Callahan Advisors LLC Has $2.25 Million Holdings in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Callahan Advisors LLC lessened its holdings in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 49.7% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 17,728 shares of the company’s stock after selling 17,523 shares during the period. Callahan Advisors LLC’s holdings in Diageo were worth $2,254,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Canoe Financial LP raised 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 valued at $1,031,465,000 after acquiring an additional 8,104,301 shares during the period. FMR LLC raised its stake in 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 during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA raised its stake in Diageo by 13.4% in the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 1,254,393 shares of the company’s stock valued at $176,042,000 after acquiring an additional 147,920 shares during the period. Confluence Investment Management LLC raised its stake in Diageo by 30.5% in the 3rd quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC now owns 1,215,786 shares of the company’s stock valued at $170,623,000 after acquiring an additional 284,046 shares during the period. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its stake in Diageo by 25.9% in the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,116,994 shares of the company’s stock valued at $156,759,000 after acquiring an additional 229,946 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 8.97% of the company’s stock.

Diageo Stock Performance

Diageo stock opened at $107.45 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.60, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. Diageo plc has a 12-month low of $105.72 and a 12-month high of $154.71. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $120.76 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $125.90.

Diageo Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 24th. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $1.62 per share. This represents a yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on DEO shares. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Diageo from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. UBS Group upgraded Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, TD Cowen increased their target price on Diageo from $124.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. One investment 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. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Diageo presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $129.00.

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.