Analysts Set Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) PT at $129.00

Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) has earned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the eight research firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $129.00.

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, March 3rd. UBS Group raised shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. Finally, TD Cowen raised their target price on shares of Diageo from $124.00 to $129.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Diageo

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Citigroup Inc. lifted its position in Diageo by 4.4% during the 3rd quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 158,428 shares of the company’s stock worth $22,234,000 after acquiring an additional 6,617 shares during the period. Canoe Financial LP lifted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 88,407.3% during the fourth quarter. Canoe Financial LP now owns 8,113,468 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,031,465,000 after purchasing an additional 8,104,301 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its position in Diageo by 32.8% in the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 65,894 shares of the company’s stock valued at $9,248,000 after buying an additional 16,285 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC boosted its position in Diageo by 9.1% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,242,065 shares of the company’s stock valued at $735,671,000 after buying an additional 437,646 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Maia Wealth LLC increased its holdings in Diageo by 24.7% in the 4th quarter. Maia Wealth LLC now owns 13,112 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,648,000 after buying an additional 2,593 shares during the period. 8.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Diageo Stock Down 1.9 %

Shares of NYSE DEO opened at $108.32 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $60.26 billion, a PE ratio of 15.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a current ratio of 1.60, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. Diageo has a 12-month low of $105.72 and a 12-month high of $151.76. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $114.90 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $123.90.

Diageo Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 24th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a dividend of $1.62 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a yield of 3.8%. Diageo’s payout ratio is 46.42%.

Diageo Company Profile

Diageo plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production, marketing, and sale of alcoholic beverages. The company offers scotch, gin, vodka, rum, raki, liqueur, wine, tequila, Chinese white spirits, cachaça, and brandy, as well as beer, including cider and flavored malt beverages. It also provides Chinese, Canadian, Irish, American, and Indian-Made Foreign Liquor whiskies, as well as flavored malt beverages, ready to drink, and non-alcoholic products.