Insider Selling: Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD) Insider Sells 591,038 Shares

Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD) insider Gerhard Zeiler sold 591,038 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.05, for a total value of $15,987,577.90. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 537,436 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,537,643.80. This represents a 52.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Warner Bros. Discovery Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:WBD traded up $0.58 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $27.65. The company had a trading volume of 25,357,175 shares, compared to its average volume of 23,225,891. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $26.48 and its 200 day moving average price is $27.17. The company has a current ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90. The stock has a market cap of $69.32 billion, a P/E ratio of -21.77 and a beta of 1.55. Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. has a 52-week low of $11.25 and a 52-week high of $30.00.

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.06 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.14) by $0.20. The business had revenue of $8.72 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.25 billion. Warner Bros. Discovery had a negative net margin of 8.77% and a negative return on equity of 8.91%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 11.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.63 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. will post -1.15 EPS for the current fiscal year.

More Warner Bros. Discovery News

Here are the key news stories impacting Warner Bros. Discovery this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Freedom Capital upgraded WBD from “hold” to “strong buy,” signaling confidence in the company’s valuation and potential deal-related upside. Zacks.com
• Positive Sentiment: Paramount Skydance said selling CNN remains “on the table” as a possible concession to resolve California’s antitrust lawsuit, potentially improving the prospects for the Paramount–WBD transaction. Paramount says CNN sale is on the table
• Neutral Sentiment: The merger is in legal limbo, with a March 2027 antitrust trial potentially determining WBD’s next major strategic move. The uncertainty may keep volatility elevated until the dispute is resolved. Paramount Skydance versus Warner Bros. Discovery
• Neutral Sentiment: Paramount’s proposed 30-film annual theatrical commitment could benefit cinema operators and support the strategic rationale for the merger, but the plan depends on the transaction surviving regulatory review. Paramount’s 30-film promise
• Negative Sentiment: Democratic lawmakers and officials are intensifying scrutiny of Paramount CEO David Ellison and the proposed WBD deal, increasing the risk of additional delays, conditions or litigation. Democrats intensify scrutiny of David Ellison
• Negative Sentiment: Ellison’s threat to begin moving Paramount out of California if Attorney General Rob Bonta will not negotiate underscores the severity of the dispute but does not resolve the antitrust case, leaving the merger’s completion uncertain. Paramount may exit California over WBD merger suit

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Huber Research raised shares of Warner Bros. Discovery from an “underweight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, June 1st. Seaport Research Partners downgraded Warner Bros. Discovery from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. UBS Group boosted their target price on Warner Bros. Discovery from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Zacks Research cut Warner Bros. Discovery from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Freedom Capital upgraded Warner Bros. Discovery from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Warner Bros. Discovery presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $27.69.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its holdings in Warner Bros. Discovery by 304.9% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 68,950 shares of the company’s stock worth $729,000 after purchasing an additional 51,920 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Warner Bros. Discovery by 50.5% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 63,254 shares of the company’s stock worth $679,000 after buying an additional 21,228 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Warner Bros. Discovery by 6.2% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 65,082 shares of the company’s stock worth $698,000 after buying an additional 3,779 shares in the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth boosted its position in shares of Warner Bros. Discovery by 91.6% in the first quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 116,821 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,254,000 after acquiring an additional 55,837 shares during the period. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. grew its stake in Warner Bros. Discovery by 3.8% during the second quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 111,450 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,277,000 after acquiring an additional 4,062 shares in the last quarter. 59.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Warner Bros. Discovery

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) is a global media and entertainment company formed when WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc combined their businesses in 2022. Headquartered in New York City, the company assembles a broad portfolio of film and television production, linear and cable networks, streaming services and consumer distribution operations. Its assets span well-known studio brands, premium scripted and unscripted programming, news and factual entertainment, and licensed franchise properties.

The company’s core activities include film and television production and distribution through units such as Warner Bros.