The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) Short Interest Up 10.1% in June

The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) was the target of a significant increase in short interest during the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 19,550,000 shares, an increase of 10.1% from the May 31st total of 17,750,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 10,410,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.9 days.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walt Disney

In related news, Director James P. Gorman bought 20,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 8th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $106.03 per share, for a total transaction of $2,120,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 20,467 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,170,116.01. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other news, Director James P. Gorman bought 20,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 8th. The stock was bought at an average price of $106.03 per share, for a total transaction of $2,120,600.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 20,467 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,170,116.01. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Sonia L. Coleman sold 4,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.00, for a total transaction of $466,400.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Planned Solutions Inc. acquired a new stake in Walt Disney in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Gold Investment Management Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Walt Disney in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Fortis Group Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Walt Disney in the third quarter worth about $30,000. Stone House Investment Management LLC boosted its position in Walt Disney by 355.3% during the fourth quarter. Stone House Investment Management LLC now owns 346 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 270 shares during the last quarter. Finally, ESL Trust Services LLC purchased a new stake in Walt Disney during the 1st quarter valued at about $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.71% of the company’s stock.

Walt Disney Stock Performance

NYSE DIS traded up $0.62 on Wednesday, reaching $98.61. 5,028,494 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 11,481,450. Walt Disney has a fifty-two week low of $78.73 and a fifty-two week high of $123.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 0.75. The firm has a market cap of $179.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 107.19, a P/E/G ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 1.40. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $104.17 and a 200-day moving average price of $104.81.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, May 7th. The entertainment giant reported $1.21 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.12 by $0.09. Walt Disney had a return on equity of 8.37% and a net margin of 1.90%. The firm had revenue of $22.08 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.93 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Walt Disney will post 4.76 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Macquarie raised their target price on shares of Walt Disney from $104.00 to $107.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, May 13th. UBS Group reduced their target price on Walt Disney from $140.00 to $130.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, May 8th. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $145.00 price objective on shares of Walt Disney in a research report on Wednesday. Daiwa Capital Markets reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $133.00 price target on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Monday, April 1st. Finally, Bank of America upped their price objective on Walt Disney from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, April 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and twenty-three have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $126.44.

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.