Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) Given Consensus Rating of “Hold” by Brokerages

Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) has earned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the eight ratings firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company.

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Bank of America upgraded shares of Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, September 12th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Diageo from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Diageo

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Logan Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Logan Capital Management Inc. now owns 22,887 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,212,000 after buying an additional 487 shares in the last quarter. Inspire Trust Co. N.A. lifted its position in Diageo by 12.4% during the 3rd quarter. Inspire Trust Co. N.A. now owns 18,189 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,553,000 after acquiring an additional 2,000 shares during the period. Synovus Financial Corp boosted its stake in Diageo by 33.0% during the third quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 12,368 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,736,000 after acquiring an additional 3,068 shares in the last quarter. Optimist Retirement Group LLC grew its holdings in Diageo by 23.7% in the third quarter. Optimist Retirement Group LLC now owns 16,681 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,341,000 after purchasing an additional 3,193 shares during the period. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB increased its stake in shares of Diageo by 550.1% during the third quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 10,532 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,478,000 after purchasing an additional 8,912 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 8.97% of the company’s stock.

Diageo Price Performance

DEO opened at $126.56 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a current ratio of 1.53 and a quick ratio of 0.55. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $125.26 and its 200 day simple moving average is $128.86. The firm has a market cap of $70.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.34, a PEG ratio of 3.59 and a beta of 0.69. Diageo has a 1 year low of $117.72 and a 1 year high of $154.71.

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.