Franklin Resources Inc. Cuts Stake in The Walt Disney Company $DIS

Franklin Resources Inc. lessened its position in The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) by 3.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 6,598,660 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock after selling 265,899 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. owned approximately 0.37% of Walt Disney worth $755,547,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Copeland Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Walt Disney during the third quarter worth about $25,000. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC purchased a new stake in Walt Disney in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Pilgrim Partners Asia Pte Ltd purchased a new stake in Walt Disney in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Bare Financial Services Inc increased its position in Walt Disney by 48.5% during the 3rd quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 291 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares during the period. Finally, Total Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in Walt Disney during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $37,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.71% of the company’s stock.

Walt Disney Stock Performance

DIS opened at $101.30 on Wednesday. The Walt Disney Company has a 1-year low of $80.10 and a 1-year high of $124.69. The stock has a market cap of $179.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.90, a P/E/G ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 1.42. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $108.55 and its 200 day simple moving average is $110.67. 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 issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 2nd. The entertainment giant reported $1.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.57 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $25.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $25.54 billion. Walt Disney had a return on equity of 8.90% and a net margin of 12.80%.Walt Disney’s revenue was up 5.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.40 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that The Walt Disney Company will post 5.47 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Walt Disney News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Pixar’s new original film “Hoppers” opened at an above‑forecast $46M, taking the top spot at the US/Canada box office — a near‑term boost to theatrical revenue and evidence Disney still produces big tentpole hits. Disney’s Pixar Film Hoppers Opens No.1 With $46 Million Debut
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts at Zacks highlight Disney as a strong value stock, pointing to attractive style scores and valuation metrics that could appeal to bargain hunters if near‑term risks fade. Here’s Why Walt Disney (DIS) is a Strong Value Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Marketing and park engagement activities (summer sweepstakes, flyovers, new ride construction milestones and commemorative plaques) support brand momentum but are unlikely to move near‑term earnings materially. You Could Win A Dream Trip To Walt Disney World® Resort — Seriously
• Neutral Sentiment: Local PR — plaques and community coverage around Disney World and Disney Springs — helps reputation and long‑term park demand recovery, but with limited immediate financial impact. Orlando unveils plaque celebrating Disney’s historic Florida Project announcement
• Negative Sentiment: Business Insider reports YouTube’s ad revenue now exceeds that of Disney, NBC, Paramount and WBD combined — signaling intensifying competition for ad dollars, streaming viewership and advertiser budgets that could pressure Disney’s ad‑supported streaming growth and margins. YouTube now generates more ad revenue than Disney, NBC, Paramount, and WBD — combined
• Negative Sentiment: Macro/geopolitical risk: sellers are trimming travel & leisure exposure amid renewed U.S.–Israel–Iran tensions, which is weighing on park and travel‑related names including Disney. That sentiment is driving short‑term downside pressure. Disney Stock Slides To Start The Week: What’s Behind The Weakness?
• Negative Sentiment: Disney remains one of the most shorted Dow stocks, per short‑interest data — a sign of persistent bear positioning that can amplify volatility and downside if negative news continues. Disney (DIS) Is One of the Most Shorted Dow Stocks: The Contrarian Bear Case

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently commented on DIS shares. Barclays reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Raymond James Financial reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Walt Disney in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Citigroup reduced their target price on Walt Disney from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 16th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Walt Disney from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a “mixed” rating on shares of Walt Disney in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Seventeen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $135.80.

About Walt Disney

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.