Auxier Asset Management Lowers Stake in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Auxier Asset Management lessened its stake in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 12,784 shares of the company’s stock after selling 400 shares during the period. Auxier Asset Management’s holdings in Diageo were worth $1,612,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in DEO. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado raised its holdings in shares of Diageo by 4,665.2% in the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado now owns 482,713 shares of the company’s stock valued at $70,312,000 after buying an additional 472,583 shares during the period. Beacon Financial Group acquired a new stake in shares of Diageo during the fourth quarter worth about $296,000. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in shares of Diageo by 56.7% in the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 677,478 shares of the company’s stock valued at $98,681,000 after purchasing an additional 245,255 shares during the period. QRG Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Diageo by 16.4% in the first quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 7,185 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,069,000 after purchasing an additional 1,011 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers increased its stake in Diageo by 461.4% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 70,630 shares of the company’s stock worth $10,506,000 after buying an additional 58,048 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 8.97% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

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

Diageo Price Performance

Diageo stock opened at $133.03 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $73.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $129.28 and a 200-day simple moving average of $135.47. 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 plc has a 12-month low of $119.48 and a 12-month high of $161.64.

Diageo Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 17th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a dividend of $1.62 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This represents a dividend yield of 3.2%. Diageo’s dividend payout ratio is currently 72.61%.

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.