Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) Trading Up 1%

The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS)’s stock price was up 1% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $114.06 and last traded at $114.03. Approximately 1,174,852 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 90% from the average daily volume of 12,049,179 shares. The stock had previously closed at $112.94.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on DIS shares. Barclays upgraded Walt Disney from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $95.00 to $135.00 in a report on Monday, March 25th. Needham & Company LLC increased their price objective on Walt Disney from $120.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, March 28th. Bank of America increased their price objective on Walt Disney from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, April 1st. Tigress Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $136.00 price objective on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Walt Disney from $115.00 to $128.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and twenty-two have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $124.54.

Walt Disney Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $207.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 70.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a quick ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $113.86 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $98.25.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The entertainment giant reported $1.22 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.97 by $0.25. Walt Disney had a return on equity of 7.88% and a net margin of 3.36%. The firm had revenue of $23.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.71 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.99 EPS. The company’s revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts predict that The Walt Disney Company will post 4.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Walt Disney Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 25th. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 8th will be paid a $0.45 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 8th. This represents a dividend yield of 0.5%. Walt Disney’s payout ratio is 18.52%.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Sonia L. Coleman sold 1,857 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, April 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.92, for a total transaction of $226,405.44. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 4,400 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $536,448. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Walt Disney

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Silvia Mccoll Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Walt Disney by 5.7% in the 1st quarter. Silvia Mccoll Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,781 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $443,000 after buying an additional 205 shares in the last quarter. Claro Advisors LLC increased its position in Walt Disney by 4.0% in the 1st quarter. Claro Advisors LLC now owns 14,674 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $1,795,000 after buying an additional 563 shares in the last quarter. Talbot Financial LLC increased its position in Walt Disney by 6.6% in the 1st quarter. Talbot Financial LLC now owns 72,648 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $8,889,000 after buying an additional 4,474 shares in the last quarter. Miracle Mile Advisors LLC increased its position in Walt Disney by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. Miracle Mile Advisors LLC now owns 33,598 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $4,111,000 after buying an additional 663 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MGO Private Wealth LLC increased its position in Walt Disney by 1.5% in the 1st quarter. MGO Private Wealth LLC now owns 7,366 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $901,000 after buying an additional 112 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.71% of the company’s stock.

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.