Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD) Short Interest Up 24.5% in March

Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD) saw a large increase in short interest in March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totaling 59,430,740 shares, an increase of 24.5% from the March 15th total of 47,733,517 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 30,212,888 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.0 days. Currently, 2.4% of the shares of the stock are sold short.

Key Headlines Impacting Warner Bros. Discovery

Here are the key news stories impacting Warner Bros. Discovery this week:

• Neutral Sentiment: Netflix’s failed bid for WBD and its subsequent refocus on ads and content means Netflix is out of the auction — eliminating one potential suitor but leaving the contentious Paramount Skydance deal as the focal point. This changes strategic dynamics but increases focus on the remaining bid. Netflix to refocus on ads, content after failed Warner Bros bid
• Neutral Sentiment: Paramount CEO David Ellison announced he cannot attend a Senate hearing on the merger for a personal reason; Senator Cory Booker still wants testimony. Ellison’s absence adds short‑term procedural noise but does not by itself resolve regulatory questions. Paramount CEO David Ellison Can’t Attend Senate Hearing on Warner Bros. Merger Because of Death in the Family
• Negative Sentiment: Sen. Cory Booker has scheduled a “spotlight” hearing on the Paramount‑WBD deal and is inviting Ellison to testify — this escalates political scrutiny and could slow or complicate regulatory approval. Cory Booker To Hold “Spotlight” Hearing On Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Merger, Invites David Ellison To Testify
• Negative Sentiment: Broad Hollywood opposition is mounting: over 1,000 creators and industry figures, plus prominent voices like Damon Lindelof, warn the merger would harm production and studio ecosystems — reputational and talent‑retention risks that could depress future content output and margins. Hollywood Pushback And Regulators Test Warner Bros. Discovery Deal Risks
• Negative Sentiment: Industry groups and theater owners warn the deal would consolidate too much power and harm cinemas — another stakeholder bloc opposing the merger that increases the likelihood of regulatory intervention or conditions. Theater group says Paramount, Warner Bros merger ‘harmful’ to industry
• Negative Sentiment: UK competition authorities have opened probes and proxy advisors are pushing back on deal‑related executive payouts — combined regulatory and governance scrutiny raises the odds of a renegotiated or constrained transaction (a “hostile rewrite”). Warner Bros. Discovery’s Blockbuster Deal Faces a Hostile Rewrite

Warner Bros. Discovery Price Performance

WBD stock opened at $27.20 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87. Warner Bros. Discovery has a one year low of $7.75 and a one year high of $30.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $67.45 billion, a PE ratio of 93.80 and a beta of 1.63. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $27.76 and a two-hundred day moving average of $25.75.

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported ($0.10) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.09 by ($0.19). Warner Bros. Discovery had a net margin of 1.95% and a return on equity of 1.98%. The firm had revenue of $9.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $9.33 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted ($0.20) earnings per share. Warner Bros. Discovery’s quarterly revenue was down 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts forecast that Warner Bros. Discovery will post -4.33 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at Warner Bros. Discovery

In other news, CEO David Zaslav sold 4,004,149 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.26, for a total transaction of $113,157,250.74. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 7,200,627 shares in the company, valued at approximately $203,489,719.02. This trade represents a 35.74% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Gerhard Zeiler sold 600,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.02, for a total transaction of $16,812,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 672,649 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,847,624.98. This trade represents a 47.15% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 8,206,827 shares of company stock worth $230,674,025. Company insiders own 1.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Warner Bros. Discovery

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in WBD. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its position in shares of Warner Bros. Discovery by 304.9% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 68,950 shares of the company’s stock worth $729,000 after purchasing an additional 51,920 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Warner Bros. Discovery by 50.5% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 63,254 shares of the company’s stock worth $679,000 after purchasing an additional 21,228 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its position in shares of Warner Bros. Discovery by 6.2% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 65,082 shares of the company’s stock worth $698,000 after purchasing an additional 3,779 shares in the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth lifted its position in shares of Warner Bros. Discovery by 91.6% in the first quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 116,821 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,254,000 after purchasing an additional 55,837 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Warner Bros. Discovery by 3.8% in the second quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 111,450 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,277,000 after purchasing an additional 4,062 shares in the last quarter. 59.95% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Warner Bros. Discovery from $20.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Guggenheim lowered shares of Warner Bros. Discovery from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and raised their price objective for the company from $25.00 to $30.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Warner Bros. Discovery from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of Warner Bros. Discovery from $22.00 to $26.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, February 27th. Finally, Moffett Nathanson raised shares of Warner Bros. Discovery from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, March 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Warner Bros. Discovery presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $26.30.

About Warner Bros. Discovery

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) is a global media and entertainment company formed when WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc combined their businesses in 2022. Headquartered in New York City, the company assembles a broad portfolio of film and television production, linear and cable networks, streaming services and consumer distribution operations. Its assets span well-known studio brands, premium scripted and unscripted programming, news and factual entertainment, and licensed franchise properties.

The company’s core activities include film and television production and distribution through units such as Warner Bros.