Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. Grows Holdings in The Walt Disney Company $DIS

Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. increased its holdings in shares of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) by 11.0% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 984,053 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock after purchasing an additional 97,689 shares during the period. Walt Disney accounts for 1.1% of Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest holding. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. owned 0.06% of Walt Disney worth $111,956,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Walt Disney by 0.4% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 158,121,947 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $18,104,963,000 after buying an additional 620,463 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in Walt Disney by 3.0% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 82,019,749 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $9,391,261,000 after acquiring an additional 2,376,706 shares during the period. Ameriprise Financial Inc. increased its position in Walt Disney by 7.6% in the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 15,258,722 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $1,892,393,000 after acquiring an additional 1,080,427 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. raised its stake in Walt Disney by 6.5% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 12,994,916 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $1,487,918,000 after acquiring an additional 790,365 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Amundi lifted its position in Walt Disney by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 12,971,705 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $1,462,645,000 after acquiring an additional 254,626 shares during the period. 65.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Walt Disney Stock Up 1.9%

Walt Disney stock opened at $94.19 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $104.18 and its 200 day moving average price is $108.69. The Walt Disney Company has a 1-year low of $80.10 and a 1-year high of $124.69. The company has a market cap of $166.86 billion, a PE ratio of 13.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.25 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 0.67 and a quick ratio of 0.61.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) last released its earnings results on Monday, February 2nd. The entertainment giant reported $1.63 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.57 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $25.98 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $25.54 billion. Walt Disney had a return on equity of 8.90% and a net margin of 12.80%.Walt Disney’s quarterly revenue was up 5.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.40 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that The Walt Disney Company will post 5.47 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on DIS. Guggenheim dropped their target price on Walt Disney from $140.00 to $115.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, March 18th. Barclays reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Walt Disney in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Walt Disney from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. TD Cowen restated a “hold” rating and issued a $123.00 target price on shares of Walt Disney in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $135.00 target price on the stock. Seventeen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $134.00.

Walt Disney News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Major new park opening: Disney officially opened the large “World of Frozen”/Disney Adventure World at its Paris resort (a ~€2bn expansion). Investors reacted positively to the revenue/attendance potential from a marquee attraction and related merchandising. Disney Adventure World Is Officially Open At Disneyland Paris
• Positive Sentiment: Streaming strength and market flow: Reports of soaring streaming revenue and commentary that streaming operating income is improving helped lift shares and contributed to a broader market uptick (Dow gains cited). These items reinforce the thesis that Disney’s streaming scale is beginning to produce margin improvement. Disney (DIS) Stock Is Up, What You Need To Know
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction: Multiple market roundups note Disney share gains helped lift the Dow, signaling broad investor appetite for the name amid sector strength. This momentum trading can amplify short-term upside. Walt Disney, Salesforce share gains contribute to Dow’s 250-point jump
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand and merchandising updates: New park-themed merchandise and D23 event announcements (Disney Legends honorees) support brand engagement but are unlikely to move fundamentals materially in the near term. Light Up Disney Railroad Loungefly Purse at Disneyland Resort
• Negative Sentiment: AI partnership blowup: Coverage of the collapsed/OpenAI “Sora” initiative (and critical commentary on the Disney–OpenAI deal) raises questions about the execution and value of high-profile tech bets, creating headline risk and skepticism about future AI-related revenue. Hiltzik: The Disney/Sora fiasco shows the limits of the AI craze
• Negative Sentiment: Broader tech/setback reporting: Analysts and media flagged setbacks in Disney’s tech partnerships (including Epic Games and OpenAI-related issues), fueling concerns about the company’s non-core technology investments and execution risk. Disney (DIS) Faces Setbacks in Epic Games and OpenAI Partnerships
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst move: Wells Fargo cut its price target (to $148), which may weigh on sentiment despite the target remaining above current levels—analyst downgrades/target cuts can sap momentum and increase volatility. Wells Fargo & Company Cuts Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) Price Target to $148.00

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.