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

Shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) have been given an average rating of “Hold” by the eight research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company.

DEO has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. UBS Group raised shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 11th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Diageo from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. Finally, Bank of America upgraded Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 12th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Diageo

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its stake in shares of Diageo by 1,034.5% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 799,652 shares of the company’s stock worth $104,443,000 after acquiring an additional 729,166 shares during the last quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Diageo by 105.7% during the third quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 949,411 shares of the company’s stock worth $133,240,000 after purchasing an additional 487,904 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC boosted its stake in shares of Diageo by 9.1% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,242,065 shares of the company’s stock valued at $735,671,000 after purchasing an additional 437,646 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC grew its holdings in shares of Diageo by 416.0% in the second quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 521,920 shares of the company’s stock worth $65,939,000 after purchasing an additional 420,778 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James & Associates increased its stake in Diageo by 52.3% in the 3rd quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 853,640 shares of the company’s stock worth $119,800,000 after buying an additional 293,017 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 8.97% of the company’s stock.

Diageo Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of DEO stock opened at $126.93 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. Diageo has a 12 month low of $117.72 and a 12 month high of $154.71. The stock has a market cap of $70.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.40, a P/E/G ratio of 3.59 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $124.45 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $128.72.

About Diageo

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.