The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) have been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-six brokerages that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, eighteen have given a buy recommendation and two have assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $125.64.

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Redburn Atlantic upgraded Walt Disney from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $100.00 to $147.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 price objective on shares of Walt Disney in a research note on Wednesday, January 22nd. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $130.00 target price on shares of Walt Disney in a research note on Wednesday, February 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of Walt Disney from $137.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. Finally, Loop Capital raised their price objective on Walt Disney from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 4th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in Walt Disney by 0.6% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 77,596,191 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $7,463,978,000 after acquiring an additional 490,681 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Walt Disney by 2.2% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 38,482,309 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $4,272,590,000 after purchasing an additional 809,989 shares during the period. FMR LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Walt Disney by 8.7% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 34,416,668 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $3,310,539,000 after purchasing an additional 2,765,389 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp boosted its position in Walt Disney by 10.4% during the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 22,242,415 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $2,476,693,000 after purchasing an additional 2,096,431 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new position in Walt Disney during the 4th quarter worth $2,415,427,000. 65.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Walt Disney Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of DIS opened at $100.45 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $181.59 billion, a PE ratio of 32.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.80 and a beta of 1.41. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The company’s fifty day moving average is $107.49 and its two-hundred day moving average is $105.01. Walt Disney has a fifty-two week low of $83.91 and a fifty-two week high of $123.74.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The entertainment giant reported $1.76 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.44 by $0.32. Walt Disney had a return on equity of 9.95% and a net margin of 6.07%. Analysts forecast that Walt Disney will post 5.47 earnings per share for the current year.

Walt Disney Company Profile

The Walt Disney Company operates as an entertainment company worldwide. It operates through three segments: Entertainment, Sports, and Experiences. The company produces and distributes film and television video streaming content under the ABC Television Network, Disney, Freeform, FX, Fox, National Geographic, and Star brand television channels, as well as ABC television stations and A+E television networks; and produces original content under the ABC Signature, Disney Branded Television, FX Productions, Lucasfilm, Marvel, National Geographic Studios, Pixar, Searchlight Pictures, Twentieth Century Studios, 20th Television, and Walt Disney Pictures banners.