Los Angeles money manager TCW Group Inc. took profits in high-flier Pixar Animation Studios, selling $520 million of Pixar stock and reducing its stake to 8 percent, from 15 percent in December.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, TCW Group said it cut its holdings to 9.5 million shares in the first quarter, down from 18 million shares in the fourth quarter. The giant money manager still remains Pixar’s second-largest shareholder. Pixar’s stock is up 22 percent this year and traded at $64.45 a share, up 26 cents a share on Friday.

Pixar, based in Emeryville, reported fourth-quarter earnings this week that will be its last financial report as a public company. Steve Jobs, Pixar’s chief executive, agreed to sell his company in January to Walt Disney Co. for $7.4 billion.