Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) Shares Purchased by NBC Securities Inc.

NBC Securities Inc. lifted its position in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 44.6% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 982 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 303 shares during the quarter. NBC Securities Inc.’s holdings in Diageo were worth $137,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of DEO. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Diageo by 3.8% during the 1st quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. now owns 2,158 shares of the company’s stock worth $321,000 after buying an additional 78 shares during the last quarter. Financial Counselors Inc. raised its position in Diageo by 3.3% in the second quarter. Financial Counselors Inc. now owns 2,587 shares of the company’s stock valued at $326,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the period. PFG Investments LLC raised its position in Diageo by 3.4% in the second quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 2,516 shares of the company’s stock valued at $317,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the period. Gradient Investments LLC lifted its stake in shares of Diageo by 2.8% in the 2nd quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 3,181 shares of the company’s stock valued at $401,000 after purchasing an additional 86 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Toronto Dominion Bank grew its holdings in shares of Diageo by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 9,949 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,480,000 after purchasing an additional 90 shares during the period. 8.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently issued reports on DEO. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded shares of Diageo from an “underperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a report on Monday, August 12th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, September 12th. Citigroup upgraded shares of Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 3rd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group cut Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, July 12th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Diageo presently has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

Diageo Trading Up 1.1 %

Shares of DEO stock opened at $139.41 on Friday. Diageo plc has a fifty-two week low of $119.48 and a fifty-two week high of $161.64. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $133.30 and a 200 day moving average price of $133.83. The stock has a market capitalization of $77.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a current ratio of 1.53.

Diageo Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 17th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th were given a dividend of $1.62 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. Diageo’s dividend payout ratio is currently 71.37%.

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.