The Walt Disney Company (DIS) is one of the world’s biggest and most beloved media and entertainment companies. Although best known for children’s animation movies, it has since expanded into theme parks, publishing, streaming services, broadcasting, and consumer products.
The company’s stock surged 35% this year to reach a 52-week high of 123.74 under CEO Bob Iger’s strategic management. However, the DIS stock tumbled and retraced to its current position of around $103, representing 12% gains year-to-date as of May 5, 2024.

Investors often wonder, who owns the most Disney stock? In this article, we explore the largest shareholders of Disney and reveal their latest stakes in the company’s ownership.
Key Takeaways
- Disney is one of the world’s biggest media and entertainment companies, with several subsidiaries, such as Marvel Studios, Disney Experiences, and Searchlight Pictures.
- Disney’s shares are owned by a mix of insiders, ordinary investors, and institutional investors.
- Disney’s largest individual shareholders are the company’s insiders, including the current CEO, Robert Iger, and top managers, such as Brent A. Woodford, Maria Elena Lagomasino, and Mary Barra.
- The largest institutional investors include the Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street.
- The company’s stock is divided into preferred and common shares, where the former have no voting rights but first claim earnings and assets, and the latter have voting rights and can claim dividends.
- The company has about 1.83 billion outstanding shares and a market capitalization of $225.28 billion as of April 3, 2024.
According to the latest Walt Disney report, the company had 1,823,043,026 billion shares outstanding as of May 1, 2024.
That was considerably more than competitors like Netflix and AMC Networks, but quite a step less than Warner Bros Discovery.
As of June 5, Disney had a market capitalization of about $188.37 billion, making it the 65th largest company in the world.
Overall, despite the drastic price swings in recent years, DIS stock historical performance highlights the company’s growth story.
As of June 5, 2024, Disney (DIS) stock appreciated by 110,375.56%, according to split-adjusted data from Yahoo Finance.
Note that past performance is not indicative of future results.
Regarding its stock classes and divisions, Disney mainly has two kinds of stock, preferred and common.
Preferred stocks don’t have any voting rights. However, they have priority when it comes to earnings and asset distribution.
Common stocks have voting rights and can bring dividends to shareholders.
As such, investors who own common stock are seen as the real owners of Disney, as they can influence management decisions.
Who Owns the Most Disney Stock?
Disney shares are mostly owned by a mix of individual investors and insiders, such as the company’s top management, as well as massive asset managers and investment banks, such as the Vanguard Group and Morgan Stanley.
There are about 4,025 institutional Disney shareholders, accounting for about 70.49% of outstanding shares, according to Yahoo Finance, as of June 5, 2024.
Insiders hold about 0.08% of outstanding shares, while other investors have the rest.
Top 5 Disney Institutional Investors
At the time of writing, these were the largest institutional shareholders of Disney:
Vanguard Group – 153,769,084 – 8.43%
On May 10, 2024, Vanguard Group filed an SEC report disclosing ownership of 153,769,084 shares of The Walt Disney Company for the first quarter of 2024. This represented 8.43% ownership of the company, making Vanguard the largest shareholder of Disney.
Known as one of the Big Three asset managers, along with State Street and BlackRock, the company was founded 48 years ago in 1975.
Vanguard offers trust services, pensions, stocks and shares ISAs, brokerage services as well as exchange-traded funds and mutual funds. The majority of its funds are divided into two segments: admiral shares and investor shares. The difference between the two is that admiral shares need larger minimum investments but have relatively less expense ratios.
Tim Buckley is Vanguard’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Matthew Benchener is the Managing Director of Vanguard Personal Investor, and John James is the Managing Director of Vanguard’s Institutional Investor Group.
BlackRock – 121,690,183 – 6.67%
According to the latest SEC filing, BlackRock, another major institutional Disney owner, held 121,690,183 DIS shares as of Q1 2024. This was about 6.67% of the company’s outstanding shares.
Founded 36 years ago in 1988, today Blackrock is one of the biggest and best-known financial services companies in the world.
BlackRock specializes in risk and asset management services and offers advice regarding portfolio management, capital markets, and asset segmentation. The company has many clients, including financial advisors, educational and non-profit organizations, individuals, insurance companies, and governments.
Although it has long tried to reshape itself as an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) pioneer, it has faced heavy backlash due to investing in fossil fuel and arms companies in the past. Larry Fink is the current chairman and CEO of BlackRock.
State Street Corporation – 76,039,039 – 4.17%
State Street Corporation owned 76,039,039 DIS shares as of the first quarter of 2024, making it the 3rd largest Disney institutional investor. This was about 4.17% of outstanding shares.
Founded 231 years ago in 1792, State Street is one of the longest-standing American financial services companies.
Some of its branches include State Street Global Services, State Street Global Advisors, and State Street Global Markets. The company provides valuation and pricing services, as well as asset management services across a wide range of classes. These include private equity, fixed income, real estate, and derivatives.
Ronald Philip O’Hanley is the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of State Street, while Eric W. Aboaf is the Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer. Mostapha Tahiri is the Chief Operating Officer.
Morgan Stanley – 47,826,463 – 2.62%
Morgan Stanley had 47,826,463 Disney shares to its name as of March 31, 2024, accounting for about 2.62% of outstanding shares, according to the latest SEC filing.
Founded in 1935, the company is based in New York City and is one of the biggest investment banks in the world today.
It operates through three major segments: Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management. The company has offices in about 41 countries.
