Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) Stock Rating Lowered by Wall Street Zen

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) was downgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued on Saturday, Wall Street Zen reports.

Several other equities analysts have also weighed in on DIS. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Walt Disney from $125.00 to $132.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Citigroup upped their price target on Walt Disney from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 16th. Rosenblatt Securities reissued a “buy” rating and set a $126.00 price objective on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Thursday, August 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Walt Disney in a research note on Monday, September 28th. Finally, Truist Financial set a $115.00 price objective on Walt Disney in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $128.16.

Walt Disney Stock Performance

Shares of DIS opened at $116.72 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. Walt Disney has a 12 month low of $92.18 and a 12 month high of $120.80. The company’s fifty day moving average is $108.05 and its 200-day moving average is $103.68. The firm has a market cap of $201.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 1.44.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Brent Woodford sold 7,238 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.31, for a total value of $762,233.78. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 62,323 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,563,235.13. This trade represents a 10.41% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Horacio E. Gutierrez sold 20,552 shares of Walt Disney stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.00, for a total value of $2,466,240.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 37,765 shares in the company, valued at $4,531,800. The trade was a 35.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 51,570 shares of company stock worth $5,846,631 in the last quarter. 0.17% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Walt Disney

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Guardian Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Walt Disney by 1.0% during the third quarter. Guardian Wealth Management Inc. now owns 13,660 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $1,433,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares during the last quarter. Team Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walt Disney in the third quarter valued at $55,000. Putney Financial Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Walt Disney in the third quarter valued at about $34,000. Eads & Heald Wealth Management raised its holdings in shares of Walt Disney by 8.2% in the third quarter. Eads & Heald Wealth Management now owns 10,046 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $1,054,000 after buying an additional 758 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Walt Disney by 13.7% in the third quarter. Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,467 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $259,000 after buying an additional 298 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 65.71% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Walt Disney

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

• Positive Sentiment: Disney’s animated film Hexed is projected to generate $40 million–$50 million over the Thanksgiving box-office stretch. That forecast offers a possible theatrical boost, though it is an estimate rather than a result. Thanksgiving box-office projections
• Positive Sentiment: Walt Disney World is extending park hours for Thanksgiving week, a seasonal move that may help accommodate visitor demand and support park spending. Thanksgiving park hours
• Neutral Sentiment: EVP Brent Woodford sold 3,618 shares under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan and still held 62,995 shares afterward, making the sale a limited signal about his outlook. SEC Form 4 filing
• Negative Sentiment: Reports say Disney is seeking savings of up to 20% and considering thousands of job cuts. Lower expenses could improve profitability if savings are achieved, but the scale of the reductions and employee uncertainty raise concerns about execution and possible effects on operations. Reports on planned cost savings and layoffs
• Negative Sentiment: A recent analysis says Netflix is pulling ahead of Disney, reinforcing concerns about competition in streaming. The article’s headline frames the issue as a potential buying opportunity, but the competitive gap remains a risk for Disney’s growth outlook. Analysis of Disney and Netflix competition

About Walt Disney

The Walt Disney Company is a global entertainment and media company whose businesses include film and television production, streaming, sports programming, and theme parks and resorts. Its brands and properties include Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, ABC, and ESPN.

Disney produces and distributes films and television programs, operates streaming services including Disney+ and Hulu, and provides sports content through ESPN. Its Experiences business operates theme parks and resorts, cruise ships, and other travel and consumer experiences based on the company’s characters and stories.

Founded in 1923 by Walt Disney and Roy O.