LJI Wealth Management Casts a Fresh Look at Walt Disney Shares

LJI Wealth Management LLC has recently adjusted its investment strategy regarding shares of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS). According to the organization's latest 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, they reduced their holdings by a significant 48.5% during the fourth quarter. Following this reduction, the firm now holds 5,109 shares of the entertainment titan's stock after offloading 4,817 shares in that timeframe.

At the conclusion of the recent quarter, LJI Wealth Management's ownership of Walt Disney shares was valued at approximately $569,000.

Institutional Investors' Moves

In addition to LJI Wealth Management, other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in Disney stocks. Farmers Trust Co. increased its share count in Walt Disney by 1.1% over the fourth quarter, bringing its total to 8,483 shares, valued at $945,000 after acquiring an additional 92 shares.

Furthermore, Saxon Interests Inc. raised its holdings by 2.8%, ending the quarter with 3,412 shares worth $380,000 after purchasing 93 additional shares. Similarly, Abundance Wealth Counselors increased its stake by 1.0%, now owning 9,662 shares valued at $1,076,000 following the acquisition of 94 shares.

Bank Hapoalim BM also lifted its ownership in Walt Disney by 2.2%, concluding the period with 4,539 shares worth $505,000 after buying 96 shares. Lastly, Great Diamond Partners LLC enhanced their position by 1.6%, bringing their share count to 6,105 shares valued at $680,000 after adding 98 shares.

In total, institutional and hedge fund investors now collectively own about 65.71% of the company's stock.

Analysts' Perspectives

Several research firms have provided insights regarding Walt Disney's stock performance. Jefferies Financial Group recently initiated coverage with a "hold" rating and set a price target of $120.00. Meanwhile, Redburn Atlantic upgraded the rating from "neutral" to "buy," raising their price objective from $100.00 to $147.00.

Deutsche Bank also adjusted its price target, increasing it from $115.00 to $131.00 while issuing a "buy" rating. Additionally, Bank of America revised its price target from $120.00 to $140.00 and maintained a "buy" rating. Conversely, Prescient Securities lowered its target price from $130.00 to $115.00 while keeping a "neutral" stance.

Investors can take note that out of the research analysts monitoring the stock, six have issued a "hold" rating, nineteen have given a "buy" rating, and two assigned a "strong buy" rating. The consensus rating is classified as a "Moderate Buy," with an average price target set at $125.85.

Recent Stock Performance

Recently, shares of Walt Disney opened at $110.83. The company exhibits a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.68, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. With a market capitalization of $200.36 billion, Walt Disney has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 36.10 and a P/E/G ratio of 1.95. The 50-day moving average stands at $111.87, compared to $101.14 for the 200-day average. Over the last 52 weeks, the stock has seen a low of $83.91 and a high of $123.74.

Financial Results and Dividends

On February 5th, Walt Disney released its quarterly earnings, reporting earnings per share of $1.76, exceeding analysts' consensus estimate of $1.44 by $0.32. The company reported a return on equity of 9.95% and a net margin of 6.07%. Analysts predict the company will post earnings per share of 5.43 for the current year.

Moreover, Disney has declared a semi-annual dividend of $0.50, which was paid on January 16th to investors on record by December 16th. This reflects a yield of 0.6%, up from the prior dividend of $0.45. The ex-dividend date was also December 16th. Currently, the company's dividend payout ratio is around 32.57%.

Insider Selling Activity

Attention has also turned to insider transactions, especially regarding CEO Robert A. Iger, who sold 372,412 shares of the stock on November 22nd at an average price of $114.57. This amounted to approximately $42.67 million. Post-transaction, Iger holds 226,767 shares valued at about $25.98 million, indicating a 62.15% reduction in their ownership.

Additionally, Executive Vice President Brent Woodford sold 8,000 shares on December 11th at an average price of $114.74, totaling $917,920. After this sale, Woodford directly owns 44,055 shares worth around $5.05 million, noting a 15.37% decrease in their stake. In recent months, insiders have sold a total of 385,412 Disney shares valued at over $44 million, with insiders holding only 0.16% of the company's stock.

About The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company is a leading entertainment enterprise operating across the globe. Its businesses span three segments: Entertainment, Sports, and Experiences. The company generates and distributes content through various platforms, including popular channels like ABC, Disney, Freeform, FX, and National Geographic. Disney is also responsible for creating acclaimed original media through studios such as Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm.

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