Donoghue Forlines LLC Buys New Shares in Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. $WBD

Donoghue Forlines LLC bought a new stake in shares of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 77,612 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,237,000.

Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Conning Inc. raised its holdings in Warner Bros. Discovery by 4.4% during the fourth quarter. Conning Inc. now owns 11,530 shares of the company’s stock worth $332,000 after buying an additional 490 shares during the last quarter. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in Warner Bros. Discovery by 268.0% during the fourth quarter. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. now owns 8,342 shares of the company’s stock worth $230,000 after buying an additional 6,075 shares during the last quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC raised its holdings in Warner Bros. Discovery by 5.4% during the fourth quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC now owns 11,536 shares of the company’s stock worth $332,000 after buying an additional 595 shares during the last quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund raised its holdings in Warner Bros. Discovery by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 283,787 shares of the company’s stock worth $8,179,000 after buying an additional 800 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Independent Advisor Alliance raised its holdings in Warner Bros. Discovery by 23.6% during the fourth quarter. Independent Advisor Alliance now owns 26,354 shares of the company’s stock worth $760,000 after buying an additional 5,035 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 59.95% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Warner Bros. Discovery

In other news, Director Fazal F. Merchant sold 35,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.48, for a total value of $961,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 95,539 shares in the company, valued at $2,625,411.72. This represents a 26.81% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels sold 374,323 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.05, for a total transaction of $10,499,760.15. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 663,380 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,607,809. The trade was a 36.07% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 8,206,827 shares of company stock worth $230,674,025. 1.90% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Warner Bros. Discovery News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Warner Bros. Discovery this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Warner Bros. Discovery used its upfront event to highlight new ad products, real-time measurement tools, and upcoming content, which may help support its ad sales and revenue growth outlook. WBD Upfront: New Ad Solutions, Real-Time Dashboard
• Positive Sentiment: The company also announced new programming across its cable and kids networks, signaling continued investment in content that could help retain audiences and advertisers. Warner Bros. Discovery Announces Premiere Of New Shows Sampat Champat On POGO & Kian & Kiki On Cartoon Network
• Positive Sentiment: Paramount is publicly defending the merger and arguing that the combined company would have incentives to support theatrical releases, which could reassure some investors that the deal has strategic logic. Paramount Defends Warner Bros. Discovery Merger In Letter To California AG, Says Combined Companies Will Have Incentive To Boost Theatrical
• Neutral Sentiment: Warner Bros. Discovery’s upfront presentation emphasized performance marketing and ad tech improvements, but much of the coverage was more industry commentary than a clear financial catalyst. Warner Bros. Discovery’s Upfront Was All About Performance
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor attention has increased around WBD ahead of the merger debate, reflecting heightened speculation rather than a fundamental business update. Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is Attracting Investor Attention: Here is What You Should Know
• Negative Sentiment: U.S. and EU lawmakers said European regulators will closely examine Paramount’s bid for WBD, raising the risk of a tougher antitrust review and a slower or blocked deal process. U.S., EU lawmakers pledge European scrutiny of Paramount’s WBD deal
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage of the upfront event portrayed it as weak or overly focused on the merger, suggesting uncertainty around the company’s standalone narrative and strategic direction. The Warner Bros. Discovery upfront felt more like a funeral

Warner Bros. Discovery Stock Performance

NASDAQ WBD opened at $27.12 on Friday. Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. has a 1 year low of $8.82 and a 1 year high of $30.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 0.73 and a quick ratio of 0.73. The firm has a market cap of $67.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -38.74 and a beta of 1.57. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $27.35 and a 200-day moving average price of $26.90.

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported ($1.17) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.10) by ($1.07). Warner Bros. Discovery had a negative return on equity of 4.77% and a negative net margin of 4.67%.The firm had revenue of $8.89 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.89 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned ($0.18) EPS. The business’s revenue was down 1.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. will post -0.71 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have weighed in on WBD shares. Huber Research downgraded shares of Warner Bros. Discovery from a “strong-buy” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Friday, February 27th. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Warner Bros. Discovery from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $31.00 price objective on shares of Warner Bros. Discovery and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Argus lowered their price objective on shares of Warner Bros. Discovery from $32.00 to $31.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, Arete Research restated a “neutral” rating and set a $31.25 price objective on shares of Warner Bros. Discovery in a report on Friday, February 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Warner Bros. Discovery has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $26.36.

Warner Bros. Discovery Profile

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) is a global media and entertainment company formed when WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc combined their businesses in 2022. Headquartered in New York City, the company assembles a broad portfolio of film and television production, linear and cable networks, streaming services and consumer distribution operations. Its assets span well-known studio brands, premium scripted and unscripted programming, news and factual entertainment, and licensed franchise properties.

The company’s core activities include film and television production and distribution through units such as Warner Bros.