Benchmark's initiation adds a bullish voice to a heavily bullish consensus, but the $115 target is below the mean and EPS revisions are mixed near-term. Traders should watch the August 4 earnings for a catalyst; the high short interest could amplify any positive surprise.
Price Chart
Executive Summary
Benchmark initiated coverage on Walt Disney Co (DIS) with a Buy rating and a $115 price target, implying 20.3% upside from the current $95.62. The firm's 54% accuracy on 1,703 calls and average 6% return lend moderate credibility to the call. Consensus is heavily bullish: 32 of 36 analysts rate DIS Buy or Strong Buy, with only 3 Holds and 1 Sell. The mean price target of $129.67 suggests 35.6% upside, placing Benchmark's $115 target below consensus. The 30-day analyst momentum shows 1 upgrade and 0 downgrades, while EPS revisions for the current quarter are net negative (1 up, 3 down). Institutional activity is mixed, with one large near-exit and several adds. Short interest is elevated at 61.8% of TRF volume, indicating bearish positioning. The next earnings report is due August 4, 2026, adding a near-term catalyst. Overall, the initiation is a modestly positive signal from a mid-accuracy firm, but the below-consensus target tempers enthusiasm.
Impact Score
Consensus & Targets
Of 36 analysts covering DIS, 32 (89%) rate it Buy or Strong Buy, 3 (8%) rate it Hold, and 1 (3%) rates it Sell. The consensus is overwhelmingly bullish, with only a single bearish outlier. Benchmark's Buy initiation aligns with the dominant view.
The current price is $95.62. The mean price target is $129.67, median $130, high $163, and low $88. Implied upside to the mean is 35.6%. Benchmark's $115 target is 11.3% below the mean and 11.5% below the median, making it one of the more conservative bullish targets. The low target of $88 is below the current price, indicating one analyst sees downside risk.
Recent Analyst Activity
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Price Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-13 | Benchmark | initiate | Buy | $115.00 |
| 2026-07-13 | Wells Fargo | maintain | Overweight | $125.00 |
| 2026-07-07 | Rosenblatt | maintain | Buy | $126.00 |
| 2026-07-02 | Raymond James | maintain | Outperform | $111.00 |
| 2026-06-30 | JP Morgan | maintain | Overweight | $140.00 |
| 2026-06-12 | Needham | reiterate | Buy | $125.00 |
| 2026-06-05 | Rosenblatt | maintain | Buy | $126.00 |
| 2026-05-23 | Raymond James | maintain | Outperform | $119.00 |
| 2026-05-08 | Citigroup | maintain | Buy | $145.00 |
| 2026-05-07 | JP Morgan | maintain | Overweight | $139.00 |
In the last 30 days, there has been 1 upgrade (Benchmark's initiation) and 0 downgrades. EPS revisions for the current quarter show 1 upward revision and 3 downward revisions over 30 days, with the average estimate slipping from $1.86659 to $1.86023. For the next quarter, revisions are more positive: 5 up and 0 down over 30 days. The full-year estimate has 2 up and 1 down. Overall, near-term estimates are slightly negative, but forward quarters show improvement.
Firm Track Record — Benchmark
Benchmark accuracy: 54% on 1703 calls | avg return: 6%
Industry benchmark: mean 51% ± 11%. Top tier: ≥61% (mean + 1σ). Based on 15 firms with ≥5 scored calls.
| Firm | Accuracy | Calls | Avg Return | vs Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barclays | 60% | 3/5 | 9.2% | above average |
| Wells Fargo | 60% | 3/5 | -1.1% | above average |
| Loop Capital | 50% | 3/6 | -2.5% | below average |
| UBS | 50% | 3/6 | 3.5% | below average |
| Rosenblatt | 50% | 3/6 | -4.7% | below average |
| Evercore ISI Group | 43% | 3/7 | -2.9% | below average |
| Macquarie | 40% | 2/5 | -2% | below average |
| Morgan Stanley | 40% | 2/5 | -2.1% | below average |
| Needham | 38% | 6/16 | 0% | below average |
| Deutsche Bank | 33% | 1/3 | -3.6% | below average |
Benchmark has a 54% accuracy rate on 1,703 scored calls with an average return of 6%, placing it above the median of firms covering DIS. Among firms with sufficient data, Barclays and Wells Fargo lead with 60% accuracy (on 5 calls each), while Deutsche Bank, Raymond James, B of A Securities, Jefferies, JP Morgan, and Seaport Global trail at 33% accuracy. Benchmark's track record is solid but not elite.
Earnings Estimates
Next earnings: Aug 4, 2026
| Period | EPS Est. | EPS Range | Revenue | Revisions (7d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0q | $1.86 | $1.77 — $1.94 | $25.4B | ↑0 ↓0 |
| +1q | $1.78 | $1.51 — $1.89 | $25.3B | ↑2 ↓0 |
| 0y | $6.82 | $6.60 — $6.95 | $101.7B | ↑0 ↓0 |
| +1y | $7.48 | $7.16 — $7.77 | $106.0B | ↑2 ↓0 |
Cross-Platform Signals
No insider trades or congressional trades are reported. Institutional activity is mixed: First Eagle Investment Management added 52.6% ($506M position), Walleye Capital added 52%, and OneDigital added 33.2%, while Assenagon Asset Management nearly exited (-92%) and OP Asset Management fully exited. Short interest is elevated at 61.8% of TRF volume, indicating significant bearish positioning that could fuel a squeeze on positive catalysts. The institutional adds and high short interest diverge from the cautious near-term EPS revision trend.
Investment Themes
Documents Analyzed
Report based on filing metadata.
Track record builds as more directional reports settle.
Filters
| Type | Now | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aug 20, 2026 6w ago | Insider Cluster | $107.78 $104.23 | ▼ −3.29% | ▼ −2.77% | $101.88 (−5.47%) |
Aug 14, 2026 6w ago | 144 | $103.50 $106.42 | ▲ +2.82% | ▲ +4.80% | $101.88 (−1.57%) |
Aug 5, 2026 8w ago | 8-K | $101.76 $107.98 | ▲ +6.11% | ▲ +6.71% | $101.88 (+0.12%) |
Jul 13, 2026 11w ago | ANALYST-UPGRADE | $96.00 $103.18 | ▲ +7.48% | ▲ +4.29% | $101.88 (+6.12%) |
Jun 14, 2026 15w ago | Institutional Cluster | $101.69 $96.00 | ▼ −5.60% | ▼ −4.85% | $101.88 (+0.19%) |
May 6, 2026 21w ago | 8-K | $107.75 $99.39 | ▼ −7.76% | ▼ −10.54% | $101.88 (−5.44%) |
Feb 28, 2026 30w ago | Institutional Cluster | $104.20 $94.32 | ▼ −9.48% | ▼ −1.54% | $101.88 (−2.22%) |
Feb 24, 2026 31w ago | 8-K | $105.02 $95.94 | ▼ −8.65% | ▼ −3.41% | $101.88 (−2.99%) |
US Market Status
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