Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC Grows Stake in The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS)

Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC raised its stake in The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) by 1,280.0% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 20,700 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock after acquiring an additional 19,200 shares during the quarter. Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC’s holdings in Walt Disney were worth $2,305,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walt Disney by 4.7% during the 3rd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 107,880 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $10,377,000 after buying an additional 4,878 shares in the last quarter. Elevated Capital Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walt Disney by 26.5% during the 3rd quarter. Elevated Capital Advisors LLC now owns 8,312 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $800,000 after buying an additional 1,740 shares in the last quarter. Wallington Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walt Disney by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Wallington Asset Management LLC now owns 48,696 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $4,684,000 after buying an additional 534 shares in the last quarter. McAdam LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walt Disney by 11.8% during the 3rd quarter. McAdam LLC now owns 4,104 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $395,000 after buying an additional 433 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital Investment Counsel Inc lifted its stake in shares of Walt Disney by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. Capital Investment Counsel Inc now owns 42,691 shares of the entertainment giant’s stock valued at $4,106,000 after buying an additional 505 shares in the last quarter. 65.71% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walt Disney

In other news, EVP Brent Woodford sold 8,000 shares of Walt Disney stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.74, for a total value of $917,920.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 44,055 shares in the company, valued at $5,054,870.70. The trade was a 15.37 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.16% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms recently weighed in on DIS. Citigroup reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 target price on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $130.00 price target on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Wednesday, February 5th. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of Walt Disney from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Macquarie reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $110.00 target price on shares of Walt Disney in a report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Redburn Atlantic raised shares of Walt Disney from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price target for the company from $100.00 to $147.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $125.85.

Walt Disney Stock Down 0.7 %

NYSE:DIS opened at $110.52 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $199.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.00, a P/E/G ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.68. The Walt Disney Company has a fifty-two week low of $83.91 and a fifty-two week high of $123.74. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $110.80 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $102.34.

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

Walt Disney Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 16th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 16th were paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. This is a positive change from Walt Disney’s previous semi-annual dividend of $0.45. This represents a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 16th. Walt Disney’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 32.57%.

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.