dolphin Hotel led to a brief evacuation and restaurant closure, but the incidents appear contained and operationally limited so far. Fire causes short evacuation at Walt Disney World’s Dolphin resort
• Negative Sentiment: Disney agreed to a $50 million settlement over claims tied to streaming pricing, which is a modest legal/financial overhang and adds to concerns about the economics of the streaming business. Millions may qualify for payouts in Disney streaming case deal
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage also noted Disney’s stock has been under selling pressure and remains below recent moving averages, suggesting the shares are still dealing with broader valuation and momentum concerns despite the recent uptick. Disney (DIS) Stock After Five-Year Slump Is The Current Valuation Opportunity Enough?

Walt Disney Stock Performance

Walt Disney stock opened at $98.95 on Monday. The Walt Disney Company has a 12-month low of $92.18 and a 12-month high of $124.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.68 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The company has a market capitalization of $171.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 1.39. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $102.80 and its 200 day moving average price is $105.00.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 6th. The entertainment giant reported $1.57 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.49 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $25.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $24.87 billion. Walt Disney had a net margin of 11.54% and a return on equity of 8.92%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 6.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.45 EPS. Walt Disney has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.640-6.640 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that The Walt Disney Company will post 6.85 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have recently issued reports on DIS shares. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Walt Disney from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 11th. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $125.00 target price on shares of Walt Disney in a research report on Friday, June 12th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Walt Disney from $148.00 to $146.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Barclays boosted their price target on Walt Disney from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Raymond James Financial upgraded Walt Disney from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $115.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Walt Disney presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $133.71.

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.

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