Stock Traders Buy Large Volume of Walt Disney Call Options (NYSE:DIS)

The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Monday. Investors purchased 47,181 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of 21% compared to the typical volume of 38,855 call options.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

DIS has been the subject of a number of research reports. Phillip Securities raised shares of Walt Disney from a “moderate buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Rosenblatt Securities reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $126.00 price target on shares of Walt Disney in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. UBS Group set a $115.00 price objective on Walt Disney in a research note on Monday. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $115.00 price objective on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on Walt Disney from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $127.61.

Trending Headlines about Walt Disney

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

• Positive Sentiment: Formula E expands Disney+’s live-sports lineup. Disney secured a multiyear agreement to stream Formula E across 144 territories beginning with the 2026–27 season. Live races, qualifying, replays, and related programming could improve Disney+’s subscriber retention and strengthen its sports offering. Disney Adds Formula E to Disney+: Can Live Sports Strengthen its Streaming Business?
• Positive Sentiment: Theme-park collectibles are attracting strong demand. A Disney auction reportedly generated more than $100,000 for certain collectibles, highlighting the monetization potential of the company’s intellectual property and fan base, though the direct financial impact is limited. Disney Auction Sends Theme Park Collectibles Soaring Past $100K
• Neutral Sentiment: New theme-park merchandise and attractions maintain engagement. Star Wars apparel, a Polar Mouse Droid, and a planned reimagining of Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress may support guest interest and per-capita spending, but are unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Polar Mouse Droid and Star Wars Shirts Available at Walt Disney World
• Neutral Sentiment: Jim Cramer commentary offers limited new information. Coverage notes Cramer’s interest in Disney’s cruise business while also highlighting that DIS has underperformed over the past year. The remarks may influence sentiment but do not change Disney’s fundamentals. Jim Cramer Wanted to Own The Walt Disney Company
• Negative Sentiment: Allegations involving a former film production create reputational and legal risk. An actress alleges Disney knew about rapes connected with the 2001 film The Poof Point. The claims could lead to litigation, costs, and renewed scrutiny, although the reports do not establish liability. Disney Knew About Rapes on 2001’s Poof Point Film, Actress Alleges
• Negative Sentiment: Cost reductions and customer-service complaints weigh on sentiment. Reports of job cuts and reduced employee benefits point to higher healthcare costs and ongoing expense pressure. Separately, an alleged failure to accommodate a solo disabled guest could create reputational and potential compliance concerns. Disney to Cut Employee Benefits
• Negative Sentiment: Snow White’s reported flop underscores film-studio execution risk. The film’s weak performance and resulting losses reinforce concerns about costly content bets, even as Disney’s broader streaming and experiences businesses remain important earnings drivers. Disney’s Snow White Flop Explained

Walt Disney Trading Up 2.3%

Shares of NYSE DIS traded up $2.51 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $110.29. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 6,734,796 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,547,905. Walt Disney has a 12 month low of $92.18 and a 12 month high of $119.78. The stock has a market cap of $190.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.74, a P/E/G ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 1.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a current ratio of 0.71. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $99.95 and a 200-day simple moving average of $101.44.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The entertainment giant reported $2.06 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.86 by $0.20. The business had revenue of $25.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $25.39 billion. Walt Disney had a return on equity of 9.90% and a net margin of 8.70%.Walt Disney’s quarterly revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.61 EPS. Walt Disney has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.642-6.642 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Walt Disney will post 6.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Brent Woodford sold 7,238 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.31, for a total value of $762,233.78. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 62,323 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,563,235.13. The trade was a 10.41% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Paul M. Roeder sold 3,596 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.32, for a total value of $382,326.72. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.17% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its stake in Walt Disney by 29.2% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 8,522,860 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $969,646,000 after acquiring an additional 1,924,200 shares during the period. Aviva PLC grew its position in shares of Walt Disney by 5.5% in 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 in the last quarter. Windsor Advisory Group LLC grew its position in shares of Walt Disney by 297.9% in the first quarter. Windsor Advisory Group LLC now owns 10,082 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $972,000 after purchasing an additional 7,548 shares in the last quarter. World Investment Advisors boosted its position in shares of Walt Disney by 18.8% in the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 96,476 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $10,976,000 after acquiring an additional 15,243 shares during the period. Finally, Xponance LLC grew its position in shares of Walt Disney by 7.5% during the 4th quarter. Xponance LLC now owns 291,158 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $33,125,000 after purchasing an additional 20,266 shares in the last quarter. 65.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.