We see some gems right now in the Communication Services sector, and we also like the sector overall. Argus rates Communication Services as Over-Weight. After Information Technology, Communication Services is expected to deliver the strongest earnings growth in 3Q, with a forecast of 12%, according to Refinitiv. The sector has many well-known names and is considered a 'barbell' group, with high-growth, low-income social media stocks on one end and low-growth, high-income telecom services stocks on the other. The style mix is approximately one-third "value" and two-thirds "growth." The sector is competitive, so companies in it need to be nimble and innovative, constantly assessing their clientele and staying current. Some of the names -- like Netflix, Alphabet, and Meta -- were at the top of the growth charts in the past five years or so. But like other growth sectors, even the leaders have been outshined by the glitz of artificial intelligence (AI). Market breadth has been recovering, though, and the companies listed below are among those starting to get re-recognized. The S&P 500 Communication Services Index is up 28% year-to-date, compared to the 22% gain in the broader S&P 500 Index. We see more runway for the industry. In our list this week, we look at leaders in Communication Services and sort them by those that are furthest from their 52-week high. All are BUY-rated at Argus and some are included in our Focus List and Model Portfolios.

Vickers Stock Research, a subsidiary of Argus Research Group, analyzes insider trading and institutional stock ownership. Form 13Fs, which institutions must file to report their holdings, are due 45 days after the end of calendar quarters and have come in for 2Q24. We review 13Fs of major institutional investors, including activists, to see what they are buying and to look for trends. Activist investing is now less about generating a short-term return and more about achieving long-term returns through an active management/investor partnership. The stock-market volatility during 2Q gave those institutional investors a chance to buy a dip. Taking a look at the 13Fs from well-known institutional portfolios, we see that the big guns were busy, either adding new holdings or increasing existing holdings. Buying was across a variety of sectors. Based on Vickers data, the following are select purchases made in 2Q by some high-profile money managers. We also list one significant sale (of Apple by Berkshire) and also note if the holding is now 4% or more of the total portfolio.

The Walt Disney Co. is a global entertainment company. The company owns and leverages well-known brands, ranging from Mickey Mouse and 'Frozen' to ESPN and ABC. Disney acquired the animated movie producer Pixar Animation Studios in 2006, comic book and movie producer Marvel Entertainment in 2010, 'Star Wars' originator Lucasfilm in 2012, streaming video technology platform BAMTech (now Disney Streaming Services) in 2017, the assets of 21st Century Fox in March 2019, most of Hulu in May 2019, and the final piece of Hulu in November, 2023. Disney derives 24% of its revenue from outside of North America and 12% from Europe.

Disney operates in three global business segments: entertainment, sports, and experiences. Entertainment and experiences both benefit from franchises and characters the firm has created over the course of a century. Entertainment includes the ABC broadcast network, several cable television networks, and the Disney+ and Hulu streaming services. Within the segment, Disney also engages in movie and television production and distribution, with content licensed to movie theaters, other content providers, or, increasingly, kept in-house for use on Disney’s own streaming platform and television networks. The sports segment houses ESPN and the ESPN+ streaming service. Experiences contains Disney’s theme parks and vacation destinations, and also benefits from merchandise licensing.