Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS) stock is up 1.5% to trade at $97.06 this morning, after Benchmark initiated coverage on the entertainment mogul with a "buy" rating and $115 price target. The analyst in coverage called Disney "one of the world’s most powerful consumer engagement platforms, with globally recognized IP that can be monetized repeatedly across streaming, sports, parks, cruises, consumer products, gaming, advertising, and theatrical releases.”
DIS is trying to build some separation from its March 27 52-week low of $92.18. The shares are down 14.6% in 2026, with a late-June rally stopping short of their 126-day moving average.
Options traders are unfazed by the stock's long-term underperformance. DIS sports a 50-day call/put volume ratio of 1.78 on the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), which sits in the elevated 79th percentile of its annual range.
Options are affordably priced, per the DIS' Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 24% that stands in the 14th percentile of annual readings. It's worth noting that Disney's Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) comes in at 17 out of 100. In other words, the stock has consistently realized lower volatility than its options have priced in over the past 12 months, making it a premium selling candidate.
