Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. Raises Stock Position in Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. $WBD

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. grew its holdings in Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD) by 1.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 4,990,533 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 93,054 shares during the quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. owned 0.20% of Warner Bros. Discovery worth $97,465,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Warner Bros. Discovery during the second quarter worth $306,848,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in Warner Bros. Discovery by 4,639.8% in the third quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 22,788,847 shares of the company’s stock valued at $445,066,000 after purchasing an additional 22,308,046 shares during the period. Sound Shore Management Inc CT acquired a new position in Warner Bros. Discovery during the 2nd quarter worth $97,951,000. Maverick Capital Ltd. purchased a new stake in Warner Bros. Discovery during the 2nd quarter worth about $77,896,000. Finally, Duquesne Family Office LLC acquired a new stake in Warner Bros. Discovery in the 2nd quarter valued at about $74,916,000. 59.95% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Warner Bros. Discovery News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Warner Bros. Discovery this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Netflix is reportedly considering converting its $82.7bn cash-and-stock offer into an all-cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery’s studios and streaming assets — a move that would raise deal certainty and liquidity for shareholders. Netflix Considers Shifting Deal For Warner Bros. To All Cash – Report
• Positive Sentiment: Reporting from major outlets confirms Netflix is preparing to make its bid all-cash, reinforcing the market’s view that a cleaner, cash-heavy transaction is being negotiated. Netflix Preparing to Make Warner Bid All-Cash
• Positive Sentiment: Paramount Skydance’s hostile $30/share all-cash bid remains on the table — that competing cash offer puts upward pressure on WBD’s market value by creating a potential alternative that could force a higher price. Netflix weighs amending Warner Bros bid to make it all cash, Bloomberg News reports
• Neutral Sentiment: Warner Bros. Discovery is publicly dismissing Paramount/Skydance “gimmicks” while seeking a sweetened bid — suggests the board is actively managing auction dynamics but outcome/timing remain uncertain. Warner Bros. Discovery mocks Paramount Skydance’s merger ‘gimmicks’ as it seeks sweetened bid: sources
• Neutral Sentiment: Media commentary is framing the fight as significant for industry structure but mixed for shareholders — focus is on regulatory, creative and operational implications rather than immediate cash flows. Does it really matter who ends up owning Warner Bros.? Media exec Tom Rogers breaks it down
• Negative Sentiment: Paramount has escalated with lawsuits seeking detailed financial disclosures and has launched a proxy fight to nominate directors — litigation and governance battles increase deal risk, could delay a transaction and raise legal/transaction costs. Paramount to nominate directors for election at Warner Bros Discovery, files lawsuit
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple filings and suits (Paramount/Skydance, David Ellison) accuse WBD’s board of withholding information and misleading shareholders — stewardship/legal uncertainty could weigh on the stock if it derails or dilutes the terms of any deal. Paramount Sues WBD For Details Around Sale, Plans Proxy Fight As It Escalates Battle To Derail Netflix Deal

Insider Buying and Selling at Warner Bros. Discovery

In related news, CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels sold 242,994 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $29.50, for a total transaction of $7,168,323.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 918,940 shares in the company, valued at $27,108,730. This represents a 20.91% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CAO Lori C. Locke sold 4,122 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.92, for a total transaction of $119,208.24. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 100,962 shares in the company, valued at $2,919,821.04. The trade was a 3.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders sold 489,326 shares of company stock valued at $12,781,456. 1.80% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently commented on WBD. Raymond James Financial boosted their price objective on Warner Bros. Discovery from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, November 7th. TD Cowen lifted their price target on shares of Warner Bros. Discovery from $14.00 to $22.00 in a research note on Friday, November 7th. Argus set a $28.00 price objective on shares of Warner Bros. Discovery in a research report on Monday, December 8th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised Warner Bros. Discovery from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $28.00 price target for the company in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Cowen cut Warner Bros. Discovery from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 16th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $23.85.

Warner Bros. Discovery Stock Up 1.6%

WBD opened at $28.86 on Wednesday. Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. has a one year low of $7.52 and a one year high of $30.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a current ratio of 1.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $71.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 151.90 and a beta of 1.56. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $26.28 and its 200-day simple moving average is $19.10.

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported ($0.06) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.04) by ($0.02). Warner Bros. Discovery had a return on equity of 1.34% and a net margin of 1.28%.The firm had revenue of $9.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.17 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.05 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 6.0% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts anticipate that Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. will post -4.33 EPS for the current year.

Warner Bros. Discovery Company Profile

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) is a global media and entertainment company formed when WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc combined their businesses in 2022. Headquartered in New York City, the company assembles a broad portfolio of film and television production, linear and cable networks, streaming services and consumer distribution operations. Its assets span well-known studio brands, premium scripted and unscripted programming, news and factual entertainment, and licensed franchise properties.

The company’s core activities include film and television production and distribution through units such as Warner Bros.