Raymond James Financial Upgrades Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) to “Outperform”

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) was upgraded by Raymond James Financial from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note issued on Wednesday,Finviz reports. The firm currently has a $115.00 target price on the entertainment giant’s stock. Raymond James Financial’s price objective points to a potential upside of 19.41% from the stock’s current price.

DIS has been the subject of a number of other reports. Guggenheim dropped their price target on shares of Walt Disney from $140.00 to $115.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 18th. Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Walt Disney in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. They set an “overweight” rating and a $135.00 price objective on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $151.00 price objective on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 target price on shares of Walt Disney in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Citigroup reduced their target price on Walt Disney from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 16th. Eighteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $132.81.

Walt Disney Trading Up 2.1%

DIS stock opened at $96.31 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 0.67. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $103.90 and its 200 day simple moving average is $108.55. Walt Disney has a 52 week low of $80.10 and a 52 week high of $124.69. The company has a market capitalization of $170.61 billion, a PE ratio of 14.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 1.42.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 2nd. The entertainment giant reported $1.63 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.57 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $25.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $25.54 billion. Walt Disney had a net margin of 12.80% and a return on equity of 8.90%. The business’s revenue was up 5.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.40 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Walt Disney will post 5.47 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Copeland Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Walt Disney in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Swiss RE Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of Walt Disney during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Curio Wealth LLC lifted its position in shares of Walt Disney by 110.4% during the 4th quarter. Curio Wealth LLC now owns 223 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 117 shares during the last quarter. Osbon Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Walt Disney in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Finally, Sfam LLC acquired a new stake in Walt Disney in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. 65.71% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Walt Disney News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Disney opened its new World of Frozen land at Disneyland Paris and rebranded the resort’s second park as “Disney Adventure World” — described as one of the largest park investments in Europe. This is a direct earnings-driver for the Experiences segment (attendance, F&B, merchandise, and pricing power) and supports longer-term park revenue growth. Disney’s World Of Frozen Puts Experiences Division In European Focus
• Positive Sentiment: Disney reported streaming operating income of roughly $450M in Q1, up about 72% year-over-year, and beat revenue/earnings estimates for the quarter — evidence the company’s streaming business is moving toward sustainable profitability, which is central to any valuation rerating. Streaming Profits Are Up 72% Yet Disney Shares Are Down 17% This Year
• Positive Sentiment: Needham reiterated a Buy rating and a $125 price target — a sign some sell-side analysts see meaningful upside if Disney can convince the market it remains a major media/streaming competitor while scaling parks growth. Reasserting Disney’s Media Identity
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports say Disney is eyeing a major buyout of Epic Games (creator of Fortnite). If true, this could be transformational for interactive/gaming strategy — but it’s speculative, would be capital intensive, and faces regulatory/valuation hurdles. Disney Eyes Major Buyout Deal for Fortnite Creator Epic Games
• Negative Sentiment: An AI-powered, Nvidia-backed talking Olaf robot malfunctioned after debuting at Disneyland Paris — a minor operational/PR hit that highlights risks integrating advanced tech into guest experiences. An Nvidia AI-powered Olaf malfunctions at Disneyland Paris
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage notes recent setbacks around Disney’s tech partnerships (Epic layoffs, and criticism of the failed OpenAI/Sora deal), which could slow strategic tech initiatives and raise execution risk. These governance/partnership issues are potential negatives for the company’s long‑term tech/media positioning. Disney (DIS) Faces Setbacks in Epic Games and OpenAI Partnerships

About Walt Disney

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.