Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) Raised to "Strong-Buy" at Phillip Securities

Key Points

• Phillip Securities upgraded Walt Disney from “moderate buy” to “strong-buy,” adding to a broadly positive analyst backdrop for the stock. Overall, Disney now carries a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” with an average target price of $134.47.
• Disney’s latest earnings report was better than expected, with EPS of $1.57 versus estimates of $1.49 and revenue of $25.17 billion versus expectations of $24.87 billion. Revenue rose 6.5% year over year, and the company also guided FY 2026 EPS at 6.640.
• Institutional investors continue to hold a large stake in Disney, with hedge funds and other institutions owning 65.71% of shares. Recent news flow is mostly supportive, highlighting streaming momentum and cross-platform advertising strength, though cruise disruptions and FCC scrutiny remain risks.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS - Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at Phillip Securities from a "moderate buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report released on Monday,Zacks.com reports.

Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. UBS Group restated a "mixed" rating on shares of Walt Disney in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $151.00 price objective on shares of Walt Disney in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Raymond James Financial upgraded shares of Walt Disney from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $115.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. Needham & Company LLC restated a "buy" rating and issued a $125.00 price objective on shares of Walt Disney in a research note on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Walt Disney from $138.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $134.47.

Walt Disney Price Performance

NYSE DIS opened at $104.48 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The stock has a market capitalization of $181.44 billion, a PE ratio of 16.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 1.41. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $100.91 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $106.53. Walt Disney has a 12-month low of $92.18 and a 12-month high of $124.69.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The entertainment giant reported $1.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.49 by $0.08. Walt Disney had a net margin of 11.54% and a return on equity of 8.92%. The firm had revenue of $25.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $24.87 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.45 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 6.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Walt Disney has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.640-6.640 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Walt Disney will post 6.82 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Walt Disney

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Walt Disney by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 159,342,154 shares of the entertainment giant's stock valued at $18,128,357,000 after buying an additional 1,220,207 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its holdings in shares of Walt Disney by 2.3% in the 4th 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 grew its holdings in shares of Walt Disney by 3.5% in the 4th 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 last quarter. J. Stern & Co. LLP grew its holdings in shares of Walt Disney by 9,060.1% in the 4th 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 last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Walt Disney in the 4th quarter worth about $2,388,278,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.71% of the company's stock.

Key Walt Disney News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Disney is being highlighted at the TV upfronts as a media leader with strong cross-platform scale, which supports the company’s advertising and streaming outlook. Upfronts 2026: Rita Ferro on How Disney Leverages Cross-Platform Scale
• Positive Sentiment: Several market commentators remain bullish on Disney after its recent earnings report, pointing to improving streaming margins, stronger buyback support, and continued upside potential for the stock. Price Prediction: We’re Bullish on Disney as Streaming Surges
• Positive Sentiment: Disney is expanding streaming distribution in Canada through a new CIBC partnership, adding another avenue to grow Disney+ subscriptions and engagement. Disney Cruise Setback Contrasts With Streaming Push And Production Shifts
• Neutral Sentiment: Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle is retiring in July; the move is a leadership change, but there is no sign yet of a major strategic shift at the parks unit. Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle to retire
• Negative Sentiment: Disney abruptly canceled a cruise sailing after a technical/mechanical problem, creating customer frustration and raising questions about execution in the Experiences segment. Disney cruise canceled after boarding leaves passengers waiting hours and questioning response
• Negative Sentiment: FCC scrutiny remains a headline risk after a commissioner publicly backed Disney in its dispute with regulators, keeping attention on possible license-related pressure for ABC stations. FCC Commissioner Tells Disney That Agency Is on Campaign to Censor It

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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