Who Owns Disney? Top Shareholders List
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) is a global media and entertainment powerhouse with film studios, theme parks, online streaming and various consumer products. But who owns Disney and who are its top 10 shareholders?
This article will give some insight into Disney's shareholder ownership structure. This material is for informational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
🔍 Key Statistics
- Market Capitalisation: ~$204 billion
- 2024 Revenue: ~$91.36 billion
- Entities: Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN and more
* As of 26 September 2025. Source: Admiral Markets Disney Macroscope.
Key Takeaways
- Disney (DIS) is a multifaceted company with film, television, theme parks, hotels, real estate and more
- Vanguard Group (8.71%), BlackRock Inc. (5.25%) and State Street Corp. (4.41%) are the three largest institutional shareholders of Disney
- Institutional investors own ~65.7% of Disney shares, with the largest individual shareholders a mix of board members and top Disney executives
- Disney corporate governance under scrutiny after 2024's proxy fight
Disney Shareholders Ownership
Around ~65.7% of Disney's shares are owned by institutional investors such as Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street, among others. As individual shareholders account for a smaller percentage of ownership, it gives institutions a significant influence over Disney's corporate governance like board appointments, executive oversight, and strategic direction.
As there is no significant ownership from individual founders or families, the control of Disney primarily runs through board-shareholder dynamics. As such, The Walt Disney Company’s board can apply pressure for cost cuts, breakups, acquisitions and reorganisations. For example, the 2024 proxy fight highlighted the activist campaign from Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund Management LLP to oust two board members to gain their board seats to force through corporate changes. They were unsuccessful in their attempt as shareholders voted to re-elect the company's full board.
According to The Walt Disney Company's 2023 Annual Report, Disney embarked upon a corporate restructuring, reorganising the business into three core segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences & Products. Each of these divisions would now have creative leadership accountability, more autonomy and control of its own profit and loss.
One of Disney's key intangible assets is Mickey Mouse - one of Disney’s most iconic brands and revenue drivers. It includes merchandise, licencing, theme-park characters and media creations, which have all underpinned much of Disney’s brand value and ability to monetise.
Disney has expanded into international markets by opening parks in Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi, beginning online streaming in EMEA and Latin America and embarking on joint ventures in India. This has helped increase revenue sources and diversify risk, and increase shareholder value.
Disney Shareholders: The Top 5 Institutional Owners
Disney institutional ownership is currently around ~65.7%. All three of the Big Three asset managers in the world are shareholders: Vanguard, BlackRock and StateStreet.
Institutional investors play a large part in the strategic direction of Disney and its corporate governance. This includes deciding on mergers and acquisitions, executive compensation and new product launches which involve significant funding.
Who else is on the list? We’ve listed the top 5 institutional owners for you to get a clear overview, as of 26 September 2025, using data from Disney Investor Relations.
1. The Vanguard Group
The Vanguard Group is Disney’s biggest institutional shareholder and has a large influence on Disney's strategic direction. It is one of the Big Three financial service and management companies in the world, holding about 155.86 million shares, which is about 8.67% of Disney.
2. BlackRock Inc.
BlackRock Inc. is the second-biggest institutional shareholder of Disney, is part of the Big Three and has significant influence on Disney's corporate governance. It holds about 131.54 million shares of Disney, which is around 7.32% of the company.
3. State Street Corp.
State Street Corp. is the third of the Big Three and owns around 79.02 million shares in Disney, which is about 4.39% of the company. The Big Three have a strong collective influence on the strategic direction of Disney and its corporate governance.
4. Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley is one of the biggest investment banks in the world. It offers wealth and investment management, as well as institutional securities. The company holds about 47 million shares in Disney, which is about 2.5% of the company.
5. Geode Capital Management
Geode Capital Management, as the name already suggests, is a capital management company that mostly focuses on quantitative and index funds and holds around 35 million shares, which is about 2% of Disney.
Disney Shareholders: The Top 5 Individual Owners
Disney thrives not only on institutional shareholders but also on individual shareholders. Below is a list of the top five individual shareholders of Disney, as of 26 September 2025.
1. Robert Iger
Robert Iger is the CEO and Executive Chairman of Disney. He holds around 226,770 shares, which is about 0.01% of the company. Under his leadership, Disney executed transformative acquisitions, most notably the $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox, which substantially boosted Disney's content library and investor confidence.
He is also the one who made Marvel Entertainment and Pixar part of Disney and led the growth of theme parks in Asia. Over his tenure, Disney’s stock outperformed many of its peers - although past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results - reinforcing the influence of Disney executives on shareholder value and strategic direction.
2. Brent Woodford
Brent Woodford, the current Executive Vice President of Controllership, Financial Planning, and Tax, owns around 38,000 shares, which is about 0.002% of Disney.
3. Maria Elena Lagomasino
Maria Elena Lagomasino, a current member of Disney’s Board of Directors, holds about 28,000 shares, or about 0.001% of the company's shares.
4. Mark Parker
Mark Parker, the Executive Chairman of Nike and a current member of Disney's Board of Directors. He owns about 25,000 shares, which is about 0.001% of the company.
5. Mary Barra
Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors and a current member of Disney’s Board of Directors. She holds around 19,000 shares. This is also about 0.001% of the shares from Disney.
How to Invest in Disney Shares
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👉 Key Considerations
In December 2024, Disney resumed its dividends, declaring $1.00 per share (paid in two semi-annual instalments)
Disney has a diversified revenue stream across streaming, TV, licencing, parks and experiences, and consumer products which can provide stability but influence the share price positively and negatively.
Pros & Cons of Disney Shares
Here are just a few pros and cons to be aware of.
Pros:
- Well-known long-term brand with diversified businesses and a global presence
- New park launches in Asia and the Middle East
Cons:
- Relatively low dividend yield
- High cost of content production
- Competitive streaming market
- Increased competition in sports streaming
Conclusion
Disney’s ownership structure is primarily dominated by major institutional investors, who may have more sway over Disney corporate governance and strategic direction. This structure may provide a degree of stability in leadership transitions. Compared with peers like Comcast or Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney’s diversified global portfolio places it in a unique position, among media and entertainment companies.
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FAQs on Largest Disney Shareholders
How many shareholders does Disney have?
While Disney does not calculate the number of shareholders it has, there are 4,680 institutional shareholders who file a 13F Form with the SEC.
Who are the biggest shareholders of Disney?
Disney's biggest shareholders include all three of the Big Three Asset Manager Companies: The Vanguard Group (8.71%), BlackRock Inc. (5.25%), and State Street Corp (4.41%).
Who owns Walt Disney now?
Walt Disney is owned by around ~65.7% institutional investors and around ~34.3% individual investors and insiders.
How many DIS shares are there?
As of 8 October 2025, according to NASDAQ, Disney has approximately 1.8 billion outstanding shares.
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