Diageo (LON:DGE) Sets New 52-Week Low – Time to Sell?

Shares of Diageo plc (LON:DGE) reached a new 52-week low on Tuesday . The company traded as low as GBX 2,031 ($26.24) and last traded at GBX 2,032.73 ($26.27), with a volume of 30990139 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 2,051.50 ($26.51).

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Diageo to a “buy” rating and set a GBX 2,800 ($36.18) price target on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 6th. UBS Group raised shares of Diageo to a “buy” rating and upped their target price for the stock from GBX 2,300 ($29.72) to GBX 2,920 ($37.73) in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a GBX 2,500 ($32.30) price target on shares of Diageo in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of GBX 2,876.67 ($37.17).

Diageo Trading Down 1.0 %

The company has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 2,231.01. The company has a market capitalization of £45.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.38, a P/E/G ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.36. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 234.57.

Diageo Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 27th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 20th will be paid a dividend of GBX 20.75 ($0.27) per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 20th. This represents a yield of 3.66%. This is a positive change from Diageo’s previous dividend of $0.63. Diageo’s payout ratio is 44.25%.

Insider Transactions at Diageo

In other news, insider Nik Jhangiani sold 65,676 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,165 ($27.98), for a total value of £1,421,885.40 ($1,837,298.62). In the last three months, insiders bought 19 shares of company stock worth $43,455. 0.11% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Diageo

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