by the end of the quarter on January 2, is continuing to goose the stock as investors increasing reward it for streaming’s potential.
One analyst firmly in the bull camp is John Hodulik of UBS, who upgraded the stock to a “buy” last month. In a note to clients Thursday night, he reiterated his positive rating, with a 12-month price target of $200. He noted progress in streaming, which he expects to continue with the launch of the company’s Star-branded service in Latin America and Europe later this year.
Ben Swinburne of Morgan Stanley reaffirmed his “overweight” rating on Disney shares, also with a $200 target. He was similarly persuaded by the results in the theme-park unit. “While the road to recovery remains long and uncertain, it appears the worst is behind it and underlying demand/operating leverage encouraging,” he wrote about parks in a research note.
A few analysts are staying on the fence, however. Michael Nathanson of MoffettNathanson maintains a “neutral” rating on the company’s shares. In a note to clients, he lowered his 12-month price target by $5 to $175 based on the earnings report. He said the company can be viewed as consisting of three distinct “mice.