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

The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) was the target of unusually large options trading on Friday. Traders purchased 51,956 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of 44% compared to the typical daily volume of 36,121 call options.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have issued reports on DIS. Phillip Securities upgraded Walt Disney from a “moderate buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, May 11th. UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of Walt Disney from $138.00 to $133.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of Walt Disney from $146.00 to $125.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 13th. Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Walt Disney from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Monday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $129.00.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Walt Disney

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its position in Walt Disney by 29.2% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 8,522,860 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $969,646,000 after buying an additional 1,924,200 shares in the last quarter. Aviva PLC grew its stake in 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. World Investment Advisors increased its position in shares of Walt Disney by 18.8% during the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 96,476 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $10,976,000 after purchasing an additional 15,243 shares during the last quarter. Xponance LLC increased 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 worth $33,125,000 after purchasing an additional 20,266 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC increased its position in shares of Walt Disney by 218.3% during the 1st quarter. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC now owns 50,676 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $4,884,000 after purchasing an additional 34,753 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 65.71% of the company’s stock.

Walt Disney Price Performance

NYSE DIS opened at $94.78 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $164.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.14, a PEG ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 1.39. Walt Disney has a 52-week low of $92.18 and a 52-week high of $122.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.68. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $99.71 and a 200 day simple moving average of $102.90.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 6th. The entertainment giant reported $1.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.08. Walt Disney had a net margin of 11.54% and a return on equity of 8.92%. The company had revenue of $25.17 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $24.87 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.45 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 6.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Walt Disney has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.640-6.640 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Walt Disney will post 6.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Walt Disney News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Disney shares are rising on expectations that another round of layoffs could support margins by lowering expenses across Pixar, ESPN, and National Geographic, reinforcing management’s cost-cutting narrative ahead of earnings. Disney Shares Rise as Investors Weigh Fresh Cost Cuts and Upcoming Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Investor sentiment is also being supported by confidence in Disney’s streaming turnaround, strong parks and experiences performance, and optimism around the long-term ESPN direct-to-consumer opportunity. Disney Shares Rise as Investors Weigh Fresh Cost Cuts and Upcoming Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual call-option buying suggests traders are positioning for additional upside, with bullish flow potentially reflecting expectations for a favorable earnings update on August 5. Disney Shares Rise as Investors Weigh Fresh Cost Cuts and Upcoming Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Wall Street coverage remains generally constructive, with recent analyst commentary and price targets implying the stock could have room to recover if execution improves. Is Disney (DIS) a Buy as Wall Street Analysts Look Optimistic?
• Negative Sentiment: Recent layoffs at Pixar, ESPN, and National Geographic also highlight ongoing restructuring pressure and underscore that Disney is still working through a broader efficiency reset. Pixar and National Geographic hit in latest round of Disney layoffs
• Negative Sentiment: The stock has also faced recent weakness after a sharp selloff, leaving DIS close to its 52-week low and reminding investors that sentiment can remain fragile despite the positive catalyst. Walt Disney (DIS) Registers a Bigger Fall Than the Market: Important Facts to Note

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.