AMZN vs DIS: How Amazon and Walt Disney Compare (2026)

Last updated July 2026

Short answer

AMZN is the larger of the two ($2.46T market cap): the incumbent the market prices for continued execution (23.02x forward earnings, beta 1.46). DIS is the smaller challenger ($172.13B), cheaper on forward earnings (13.28x): more room to run, but more to prove. The real question is which set of drivers you believe, and whether owning one (or both) leaves you over-concentrated.

AMZN vs DIS: the tie-breaker metrics

Same yardstick, side by side (as of July 2026). Valuation lined up like this is most meaningful for two names in the same corner of the market, which these are. Figures are approximate; verify before investing.

MetricAMZNDISWhat it tells you
Market cap$2.46T$172.13BSize. The larger name is the incumbent; the smaller has more room to grow and more to prove.
Forward P/E23.0213.28Valuation on next year's expected earnings, the same yardstick for both. Lower is cheaper for that growth; higher means the market is paying up.
Trailing P/E27.3115.86Valuation on the last 12 months. A big drop from trailing to forward means the market expects earnings to jump, so more growth is already in the price.
Beta1.461.40Volatility vs the market. Above 1 swings harder than the index; below 1 is steadier. Higher beta means bigger drawdowns to hold through.
Price vs 52-week range39% of range24% of rangeWhere today's price sits between the 52-week low and high. Near the high is momentum with less margin of safety; near the low is out of favor or a discount, depending on why.
Price / book5.561.59How much you pay over book value. Very high can signal an asset-light, high-return business or a rich price.

Reading it: DIS is the cheaper of the two on forward earnings, but cheaper is not the same as better. Pair the valuation with growth (how far the forward P/E sits below the trailing P/E) and risk (beta) before you decide.

Before you buy: how AMZN and DIS affect your concentration

The metrics above tell you which is the marginally better business. The bigger risk for most people is not picking the slightly worse stock, it is over-concentrating. AMZN and DIS share themes, so owning both, or adding either to what you already hold, can quietly push a large share of your portfolio into one bet.

This is the part a generic comparison page cannot answer, because it depends on what you own. Connect your brokerage and Walnut shows your real, combined AMZN and DIS exposure, flags overlap with your existing positions, and tells you if adding one would tip you past a concentration you are comfortable with, read-only by default, with your login staying at your broker. Walnut is not an investment adviser.

What does Amazon (AMZN) do?

Amazon is one of the largest companies in the world, operating across three major business lines. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the dominant global cloud computing provider, generating around $110 billion in annual revenue and most of the company's operating income. The North America and International e-commerce segments include the Amazon online marketplace, Prime membership, and third-party seller services. Advertising has grown into the third-largest digital ad business in the world (after Google and Meta).

Full AMZN guide

What does Walt Disney (DIS) do?

Disney runs three reporting segments. Entertainment covers the Disney+ and Hulu streaming services, film studios (Walt Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, 20th Century), and the legacy linear TV networks; it makes money from subscription fees, advertising, box office, and licensing, and in fiscal-Q2 2026 generated revenue of ~$11.7 billion and operating income of ~$1.34 billion. Sports is primarily ESPN, monetized through affiliate fees, advertising, and now a direct-to-consumer subscription; it earned ~$652 million of operating income on ~$4.6 billion of revenue that quarter, with profit pressured by rights costs. Experiences (domestic and international theme parks, resorts, cruise ships, and consumer products) is the profit center, posting record fiscal-Q2 operating income of ~$2.6 billion on ~$9.5 billion of revenue, earning money from ticket sales, hotels, food, merchandise, cruises, and brand licensing.

Full DIS guide

AMZN vs DIS: how do they differ?

Both fit overlapping themes, but they are not interchangeable. The useful comparison is which set of drivers and risks you want exposure to.

  • AMZN drivers: AWS as the AI infrastructure backbone; Retail margin expansion.
  • DIS drivers: Experiences as the cash engine; Streaming profit inflection.

Which fits which kind of investor

A faster-growing, richer-valued name usually swings harder, so it suits a longer horizon and a higher tolerance for volatility; a steadier, more cash-generative business suits a more conservative or income-minded investor. The honest test is which set of risks you could hold through a drawdown: Hyperscaler AI capex is concentrated; if model training demand cools, AWS growth slows. For DIS, the legacy linear-TV business (cable networks and traditional distribution) is in secular decline as audiences cut the cord, and the high-margin affiliate fees that decline carries are difficult to fully replace with streaming subscriptions.

