In this article, we discuss the 5 best American stocks to buy in 2022. If you want to read our comprehensive analysis of these stocks and the current market situation, go directly to 12 Best American Stocks To Buy in 2022.
5. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 111
Commonly referred to as Disney, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) is an American multinational entertainment and media conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California.
During the first quarter of 2022, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) added roughly 11.8 million Disney+ subscribers, totaling 129.8 million. Across all subscriptions, Disney ended the period with 196.4 million subscribers as a whole. As a result, the company posted strong financials for the quarter as well. The EPS was reported to be at $1.06, beating estimates by $0.44. Additionally, the revenue came in at $21.82 billion, an increase of 34.28% on a year-over-year basis, surpassing market predictions by $943.31 million.
On April 19, Rosenblatt analyst Barton Crockett initiated coverage of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) with a Buy rating and a $177 price target, noting that demand for Disney theme parks was stronger than ever due to an increase in international travel. Although he admits being skeptical about the DTC streaming sector, he sees The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) as “relatively well-positioned” given its scaled leadership and global footprint.
At the end of the fourth quarter of 2021, 111 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $6.9 billion in The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), up from 101 the preceding quarter worth $9.4 billion. The company’s leading shareholder during the quarter was Coatue Management, which owned 5.79 million shares worth $897.9 million.
In its Q4 2021 investor letter, ClearBridge Investments, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:
“The communication services sector was a weak spot in both the benchmark and the portfolio in the fourth quarter. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) announced lower than expected streaming subscriber growth to the company’s Disney+ offering, attributable primarily to the content release schedule. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) has been ramping up content spending given strong global response to Disney+, although production capability was temporarily impacted by COVID-19. We still believe The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) is on track to reach the subscriber outlook outlined at its December 2020 analyst day, driven by a very robust slate of content releases, particularly in the 2022–2024 time period.”
