Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) Trading Up 1.5% – Should You Buy?

Shares of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) rose 1.5% on Monday . The stock traded as high as $86.45 and last traded at $86.20. Approximately 2,705,460 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 73% from the average daily volume of 9,967,012 shares. The stock had previously closed at $84.89.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Walt Disney from $125.00 to $115.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Redburn Atlantic upgraded Walt Disney from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $100.00 to $147.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Macquarie reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $110.00 price objective on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Monday, January 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price 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, Citigroup restated a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 price objective on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Walt Disney currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $125.13.

Walt Disney Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $153.77 billion, a PE ratio of 27.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.80 and a beta of 1.44. 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 firm’s 50-day moving average is $101.83 and its 200-day moving average is $104.82.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The entertainment giant reported $1.76 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.44 by $0.32. Walt Disney had a return on equity of 9.95% and a net margin of 6.07%. Equities analysts predict that The Walt Disney Company will post 5.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Walt Disney

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Trek Financial LLC grew its stake in shares of Walt Disney by 479.9% in the fourth quarter. Trek Financial LLC now owns 36,320 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $4,044,000 after acquiring an additional 30,057 shares during the period. Brookstone Capital Management lifted its holdings in shares of Walt Disney by 10.5% during the 4th quarter. Brookstone Capital Management now owns 140,883 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $15,687,000 after buying an additional 13,339 shares during the period. Greystone Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Walt Disney by 13.3% in the 4th quarter. Greystone Financial Group LLC now owns 85,187 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $9,486,000 after buying an additional 9,967 shares during the last quarter. Avanza Fonder AB bought a new stake in shares of Walt Disney in the fourth quarter worth $15,125,000. Finally, FourThought Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in Walt Disney in the fourth quarter valued at about $446,000. Institutional investors own 65.71% of the company’s stock.

About Walt Disney

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.