Which Would You Rather Disney or 21st Century Fox?

Media company Disney DIS has its hands in many different kinds of media operations. From operating its namesake - the Disney franchise, to sports empire ESPN, Disney has become almost ubiquitous in the visual entertainment field. One of the company’s main rivals is 21st Century Fox FOXA, home of the long running television show The Simpsons, and numerous successful movie franchises. Fox also looks to challenge Disney’s dominance in sports broadcasting, and has launched many sports networks of its own. Today we will look at how these two companies fared in 2013 and beyond.

On January 2, 2013 Disney stock cost $51.00 per share. The stock moved steadily higher throughout the beginning of the year, and topped the $60 mark in mid-April. But Disney was just getting started. After flirting with $68.00 in mid-May the company experienced a bit of a pull back, going as low as $60.50 in August. In retrospect, this pullback represented an excellent buying opportunity, as the stock would go on quite the run to close out the year. By year’s end Disney was trading over $76.00, and closed 2013 near yearly highs at $76.40. Disney stock returned 50 percent for the year. Though the stock has stalled somewhat in 2014, it has moved slightly higher than its 2013 close in recent trading.

Going into 2013 Fox was riding a wave of upward momentum. The company began the year at about $23.00, and the upswing continued. The stock continued to move upward throughout the year with very little pullback, and experienced a year end surge which saw the stock close near yearly highs. Between mid-December and the close of the year, the stock jumped from $32.62 to a yearend closing price of $35.17, over a 10 percent jump when compared to the stock’s price at the beginning of the year. When it was all said and done Fox’s stock returned 53 percent on the year. After its stellar year in 2013, Fox stock gave back much of its yearend gains, and into mid-February is trading back under $33.00

2013 was a great year for both Disney and 21st Century Fox stocks. Doubtlessly the rising gross sales at the box offices, and an improving U.S. economy, had much to do with the success of the companies’ stock increases. Though both Disney and 21st Century Fox had phenomenal returns in 2013, the picture seems to be shaping up differently for 2014. As of yet it is too early to tell what will be the result in the long run. But Disney certainly seems to have the momentum when compared to Fox, which has largely stalled and begun to fall.