Motco Purchases 25,320 Shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Motco increased its position in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 582.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 29,665 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 25,320 shares during the period. Motco’s holdings in Diageo were worth $3,771,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Citigroup Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Diageo by 4.4% in the third quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 158,428 shares of the company’s stock worth $22,234,000 after purchasing an additional 6,617 shares during the period. Canoe Financial LP increased its stake in Diageo by 88,407.3% in the 4th quarter. Canoe Financial LP now owns 8,113,468 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,031,465,000 after acquiring an additional 8,104,301 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its holdings in shares of Diageo by 32.8% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 65,894 shares of the company’s stock valued at $9,248,000 after acquiring an additional 16,285 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC raised its holdings in shares of Diageo by 9.1% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,242,065 shares of the company’s stock valued at $735,671,000 after acquiring an additional 437,646 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Tevis Investment Management boosted its position in shares of Diageo by 159.7% during the 4th quarter. Tevis Investment Management now owns 13,869 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,763,000 after acquiring an additional 8,528 shares during the last quarter. 8.97% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of Diageo from $124.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. UBS Group raised shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Diageo has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $129.00.

Diageo Trading Down 1.8 %

DEO stock opened at $108.53 on Friday. Diageo plc has a one year low of $105.72 and a one year high of $153.36. The company has a market capitalization of $60.38 billion, a PE ratio of 15.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.66. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $117.72 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $125.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 1.60.

Diageo Dividend Announcement

The firm 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 $1.62 dividend. This represents a yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Diageo’s dividend payout ratio is presently 46.42%.

Diageo 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.