Who Owns Disney? List of Top 10 Shareholders

Curious about who owns Disney, the world’s largest entertainment provider? This article will give an overview of the top ten largest shareholders of Disney (DIS) and insight into Disney’s shareholder ownership structure.

Key Takeaways 

• Disney (DIS) is a multifaceted company with film, television, theme parks, hotels, real estate and more 
• The Vanguard Group, BlackRock Inc. and State Street Corp. are the three largest institutional shareholders of Disney 
• The individual shareholders are an excellent mix of board members and top Disney executives 

Disney Shareholders Ownership 

Founded in October 1923 by Walt Disney and Roy O. Disney, Disney went by the name Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. Starting with the short film; Alice's Wonderland. Not long after that, they developed the first post-produced sound cartoon: Steamboat Willie, using synchronized sound, which gained huge attraction on Mickey Mouse—becoming the mascot of Walt Disney ever since. 
 
In 1930 the comic strip of Mickey Mouse was published in The New York Daily Mirror and by 1931 the strip was published in over 60 newspapers in The United States and published in more than 20 countries. The popularity was huge, and they earned more on the merchandise of Mickey Mouse than on the films. 

A lot has happened since then, and the company has grown into one of the world's biggest media and entertainment companies, offering film, television, theme parks, hotels, real estate and more. In 1940, Disney went public on the stock market, making the shares available to investors, and contributing enormously to the company's expansion.  

Disney's structure combines institutional investors, insiders, and individual shareholders. Diversity plays a significant role in the company's growth and success.

Disney Shareholders: The Top 5 Institutional Owners

Disney holds a variety of shareholders, of which institutional owners are the biggest part. All three of the Big Three asset managers in the world are shareholders. Who else is on the list? We’ve listed the top 5 institutional owners for you to get a clear overview. 

1. The Vanguard Group 

The Vanguard Group is Disney’s biggest institutional shareholder. It is one of the Big Three financial service and management companies in the world, holding about 140 million shares, which is about 8% of Disney. Vanguard offers pensions, brokerage and trust services, as well as mutual—and exchange-traded funds. 

2. BlackRock Inc. 

BlackRock Inc. is the second-biggest institutional shareholder of Disney and is part of the Big Three financial service and management companies. It primarily focuses on ETF and mutual fund management and holds about 120 million shares of Disney, which is around 6.7% of the company.  

3. State Street Corp. 

State Street Corp. is the third of the Big Three and includes State Street Global Advisors, State Street Global Services, and State Street Global Markets. It also offers asset management, valuation and pricing services, and more. It holds around 75 million shares in Disney, which is about 4% of the company.  

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.  

1. Robert Iger 

Robert Iger is the former CEO and current Executive Chairman of Disney. He holds around 184,000 shares, which is about 0.01% of the company. This makes Robert Iger the biggest individual shareholder of Disney. He is the one who made Marvel Entertainment and Pixar part of Disney, among other achievements, such as the growth of the theme parks in Asia. 

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.

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Conclusion 

Disney’s ownership structure is a powerful mix of major institutional investors and key individual shareholders, each contributing to the company’s expansive and sustainable success. The largest institutional shareholders offer stability and capital for growth. There is a wide mix of prominent individual shareholders, including top executives and board members, ensuring the vision aligns with the action and the growth objectives.

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FAQs on Largest Disney Shareholders

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