AMZN or DIS: which should you pick?

Growth-minded investors who believe the theme has years to run tend to accept the richer multiple for more upside; value-minded investors lean toward the cheaper forward earnings and steadier profile. Pick AMZN if you believe its drivers more; DIS if you believe its. Many investors hold both, but since they share themes, that is a concentrated bet, not diversification. Decide deliberately and check overlap. For the full detail, see the AMZN and DIS guides.

AMZN vs DIS: the full fundamentals

AMZN. Amazon's headline P/E reflects the aggregate of low-margin retail and high-margin AWS/advertising. The valuation premium is paid for AWS specifically; retail is essentially valued near cost. P/E of 40x is elevated versus the S&P 500 average (~22x), supported by AWS growth re-accelerating.

DIS. Disney trades at a price-to-earnings multiple in the mid-teens, well below its own historical average, reflecting both the parks-driven earnings base and lingering skepticism about media. The 2026 dividend of ~$1.50 per share marks roughly a 50% increase over the ~$1.00 paid in 2025, continuing the recovery from the dividend's pandemic-era suspension. Figures are tied to the asOf date and reflect fiscal 2025 full-year and fiscal-Q2 2026 (ended March 28, 2026) reporting.

Headline figures (approximate, early 2026): AMZN shows revenue (ttm) ~$650 billion, operating margin ~10% (AWS materially higher; retail much lower), net income (ttm) ~$60 billion, eps (ttm) ~$5.50; DIS shows revenue (fy2025, ended sept 2025) ~$94.4 billion, total segment operating income (fy2025) ~$17.6 billion, experiences operating income (fiscal-q2 2026) ~$2.6 billion (record), streaming (disney+/hulu) operating income (fiscal-q2 2026) ~$582 million, up ~88% YoY.

The bottom line: AMZN vs DIS

AMZN and DIS are related but distinct: same themes, different businesses and risks. Neither wins in the abstract; the right pick is whichever thesis you actually believe, sized so you are not over-concentrated in one theme. Walnut can show your combined AMZN and DIS exposure against your real portfolio. It is not an investment adviser.

Investing in Amazon with AI

Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how AMZN fits what you actually hold: whether you own it already through a fund, what it would do to your concentration, and how it has tracked the S&P 500. Read-only by default, and you approve anything before it reaches your broker.

FAQ

What is the difference between AMZN and DIS?

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Amazon is one of the largest companies in the world, operating across three major business lines. Disney runs three reporting segments. They show up together because they share investment themes, but they are different businesses, so the better fit depends on which thesis you are expressing.

Is AMZN or DIS the better stock?

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Neither is universally better. AMZN is the larger incumbent; DIS is the smaller challenger and looks cheaper on forward earnings. Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Compare what each does, the tie-breaker metrics above, and the risks, then decide which fits your thesis and what you already own.

Which is cheaper, AMZN or DIS?

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On forward P/E (as of July 2026), AMZN trades at 23.02x and DIS at 13.28x, so DIS is the cheaper of the two on next year's expected earnings. A lower multiple is not automatically the better buy: a richer valuation can be justified by faster growth, and a lower one can reflect real risk. Weigh the multiple against how fast each business is compounding.

Should you own both AMZN and DIS?

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Because they share themes, owning both concentrates you in that theme. That can be intentional (a focused bet) or accidental (less diversification than it looks). Walnut can show your combined exposure across both, and whether adding either over-concentrates you, before you buy.

What are the risks of AMZN vs DIS?

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AMZN: Hyperscaler AI capex is concentrated; if model training demand cools, AWS growth slows. Regulatory pressure on Amazon's third-party marketplace practices (FTC) remains active. DIS: The legacy linear-TV business (cable networks and traditional distribution) is in secular decline as audiences cut the cord, and the high-margin affiliate fees that decline carries are difficult to fully replace with streaming subscriptions. Sustaining the content slate and sports rights requires heavy, ongoing spending that can cap profit growth even when revenue rises. The Experiences segment, while highly profitable, is cyclical and sensitive to consumer discretionary spending, travel demand, and the broader economy. Leadership succession after Bob Iger is unresolved, and a transition at the top adds execution and strategic uncertainty.

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Walnut is informational, not investment advice. This page is descriptive and not a recommendation to buy or sell AMZN or DIS; figures are approximate and dated (as of July 2026). Verify current data before investing.

    AMZN vs DIS: How Amazon and Walt Disney Compare (2026), Walnut