Woodley Farra Manion Portfolio Management Inc. has made a significant investment in The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), acquiring 659,777 shares valued at around $65.12 million, which makes up about 3.2% of its portfolio. This acquisition, part of the firm’s first-quarter strategy, positions Disney as its 14th largest holding.
Other institutional investors are also showing increased interest in Disney. For instance, Waterloo Capital L.P. raised its stake by 3.2% in the fourth quarter, now owning 3,138 shares worth approximately $349,000. Quadrant Capital Group LLC and Acorns Advisers LLC have recently upped their positions by 0.4% and 2.6%, respectively. Collectively, institutional investors hold about 65.71% of Disney’s stock.
In corporate insider activity, Executive Vice President Brent Woodford sold 1,000 shares on May 13, totaling $110,840. After this transaction, he retains 46,831 shares valued at over $5 million, reflecting a 2.09% decrease in his holdings.
On the trading front, Disney shares faced a slight decline of 0.4%, closing at $119.08 on Thursday. The company’s market capitalization stands at $214.08 billion, with a P/E ratio of 24.35. In terms of performance, Disney recently reported strong earnings for the first quarter, with an EPS of $1.45, surpassing analysts’ expectations and indicating a year-over-year revenue increase of 7.0%.
Analyst ratings show a generally positive outlook for Disney, with a Moderate Buy average rating and price targets from various firms ranging up to $140. The optimism is partly rooted in strong performance metrics, such as a net margin of 9.47% and a return on equity of 9.99%.
As Disney continues to navigate its recovery post-pandemic and adapt to shifting content consumption trends, the strategic moves by institutional investors and analysts indicate a cautious but hopeful sentiment about the company’s prospects.