Ted Pick is the Chief Executive Officer, James P Gorman is the executive chairman, and Sharon Yeshaya is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
Geode Capital Management – 35,778,450 – 1.96%
Geode Capital Management had 35,778,450 Disney shares, as of March 31, 2024. This was approximately 1.96% of outstanding shares.
Founded in 2001, Geode Capital is based in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than $1 trillion in assets under management, the company was originally created by Fidelity Investments and offers mainly quantitative funds and index funds. It also provides discretionary investment services and digital advice.
David Lane is the President and Chief Executive Officer, Sorin Condreanu is the Chief Financial Officer, and Jeffrey Miller is the Chief Operating Officer.
Bonus: Trian Fund Management – 32,337,856 – 1.77%
We close the list of Disney largest shareholders among institutional investors with another important player – Trian Fund Management. According to its latest SEC filing, the investment management firm had 32,337,856 DIS shares, representing 1.77% ownership in Disney.
Founded in 2005, Trian Fund Management is based in New York and is run by Nelson Peltz.
Recently, Peltz’s Trian Partners called on shareholders to put him and former Disney executive Jay Rasulo on the board. However, Peltz lost his bid to gain a seat on Disney’s board of directors on April 3.
Top 5 Disney Individual Investors
Robert Allen Iger – 184,260 – 0.01%
Robert Allen Iger, better known as Bob Iger, the current Chief Executive Officer of Disney, owns 184,260 shares, according to the latest SEC filing as of January 10, 2024. It makes him the largest individual shareholder of Disney.
Previously at the American Broadcasting Company and Capital Cities/ABC, Iger first became the President of Disney in 2000 and CEO in 2005.
He is credited for growing Disney’s market capitalization and adding to the company’s intellectual property. He further cemented the company’s presence in international markets. Iger also oversaw several key acquisitions, including Marvel Entertainment, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and 21st Century Fox’s entertainment arm.
He also significantly grew Disney’s theme parks in parts of Asia and led renovations and the freshening of Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Brent A. Woodford – 38,493 – 0.002%
Brent A. Woodford is another key person who owns Disney, having 38,493 shares, according to the latest SEC filing as of February 15, 2024.
He is the Executive Vice President, Controllership, Finance and Tax of the company, and mainly oversees tax functions and shared service financial activities.
As such, he looks after the company’s internal and external financial reporting, as well as cash flow, operating profit, and capital spending plans. Woodford also provides administrative oversight of Disney’s Management Audit.
Woodford joined Disney in 2023, and was previously at Yum! Brands, owned by PepsiCo, as well A.G Edwards & Sons, KPMG, and Coopers & Lybrand.
Maria Elena Lagomasino – 28,690 – 0.001%
Maria Elena Lagomasino, the company’s Director since 2015, is the third key Disney owner among individual investors with 28,690 DIS shares, according to the latest SEC filing as of March 31, 2024.
She has been the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of WE Family Offices since 2013.
From 2005 to 2012, she was also the CEO of GenSpring Family Offices, affiliated with SunTrust Banks. She was the Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Private Bank from 2001 to 2005. Before that, she was also the Managing Director of The Chase Manhattan Bank, overseeing the Global Private Banking Group.
Apart from this, she is the founder of the Institute for the Fiduciary Standard and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. From 2007 to 2015, she was also a Trustee of the National Geographic Society.
Mark G. Parker – 25,625 – 0.001%
Mark G. Parker, is another important Disney shareholder, with about 25,625 DIS shares according to the latest SEC filing as of March 31, 2024.
He has been the Chairman of the Board since April 2003 and a Director since 2016.
Apart from that, Parker is the Executive Chairman of Nike. He has been the Chairman of Nike since 2016 but has been with the company in various design, marketing, and product research and development roles since 1979.
Mary T. Barra – 19,002 – 0.001%
Mary T Barra closes the list of top five Disney individual shareholders with about 19,002 DIS shares, according to the latest SEC filing as of March 31, 2024.
She has been a Director of Disney since 2017.
Barra has been also the Chief Executive Officer of General Motors since 2014, as well as the Chair of the company since 2016.
The Bottom Line
Disney is one of the biggest media and entertainment companies in the world, with several subsidiaries such as Hulu, Hotstar, National Geographic, and Marvel Studios. The company currently has about 1.8 billion outstanding shares and a market capitalization of about $176.18 at the time of writing.
The company’s stock is divided into preferred and common. Preferred shares are given first preference when it comes to assets and earnings, but owners of common stock have a say in the management and decisions of the company through voting rights.
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References
- United States Securities and Exchange Commission WashingtonD.C. 20549 Form 10-Q (SEC)
- The Walt Disney Company (DIS) Stock Major Holders – Yahoo Finance (Finance Yahoo)
- Vanguard Group Inc – DIS – Walt Disney Company (The) 13F Holdings History (13f)
- Disney shareholders reject Trian’s attempt at joining board (Axios)
- Sec Form 4 Filing – IGER ROBERT A @ Walt Disney Co – 2024-01-10 (SEC Form 4)
- Sec Form 4 Filing – WOODFORD BRENT @ Walt Disney Co – 2023-06-15 (SEC Form 4)
- Sec Form 4 Filing – LAGOMASINO MARIA ELENA @ Walt Disney Co – 2024-03-31 (SEC Form 4)
- Sec Form 4 Filing – PARKER MARK G @ Walt Disney Co – 2024-03-31 (SEC Form 4)
- Sec Form 4 Filing – Barra Mary T @ Walt Disney Co – 2024-03-31 (SEC Form 4)