The Walt Disney Company $DIS Stake Lessened by Sterling Capital Management LLC

Sterling Capital Management LLC cut its stake in The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) by 72.6% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 27,678 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock after selling 73,193 shares during the period. Sterling Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Walt Disney were worth $2,668,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in Walt Disney by 29.2% during the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 8,522,860 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $969,646,000 after purchasing an additional 1,924,200 shares during the last quarter. Aviva PLC increased its stake in Walt Disney by 5.5% during the fourth quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 1,516,177 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $172,495,000 after purchasing an additional 78,914 shares during the last quarter. World Investment Advisors raised 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 worth $10,976,000 after purchasing an additional 15,243 shares during the period. Xponance LLC raised its holdings in shares of Walt Disney by 7.5% during the fourth quarter. Xponance LLC now owns 291,158 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $33,125,000 after purchasing an additional 20,266 shares during the period. Finally, Park Avenue Securities LLC lifted its position in shares of Walt Disney by 23.1% in the 4th quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 61,677 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $7,016,000 after buying an additional 11,570 shares during the last quarter. 65.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Walt Disney Stock Up 0.2%

Walt Disney stock opened at $98.95 on Monday. The Walt Disney Company has a 52 week low of $92.18 and a 52 week high of $124.69. The stock has a market cap of $171.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.81, a PEG ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 1.39. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $102.80 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $105.00. The company has a current ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33.

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

Walt Disney News Roundup

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?

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

DIS has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. 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. Weiss Ratings downgraded Walt Disney from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 11th. Rosenblatt Securities upped their target price on Walt Disney from $121.00 to $126.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, June 5th. Citigroup increased their price target on Walt Disney from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Walt Disney from $148.00 to $146.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $133.71.

Walt Disney 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.