Marvel has been entertaining consumers through unique characters and rich storytelling since its founding. The company has grown from a niche comic book publisher to a global brand by bringing its characters to life on the big screen.
Marvel was acquired by The Walt Disney Company (DIS -0.20%) in 2009. Disney has since folded Marvel into its operations so that it's no longer an independent unit.
Many Marvel fans might wish they could own a piece of the company. While they can't directly invest in Marvel right now, here's everything you need to know about how to invest in stocks like Marvel.
Is Marvel publicly traded?
Marvel is not a publicly traded company. It has been Disney's property since the entertainment company acquired Marvel in 2009 for $4 billion. Before Disney's acquisition, Marvel was a publicly traded company from 1991 until 2009.
When will Marvel IPO?
As of late 2025, Disney didn't have any plans for a Marvel initial public offering (IPO). Marvel's characters continue to play an important role at Disney, including helping headline its movie theater strategy and providing a steady source of new content for its Disney+ streaming service.
Is Marvel profitable?
While Disney continues to operate the Marvel brand, it doesn't break out that segment's profitability. Disney restructured Marvel in 2015, making it part of Walt Disney Studios.
Although we don't know if Marvel would be profitable as a standalone entity today, Disney is solidly profitable. The entertainment giant reported nearly $72 billion of revenue in its first three quarters of 2025, up 5% from fiscal 2024. Meanwhile, the company earned almost $12 billion of net income for that same three quarters, more than double what it earned in the prior-year period.
Should you invest in Disney to get exposure to Marvel?
There are many reasons why you might want to invest in Disney, including:
- You want to invest in a company behind some of your favorite brands and characters.
- You believe the company's investments in streaming will increase its profitability and stock price.
- You think the company's cost-cutting efforts, including its decision to reduce costs at Marvel, will increase shareholder value over the long term.
On the other hand, some reasons why you might decide against buying shares of the entertainment giant include:
- You don't like the direction Disney is heading, including how it's managing Marvel.
- You're specifically interested in investing in Marvel, not Disney.
- You don't think the entertainment giant can turn around its box office slump.
How to invest in Disney through ETFs
Many investors prefer to invest passively instead of actively managing a portfolio of stocks. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) make it easy to be a passive investor.
Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF)
Some of the top ETFs with exposure to Disney include:
- Vanguard Communication Services ETF (VOX -0.38%): This ETF tracks the performance of the communication services sector. It held shares of 121 companies as of late 2025, including Disney (4.50% of its assets). The fund had a 0.09% ETF expense ratio.
- Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Communication Services ETF (RSPC -0.57%): The ETF provides equal-weighted exposure to the communication services sector within the S&P 500. This fund held shares of 27 companies in late 2025, including Disney (3.84% of its holdings). The ETF had a 0.4% total expense ratio.
- iShares Global Comm Services ETF (IXP -0.17%): This fund aims to track the global communication services sector. The fund held shares of 90 companies in late 2024, including Disney (3.73% of its assets). The ETF had a 0.40% expense ratio.
The bottom line
Marvel is part of the Disney family of brands. It will likely remain part of Disney, which sees it playing a key role in supporting its streaming platform. Although that means you won't be able to own shares of Marvel directly, you can get some exposure to the company by investing in Disney.
Related investing topics
FAQ
About the Author
