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On Wednesday, Goldman Sachs reaffirmed its positive stance on Walt Disney shares (NYSE:DIS), maintaining a Buy rating and a price target of $140.00. According to InvestingPro data, Disney currently trades at $101.61, with analyst targets ranging from $79 to $147, suggesting significant potential upside. The entertainment giant, with a market capitalization of $183.7 billion, currently trades at a P/E ratio of 32.8x. The firm’s analyst provided insights into the company’s expected performance for the second fiscal quarter of 2025, projecting an Earnings Per Share (EPS) of $1.18, which is slightly below the Visible Alpha consensus of $1.21. Revenues are estimated to reach $23.1 billion, closely aligning with the consensus projection of $23.2 billion, while Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) are forecasted at $3.94 billion, trailing the consensus estimate of $4.14 billion. For context, Disney generated $92.5 billion in revenue over the last twelve months, with a healthy gross profit margin of 36.7%.
The analysis highlighted several factors likely to influence Disney’s performance in the quarter. The Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) segment is expected to gain from robust theatrical releases, the streaming service SC+, and promotional activities. Additionally, the impact of price increases introduced in October 2024 should be fully realized in this quarter. Despite a slight year-over-year decrease in domestic theme park attendance, attributed to the shift in the Easter holiday, expectations for the summer season remain strong. Bookings are growing, even with concerns about soft travel data and competition from the new Epic Universe theme park.
Disney’s Experiences division is set to benefit from the inaugural sailing of the Disney Treasure cruise ship on December 21, 2024, despite incurring $40 million in pre-launch expenses. Sports, another key segment for Disney, is anticipated to see an increase in expenses by $150 million for the quarter. This includes $100 million related to the timing of sports costs and a $50 million write-off from the Venu venture.
The Goldman Sachs analyst also made a slight upward revision to the Sports segment’s EBIT forecast for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, taking into account the non-renewal of Major League Baseball (MLB) sports rights after the 2025 season. This adjustment reflects the firm’s expectations for the long-term financial performance of Disney’s sports broadcasting endeavors. InvestingPro analysis shows Disney maintains a "GOOD" overall financial health score, with particularly strong marks in growth and profitability metrics. Get access to over 30 additional key metrics and insights about Disney, along with a comprehensive Pro Research Report, by subscribing to InvestingPro.
In other recent news, The Walt Disney Company held its annual shareholder meeting where all board members were re-elected, despite Mary T. Barra receiving the highest number of votes against her. Shareholders also approved the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as independent auditors for fiscal 2025 and passed an advisory vote on executive compensation. However, several shareholder proposals, including those addressing climate risks and corporate equality, were defeated. Meanwhile, D’Amico International Shipping reported steady financial results for Q4 2024, with net profits of $25.4 million, slightly down from the previous year. The company’s total net revenue was $371.9 million, a decrease from $401.8 million in 2023. Despite market challenges, D’Amico continues to focus on fleet expansion, investing $107 million in eco-friendly designs. Analysts from firms like Kepler Cheuvreux and Stifel have shown interest in how the company plans to navigate market disruptions and geopolitical tensions.
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