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DIS vs. WMG: Walt Disney vs. Warner Music Stock Comparison

How do Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG) are both classified in the Movies & Entertainment sub-industry within the broader Entertainment industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Walt Disney (DIS) has more than two decades of public-market history since January 2, 1962, whereas Warner Music (WMG) listed on June 3, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Company profile comparison for Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG)
Profile ItemDISWMG
NameThe Walt Disney CompanyWarner Music Group Corp.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorCommunication ServicesCommunication Services
GICS Industry GroupMedia & EntertainmentMedia & Entertainment
GICS IndustryEntertainmentEntertainment
GICS Sub-IndustryMovies & EntertainmentMovies & Entertainment
Market Capitalization201.59 billion USD16.37 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962June 3, 2020
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DIS
WMG
GSPC
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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG)
MetricDISWMG
Total Return (1Y)8.09%6.98%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)10.44%1.34%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-7.02%-6.02%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

DIS
WMG
GSPC
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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG)
MetricDISWMG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.37%35.24%
Beta (5Y)1.391.31
Max Drawdown (5Y)-54.70%-53.17%
Avg. Volume (3M)8.13M2.05M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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DIS and WMG are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG)
MetricDISWMG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.140.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.200.11

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Warner Music (WMG) at 70.07% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Walt Disney (DIS) at 8.01%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

DIS

Media & Entertainment industry group

8.01%

Max
49.92%
Q3
17.95%
DIS
8.01%
Median
7.20%
Q1
-4.53%
Min
-26.31%

WMG

Media & Entertainment industry group

70.07%

WMG
70.07%
Max
49.92%
Q3
17.95%
Median
7.20%
Q1
-4.53%
Min
-26.31%
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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG): A comparison of their ROE against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Walt Disney (DIS) at 8.70% and Warner Music (WMG) at 9.20% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

DIS

Media & Entertainment industry group

8.70%

Max
32.91%
Q3
11.75%
DIS
8.70%
Median
5.04%
Q1
-4.17%
Min
-25.14%

WMG

Media & Entertainment industry group

9.20%

Max
32.91%
Q3
11.75%
WMG
9.20%
Median
5.04%
Q1
-4.17%
Min
-25.14%
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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG): A comparison of their net margin against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Walt Disney (DIS) at 19.30% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Warner Music (WMG) at 16.74%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

DIS

Media & Entertainment industry group

19.30%

Max
40.16%
DIS
19.30%
Q3
18.72%
Median
8.63%
Q1
1.90%
Min
-22.08%

WMG

Media & Entertainment industry group

16.74%

Max
40.16%
Q3
18.72%
WMG
16.74%
Median
8.63%
Q1
1.90%
Min
-22.08%
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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG)
MetricDISWMG
ROE (TTM)8.01%70.07%
ROA (TTM)4.81%7.65%
Net Margin (TTM)8.70%9.20%
Operating Margin (TTM)19.30%16.74%
Gross Margin (TTM)37.60%45.77%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Walt Disney (DIS) at 3.35% and Warner Music (WMG) at 4.37% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Walt Disney (DIS) at 151.84% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Warner Music (WMG) at -16.87% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for DIS.

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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG)
MetricDISWMG
Revenue Growth (YoY)3.35%4.37%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.51%4.25%
EPS Growth (YoY)151.84%-16.87%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)58.51%-13.33%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Walt Disney (DIS) at 0.71 and Warner Music (WMG) at 0.73 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

DIS

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.71

Max
4.69
Q3
2.53
Median
1.52
Q1
0.95
DIS
0.71
Min
0.28

WMG

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.73

Max
4.69
Q3
2.53
Median
1.52
Q1
0.95
WMG
0.73
Min
0.28
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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Walt Disney (DIS) at 0.39 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while Warner Music (WMG) at 4.53 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

DIS

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.39

Max
3.65
Q3
1.69
Median
0.46
DIS
0.39
Q1
0.17
Min
0.00

WMG

Media & Entertainment industry group

4.53

WMG
4.53
Max
3.65
Q3
1.69
Median
0.46
Q1
0.17
Min
0.00
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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG)
MetricDISWMG
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.710.73
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.394.53
Net Debt / EBITDA1.952.57

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Walt Disney (DIS) at 1.28% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; Warner Music (WMG) at 2.38% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.

DIS

Media & Entertainment industry group

1.28%

Max
1.33%
DIS
1.28%
Q3
0.65%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WMG

Media & Entertainment industry group

2.38%

WMG
2.38%
Max
1.33%
Q3
0.65%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Walt Disney (DIS) at 30.93% and Warner Music (WMG) at 60.80% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

DIS

Media & Entertainment industry group

30.93%

Max
71.43%
DIS
30.93%
Q3
28.98%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WMG

Media & Entertainment industry group

60.80%

Max
71.43%
WMG
60.80%
Q3
28.98%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG)
MetricDISWMG
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.28%2.38%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)30.93%60.80%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Walt Disney (DIS) at 24.07 and Warner Music (WMG) at 25.04 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

DIS

Media & Entertainment industry group

24.07

Max
51.21
Q3
28.90
DIS
24.07
Median
17.98
Q1
11.53
Min
1.64

WMG

Media & Entertainment industry group

25.04

Max
51.21
Q3
28.90
WMG
25.04
Median
17.98
Q1
11.53
Min
1.64
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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Walt Disney (DIS) at 2.04 and Warner Music (WMG) at 2.24 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

DIS

Media & Entertainment industry group

2.04

Max
7.43
Q3
3.82
DIS
2.04
Median
1.40
Q1
0.70
Min
0.00

WMG

Media & Entertainment industry group

2.24

Max
7.43
Q3
3.82
WMG
2.24
Median
1.40
Q1
0.70
Min
0.00
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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Walt Disney (DIS) at 1.84 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Warner Music (WMG) at 19.17 prices above its benchmark range — WMG looks rich relative to book.

DIS

Media & Entertainment industry group

1.84

Max
11.45
Q3
5.30
Median
1.84
DIS
1.84
Q1
0.77
Min
-2.61

WMG

Media & Entertainment industry group

19.17

WMG
19.17
Max
11.45
Q3
5.30
Median
1.84
Q1
0.77
Min
-2.61
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Walt Disney (DIS) vs. Warner Music (WMG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Walt Disney (DIS) and Warner Music (WMG)
MetricDISWMG
P/E Ratio (TTM)24.0725.04
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.042.24
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.8419.17
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.41%2.33%